duty. (boyxboy)

chapter 10.

It's a bit short but I hope you still like this chapter, sorry for making you all wait so long!

~

When Forven woke up the following morning, he immediately knew that they weren't alone. He looked around the room and surely, there were two maids in the bathroom laying out fresh bandages and ailments and preparing his morning bath.

It didn't quite click, at first, that nobody was supposed to see the prince in Forven's room. After a few moments, though, the sleepiness had worn off and was replaced with mild panic.

At first, they didn't notice that Forven had woken up, but when one of them walked out, their eyes locked. The maid let out a surprised gasp.

"Your highness!-" she said, but Forven held his finger in front of his lips as to tell her to speak quietly. Alre was still asleep next to him and after their endeavour the previous night, he deserved to rest.

"Your highness," the maid said, now whispering, "I am so sorry, I did not know his highness was already awake. Our apologies for disturbing you."

The two girls curtsied and picked up their things, getting ready to leave, but Forven motioned them to come over to his bed.

They were young, not a day over sixteen, it seemed. They looked terrified, but Forven couldn't have them talking.

"What's your name?"

"Iris, your highness."

He nodded towards the other. "And yours?"

"Iphigenia, your highness."

"Okay, listen closely to me," he said. The girls looked as if their lives were going to end right on the spot.

"You girls did not see anything. I was alone in my room. The prince was not here. If anyone asks where he was, think of something. Say he was out horse riding, whatever. I do not care. But he was not here, do you understand?"

The girls nodded. One of them looked like she was about to cry. Forven felt bad, but he would rathed be feared by the servants than be disowned by his family and hated by his people.

"I will know it if you talk. I have eyes and ears everywhere. Do not try to tell anyone about this or you will wish you had never come to the palace. What you saw this morning never leaves this room. Am I making myself very clear?"

The one with the dark hair, Iphigenia, let a tear slip out of the corner of her eye, though she tried to hold it in.

"We are incredibly sorry, your h-highness. We will not tell anyone. Please forgive us for intruding!" The two girls bowed their heads and squeezed their eyes shut. Something told Forven that they had not been treated well wherever they had worked prior to coming to the palace.

"Remember what I said. You are dismissed."

Forven had never seen two people leave a room faster than those girls. When the door fell shut behind them, the let his head fall back on the pillow and let out a heavy sigh. This was what Alre had warned him about.

"Are they gone?"

Forven yelped, not expecting Alre's voice to cut through the silence.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked, clearly still recovering from the scare.

Alre chuckled. "Almost the whole time. Those poor girls will probably cry themselves to sleep tonight."

He propped himself up on his elbow to look at Forven. Forven groaned.

"I know, I was so mean. But I couldn't have them talking. I feel horrible."

"Don't, that was really hot," said Alre, leaning down to press their lips together. Forven let out another surprised noise, but welcomed the kiss happily. Alre wasn't planning on taking it slow, this time. Within seconds, he had pried open Forven's lips and slid his tongue inside his mouth.