forum Love? You think this is out of love?

Started February 19, 2021 by @Fenrir

tune

He gave a gentle head bow. "I am relieved to hear, but if your brother does have a particular problem with this, just tell him to talk to me," He said. While his shoulders got stiff at the thought of having to meet with Shire, it might as well be a good idea to attempt to get on his future brother-in-law's good side.

It wasn't long till his eyes widened. Asking about the country's enemy in a room full of people? Especially some potentially being spies of the enemy? Quite far from bold if you had to ask him. In a way, he admired it though.

Malachi took a step forward, making sure that he was close enough to the other prince but still at a reasonable distance. His eyes flickered around at the others before he stared back at Abrose. "Well, it's complicated, but even before Atrovia was founded, my ancestors had conflict with them," He sighed, "Valenia used to own land here west of the capital to the ocean, but Berislav the Great went to war with them and made it apart of Atrovia. Ever since then it's been an eye for an eye for us. There are plenty reasons why the tension between us have always been strained. It had only spiraled into messier occurrences from the beginning."

Licking his bottom lip, he kept his eyes down at the floor. Again, he took another step. He brought his lips to Abrose's ear. "I suggest asking me questions about Valenia when it's just the two of us, my prince," He whispered.

Noticing the other prince's hands tugging at the red fabric made his left brow quirk up. Forcefully, he took Abrose's hands into his own. "If you have your hands already preoccupied, how will you defend yourself?" Malachi questioned. "A Leeros must always be ready for whatever Fate throws at them. Soon will you be one, and the first thing you'll do is hold my hands like this." Soon, he let go and stepped away from his fiancé.

"well, I'm sure I'd do the same if my land, the place I swore to protect those who entered and built a safe haven were to be taken away. Such a prosperous place, full of diverse peoe of a beautiful culture all snuffed and taken away just because some king wanted to own it." Abrose replied, clenching his jaw slightly. His father worked with these peoe first hand. He wouldn't blame the Valenians for wanting to fight back for what was theirs.
Abrose arched an eyebrow as Nalachi took a step towards him, grounding himself in place. He refused to be intimidated by the prince, even if his heart skipped a few beats as he leaned in close. He kept a neutral face as Malachi spoke, nodding slightly "of course."
What trueky surprised Abrise was when Malachi took his hand. It was an unexpected gesture, one that he wasn't so sure was welcomed. It felt off in a way. Not like how it had felt in the garden, though to be fair, that was awkward as well. He flicked his gaze towards Malachi, green eyes meeting his. "I think I'll leave the fighting to you, my dearest Prince. I'd rather fight in a different way, while gladly holding your hand in mine."

Malachi turned to the side to cover his expression. His eyebrows rose as he had to bit down on his bottom lip. And his shoulders lightly bounced while he shook his head. He did his best to keep his chuckles as quiet as possible. Well this will certainly be an interesting marriage for the both of them.

He tried to play off what he had just heard. If he got worked up, he might as well just collapse right there on the ballroom floor. His condition just began to get better too. "Agree to disagree, I suppose," He mumbled, forcing a smile.

Despite his efforts, his gentle demeanor disappeared. Glancing off to the side, he took a deep exhale. Gods above him help. "We all fight one way or another," Malachi nodded, "Though there are times where we have to switch methods, it's only strategy after all."

A servant approached from behind him. Thank the heavens. He could hear the footsteps at a distance. Holding his hand up, looked over his shoulder at the servant and watched as the young lad took a few steps back.

"Well, I'm afraid that I have some business to attend to, Prince Abrose of Carniel," He said. "I'll have someone escort you to your room when the time comes. Again, I'm sorry about our dance." Malachi gave Abrose a glance before walking away.

Abrose's brow turned up in concern before he realized what the prince was doing. Laughing. He took a measured step back once allowed and narrowed his eyes slightly. He clasped his hands behind his back to keep himself from doing God knows what in front of so many people and tilted his head up to look at Malachi, his lips pressed into a thin line. "There are time such as those. But I will try to keep peace where I see fit." He replied in a slightly clipped voice.
He took a breath to calm his annoyance and swept his gaze around the ballroom before looking at the young servant walk up behind Malachi.
He icined his head in acknowledgement "yes, of course. After all you are still a prince with responsibilities. Thank you again for inviting me" he curtsied and lowered his gaze for a moment, "ad for everything afterwards. Including the room." He rose gracefully and nodded slightly as Malachi walked off with the servant. The moment Malachi was out of sight, Abrise made his way through the crowd, hoping to find Nao. All he wanted was to relax for once that day with someone familiar and understanding.

