Prince Of Stone - A Captive Prince Fanfiction

IV. In Hostile Lands

When Damen had been directed to The Regent's penthouse, he had been expecting an expensive upper-level apartment. What he had not anticipated was an entire lavish building in the 15th arrondissement, or neighborhood, of Paris. The apartment building overlooked the bank of the river Seine, and already the setting sun was illuminating the glass-fronted building with gold.

He parked his motorcycle, noticing as he did so that Laurent's light blue vintage car was not out in front of the building. It seemed Damen would have to face The Regent on his own until Laurent arrived.

Inhaling with control, Damen jogged up the steps to the doors to the building. A man stood to one side, wearing an all-black suit. His sideburns gave Damen the distinct impression of a boar.

"I'm here for The Regent's dinner. His nephew Laurent invited me."

The man's close-set eyes widened. "Laurent never invites guests. I'll have to clear this with Monsieur le Roi." he reached for a small intercom clipped to the lapel of his suit jacket. Damen stared at him blankly for a moment before realizing that Monsieur le Roi must be The Regent.

Suddenly the doors creaked open, revealing a man in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair. He looked nothing like Laurent, but something in his demeanor assured Damen that this was The Regent.

"Ah. You must be Damianos. I see you've already met Govart," he said, casting a glance at the guard at the doors. He spoke with a stronger accent than Laurent, but his tone had a subtle strength of command which Laurent's did not.

"It's an honour to meet you, Monsieur le Roi. I can't fully express my gratitude to you for the graduate scholarship--"

The Regent waved his thanks aside, instead turning and motioning for Damen to follow him into the apartment building. He said nothing except, "My nephew will join us shortly."

The apartment lobby was lavish and intricate, the colors reminding Damen of a Moroccan influence. Somewhere within, an elevator door dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal the curly-haired boy Damen had seen on Laurent's instagram page.

"Nicaise," said The Regent. "Has dinner been served?"

The boy nodded. "The servants just laid the table."

"Thank you, pet." The Regent said, reaching a hand to brush Nicaise's shoulder. "Let's head up, then."

Damen joined them in the elevator and passed the next few moments in silence as the floors climbed. It was uncomfortable, to say the least. Damen could not help but feel as if The Regent were watching him, evaluating.

Finally, the elevator doors slid open on the penthouse.

The apartment had an open floor plan with an enormous dinner table to one side looking out through the floor-to-ceiling ceiling windows. The other side held a couch, fireplace, and several photos overtop the mantle. Damen hadn't taken the Regent for a sentimental man, but the photos suggested otherwise. He ached to get closer, see if Laurent occupied any of the frames. A twinge of guilt settled in his stomach at the realization that Auguste, too, may be in the photos as well. Maybe even from the time before Damen had injured his arm in that wrestling match.

A voice to his right startled him from his reverie.

"How do you know my brother?" Nicaise said, once the Regent had strolled through the doors and out of earshot.

"I . . ." Damen wasn't sure why, but his gut warned him against saying they had only met the other day. "We're at the same university." It was not technically a lie. Laurent had mentioned being late to classes, and as far as Damen knew there was only one university in that quarter of Paris.

Nicaise made an unconvinced noise.

Damen scrambled to think of something to say. "You're his . . . Younger brother?"

"Adopted brother," Nicaise said before turning his attention away from Damen entirely.

Before Damen could come up with another question to keep the conversation going, the elevator doors opened once more to reveal an unfairly elegant Laurent.

He had swapped out his scarf and coat in favour of a white silk button-down shirt and slim fit jeans. He looked like he'd just stepped off the cover of a GQ magazine.

It was entirely unfair, Damen thought as he found himself unable to take his eyes off Laurent as he approached.

"Ah, nephew. You're here. Shall we dine?"

The Regent had appeared between them, smiling widely as he indicated the long dining table.