The Prince (WMMAP FanFic)

Ch 83 : Adjustment Problems

Athanasia and Jennette had come to meet the two male friends.

"Glory and Blessings upon the two stars of the Obelian Empire. I greet Princess Athanasia and Princess Jennette."

Jennette's expression brightened as a smile decorated her face. Athanasia replied, "Greetings to you as well, Lord Alpheus."

Athanasia looked towards Jennette after replying and she nodded at her.

"What have the two of you been up to?" Arius asked as he noticed their exchange.

"The princess has been teaching me palace etiquette." Jennette stated brightly as she bowed slightly as a symbol of greeting the young lord of the Alpheus.

Arius smiled at that. It looks like they had been getting along fine.

"Well then, the two of you can catch up with each other, brother, may I have a word?"

Arius nodded and the two siblings left the other two alone.

"You look like you've been well." Ijekiel stated as he smiled in relief.

"Yes, the princess has been very kind to me. I didn't expect to be welcomed this warmly by them. The emperor. . ."

"Give him some time. It'll all work out."

"Yes."

"Would you like to sit down?" Ijekiel asked as he pulled a chair for her to sit.

She nodded before sitting and thus the two cousins conversed with each other in peace.

Meanwhile Athanasia ordered her maid, Hannah to prepare tea and snacks for Princess Jennette and the Lord Alpheus for them to have while they talked.

And then she continued to Arius's office to talk to him.

Closing the door shut, she sat down and gave Arius a serious stare.

"Geez, what is it? You're creeping me out."

"It's about Jennette. What have you thought about her future?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to tell her the truth? About us being cousins and not siblings?"

"We can't say that without proof."

"Lucas. Can't he help us guarantee it?"

Knock

Knock

"Come in." Arius allowed.

And in came the familiar ravenette. "Well, you certainly have a long life left." Athanasia rolled her eyes.

"Oh were you remembering me?"

"Close the door."

The trio now sat in the room.

"You brought the chimera to the Palace." Lucas grumbled.

"Be nice to her." is all Arius told him before looking towards Athanasia.

Athanasia waited for a few seconds of silence before speaking. "We both grew up in the Palace. We know the maids, and the servants. And they know us. Furthermore, Daddy accepts us as his children. In Jennette's case she's a not only a new princess but also someone the emperor has not accepted as his child. He's only allowing her during meals and to stay here because we both asked for it and because she has jeweled eyes."

"Why did you even let her stay in the Palace?" Lucas asked, annoyed.

"Shut up Lucas. Ahem, as I was saying. With the way things look, I doubt Daddy is going to accept her anytime soon. She can't adjust to the palace if Daddy doesn't display his acceptance of her. The servants act nice for now. But they might act out when we're not noticing. They've developed quite an attachment to us both, and having a third royal join the palace might make them act out of line with her."

Arius massaged his temples. "I get what you mean."

"We should call Jennette for lunch and talk to her about it whilst eating." Athanasia suggested.

"I've asked Ijekiel to find proof regarding the matter, once he finds it then, let's discuss it with her. "

"You told him about it?"

"Don't worry, he can be trusted."

"Well, if you say so."

"Then I suppose in the meantime I'll just go and order the staff in my palace to treat Jennette properly."

"Yea, please do. And you've been teaching Jennette palace Etiquette?"

"Not so much as 'been', we only started today. But I thought she would need it since the nobles will most probably pester her. And we've debuted, so we'll have to attend tea parties and so on. She needs to know how to make the nobles respect her and not look down on her."

Arius was continuously smiling. "Thanks. I know it's not something you wanted to do."

Athanasia gave a half-hearted smile, remembering that the original Athanasia also helped Jennette adjust to Palace life, and well they both knew how well that ended for Athanasia.

The fact that she was doing this all over again, meant she trusted Arius. And Arius was beyond happy about it.

"Well then, I'll leave first." Athanasia got up from her seat and gradually left.

Arius was about to get up as well, when he realized Lucas was there as well. He'd been quite patient to stay quiet all that time.

"You trust Whitey's pup more than me?" Lucas asked.

"Oh, he's my friend so of course I trust him. And I trust you as well."

"You're not telling me anything."

Arius looked at Lucas and took a few deep breaths.

"Jennette is a royal too. She has the right to be treated as one."

"Nothing good will come out of her staying in the Palace. She is partially black magic. Your father also used black magic. If those two stay together for too long, something could happen."

"Can't you do something to help?" Arius asked. He knew about his father's use of black magic and briefly about Jennette's own connection with black magic. However, he didn't think too big a deal of it.

Lucas's words now made him worried.

Lucas slowly got up from his seat on the couch and made way to Arius on the other side.

"Do you still trust Whitey's boy more than me?" He stood in front of Arius, their shoes touching each other, but he didn't sit down.

Instead, Lucas placed one hand on beside Arius's shoulder, on the couch. And the other hand in the couch arm.

"Uh Lucas... I do trust you more than Ijekiel obviously. It's just that. . ." Arius couldn't quite focus when Lucas's face was only inches away from his and when memories of their dance last night were flashing back. Not to mention the fuss everyone was making about the lady in red.

Arius averted his eyes and squeezed his hands tightly. "L-Lucas you came here to say something, right? You arrived here on your own, so, what is it?"

Lucas's ruby eyes seemed to be reflected in Arius's jewels. The two stared dead into each others eyes at that moment. And Lucas only spoke in a low whisper.

"I'm going away from Obelia for a while. To get something from the world tree."

"What?! You're going away? For how long?!"

"Could take a month. Why, will you miss me?"

Arius could feel Lucas's face getting closer.

"Of course I will."

And just when Arius felt Lucas's face in a very dangerous proximity. He stood up, startling Lucas. He scurried off to his desk and said, "Oh y-you should go tell Athanasia as well."

Arius hid his face behind a document. He was probably red from the whole interaction.

"Tch, I'll miss you too..." Lucas spoke in a whisper before teleporting.

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