|| 20th of Junil, 999 || Kainesborough, Edan ||

  I stand in front of the mirror, barely containing my frustration as the Tailor fusses over me.

  I feel like a goddamn mannequin.

  The air in my chambers feels thick, and despite the open window I find myself wishing for a breath of fresh air.

  And a drink.

  Maybe even a few drinks if this continues as it has.

  I resist the urge to roll my eyes as the hair stylist tries to tame the wild black waves of my hair. I’m about to tell her to just give up when Haz walks in through the open door.

  “Finally,” I say with a dramatic sigh. “Someone sensible is here.” a poke from the Tailor’s needle tells me she didn’t appreciate my little comment.

  Haz grins as he takes in the scene, his eyes roaming over the flurry of activity around me and the mountains of fabric and accessories scattered about the room. He shakes his head in amusement.

  “I see I’ve arrived just in time to witness the circus,” he teases, taking a seat in a nearby armchair.

  I flip him off, causing the tailor to make an indignant noise. Haz lets out a soft laugh, clearly enjoying my suffering.

  “This thing is squeezing the life out of me,” I grumble.

  “It is tradition your grace.” the Tailor reminds me in an overly lilted tone, and I'm left to wonder once more if deep down she is really an Edanian and just putting on a fake Carfen accent to seem interesting.

  Tradition.

  God, do I hate that excuse.

  “Yeah, yeah,” I mutter. “Doesn’t mean it has to be so damn uncomfortable, though right?”

  “Beauty is pain.” she says as she makes the final adjustments before stepping back to look over her work, in this case, me.

  I scowl, shifting uncomfortably in the tight evening wear. I take a moment to assess my reflection in the mirror, taking in the sight of myself in the perfectly tailored suit.

  “I look like a damn peacock,” I grumbled, tugging at the fabric. “Can’t they make something that’s both fashionable and comfortable?”

  “But at least you don’t have to wear a corset, hmm?” she says, casting me a stern look. “You are done, my prince. I shall see you tomorrow for the wedding preparations. Perhaps I can find something more… modern for you.” She offers a tight smile and gestures for the attendants to gather her things.

  “Thank you,” I reply, mustering a polite smile. “And yes, something a bit less… constricting next time, if it’s not too much trouble.” The tailor nods once more and turns to leave.

  Once the tailor and her entourage have departed, I turn to Haz, a sigh escaping my lips.

  “Gods, I loathe fittings. And this banquet will be just as unbearable, I’m certain.” I run a hand over my hair instinctively, causing a rebel curl to spring free from the control of the strange cream the stylist used earlier.

  Haz chuckles, his eyes alight with amusement. “I don’t know, I think you look rather dashing, Your Highness.” he teases.

  I hate it when he tries to be charming.

  I'm the charming one thank you.

  “Ha ha, very funny,” I say sarcastically, adjusting my suit again. “I feel like a stuffed turkey, all trussed up and on display for the feast.”

  Haz just grins wider, clearly enjoying my irritation. “Oh, come on, it’s not so bad. Just one night of playing nice with your future bride and her family. You can handle that, can’t you?”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me,” I grumble. “Tonight’s going to be an absolute nightmare. I’ll have to sit through hours of boring conversations with a woman I barely even know. And don’t get me started on her family. It’s bad enough I’m being forced into this marriage, but having to deal with her snake of a mother too is just adding insult to injury.”

  “Ah, but think of the rewards,” he says, his tone thick with mock sympathy as he tries to steer me away from treason. “A beautiful bride, a lavish lifestyle, and perhaps even an heir or two if you’re lucky. Sounds like a fine bargain to me.”

  “Oh indeed, because every man I know dreams of marrying his stepsister and siring a brood,” I mutter, my sarcasm biting. “If it’s such a great bargain, then maybe you should do it.”

  “Yeah, no thanks,” he replies, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “This one’s all yours.”

  “Hazeem the honorable, they call you. Can’t fathom why,” I tease, shaking my head in mock annoyance.

  “Even honorable men have limits.” he jokes.

  “Can we just change the subject, please? Let’s talk about something else, anything else for fuck's sake.” I say, desperate for a distraction.

  “Well… I hear Aiden is planning on taking you to The Garden after the banquet,” he mentions, stepping in front of the mirror to inspect his armor.

  I perk up at the mention of The Garden. It’s a well-known club in the city, notorious for its beautiful women and decadent atmosphere. I've been a couple times before and its always been a real treat.

  “The Garden, huh?” I ask, a small smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. “That could be fun.”

  Haz gives me a knowing look in the mirror, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I thought you might like that. I heard the women there are quite…unique.”

  The thought of an evening of hedonistic pleasure and relaxation already has my mood lifting, even if it does mean enduring an entire night with my obnoxious stepbrother Aiden.