Well, that could have been worse, although he wondered if it was too soon for him to walk away… He definitely would have made it worse if it was just the two of them. Maybe he already did, like always of course. And to start a relationship with a fight…Surely this marriage will be one for the history books.

Malachi walked with the servant till they both were away from most of the guests. He almost turned around to look for the other prince, but he stopped himself. Shutting his eyes, he shook his head. What a fool he is. The servant took a step to be at his side, but he waved his hand signaling that he was okay.

"Have Prince Abrose stay in one of the rooms in the east wing, close to mine. Make sure he gets whatever he wants and let's invite him to breakfast," Malachi said. He gazed over his shoulder to see the prince in the crowd. A sigh escaped from his lips. "Keep him away from our other special guest at all costs. I worry of what could happen to my dear fiancé. Do you understand?"

The servant nodded right away. Malachi gave the servant a smile before continuing, "Tell the others to wrap this up soon, it's getting late."

Again, he stared at Prince Abrose. His head titled to the right while his eyes glazed over with curiosity. If only he knew what the future would be like. If he did, then he'd be more assured about the decision he had made.

"just a few moments ago I saw you drink one drink and shove it aside. You go over to his highness for a few moments, you come back and now are throwing back cocktails as if there's not tomorrow." Nao leaned against the table and tilted her head in concern.
Abrose sighed softly and shakily put down the drink.
"If it can block otut he ridicule masked by laughter and the assuming expressions, then yes, I see nothing wrong with enjoying the party." Abrose said, taking a deep breath and straightening.
Nao sighed softly and gently looped his arm with hers. "You need to find something you enjoy doing-"
"Right now, I enjoy drinking my current situation away." Abrose muttered
"and you honestly think think those proems will go away after the party?" She asked, gently pulling Abrose away from the table but not before he snatched a chocolate pastry filly with cream.
"Come now, tell about Carniel. How has it been?" She asked.
Abrose smed softly and started to tell Nao about Carniel after his father's death. It hadn't been doing as well as it used to during his reign but it wasn't horrible. He told her about the Rocky plains and forests surrounding Carniel as well as the annual festival they held recently in honor of his late father's, lasting a few days and trueky being one of his favorite times of year

While he did want to, he couldn't help but watch Abrose again. His arms crossed in front of him as he clenched his jaw. He's only doing this because the other prince is with that mysterious woman again, that's all. No other reason.

Malachi scoffed, "At this point, he's going to go beyond his tolerance level. I can see his cheeks turn red from here." A small chuckle escaped from his lips. Drinking, how surprising he found it that the youngest prince of Carniel likes to drink. The other just has this innocent aura about him that made it ironic. Poor thing.

He shook his head as he turned around and made his way up the central stairs. One of his favorite Atrovian traditions is that when the king, or in this case the crown prince, leaves the ballroom, the ball is practically over. His fingers lightly brushed against the handrail. The bleakness of it sent a shiver down his spine.

Right, the gloves. His head jerked as he stopped himself from gazing back at the ballroom floor. Suddenly memories of when he slipped the gloves on Abrose's hands flashed in his mind. Stopping on his way to the door, he took out the handkerchief for a brief second and dabbed it against his forehead. Though his legs were trembling, he kept one till he was out of the ballroom and in the hallway.

"I would love to go to Carniel again, I haven't been since…" Nao paused as she realized when the last time had spent time in Carniel. Since the king died. "Since I was a but child." She continued carefully, dropping her voice.
Abrose nodded slightly, eyes growing distant for a moment "you came to father's funeral?" He asked softly as they found a small lounge area to rest at.
Nao nodded slightly as she settle down, her stunning green dress flowing around her. Abrose sat beside her and looked around the ballroom.
"I did. Any kingdom who wanted came as long as they weren't there to cause trouble. After all the Kingdome was in mourning. My parents were good friends with His majesty." She gently took Abrise's hand. "You look like him."
Abrose laughed softly and wiped away a few tears.
Nao pulled him into a hug "I hadn't meant to make you cry." She apologized, trying to keep back tears as well. After a few moments in the embrace, they both pulled away and collected themselves. "Well, it looks like the ball is coming to an end. Are you staying the night?"
Abrose nodded, "yes, I believe in the West wing."
Nao arched an eyebrow as she took Abrose's hand to stand. "Really? Thats where his highness stays. What luck you're staying so close to him."
Abrose shrugged "most likely to keep an eye on me or something." He sighed tiredly "and where are you staying?"
"I stay in the East wing with the court ladies." She said with a roll over eyes.
That made Abrose chuckle.

