When Worlds Collide

Chapter 43

The next morning, Jude apologized to Gray for unintentionally causing the prince to embarrass himself last night. But that apology was laced with the insistence that he dine with his daughter alone at breakfast and that Juvia not be present. Gray didn't like that idea at all and would have refused but Lahar advised him not to, cause Jude was a very temperamental man and at times unreasonable, not to mention he had his own army. 

"We must try not to insult him." Lahar had said. "The sultan is a very powerful man."

"Lahar I will not stand for this. This is an outrage." Gray responded. This is my family's Summer Palace and we invite him and his daughter to stay here, and how does he behave? By giving orders to me? And referring to my guest like she's a servant? She is not a servant. She has just as much right to sit at the royal dining table as the princess.

"I understand, believe me I do. But the traditions and beliefs of Lazan City differ vastly from ours. This man believes just questioning him is cause for treason. If we're not careful he may declare war on Verdenshav and that's the last thing we want."

Gray sighed. 

"Very well, I'll abide by his wishes but I have my limits. I will not allow myself to be disrespected or insulted any further. And my father wouldn't want me to."

"Duly noted milord."

At breakfast it was just Princess Lucy and Prince Gray sitting across from each other. And just like with their previous interactions, things were very awkward between them. They both tried to make an effort to form some kind of conversation that could help them bond but neither one knew what to say to the other person. Really, all they could do was just eat silently and watch the clock tick by. Finally just when the meal was halfway finished, Lucy spoke up.

"I would like to apologize for my father's recent behavior. I know he hasn't been the most polite guest." 

"I think you for that, your highness."

"Please don't judge him so harshly, my father can be difficult to get along with but he means well. Truly, all he wants is for me to have the best of everything. Especially after my mother died."

"Yes, I heard that her death caused him to be more strict with his rule. Is that true?"

"It's true, and it made him more strict with me. In fact this trip is the first time I've ever left Lazan City. He's just so terrified of losing me like he lost her."

"Well I can understand. I lost my mother when I was young too and for a time my father was scared of the world. He never wanted to leave castle and he never wanted me to leave it either."

"Now that sounds familiar." She chuckled.

"But then one day my father was going through some old things he had picked up from his days of sailing, treasures he had brought back from his adventures. And one of them was a music box he had made for my mother as an anniversary present. As he listened to the song it played, he remembered all the times he spent with my mother and how happy she had been to join him on his explorations over the seas. It made him remember how much my mother loved the world and realize that she wouldn't have wanted him or me to hide from it. She would have wanted us to be apart of the world and enjoy for as long as we could. So Father started encouraging me to do just that."

"If only my father could have that realization."

"If he truly loves you, he will eventually."

Lucy smiled. She really did like Gray. He behaved like an actual person instead of a title and for that reason she hoped that they could be good friends someday. But she wasn't sure if she could ever be in love with him. There just didn't seem to be a connection. They couldn't click.