Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

The Prince Has Arrived

It is either very late at night or very early in the morning when I hear the horns.

Scared? Of course not. I'm just too lazy to look out the window.

I turn my body away from the noises and try to squeeze in a few more seconds to my sleep. However, it is Caria and Carcyne who bang at my door.

"Prince Nillin has arrived!" Caria repeats herself a few more times. We're finally meeting each other again after almost four months.

A slap to the face brings me back to reality and I slowly get off my bed to open the door.

Caria's cheeks are flushed and her lips curl up in a joyous smile. "Lord Maeve, Prince Nillin has arrived!"

"I'm glad to hear," I pretend to be excited because although my conscious is in reality, my body cannot deny how off schedule Nillin is. "Where's my father-and everyone?"

"They're at the gates welcoming Prince Nillin and his company," Carcyne gestures for me to leave my own sleeping chamber. "Everyone is waiting for you."

I shake my head, "Take me to the kitchen. I want to help prepare the meals."

"At least greet His Highness first, alright?" I think there is truth to what Caria says. I can only be so helpful in a busy kitchen and I still have my status to maintain.

"Lead the way." I yawn and they swiftly follow my slow steps with their energy, especially Caria. So I tell her, "You can be two steps in front of us. We'll be fine."

She smiles and then looks worried, but finally agrees. It is a good thing I'm scared of heights and chose not to sleep on the highest tower like in the fairy tales.

That would be driving Caria nuts right about now!

So far that I have seen, almost everybody has a good impression of Nillin. Caria was place in Griflet's special team by Nillin and so were Kay and Borscht. The three have very different backgrounds.

Caria is the first female to be place in a special team without a prestigious family background. She was a farm girl who won a bet with her father. The talk of her little town.

Kay, a curious youngster who couldn't go to law school and instead joined the military to support his brother in law school. Nillin gave him a stable job in Griflet's special team and more than enough to send and dress his brother for law school.

Borscht is an overly loved youngest young master of the Leire family who everyone sees as incapable. Nillin saw his potential and chose him over his proud older brothers to be in the special team.

Everyone is lined perfectly on both side of the five minutes stone pathway. Caria, Carcyne and I are pull to my father's side as we see Nillin in the distance.

Lesly and Xielle are next to one another beside Griflet.

Nillin grabs his helmet and takes it off revealing his silver hair that shine in the dark just as well as in the light.

My heart initially beats normally because it was recently asleep, but now increasing accelerates from a steady horse ride to a buzzing busy bee.

Although I am sure there isn't a hole in my heart, seeing Nillin is filling it up.

Is this how I will feel every time when I see him return?

Then I see Cassiopeya with her bouncy brown hair walking beside Nillin, and she is also holding the hand of a small boy who looks like her.

What kind of sorcery is being used on Nillin this time? He got a male pregnant the last time he got married, and now a walking toddler after four months?

I feel something churning the wrong way in my stomach. I am sure this is jealousy.

That fucking bastard!

But my anger lessens when I see Trieu's face when Nillin and Cassiopeya move out of the way. My brother looks incredibly cool as he takes care of our people.

"Prince Nillin!" Lesly calls out and runs toward him. Cassiopeya wears a sour face.

Griflet instructs Kay and Borscht (who are reluctant) to take Xielle back to her room.

"Wow! You have grown to be such a beauty," Nillin greets Lesly who sneaks her arm to loop around Nillin's.

"Who's she?" Lesly snares at Cassiopeya.

Nillin hides his uneasiness with the usual smile and tries to unhook Lesly's arms. "This is Princess Cassiopeya of Kalor and beside her is her son, Prince Arabret."

"So it's not magic," I hear Carcyne mumbles with relief.

So many things are happening at once with the soldiers rushing to the lay out carpets and maids refilling the food and drinks.

"Maeve, go greet His Highness and bring him over here to your father and I," Griflet instructs.

Before I could tell Griflet I don't want to, Trieu notices me, "Mae Mae!"

Trieu runs toward me with full speed and bangs his stainless steel head against mine.

"Ouch!" I place a hand on top of the new bump on the temple of my head, "It hurts so much, I want to cry."

He then hooks an arm around my neck in a choking manner, "Oh stop it. We feel the same impact due to the law of physics."

"But my skull is made of bone and yours is stainless steel."

"And bone is stronger than steel. Your point?" Trieu is annoying now.

Griflet and Sihipe are staring at us. One with irritation and the other in confusion.

"Oh," I turn to Sihipe, "This dude is my big brother Trieu. Trieu, this is my biological father, Master Sihipe of Boursic."

They greet one another and also thank one another. I ask Carcyne and Caria to tell Nillin to come greet Griflet and Sihipe. They are more than happy to.

I can only assume that they still think I'm the 'best' partner for Nillin. It's a good thing they are jealous for me because I'm sure I can't act on it right now...

Since I am only lucky enough to be able to be married to Nillin, and yet I can't make him love me-yet.

"Are you hungry?" I ask Trieu whose stomach growl and he nods. In the corner of my eyes, Nillin drags Lesly and Cassiopeya to come over.

Trieu nods. I excuse us because I don't want to see Nillin right now. I don't think I can handle being jealous.

Is it right for me to be jealous? Am I allow to be jealous of someone like him?

Am I believing and seeing through this perspective because I married him knowing I wouldn't be the only one?

Damn it! Even father told me to let him ravish whoever he wants for heirs... Wait a minute. I'm growing his heir inside of me.

So then I can be jealous and tell him to stop? No. I can't. Lesly is Lexin's compromise and Cassiopeya is a political symbol for a treaty between Aarth and Kalor.

Endure, Maeve. Endure.