In a matter of moments, he was back in the study. Although this time, he wore much simpler clothes compared to the regal uniform he had on. Malachi wore a white long-sleeve linen shirt with black loose-fitting trousers and a horizon blue silk robe.

He sat in the desk chair with a pile of parchment paper, envelopes, a candle, seal wax, a presser, an ink cartridge, and a pen. There was also a glass of water and a small towel. The same servant from before stood in the middle of the study, waiting for His Highness to give another order.

Dipping his pen into the ink, he lightly tapped it against the rim of the bottle then began to write. "My apologies for our previous interaction. Please rest well and enjoy your stay. If you need anything, you can fetch for a servant. My room is farther down the hall, last door on the left if you're inclined to me instead. Let's have breakfast in the morning together. ~M."

Malachi placed the pen back into the ink bottle. Then he slipped the letter into an envelope, melted wax, and created his seal. With his left hand, he motioned for the servant to come closer to the desk. He watched as the younger man reached out and took the envelope with his two hands.

"Make sure that the letter is resting on his pillow before he gets there," He ordered, "Also take one of my robes and set it on the bed too. Not a silk one, something much warmer. And get extra blankets just in case."

The servant nodded in an instant. He gave a bow before walking backwards till he reached the door. Malachi waited till he heard that the servant walked away from the study before continuing on. Placing another paper in front of him, he picked up the pen and went back to work.

Abrose stayed with Nao for the remainder of the ball, being one of the last guests to leave the ballroom before the servants were to come in and clear the area.
"Let me escort you back, gods know what His Highness would do if I let the Prince of Carniel wander drunkily around the castle by himself." Nao said, gently pulling Abrose towards the exit of the ballroom and towards the East wing of the castle.
"I'm the one who should be escorting you back to your room. What kind of gentleman would I be to let a stunning young woman walk to her room alone?" Abrose countered with smile.
"A gentleman who'd know that this woman can protect herself very well against any threat this castle may possess." Nao said with a smirk.
"Ah then it is truly an honor to walk with you my princess." Abrose gently bumped her shower and grinned.
Nao laughed and nodded "would you be Inclined to walk with me early morning tomorrow? Perhaps before breakfast to see the sunrise?" She asked as she led Abrose to his room.
He tilted his head in a nod "I'd love to. It'd be my pleasure. Besides, I doubt anyone would be up so early to hear our conversations." He teased with a giggle.
Nao nodded with a laugh of her own, "then it is settled, I shall see you tomorrow morning.” she stopped by an ornatly decirated wooden door and curtisied “i look forward to our meeting, Prince Abrose of Carniel.”
He bowed “as do I, Princess Naomi of Valenia.” He whispered in her common tongue in case anyone was easedropping on them. He watched her depart before slipping into his bedroom. He gasped softly at the sheer beauty of the room, two stories worth of space. The lower level held an entire wall worth of shelves full if old books which curved into a small circular alcove containing a study. Closest to the floot to ceiling window was a grand piano made of white birch wood and black onyx keys. There was also a sitting area near the hearth. On the second floor, acssesable by a sprialing iron stair case was the bedroom, a large bed took up the majority of the space, shrouded in a silky blue curtain and fitted with deep navy sheets. Abrose slowly made his way around the room, skimming his fingers along every surface until he came to stop by the piano. He smiled softly and played a familiar tune, hoping no ine would mimd.
He then moved onto the bedroom, settling comfortable on the bed and marveling at the silky sheets, at first glance looking as if they would offer no warmth but soon finding them satisfyingly cozy. He then saw the letter as well as the folded robe on the pillow. He arched an eyebrow and carefully opened the letter, read it over and sighed softly “you are a mystery my prince.” He murmured quietly, tapping the nite to his lips in thought. After a while he decided to change, finding a simple silk white tunic and cotton night pants in the provided closet. He set aside his evening attire to be worn tomorrow and pulled on the warm robe, a but oversized but it felt like absolute heaven, the fur inside amazing quality. He padded down to the small study and found parchemt along with an ink well and pen.
"My dearest Malachi,
Please don't apologies for tonight. While certain words may have been exchanged that did set me on edge, it's also been a stressful day on you as well and I can attribute your sudden actions to that. Regardless, thank you immensely for tonight as well as the stunning room you have granted me access. It's truly far too kind. Thank you as well for the robe and clothes you supplied, I'm afraid I am unaccustomed to such cold temperatures but I'm sure I'll grow used to it soon. I must thank you once more for the offer, I'll drop by if I need something, extend my thanks to the servants who have so graciously helped in setting all this up. I would love to have breakfast with you tomorrow. Forgive me in advanced if I may be tardy, I have an earlier date with a guest in the castle that may attribute to that, but I'll be sure to meet with you as soon as readily available." Abrose signed off the letter with a small rose signature and feed the nite nearly. He didn't feel like calling for a servant, knowing they must have been exhausted from the nights activities. Instead, he tiptoed towards the end of the hall, hoping he got the room right and knocked gently before slipping the note under the door and quickly making his way back towards his room for a well deserved night's rest.

