The Crown Prince (boyxboy)

Chapter 15: The rabbit hole

"What? Is it a secret?"

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Those words reverberated in the prince's mind as they gather around the grand dining table. To him, the concept of falling in love seemed out of reach and ultimately irrelevant. A mere bonus for those who could find it, especially in the world he was born to live in. 

"You both make a charming couple," his mother remarks, sipping her glass warmly. "Henry mentioned that you two were inseparable at the celebration. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for long. Organising such an event was quite a task, and I had to retreat to my chambers. But let's not dwell on that. What matters is that the introduction has taken place."

Sienna reciprocates the queen's smile before glancing at the prince, who felt equally uneasy about the situation. He addresses the queen, "It's still early days, Mother. Anything could happen. We might not be suited for each other, after all."

"Nonsense!" the king's hearty voice resonates with laughter. "This is the closest you've come to finding a future queen. It must be fate.”

Before Tian can respond, there is a commotion at the room's far end. The door opens with force, with the untimely entrance of Prince Rufus entering the dining hall. He walks undoubtedly and steadily towards the table full of guests and sits at his usual seat. He looks only for the wine on the table, not even waiting for it to be poured for him as he helps himself, filling his glass to the brim. He downs it in one before exhaling in satisfaction. Only now does he address the eyes all staring. “Sorry, I'm late. I didn't know we had guests. Henry, you should have said.” Rufus begins to pile his plate with the food on the table. He takes a healthy bite of a chicken leg and looks at the guests seated at the table. “Remind me….” He begins. “Who do we have here?”

As he addresses his brother, the king's voice carries a hint of irritation. "Lady Marina Allsop and her daughter Sienna," he says through gritted teeth, emphasising the importance of observing proper etiquette. The sight of Rufus gorging on the food only serves to incense him further, a constant reminder of the necessity of his son's unity.

"My apologies for my oversight," Prince Rufus interjects, casting a charming smile in Lady Marina's direction. "I am Prince Rufus, brother to this ageing man," he jests, well aware of the effect his words might have on the king. As the lady contemplates whether to reciprocate his amusement, she chooses a graceful smile and a subtle bow.

Turning his attention to Sienna, Prince Rufus adopts a different expression that notably captures her attention. "Lady Sienna, we have met," he remarks in a melodic tone, causing a faint blush to rise to the young lady's cheeks.”

“Your Highness.” She bows her head at the prince.

"The queen eyes her brother-in-law suspiciously, asking, "How do you know each other?" Rufus chuckles with amusement, replying, "At the celebration, of course. I introduced myself after my nephew enjoyed the first dance. Such a glorious sight." His gaze lingers on Tian, who returns his stare with a glare. Taking a mouthful of wine, Rufus savoured the silence, relishing the attention on himself but never straying his eyes from his nephew. "I do have one question, though," he finally says, drawing out the suspense as Tian struggles to contain his impatience, sensing that he might be walking into his uncle's trap, as he had to ask.

“What is it?” 

Rufus's lips curl into a sly smile as he realises he has the prince right where he wants him. With a confident air, he poses the pivotal question, "You seemed to leave the celebration in quite a hurry. Where did you disappear to?"

The King, with an air of authority, responds, "Must I remind you again, Rufus."

Rufus arches an eyebrow in curiosity and presses on, "What? Is it a secret? Surely, I'm not the only one pondering over it.”

Tian's nerves prickle with irritation at his uncle's probing question. Refusing to let his composure slip, he boldly reached for Sienna's smaller, delicate hand, which rested on her lap. Sienna looks at his hand on top of hers, then up at the prince, who surprises her by smiling back. "I wanted to show Lady Sienna my horse," Tian explains, turning his attention to Rufus, whose smile faltered. "As you know, the weather took a turn for the worse. We sought shelter in the stables until the storm passed. Isn't that right?" Tian gently squeezes Sienna's hand, prompting her to speak.

"It's true. Despite the fierce storm, I felt ashamed to admit I had dozed off. Prince Tian was truly a gentleman. He didn't want to disturb my sleep, so he stayed beside me until I woke up." She glances at Tian, and a smile lights up her face. "We talked and talked until the early hours." She then turns to Rufus. "Does that address your inquiry, Your Highness?" By this point, the smile on Prince Rufus’ face had vanished entirely. He averts his gaze from the lady and fixes his attention back on the food on his plate.

"That is incredibly romantic," the queen comments, her eyes sparkling warmly as she expressed affection by lightly squeezing her son's arm. Tian couldn't help but smile at her before quickly retracting his hand from Sienna, feeling an inexplicable pull to distance himself from her, but ultimately dragging him further down the rabbit hole. How far would he fall?