  Haz glances at the clock on the wall and immediately adopts his default uptight posture. “Alright, mate. The show’s about to start. You ready for this?”

  I let out a heavy sigh, my brief excitement dissipating as swiftly as it appeared.

  Right. The stupid fucking banquet.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I say, my voice devoid of enthusiasm. I give one last look in the mirror, straightening my suit before turning to Haz. “Let’s just get this over with.”

  With a nod, Haz leads the way out of my chambers and towards the main hall where the engagement dinner awaits. The hum of conversation and the soft strains of music fill the air, making me feel once more like a spectacle. I steel myself for the long evening ahead, forcing a polite smile as we approach the head table.

  Lia sits there waiting, her expression turning to annoyance once she sees me.

  “You’re late,” she accuses, her tone sharp as she scrutinizes my outfit. I bite back a retort, knowing that arguing with her will only make things worse.

  “My apologies, Sister dearest. I was attending to last-minute preparations,” I say, my tone perfectly level as I take my seat besides her. She rolls her eyes, clearly not amused.

  Great, this is off to a wonderful start.

  As Lia continues to lecture me for being late, I find my gaze wandering idly around the room. My eyes land on a beautiful waitress, her tan skin and unique features instantly catching my attention. I signal her to come fill my wine glass, silently admiring her form as she makes her way over.

  She approaches the table with a small smile and immediately begins to fill my glass.

  “Thank you,” I say, my eyes roaming over her body unabashedly. Lia clears her throat loudly, jolting me out of my shameless ogling.

  That's when the waitress accidentally spills a bit of wine while pouring, thrown off by either the harsh sound or my intense gaze.

  I prefer to assume the later.

  “Shit, I’m so sorry,” she apologizes, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. I grin up at her, enjoying the effect I seem to have.

  With a small smirk I reach out to pat the waitress’s hand, her skin warm and soft beneath my fingertips. “No need to apologize, sweetheart,” I reassure her. “I don’t mind getting a little dirty.” I seal the deal with a cheeky wink.

  “Oh look, it appears Lord Bellamy is parched as well. Do go help him.” Lia interupts, gesturing towards Lord Bellamy who shakes his empty glass like a petulant child. The waitress nods and offers us a small bow before hurrying away.

  I watch the waitress walk away, a pang of disappointment coursing through me. I turn my attention back to my sister, the irritation evident in my tone. “Why must you ruin all my fun?”

  “Because someone has to keep you in line. You’re supposed to be focused on this engagement, not ogling the help.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “And what harm is there in admiring a beautiful woman?” I retort, leaning back in my chair. “It’s not like I’m going to run off with her or something. I can multitask, you know.”

  Lia scoffs, clearly unimpressed with my rebuttal, “You’re not just admiring her, you’re practically undressing her with your eyes. Have some restraint, you oaf.”

  As I take another sip of my wine, I fix Lia with a knowing look. I can’t help but tease her a bit. “You know, you’re very opinionated for someone who’s approaching spinsterhood. Maybe you’re just jealous because you don’t get any action yourself.”

  Lia’s cheeks flush red in anger and embarrassment, but she tries to maintain her composure. “Excuse me? I’ll have you know I’m perfectly capable of getting ‘action’ as you so crudely put it.” she snaps, glaring at me.

  I raise my eyebrows, feigning disbelief. “Oh really? Is that why you’re practically in the sisterhood? Because you’re just drowning in offers from suitable men and simply can’t decide which lucky fellow to pick?” my voice is sarcastic and teasing.

  Please Li, it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

  Lia glares at me, her eyes narrowing. “I am not a spinster, you ass. I’ve just been too busy dealing with you and your antics to worry about my love life. Someone has to be the responsible one between us.”

  I snicker at her response. “Ah, always the responsible one, eh? Saving yourself for marriage, no doubt. How very noble of you.” I say, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

  Lia’s jaw clenches, her patience clearly wearing thin, “Oh, and you’re one to talk, Prince Charming. How many women have you ruined in your little conquests? Fifty? A hundred?” She snaps.

  I grin shamelessly, taking another sip of my wine. “What can I say? I have a healthy appetite. And if it helps me forget the fact that I’m being forced into a loveless marriage, why not enjoy a little fun on the side?”

  Lia glares at me, her disapproval evident. “You know, your little flings might be a good time for you, but they’re hardly helping your case. What about Lady Averie? Do you think she enjoys having a husband-to-be who spends more time in brothels than council meetings?”

  I roll my eyes, my irritation growing. “Oh, here we go, bringing up Lady Averie again. Why would she care if I spend my time at brothels? She can’t possibly expect me to be celibate for the rest of my life, just because we’re getting married. That would be completely unreasonable and frankly I don’t think she cares that much.”