Setting the last letter on top of the pile, he tied a ribbon around them all to keep them together. He slouched back in his seat, relaxing his head against the chair. Gently holding his right arm, he carefully rolled his wrist till a crack sound could be heard. Afterwards, he sighed once feeling a relaxing sensation in his hand.

For a few moments, he just sat there while looking up at the ceiling. Memories of what happened not even five hours ago tried to flood back into his mind. He stopped himself from reminiscing about it. There's no use for it as he will only make himself more frustrated than he already is. His limit isn't as high as he wishes it to be and he feels as if there's no use in testing himself in this current situation. Oh how useless things are these days.

Suddenly, Malachi got up, placed the letters in a drawer under some papers, and left his study, though he may come back soon. Really he should be having someone close to him while walking through the hallways of the palace at night, but he wasn't severely worried like other nights.

Briefly he had stopped by at the room Abrose was staying in. His fingers lightly wrapped around the door handle, then pushed down. He peeked into the room, sticking his head in. When he saw the prince laying asleep in the bed, he tilted his head to the right. What an interesting person to say at the least. When he closed the door, he ambled down to his own.

His shoe almost stepped on the letter. A soft crinkle sound ripped through the silence as his eyes flickered down and he picked up the letter. Malachi walked over to the end table, picking up the letter opener and slicing the envelope open. Then he undid his robe and sat down, beginning to read the letter.

"Don't apologize…." He mumbled to himself. A soft chuckle managed to leave him. "I'm afraid most of our conversations from now on till the day I die will be filled with me saying 'sorry'." He kept on reading the letter even though he almost threw it away after reading about Abrose's "friend". Well, he isn't so much more innocent himself as he'll be doing the same tomorrow. Though maybe with different intentions.

Abrose slept like the dead throughout the night, nearly collapsing into bed after he had gotten back from delivering his note to Malachi.
Unfortunately those precious hours of bliss didn't last nearly as long as he would have hoped.
The first sign something was off in the room was the familiar scent of lavender wafting to his second story loft, reminding him of the forests near his home back in Carniel. The second was the gentle although quite purposeful nudging that tried to wake him from his sleep.
He blinked slowly awake and breathed in a sigh "it's far to early to be waken up at this time." He muttered, sitting up and glaring up at Nao.
"You promised me a walk before sunrise." She smiled sweetly and passed Abrose the cup of steaming tea. "You should take everything I say with a grain of salt when drunk."
"A pride is a promise dearest Prince. Come now, drink."
Abrose sighed softly and took a tentative sip. "Thank you."
Nao nodded and stood up to rifle through his closet, pulling out a deep blue tunic and black pants. "Quickly, get changed, I'll wait oitside." She promoted, leaving the room to let him change.

It was about a quarter to seven when Malachi had woken up. One of the servants on his court found him laying on the sofa when it was time to wake up. Before falling asleep, he had gone back to the study to do more work and to cross out a part in the letter from Abrose. He also hid the letter in a drawer.

