king →scara royal!au

chapter two

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.♕ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"princess, you can not be serious about this marriage." xiao paced around the garden in annoyance, his royal robe dragging along with him. "ugh, to hell with this thing," he said and took off the heavy robe, letting it fall to the floor and he continued pacing.

"well, i am serious so i don't see why you're so against it." the princess sat on the table situated in the middle of the garden under a large banyan tree and took a sip of her tea, paimon by her side.

"but we're talking about scaramouche here! the heartless prince of inazuma, the same prince who hated your guts since you were young and you hated him too so why are you marrying him?" xiao walked towards her. "there's so many options of suitors out there why are you choosing him?" paimon walked closer to xiao and made sure the princess did not hear her, "so many options.. do you mean yourself eheheh~" paimon nudged xiao's knee and giggled. 

xiao's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed pink, he tried to hide with with his green and black locks but failed. "s-shut up paimon, this is between me and princess, don't you meddle in it." xiao looked at the princess, "stop sipping your tea and look at me! i am serious about this." xiao fumed and looked at the princess who was nonchalant about this whole matter.

"stop calling me princess all of a sudden it's weird. are you calling me that just cuz i'm getting married? you've always talked informally with me." himiko stated and tilted her head at him.

"it's cuz he l.o.v.e.s you." paimon whispered, making sure the princess didn't hear once again and giggled, earning a smack on the head from xiao. "ow!" she yelped and covered her head.

"fine, himiko. answer me this." xiao took a seat across her. "are you marrying him out of pity? because his mother died?" himiko's ears slightly perked up at that but she hid it. however that didn't go unnoticed by xiao. "ah so i was right." he shook her head in disbelief.

"himiko, you're really giving away something so special as marriage for pity?" he questioned, feeling slightly disheartened. paimon could feel another joke coming but kept her mouth shut for now as she realized xiao wasn't in the mood for any jokes now.

"not exactly, it's just that i sympathize with him" she placed her cup on the table and looked at xiao. "himiko-" he started but the princess stopped him, "let me finish."

"he doesn't have someone to look after his kingdom nor do i. besides, you already know how it is for me to have no parents to rule after this kingdom. people don't take me seriously since they think a teenager like me cannot take care of a kingdom. they think i'm partaking in a roleplay where i wear fancy outfits all day and drink tea all day." she reasoned and took a breathe before continuing again.

"it might not be the same for the prince of inazuma as he and her late majesty were both strict rulers. so no one dares to cross him. so if i were to marry him and have him as my husband, the kingdom of fontaine might take me seriously for once, do you understand xiao? i want to have a label, i don't want to be titled as 'the princess who lost her family' all the time." she felt herself getting a little teary so she sniffled, controlling the tears.

xiao noticed her sadness and nodded understandingly, taking in the situation. "i see.. i understand princess. but do you.. love him? or have any sort of feelings for him at all?" xiao hesitantly asked, afraid that the answer may be yes. he clenched his fist under the table, waiting for her answer. paimon too, was eager to know the answer. 

himiko scoffed before shaking her head. "come on now, i have only met him twice or thrice when we were kids, how am i supposed to have feelings for him when i don't even remember his face?" 

xiao let out a sigh of relief and put a hand on his chest "thank goodness.." he whispered and his eyes fell on paimon who had a smug face and her eyebrows were flicking up and down. 

xiao gave her a 'what' face before looking at the princess. "i see how it is. well, congratulations then, for your marriage." he smiled and looked at her even though it pained him to say such words. "when is the marriage taking place?" 

"probably next week or so. scaramouche will be coming over tomorrow or the day after to discuss the details of the marriage with me. until then i don't exactly know the specific date." she answered and stretched in her seat.

xiao's heart sank slightly at her answer when he realized it was all happening for real and there was nothing he could do about it.

"well, i'll go back to my room. paimon spend some time with xiao, i'll see you both during lunch bye bye." she waved and walked inside the palace, leaving paimon and xiao alone.

paimon walked towards xiao and climbed over the chair beside him with difficulty, "a little.. h-help please." she grunted, hanging on the edge of the chair. xiao rolled his eyes and pulled her on the chair with one swift motion, holding her by the collar. "why are you so tiny, you could never protect the princess." 

paimon rolled her eyes. "speak for yourself. what will you do now? himiko is set on marrying scaramouche."

xiao shrugged with a pained expression. "well, it's her decision and if she's happy with it i have nothing to say against it."

paimon hit his stomach and grumbled. "ow, what was that for?" xiao covered his stomach and looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"do something, i don't want scaramouche to take away himiko, i don't want him to take up all her time when she could be spending those with me like we always did." she pouted and crossed her arms.

xiao laughed and pinched her cheeks before patting her head. "i feel you. i wished she wouldn't marry anyone at all or at least.. marry me." he whispered the last part to no one in particular but himself.