The Prince's Male Concubine

Chapter 7: "Why is love so complicated?"

Oh dear, a month has past already. The wedding is nearing in four more months. Exciting, right? Well not for the couple who's relationship is still unknown. Nathaniel has tried many acts of companionship and affection, but Archer was never pleased. See, Archer realized that he was taken from his village home, his father, all just to please a rude stuckup prince. Couldn't he have at least been forced to wed Jonathan instead? Well unfortunately, Jonathan has a preference for women. Great.

Nathaniel felt defeated. He tried everything in his power to make Archer fall for him, but it's all failed. He felt slummed, like he couldn't do anything, like he had failed at fulfilling his goal of having a good marriage. Even though he was at his "give up" point, he decided to go to his last resort. The only person that he knew who was good at giving relationship advice.

Nathaniel got dressed and ordered his coachman to ready a carriage. He got into his carriage and he rode to his destination.

He arrived at the location of his favorite tea shop in the whole kingdom; the "Tea and Pub Shop." He entered the shop, and it was empty, as expected of the shop since it only opens at 11:30am and he arrived at 9:30am. He tapped the bell at the pub bar several times. "Hello? Hellooooo??"

"I will be with you shortly" the voice of an old lady said in the back. After a few minutes she came out to greet the prince. "Ah, Nathaniel, what a pleasant surprise" she said.

"Hello, old lady Joseline" the prince said.

"Oh don't call me that, it makes me feel like I'm on death's door" she chuckled, regardless of the fact that she's 76 years of age. "Would you like tea, sweetheart?"

"Yes please"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After giving him his tea, Joseline sat next to him and asked, "what are you here for, deary?"

"Joseline, I just don't know what to do anymore. My future wife doesn't love me at all. I feel like he's distancing himself from me, like he wants nothing to do with me" Nathaniel said as he held his tea on the table. "Joseline, you've always told me to make a partner feel loved and appreciated by making them happy but everytime I try to do so, it doesn't even seem to work"

"Oh honey" she said as looked at the distressed prince. "Marriage is one of the hardest things to keep. Most marriages end with divorce. It's fine if you feel as if there isn't more you can do, but I'm sure there is"

"Sometimes I just ask myself, 'why is love so complicated' and I never seem to have an answer. Ugh, Archer is like a walnut; hard to crack" the prince said. "I mean I've done so much to try make him happy, but he seems to be too bitter to accept my affection"

"Hmm" Joseline thought for a second, before continuing to say, "Nathan, do you even know what makes your wife happy?"

"...I think I do? He likes uh.. cherries?"

"No human likes those disgusting things"

"Well I don't know what he likes, how is that supposed to-...oh OHH, all the things that I've been doing to make him "happy" actually made him more annoyed. I even got us tickets to the Opera"

"Right on the money. But seriously, the Opera? You rich bastard"

"What? It's quite enjoyable when you watch it often" the prince laughed and got out of his chair. "Thank you, Joseline. I know what I have to do now" he ran out of the shop and got on his carriage.

"Have fun swooning your wife!" Joseline shouted from inside as the carriage rode away. "...he didn't even drink his tea"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~