Now he is up, dressed in a navy blue uniform, and relaxing in a chair in the corner of his room. He held the list of guests in one hand and the addresses of them all in the other. Though he tried to find something that sticks out, he was paying attention to whatever was happening outside.

Although the walls were not that hollow, he was still able to hear into the hallway, faintly. Setting the papers down on the sofa, he stood up and crept over to the door. He pressed his ear against the wall, listening in to the conversation between Abrose and a woman. It must be the one from before, the emerald dress. Who else would it be?

His eyes flickered over to the clock. Just a few more moments. Malachi quietly took a deep breath before creeping back to the sofa. He caught his reflection in the mirror, his attention focused on the white strands of hair that framed his face. "At this rate all the hairs on my head are going to turn white," He whispered, then softly chuckled. "Cozying yourself with councilmen is already a trouble as it is. Why bother getting entangled with the royal family?"

Taking his journal out from underneath the sofa, he opened it up to a clear page and began to write everything he heard. Anything will be useful in getting all the weeds out of the garden, though he should be careful if he wants to listen in more. Very very careful.

Abrose met Nao outside his room after a few memts, the robe Malachi had loaned him draped over his shoulders. "Ready," he whispered with a smile, running a hand through his copper hair. He glanced back at Malachi's door with a sad smile. Nao gently touched his shoulder and nodded towards the hallway "he needs to rest. We can invite his magesty some other time." She reassured as she led Abrose to the doors leading to the garden.
He pulled on the robe a bit tighter around himself as they stepped out into the cold air, only now noticing that the princess also wore a tunic and pants under her white hooded cloak. She arched an eyebrow and smirked. "never seen a woman in pants?" She asked in her common tongue.
"No, I have. My sister is a hunter." He responded with a smile. "She prefers to be ready accurate than pretty." He laughed lightly, watching as his breath fogged in front of him.
"She would like you actually, very similar ways if thinking."
Nao smiled softly "it's an hour or to be compared to the princess of Carniel."

Tapping his finger against the cover of the journal, his eyes stared over at the door. He could not hear anything else from the two except for their footsteps as they walked away from the hallway. A slight tension in his chest relaxed as he let out a sigh. After he tucked the journal under the sofa, he relaxed in the sofa. While he normally woke up around this time, he felt very exhausted as always following a dizzy spell in which he'd power himself through.

It wasn't till around five minutes later, he heard more footsteps. They were different compared to Abrose and his "friend's". Unlike the other two, one pair was much heavier and slower while the other was barely noticeable. His eyes briefly flickered over towards the clock. A quarter to seven, it must be time already. Malachi frowned as he thought about how much has changed in just the course of a day and how that will affect everything he was planning for. Well, his wishes for the plan do involve marriage and heirs and all the sorts, but he wasn't expecting to get engaged now. Oh he is still surprised.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," He answered, sitting up on the sofa. The door slowly opened and in came in a man wearing black and dark red armor along with a shorter and younger man wearing typical Atrovian noble clothes. The younger one closed the door behind him, keeping his eyes to the floor. They both bowed, but the man in the armor got down on his knees.

Malachi smiled as he looked at the man. "Long time no see, old friend," He said, motioning for the other to get up. "I'm so thankful you were able to get out of Valenia safely to help me. So much has changed since I last wrote to you, Yuta, and I'm afraid our plans have to change, but I promise you that you'll get all I've promised you."

His friend looked at him, giving him a respectful nod. As Yuta opened his lips, ready to say something, Malachi took a piece of paper and began to write something down. Closing his lips, his friend stopped to wait for a moment. Not even a few seconds later, he was given the piece of paper. "I am engaged to the youngest prince of Carniel. He is out right now with a potential target. You are to only speak in Atrovian tongue around me, but speak Nushigan from now on."

The prince pointed to the wall, in the direction of Abrose's room. "My beloved fiancé must not know about this," He smiled, "Our goal is to protect my family and our future. You're the Red Wolf, you must get every last one of them." He waited for the Atrovian man to translate everything for Yuta. The two looked at each other before Malachi mouthed, "Let's meet later."

"You have a younger brother, no?" Abrose asked, looking up as the sky exploded in an array of oranges and yellow, bathing everything warm gold's and coppers, including Abrose and Nao.

