The Princess's Servant

51. The Dress

After departing from Sebastian, Holden had silently slipped away from the princess, ducking into a corner until he was safely out of view. Once he was certain that he was out of eyeshot (and earshot), the young prince made his way back over to his brother's servant.

"What the hell are you doing with the wedding party?" Holden asked him in a hushed — but very frustrated — tone. "This wasn't the plan."

Sebastian smiled at the prince and hopped down off his horse. "Oh, I'm sorry," the servant said. "Am I not rescuing you the way you'd like? Would it be better if I came galloping in on a noble steed, slashing and killing your oppressors? Because I can slash and kill this entire palace if that's what you'd like me to do."

Holden watched the ice-eyed man in front of him. "What I'd like is for you to leave Sybil out of it."

The servant rolled his head back. "Well it's a little late for that, isn't it? If you wanted to keep the princess out of it, you should have thought of that before you landed yourself in her possession a mere week before your wedding!"

"I was here because of our wedding!" The prince protested. "Look, just tell the queen that you made a mistake and that she's expected in Ward by the full moon. You can take me back with you, and I'll have time to prepare before Sybil arrives."

Sebastian shook his head. "No can do, Mr. Servant, Sir."

"Wha— It wasn't a request!" Holden took a step towards the servant and he lowered his voice further. "I am ordering you as your prince to do as I command!"

"Which is funny because, Prince Thomas — who actually is my prince — gave me the command to bring both of you back."

"Both of us?"

"Mhmm."

"Me and Sybil?"

"Yup."

Holden narrowed his eyes. "Well why would he want that?"

Sebastian did not reply.

"Sebs?"

He ran his fingers through his hair and kicked the dirt.

"Why would he want that, Sebs?" Holden side-eyed the servant as the reality sunk in.

Sebastian cleared his throat.

"No you..." Holden felt his heart drop. "You... Couldn't have. You idiot! You told him?! When I clearly stated—" Holden cut himself off as he realized the Lailoyans were looking. Holden collected himself and resumed in his whisper-yell. "What happened to 'he'll kill everyone if he finds out,' hm?"

"I may have been exaggerating that part," the servant replied.

"Unbelievable." The prince had to take a step away. "Unbelievable! How am I supposed to get my revenge now, hm?"

"Your revenge? What does revenge have to do with anything?"

Holden stared at Sebastian to check if he was joking. "Now that you've told Prince Totalitarian, I'll be lucky if I get an invite to her execution! He's going to stonewall me out of her punishment!" He told him.

Sebastian crossed his arms. "You're being dramatic. Sure, Prince Thomas can be a little... eh..." Sebastian stretched thumb and pinky and tilted his hand side-to-side. "But I don't think he cares enough about you to make a big deal out of this."

"I wish you were right! But the man's insane, Sebs. Remember the time that street kid bumped into me? Or when that maid spilled my drink?"

Sebastian shifted his gaze to the side. "I do miss poor Rose..."