Happy Ever After

Bright

This is the most pointless, frivolous, senseless, baseless meeting to ever exist. The fact that I have to sit through the banal meanderings of these men thrice a year must be some sort of punishment for a crime I did in a previous life.

The fact that they insist to do this in the gazebo near the sea is just adding insult to injury. It is times like this that I am reminded that fish are more free than I am.

Alright, that was a bit overdramatic.

I stifle a sigh and a yawn. When will this end? These pompous dukes have the most out of touch concerns. Yacht taxes? The future of Mars colonies? Help me.

From the distance I hear the low rumble of small wheels and foot steps. Thank God, lunch is here. At the very least I'll get to enjoy a staple of these meetings - potato latkes served with a slice of salmon. A favorite of Duke Amree and so it is served at every meeting. They are the only good part of these meetings.

I look heavenward and close my eyes. Thankful for the speaker stopping abruptly at the sight of the silver cloches.

I hear my plate being set before me and I eagerly open it. But why is there sauce on my surprisingly giant latke? And why is it spelling the words: "Escape with me."

I look up at my server and almost choke. Smiling at me in full waiter-attire is Metawin Teepakorn.

"Can I interest you in more, Your Highness? Perhaps a picnic by the sea?," he says with a straight face.

This man. "What are you doing here?," I ask, trying but failing to hold back a smile.

"What do you mean, Your Highness? I'm a waiter. I'm here to serve you what you want."

"Escape?"

"I'm 1000% sure you want to escape. So why not with me?" His nose crinkles as he says this and I feel butterflies flutter in my ribs.

I find the words to say but I am rudely interrupted by wolf whistles. I find the source, and I should have known. Dukes Amree, Sathar and Sanouk were leering in my direction.

"Prince Bright," Sathar says looking Metawin up and down. "I didn't know this was your type. I mean he does look good but really? A lowly waiter? Just say the word and I can hook you up with high-class models."

"But Sathar, he does look like he could be a model," Amree quips. "Actually...more than a model...don't you think he looks like that Lord, the handsome one? The one that was exiled?"

"You mean the Teepakorn. Disgusting. I'd rather date a waiter than a bloody Teepakorn." The three of them laugh as if their crassness was funny instead of downright abominable.

My hand was around my steak knife. I was holding it so tightly, my knuckles felt like they'd burst out of my skin. I could see nothing but red. But Metawin was whispering under his breath: "Relax. Relax. They're not worth it. Relax."

I give him a look. I needed permission to hurt the three assholes standing before me.

"Let's just walk away," he pleads.

"You let your servants order you around?," Amree jeers. "He must be very good at extra services, if you know what I mean."

They laugh again.

I throw the knife. It whistles near Amree's head but ultimately just pierces one of the wooden poles of the gazebo.

The three men stop and look at me. The other dukes and their wives do as well.

It would have normally been a source of great embarrassment. But right now, I don't give a flying fuck. You heard me.

There was indeed an embarrassment here but it sure as hell was not me. Nor was it Metawin Teepakorn.

I turn to my royal guards. "This meeting is over. See that the guests leave immediately after their meal. And see to it that Duke Amree, Duke Sathar, and Duke Sanouk are never allowed in the Royal Palace ever again."

"You cannot be serious - ", Sanouk tries to protest.

"Are you questioning the words of a Royal Prince?"

Sanouk closes his mouth fast.

"I thought so. If you want to step foot here ever again then you will release a public apology to all my staff for the gross manner in which you regard them."

"That seems excessive."

"Then you are not welcome here. My conditions are clear and unwavering."

I take the hand of Metawin. "Lord Teepakorn, you wanted to go to the sea?"

Amree's jaw drops to the floor. "Was that? I didn't mean. We didn't-"

I didn't care about what they had to say.

I look at Meta. I squeeze his hand.
He gives me a small nod and slowly interlaces his fingers with mine.

He was all I cared about.
Him and the sea.