My arrogant ROYAL.

Side story: Part four.

Prince Evan's POV.

As the days dragged on, I felt myself withering away in my brother's office, a prisoner of my own despair. Simon's daily visits only rubbed salt in my wounds, as I watched him fawn over Melus with a familiarity that made my heart ache. The touchy-feely displays left me seething in silence, my emotions simmering like a pot about to boil over.

My brother's smug gaze lingered on me, as if taunting me with his triumph. But I refused to give him the satisfaction of getting under my skin. I forced a smile, a mask of nonchalance, to show him his attempts at provocation were futile. Meanwhile, Simon's flirtatious banter with my brother made my eyes roll in exasperation.

"Just let me kiss you, I need to check on something in the kitchen," Simon cooed, snuggling up to my brother like a lovesick pup.

My brother's response? "If you kiss me, you'll leave, and I don't want you to go." 

Ugh, the drama! I thought, shaking my head at Simon's childish antics.

"Okay, I'm leaving," Simon said, standing up and planting a kiss on my brother's forehead. Just then, the doors burst open and our father appeared, his presence commanding attention. It had been days since we'd seen him, courtesy of his self-imposed "resting time" – a quirk that never failed to amuse me. My brother, Melus, quickly composed himself, erasing all traces of his earlier flirtation with Simon. Our father greeted us with a nod, his eyes lingering on Simon as if sizing him up. He scrutinized the boy for a few moments, his gaze piercing and intense, as if trying to unravel a mystery.

"I'd like to spend more time with you, get to know you, Simon, if you don't mind." The surprise was palpable, and Melus was rendered speechless. Simon, however, regained his composure quickly, beaming with gratitude. "I'd be honored," he replied, his smile directed at my father, who promptly exited the scene, leaving Simon frozen in place, awaiting some kind of explanation or reaction from Melus, who remained dumbstruck and silent, equally astonished by the sudden turn of events.

The next day, Simon and our father departed, leaving Melus and me to our own devices within the castle walls. My brother's reluctance to part with Simon was palpable, having spent every waking moment by his side the day before. I couldn't fathom the depth of Melus's fixation on Simon, who, to me, seemed just like any other human. Yet, a secret part of me rejoiced at the thought of Simon's absence, sparing me the agony of witnessing their flirtations and affectionate displays. My heart couldn't bear the strain of pretending to be indifferent, and I had long since exhausted my pleas to Melus to release me from this emotional prison. But he remained resolute, holding me captive in this web of unrequited feelings, refusing to set me free.

Melus couldn't contain his smug satisfaction throughout the day, lounging in the office with an air of self-satisfaction. He barely glanced at his work, his attention fixated on the door, his eyes darting towards it every few seconds, hoping against hope that Simon would miraculously materialize before him. But the harsh reality was that they had only just departed, and their return was still hours away. To make matters worse, our father had been tight-lipped about their destination, leaving us in the dark, and Melus's anticipation was palpable, like a loyal pup waiting anxiously for its master's return. The uncertainty only fueled Melus's restless energy, his gaze perpetually drifting towards the door, willing Simon to reappear, his very presence a balm to Melus's restless soul.

I couldn't help but scoff at Melus's antics, my exasperation boiling over. "They'll be back, stop acting like a big baby," I said, rolling my eyes heavenward. "You used to function just fine when you hadn't even courted him yet. What's gotten into you?" But my words only seemed to provoke Melus, his face darkening as he lashed out. "You wouldn't understand," he snapped, his voice dripping with venom. "You drove away the last person who would have shown you real love. You're just jealous that I've found something genuine, something you'll never have." The jab stung, but I refused to let him see the hurt, my expression remaining steadfast even as the words cut deep.