The Warlock (BxB)

Chapter 47

As they walked through the crowd of guests, Logain held Casimir's arm tightly. He was scared that if he let go, he would get lost in the sea of people. He was never good at social interactions, so letting go of the prince was as good as a death sentence. He could hardly handle all of the eyes on them as they walked together. All of them wanted to know who the girl who caught Casimir's attention was. The women jealously looked at him, envious that they weren't the one picked by the crown prince of Ambria.

If only they knew this was only a disguise and that they never had a chance to begin with. Casimir was gay and never would have chosen any of them. Yet, they fooled themselves into thinking they had a chance and could change him. Logain would have laughed at their desperation, but he was too nervous and shy to open his mouth. Besides, his voice would give him away. When he wasn't talking to Casimir or his friends, Logain would need to put on a fake voice to keep the charade up. He wouldn't let his voice expose him. When not as many eyes were on him, Logain would have to use his magic to change his voice. Hopefully, he won't mess up the spell because of his nerves.

Casimir was still in disbelief when he looked at Logain. When his sister said she had a plan, this wasn't what he was expecting. He commented, "I'm surprised you came dressed like this. You look really cute in it."

The prince leaned in closer and said only loud enough for Logain to hear, "I can't wait to take it off you later."

The warlock blushed. "Y-you pervert. After the ball, I'm going home as quickly as possible to get out of this."

"Aww, you won't stay with me a little longer afterward?" Casimir teased.

Logain looked away. He wouldn't say no to spending more time with Casimir. After all, he was doing this for the prince. If it weren't for Casimir, Logain would never have dressed up in this ridiculous outfit. It was embarrassing to be seen like this, and all of the eyes on them was only making the feeling worse. The warlock spotted the king and queen of Ambria, who had their watchful eyes on them. Casimir noticed as well.

"My mother should be satisfied. She's the one who wanted me to find a wife, and now I have one." Casimir shot his mother a friendly yet mischievous smile. The queen was none the wiser.

Shyly, Logain asked, "When will our engagement be announced?"

"Probably towards the end of the celebration. My parents will make an announcement, and then they'll expect me to choose someone," Casimir explained.

"And . . . you plan on making this our official engagement? We'll really be promised to each other . . ." Saying it out loud, Logain could hardly believe it was true. Marriage was something he had never imagined in his life, especially not with a mortal. But the idea of marrying Casimir made him feel butterflies in his stomach.

Casimir gently touched Logain's hand. "Only if you'll have me. I will not force you to marry me, but if you do agree, I guess we'll have to figure out the details with my parents. You don't have to pretend to be something you're not."

The king and queen were another obstacle, especially his mother. Casimir would figure things out. Once he was engaged to Logain, he didn't plan on letting him go. He would keep fighting until he got his future with the warlock.

Soon enough, the ballroom was filled with music, and couples gathered together to dance. Logain nervously looked at the prince. If they wanted people to think that Casimir had found someone already, then they would need to dance together. Dancing wasn't something the warlock was good at. He might have danced when he was a child, but he never did in his adult life. There was no one for him to dance with. Now, Logain was worried he would make a fool out of himself in front of all the nobles. They all had their eyes on them like vultures waiting to tear them apart.

Casimir noticed Logain's anxiety. Gently, he said, "We don't have to dance if you don't want to."

"But . . . if we don't, what will your parents say? Perhaps they won't find me a suitable match for you. You're the crown prince, so they'll want someone strong and confident ruling by your side, not someone who is shy in the eyes of the public." Logain was trying to muster the courage to dance with Casimir, but it was a daunting task. He knew they would be watching his every move.

"Either we dance, or we get stuck in a conversation with my parents. My mother has been watching us like a hawk. If we don't make a move, then she'll know that something is up. I know she suspects something since I attached myself to you the moment you arrived. The queen isn't stupid. She knows I won't take a liking to a woman that quickly, especially not with my reputation." He knew his mother was already suspicious. The queen refused to take her eyes off her son. To satisfy his mother, the prince asked, "Logain, would you like to dance with me?"

He was still anxious, but he would rather avoid a conversation with Casimir's mother. "Um, I guess we can dance."

That was all the prince needed to lead the warlock to the middle of the ballroom. Logain could feel the eyes on him as Casimir faced him and placed one hand on his waist, and the other hand took one of his. Awkwardly, Logain placed his free hand on Casimir's shoulder. He couldn't help glancing around at the other nobles. He was scared of ruining everything and making a fool out of himself.

"Logain, don't worry about everyone else. Follow my lead and pretend as though it's only you and me in this room. No one else matters besides us and the happiness we're working toward," Casimir said quietly in an attempt to calm Logain's nerves.

The warlock took a deep breath and nodded. It would be hard, but he would focus on just the two of them. Casimir was beginning to become his whole world, so he would treat him like he was tonight. He would do his best to enjoy their night together. His heart began to race as he thought about their engagement. Casimir's parents would need to approve of him first, but they would most likely agree to their marriage. At least, until Logain took off his disguise. They could figure out the rest then. Tonight, Logain just wanted to enjoy this moment with the prince.

Logain followed Casimir's lead while doing his best not to step on the prince's toes. He did once, which only made the prince laugh. If Logain had more time, he would have practiced and read up on dancing. His face felt like it was burning when Casimir pulled him closer. It couldn't have been proper for them to dance this close to each other, but Logain tried not to think about what everyone else thought. He told himself that they didn't matter. It was only him and the man he was falling for.

The prince's smile was genuine. He didn't have to fake his happiness when he was with Logain, but he wished they were alone. "Logain . . . let's go out to the balcony for a moment."

Logain nodded, coming to a halt along with the prince. When Casimir took his hand, he followed the prince away from the watchful guests. Logain kept his eyes on the prince as he tried to ignore everyone else. They could gossip about them all they wanted; Logain didn't care. He just wanted to be alone with the prince for a moment.