  Lia shakes her head, her expression hardening, “You’re being selfish and irresponsible, as usual. You think only about yourself and your own pleasure. But what about Averie’s reputation, the kingdom’s alliances, the future of this country? You’re not just some Rake, Sonny. You’re a symbol of stability for this nation. And you need to start fucking acting like it.”

  I listen to Lia’s scolding, my irritation growing with each word.

  I have plenty of responsibility, thank you very much!

  But she doesn’t see that, does she?

  She still just sees me as some reckless fool, just like he does.

  Well hey, if a fool is what they want...

  I down the rest of my wine and raise the empty glass, signaling to the cute waitress to come refill it. I glance sideways at Lia, daring her to say something.

  Lia’s eyes widen, but she says nothing, just scowls at me with her arms crossed as she waits for me to make a fool of myself again. I give her a returning smirk before turning my attention back to the woman headed our way.

  The waitress hesitantly approaches the table, her gaze darting nervously between Lia and me.

  “Ah, there you are, sweetheart. Be a dear and refill my glass, would you?” I say, my voice dripping with feigned politeness.

  The waitress nods, her hands shaking slightly as she refills my glass. I watch her, enjoying the effect I still seem to have on her. But I can feel Lia’s glare burning into the side of my head, silently willing me to stop this little spectacle.

  But where’s the fun in that?

  As the waitress finishes refilling my glass, I grin at her and pat her hand a bit too familiarly. “Thank you, Beautiful, don’t know what I’d do without you tonight.” I flirt, my tone leaving no room for misinterpretation.

  The waitress looks away quickly, clearly taken aback by my forwardness. She stutters out a meek “You’re welcome” before hurrying away to the next table. I grin, knowing that Lia’s probably about to explode any moment now.

  I turn to Lia, an innocent look on my face despite the mischievous gleam in my eye. “What’s the matter, Sister? You look like you’re about to pop a vein.”

  Lia clenches her jaw, and I can practically hear her teeth grinding from here. But she takes a deep breath, clearly trying to maintain her composure in front of the other guests.

  “I think you’re forgetting your place, Brother,” she bites out through gritted teeth. “This isn’t some tavern where you can behave like a drunken idiot. This is a formal engagement celebration. Act like you have some decorum for once in your life. I know mother raised you better.”

  I scoff, rolling my eyes at her words, “Oh, loosen up. I’m just having a bit of fun. No need to get your corset in a twist.”

  “This isn’t about my ‘corset,’” Lia snaps. “This is about you respecting your position and setting a good example for our people. You need to stop acting like a spoiled brat and start behaving like the future King you’re supposed to be.”

  Yeah but nobody asked me if I wanted to be fucking King, did they?

  I sigh, feigning boredom with this same old argument. “And here we go again. Always lecturing me about responsibility, duty, and all that other boring stuff. Can’t I just enjoy myself without worrying about the weight of the kingdom on my shoulders for one bloody night?”

  Lia glares at me, her eyes narrowing. “No, you can’t. You don’t get to switch off your duties whenever you feel like it. You’re the Prince, for crying out loud. And you’re about to be engaged. How can you expect to lead this country if you can’t even handle a simple dinner without behaving like a drunken pig?”

  “I’m here, aren’t I?” I retort bitterly, “What more do you want from me?”

  Lia huffs, her patience wearing thin. “Well, for starters, a little bit of maturity would be nice. You’re acting like an idiot. Do you think Averie finds your behavior charming?”

  A heavy silence settles between us as I consider her words. She of all people should know its not so easy to change who you are, even when its beneficial. Not that it's a conversation she’d ever be willing to have. Still, anyone with eyes can see it.

  The way she looks at Averie...

  Knowing that soon I will be bedding and wedding the only person my sister has ever taken a liking to doesn’t make any of this easier. It only adds to the already suffocating guilt that threatens to consume me everyday.

  Don’t go there.

  None of this is your fault.

  You would never choose this.

  Lia’s gaze softens, sensing the shift in my mood. She waits for a moment before speaking again.

  “Look, I know this situation isn’t ideal. But you can’t keep running away from everything. You need to grow up, Sonny. You need to think about more than just yourself for once.” She looks directly at me, her eyes holding a hint of pleading as she continues, “Be serious about this.”

  I let out a long, heavy sigh. She’s right, of course. As much as I hate to admit it, Lia is always right. I run a hand over my face, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility press down on my shoulders.

  “Fine. I’ll… try. But no promises.”

  My eyes flick up to the ornate golden clock on the wall and my jaw clenches tightly.

  “He’s late on purpose.” I mutter, feeling the tension building once again in my body.

