The Crown Prince (boyxboy)

Chapter 18: The Queen's chamber

"True love is rare. When you find it, don't let it go.”
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The prince felt an overwhelming need to confide in someone, but who could he trust? He couldn't possibly share what had transpired with the older stable hand, but he yearned for someone to understand the turmoil inside him. Obligations consumed the king, and emotions held no significance in upholding the royal lineage. As for Rufus, he would undoubtedly mock and exploit any vulnerability Tian revealed. There seemed to be nobody to confide in except perhaps his mother, who might empathise if he carefully tailored the truth.

Tian hesitates for a moment outside his mother's quarters, gathering his courage before finally lifting his hand to knock. As he does, Lady Jessica, the queen's lady-in-waiting, opens the door, offering a respectful curtsy but standing firm without stepping aside.

“I want to see my mother. Is she here?” Tian looks past the lady still standing in his way. He then hears the faint sound of his mother, accompanied by another. “Does she have a guest?”

“Your Highness, I… I um…” Lady Jessica stumbles over her words, feeling torn between loyalty and duty.

"Mother?" Tian calls out over Lady Jessica's shoulder, causing her to look down at the floor. Ignoring the lady, he pushes past her and heads to where he hears voices. As he approaches, he sees his mother sitting by the window with a man sitting opposite. The man is wearing simple robes, and it's clear from the large cross hanging around his neck where he heralds from. They both look up at the prince with surprise at his untimely interruption. "What is going on?”

The Queen's composure wavers, and a forced, uneasy laugh escapes her lips. She gazes at her son, then at the saintly man across from her. "It's nothing," she begins, her calm tone only deepening the Prince's sense of unease. As he takes a step closer to her, his concern grows.

“Mother, what are you not telling me?”  He wonders whether he should be concerned.

“Her Majesty tells me you are to wed, Your Highness. A great occasion needs a tremendous amount of planning, does it not?” The cardinal nods graciously at the Prince before looking back at the Queen, who seems more relieved as she visibly relaxes her tense muscles. “I should be delighted to conduct the ceremony.” Without a moment for the Prince to answer, the cardinal gets to his feet. He bows before the pair. “My Queen, My Prince, I will see myself out.” He takes his cap from the small side table and places it back on his head.

Lady Jessica looks to the Queen, awaiting the next instruction. “Leave us, please.” The Queen commands as the servant nods and turns, following the visitor out of the room. The two royals are finally alone as Tian sits opposite his mother.

His brows knit in a deep frown as he confronts her. "Are you crafting the path for my future without even considering my thoughts?" His mother's response is delayed, and Tian can discern the internal conflict within her as if she is grappling with unspoken revelations. Leaning in, he strives to lock eyes with the Queen's distant, contemplative gaze. "Mother, what secrets are you withholding from me?”

The question seemed almost too intrusive for the Queen, interrupting her deep thought. She turns to her son with a reassuring smile. "I would never exclude you from important decisions," she assures him, reaching out to tap his knee several times. She settles back in her seat, adding, "I just needed some advice. I don't want to burden your father with my troubles. He already has enough to handle as the king.”

“He is also your husband,” Tian adds. “You should come before all others.”

"No, you should come before others," the Queen interrupts, her voice carrying a tone of utmost importance. "You are our future, the future of the realm. The unity between my son and his chosen bride will take us forward. How is everything with you and Lady Sienna? Have you had any more secret meetings?" There was a playful lilt in her voice as she giggled. "Your father and I used to sneak out at night and…”

"I wish not to know," the Prince declares, raising a hand to halt the Queen in her tracks. "I can assure you we do not engage in such activities." Perhaps not with Lady Sienna but with a stable hand? Images of Jonas began to form in the Prince's mind - his touch, how he looked at him, and how the Prince's pulse quickened in response. The memory of their brief moment together lingered on the Prince's lips. What might have occurred if Tian hadn't intervened and pushed Jonas away?

The Queen flashes a sly grin at her son as his cheeks flush with a hint of pink.

"Whatever you say, but I can see that blush. It gives you away," she teases.

Tian brushes off the comment. “Don't be ridiculous. How can one fall for another so soon?”

“'There are powers at work greater than we know,' the Queen murmured, her eyes reflecting a depth of knowledge that sent a shiver down her spine. 'True love is rare. When you find it, don't let it go.” Tian pondered her words, realising that he didn't need to divulge the identity of the person who had captured his heart. The Queen seemed to have more to say, however. “Lady Sienna will grace the palace with her presence for a couple of days.'’

In that instant, his emotions withdrew, and he again found himself conflicted by his sense of obligation. "Why is that? Shouldn't we postpone this until we are married? I am not hurrying to get married; as the Cardinal mentioned, it will be splendid. These matters require careful consideration and time.”

"Calm yourself, Tian," the commanding voice of the Queen resonates through the room. "She is a guest of mine, not yours. I need to show her the ropes, as it were. Sienna will be your Queen, and what better person to learn from than myself." The Queen gracefully rises from her seat and glides towards the window, her gaze fixes on the sprawling kingdom below. "I need to know someone will be by your side who will care for you as I do.”

“Why? Are you going somewhere?” Tian questions.

His mother turns to him and smiles, a glint of words unspoken in her eyes as she sidesteps his question. With a graceful motion, she reaches for a delicate bell resting on the small table beside her and gives it a gentle ring. Lady Jessica appears seemingly out of thin air, summoned by her command. "The Prince is leaving. Please fetch me my book; I wish to immerse myself in its pages," she instructs with an air of regal authority. 

The Prince rises reluctantly from his seat, his movements respectful as he bows slightly at the Queen before taking his leave. He couldn't help but feel foolish for entertaining thoughts of romance. Deep down, he understood that his desires would never be sanctioned, but at least he had gained clarity about his feelings. Jonas had awakened in him a longing that Lady Sienna never would. Jonas had ignited a yearning for something more.