Nao nodded "I do. His name is Amir. The light of my life. She said softly, leading Abrose to the stables. In the early hours of the morning only a few of the servants were milling about, feeding the horses and cleaning the stalls. At the sight of the prince and princess, thay left a few horses for them to attend to. Nao pulled off her cloak and grabbed a brush and pitchfork, motioning for Abrise to do the same.
"The young prince, while I adore him, is a pain. Though he'll mature." Nao smiled sadly and shook her head as if to clear a memory.
Abrose chuckled as ge let the beadt of a horse smell his hand before petting its velvet muzzle and beginning to brush out its hay filled coat. “Siblings are usually anything but pleasent. Gods know im definatly a devil with my siblings.” He glanced up at the princess. “He has a good teacher. He'll do wonderfully."
Nao snorted a laugh "that or raise hell."
Abrose shrugged with a smirk "as the old saying goes, 'those who cannot move heaven shall raise hell.'"

Malachi waited once again for them to leave. It did frustrate him just a little that things changed so swiftly yesterday and now he was wasting his own time along with his old friend's. But what can he do about it? He doesn't want to cause much of a stir with his fiancé; his whole plan of uprooting all of the corrupt and spies who have spread their weeds here is to protect them and their future family. There isn't going to be a problem and there shouldn't be at all.

But oh something tells him that there will be. He already has frightened poor Abrose already and practically laughed at him just a few hours after proposing. Thinking back to last night made him question a lot of things. For instance, he has no idea why Fate has let him continue on or why it has let him live. The prince is aware that he is terrible, but how can he move on from it all?

About ten minutes later, he got up and left the room. He hated spending any more time alone in there. And while usually someone would be walking with him, he didn't mind being by himself for once. Chances are he won't ever have a moment like this ever again for a long time.

Just as he was outside of the study, he spot General Maeda standing at the door. His eyes laid on the envelopes in the old man's hand. Though with a light smile, he strolled over. "Maeda, good morning. I thought you would enjoy sleeping in a little later than usual. No?"

The old general shook his head as he chuckled. "After looking after you for the last eighteen years, I cannot even sleep in for a second," He said, before handing over the three envelopes. "Ambassador Moon has to deal with business involving matters back in Hascestein so he won't be attending lunch. Ambassador Namgoong, Isaev, and Barta have all asked to postpone the meeting till next week due to the icy roads. And Councilman Farkas of the Alesar providence would like to meet with you after lunch to talk about peacetalks with the Dumitrescus at the north border."

Malachi gazed down at the envelopes, nodding along to the general's words. "Is that all for today?" He asked, glancing up. He watched as Maeda nodded. "Abrose is with Emerald again, but he should be back a few minutes before breakfast I'm assuming. Let's get some work done beforehand."

Nao nodded with a laugh and found a lead for the horses. "That is very true. Very true indeed." She chuckled lightly and nudged the horse into a forward walk. "Come, these must eat before anyone can use them."
Abrose nodded and found a lead for his mare, gently slipping it over her head and tightening the reigns for her comfort and his safety. "Speaking of eating, I should be heading back soon. I promised His Highness a breakfast before I leave for Carniel." He said, walking the mare out to the pasture.
Nao nodded "then we should get you changed before your meeting. We wouldn't want you smelling like a horse."
Abrose shook his head "Nao you don't have to do that. It shouldn't matter what I look like."
Nao shrugged "maybe not but I'd pay a hefty price just to see the prince at a kiss for words over you. But if you really don't want the extra fashion advise them at least bath before seeing him."
Abrose chuckled and turned slightly away to conceal his blush. If he were being honest, he'd agree with Nao. It would've nice for once to not be at a kiss for words around the prince of Atrovia. It was by sheer miracle and possibly one tooany drinks that he managed to speak so we'll yesterday evening.
"Alright, I'll let you dress me but only today and because if rather enjoy the breakfast not smelling of horses."

Sitting behind his desk, he took out the pile of envelopes that he had from the evening before. He could still feel his hand cramp as he looked down at them. When Maeda had stepped forward to retrieve them, Malachi held out his hand then shook his head. The general took a step back before sitting in one of the chairs by the table.

"So, what did you think about last night, my prince?" Maeda asked. The general gazed over at the prince who was looking down at the floor. He could tell the younger one was tired, but still was pushing forward as always. And yet, he could never exactly tell what's on his Highness's mind.

