Royal Treatment

 Why is it always a tie?
Zane: 3
Ian: 3

Next poster decides. Please pick now 

 

 Oh nvm I miscounted. Ian has 4. All right, chapter coming up later today.

 

My fingers laid gingerly upon Prince Kirtak’s broad hand. He smiled widened and he propped his sunglasses upon his head as he bent and kissed my fingers. I felt the heat rush through my fingers all the way to my face. Prince DeGillus seemed stunned, his shoulders stiffening awkwardly as he straightened and retracted his hand. He recovered quickly, only shooting a mildly withering look at our hands. I felt Ian’s hand tighten around mine.

“Have a good day then.” Zane said coldly and walked away quickly with his tall boots clacking against the asphalt.

“Let me take that for you,” Ian said, taking the box from my other hand. He gave it to one of the bodyguards behind him and before I could think he began walking our hands still clasped.

It was hard to keep up with his generous stride and I could feel people staring at us as we entered the dining hall. It was beautiful, with four giant chandeliers beaming their crystal light about the room. The enormous main table was reserved for the royal family and their specific guests and many of the surrounding tables were filling up quickly. I looked around nervously wondering where I should sit.

“Come,” Ian said, leading me to the back.

The main table was a magnificent dark cherry wood, with extravagant place settings, crystal glasses and shining silverware. The table was pressed near the far wall, which was a hand-painted masterpiece of angels and other beautiful things. I could see one side had been prepared for the royal families and Ian stood on the other side letting one of his bodyguards relieve him of his giant fur coat before he sat down. He looked up at me expectantly and I sat rather awkwardly beside him.

I could see Zane DeGillus had sat down a few seats away and was pointedly not looking at us. It was an embarrassing scenario. Next to him was a regal looking man with salt-n-pepper hair and wise looking hazel eyes. I wondered who he was, as I could tell from his carriage that he wasn't a prince. He was wearing the insignia of Pantora, the fifth kingdom. The other seats were empty still and I wondered when their occupants would arrive.

“Ah, it’s you!” cried a cheerful voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

At first I didn’t respond because I didn’t know anyone here but then I saw Prince Van Orcello waltzing over to us, laughing. He was surrounded by women who seemed to be doing all but prostrating themselves before him in admiration. I felt a strange feeling at the sight.

Van gave a sigh of relief as he sat, and the women stayed a moment before looking deflated and wandering off after Van didn’t offer to let them stay. He was dressed in a royal blue uniform with red ribbons today and it complimented his dark hair and deep green eyes perfectly. I blushed again as I realized that I was sitting between two men in such high positions.

“You know him?” Ian said raising a curious eyebrow. He didn’t press the matter however because Van commanded the conversation suddenly.

“Where’s Princess Ophelia, Kirtak?” Van said casually. His tone was joking but it sounded so cold and unnatural coming from Van’s smiling lips.

Ian bristled and I suddenly felt as if I were caught between two angry lions. Ian shook a stray strand of hair from his face and sat back at last, relaxing. “She isn’t feeling well Prince Orcello,” he responded with a harsh tone of finality.

The subject was dropped even though now I was curious. The crowded dining hall went silent then and I looked around wildly wondering what was going on now. From a doorway off to the side, a man with thick jet black hair and piercing blue eyes walked in surrounded by a posse of maids and servants. He was clad in a stunning black dress uniform with silver studs. He stared over at our table and our eyes caught a moment. He looked irritated but it passed quickly.

“Seems Prince Siegfried is gracing us with our presence,” Van said sarcastically under his breath and scoffed. He caught my worried look and grinned at me as if to calm my nerves. I felt a little relieved at his attitude as I could tell he was trying to break the tension.

“He wouldn’t miss it,” Prince Ian said from my other side, serious as ever. “It’s a tradition after all.”

“I was joking,” Van said, his smile still on his lips but his voice had gone severe again.

 

The tension was rising again and I wondered if it was normal for them to behave this way. Prince Siegfried walked over then and both Van and Ian stood. The three of them greeted each other amicably. Then Siegfried moved to the other side of Ian and addressed the guests.

“Thank you all for joining the royal families this morning for our ceremonial brunch. Let this be an enjoyable occasion to set the mood for the remaining week,” he said in a deep baritone voice.

Servers began pouring out of the kitchen then and in a matter of moments it seemed that everyone had food in front of them. From the delicious smells coming from the plate before me I knew it would be wonderful.

The Prince’s seemed more interested to talk to one another than eat so I ate with gusto, watching them from the corner of my eye. Van seemed highly amused by my eating but said nothing about last night.

Prince Siegfried von Adler was the youngest but he commanded the room so easily, I could tell that he lacked no confidence. It was also what had propelled Thiamat into the number one position of the five Kingdoms. He was very cold and brusque however and had an imposing look for his age, the jet black hair and piercing ice blue eyes. Even his uniform of black and silver was very militaristic.

Prince Ian Kirtak shared some similarities with Siegfried, seeming more interested in military affairs rather than social ones. He was the tallest and oldest, with a commanding figure and broad shoulders. However he was surprisingly introverted during the discussions with the other princes. His cropped light brown hair complimented his deep brown eyes and I found myself admiring his poise.

The third was of course Prince Van Orcello, whom didn’t seem terribly interested in the conversation. I could tell he was listening carefully though. His dark brown hair brushed his shoulders and his green eyes sparkled as he caught me staring. He winked and I felt myself blush. From last night I knew he was passionate but he also seemed so different this morning surrounded by all those women. Could he be a player?

Prince Zane DeGillus was the last prince in attendance, with his long blonde hair sweeping past his shoulders. His stark white uniform seemed to emit an aura, with the gold accents. He seemed like an ethereal being and his behavior to me so far was nothing but proper behavior. Despite this, I didn’t feel terribly close to him. I had a feeling I would not get to know him easily. His dark blue eyes were watching Ian and Siegfried talk but he remained quiet.

I hadn’t noticed I had eaten through my food and a server had brought me a plate of fruit. I had been staring about absentmindedly and eating the fresh fruit. Van cut through my thoughts with raucous laughter.

“You have the stomach of a cow,” he said with a smirk.

I blinked in surprise and dropped the strawberry that I had been about to eat. Ian looked over then and noticed that I had been eating faster than them. I wished for nothing more than a hole to appear beneath me then as the other princes turned to look as well.