  I feel Lia relax beside me, quickly understanding the source of my anxiety. “Maybe not. After all, Alice is known for making grand entrances. This is her special day after all.”

  Alice.

  The name alone makes bile rise in my throat.

  Alice, the social climbing backstabber who stole her best friend’s husband right after she died.

  Alice, who’s bright idea it was to arrange this whole farce of a marriage in the first place.

  Alice, the one I wish could have died in that fire instead of my mother.

  God knows the world wouldn’t miss her.

  “Oh yes, I’m sure she’s just overjoyed. She managed to snag not one, but two kings and all it took was one little fire.” A bitter laugh escapes my lips as I spit out the words.

  Lia gives me a knowing look, “There’s no proof that she—”

  “Who else had a reason to want our mother gone?” I interrupt, my voice rising slightly with frustration.

  "We have vast enemies-"

  "Oh shut up, you know the story makes no sense Li. Why would people go around burning down their own homes?" I ask, feeling like a madman as I try to get her to see the truth.

  Everyone tells me it was just some tragic accident, and I might have believed it if he didn't get married only one year later.

  It's just too fucking coincidental.

  Plus everyone knows the Whitlocks can see the future, so why the hell wasn't it forseen?

  Because it's all been a part of her little plan and I know it.

  And here I am, letting her win.

  “you’re being paranoid,” Lia says judgementally, “You can’t go around accusing people without any proof.”

  “Can’t I?” I retort, feeling the anger bubbling up inside of me. “She’s the only one who’s benefited from any of this. It doesn’t take a genius to see that. oh and then the only queen's guards to survive just happens to have a heart attack just before she married our father? Come on Li, you know that's suspicious as hell.”

  She sighs, her shoulders sagging a little as she concedes my point. “I know you believe that, but we can’t be certain. And even if she did…what can we do about it now? It won’t bring Mum back.”

  “You’re right, it won’t bring mum, back,” I seethe through gritted teeth. “But it doesn’t mean I have to forgive that traitorous snake for what she’s done. If I find out that she had anything to do with it I’ll-” I start but Lia interrupts me yet again.

  “You’ll what? Accuse her in front of the King? Start a feud between the crown and a noble family? Are you trying to start another civil war?”

  I glare at at her. “Well, maybe I should”

  “And maybe you should think before you do something so stupid” she responds, her voice stern.

  And there she goes again, lecturing me like a child.

  “Oh come on, it wouldn’t be the first time. They executed Elijah’s wife afterall.” I remind her in a teasing voice.

  She scoffs and says, “And that was nearly 300 years ago. Surely we have progressed since then.”

  “In this regard, let's hope not.” I say with a smirk before signaling to a server for another refill of my wine.

  How many glasses is that now?

  2?

  3?

  Lia narrows her eyes at me, “Maybe you should slow down a bit, don’t you think?”

  “Oh, relax, will you?” I reply, waving a dismissive hand.

  “Sonny,” Lia says, her voice softening. “I know you’re hurting. We both are. But we have a duty to our kingdom and our people. We can’t let our personal feelings get in the way of that, no matter how righteous they might feel.”

  I nod, taking another sip of my wine. “I know. I do. but the thing is,” I start, before my voice turns cruel, “it’s hard to think about duty and responsibility when all I can see is Mum’s face, twisted in pain as the flames consumed her. Now the rightful Queen of Edan is a pile of ash and that plotting bitch sits on her throne.”

  “Sonny!” She whispers sharply.

  “What?” I retorted, feigning innocence. “Am I not allowed to express my feelings? Or should I just shut up and smile politely like you do?”

  I look up from my glass to Lia’s gaze. Her eyes are filled with a mix of concern and sadness. I can tell she’s trying to hold back her own emotions, but the strain is starting to show.

  “I’m sorry,” I apologize quietly. “I didn’t mean to- I’m just…” I sigh and shrug softly, not sure what else to say.

  Why am I such an ass?

  Lia has always been there for me, why can't I just grow up and do what she needs for once?

  “Its fine. It was just a little…crude. I try not to think of her that way.” she says quietly before clearing her throat and forcing a smile onto her face, “Just be happy we weren’t here to see it.” She says matter-of-factly, the way she always does when mothers death comes up.

  I can’t help but scoff at her words. “Happy we weren’t here to see it? She was our mother, Li. How can you expect me to be happy about not being able to help?”

  Lia looks away from me, a flash of guilt and pain passing through her eyes before she composes herself again. “It wasn’t our fault. We were children, miles away from where she was, with no way to know what would happen.” She says quietly. “You have to let this go…”

  I shake my head and down the rest of my glass. I’m moments from refill number 3 or 4 when the sound of trumpets fills the room, announcing the arrival of the King and Queen of Edan.

  Well, it’s about fucking time.