Though he was taught to never do it, Malachi gave a shrug. It pained him to be uncertain about things yet he knew he wouldn't always know everything in every situation. "I do have some hope that it will turn out to be fine, but I am very skeptical still. I am worried," He responded, following with a sigh. "Please promise me you won't tell anyone."

His eyes flickered up watching as Maeda nodded and giving him a small hopeful smile. He continued on as he stood up, "All I can say is that it better turn out the way that my father is wishing for. I can only assume what he is imagining, but I hope it becomes reality before his condition gets worse."

Picking up the letters, he sat it down on the table in front of Maeda. He patted the general on the shoulder. "Please have these sent by Antony and Louis. You should relax a little." Malachi wrapped his fingers around the door handle and pushed forward.

"You too, your Highness."

After making sure the horses were alright in the pasture and helping clean up the stables, Abrose walked back to the castle with the princess. Instead of going to his provided room to change like he had assumed they'd do, Nao pulled him towards the north wing.
"Are you sure I'm supposed to be here this early? Someone could get the wrong impression. What if it gets back to Malachi? He won't be happy about the rumors." Abrose whispered worriedly.
Nao rolled her eyes and shook her head, "no ones going to assume anything. And if Prince Malachi has an issue with his fiance having me as a friend then he can speak directly to me." She said, opening the doors to her chamber and nudging Abrose to the bathroom. From the little that he had managed to see in the room, Nao seemed to be quite the explorer, trinkets and maps scattered a table while most of her open closet was filled with cloaks and riding gear, save for the corner dedicated to Jewel colored dresses, including the green one from last night.
"So how did you figure it out? That me and Malachi were engaged?" He called from the bathroom. He started a warm bath to soak in she he waited, finishing a few minutes later and feeling much better.
"Quite easy actually. Why else would the Prince of Atrovia hold a ball and only invite one prince? Besides, all your interactions looked as if you were forced to get along for some sake or another." She replied, cracking upen then door just enough to hand over a flowy black tunic and deep red pants. "Try these."
He nodded and waited for the door to close before dressing. "Was it that obvious?" He asked, feeling a light blush rise to his cheeks. He adjusted the tunic a bit before stepping out.
Nao nodded with a smile "believe me, it was obvious tie veryome save for the two of you." She said, gesturing for him to turn around. "Let's see if this works." He muttered, wrapping a belt style corset around Abrose's waist and lacing up the back.
"Here I thought he was a man of mystery." He laughed softly and looked at himself in the mirror, smiling at the results. "Thank you for letting me use these. They're beautiful." He murmured, combing through his hair with his fingers. Nao swatted his hands away to style Abrose's hair herself. "You're welcome. You can keep them as well." She said, stepping once satisfied with his hair. "Now off you go for breakfast." She said, calling for a servant to escort Abrose.

Smol boop

(Thanks! Sorry for the late response)

As always, Malachi was fifteen minutes early to breakfast. Usually one of the men from his court would go fetch him, but there were times, like now, where he was keen on the time and went by himself. Well, sort of. One of the guards followed him as procedure.

Gradually, his steps slowed down from his usual pace. Everything was alright, at least as of now. With his arms behind his back, he looked up and gazed around as he walked. He wanted to keep his pace at an appropriate speed so he wouldn't end up having to overdo himself.

While approaching the doors to the dining hall, two servants at each door took a handle then opened them. Stopping right before the entrance, he passed for a moment. A sigh had left his lips as he pushed away a few strands. Looking at the two servants, he gave them each a respective nod and thanked them before walking in.

Malachi tilted his head up, gazing around as he ambled. Although he has been in this room several times, he loved looking around. It was always something had done when he was younger and had nothing to do. The details in the architecture were awestrucking even though the place was designed and built around the time his father was born. And Sohan always took him there to play games like tag or hide and seek.

In the middle of the room, there was a long ivory table with chairs. The slightly larger one at the end is his father's, although he has been sitting it for a while now. Malachi strolled over and sat down. When hearing the footsteps of one of the servers, he held his hand up. "Let's wait a few more minutes, Hugo," He said. "I am expecting that Prince Abrose is on his way right now. We are not in any rush."

(it's ok!)
Abrose strode down the halls along with the servant girl, barely any older than himself. He had tried to start up a conversation to calm his nerves with her but all responses she gave were short or vague then immediatly fell to silence. Taking this as a sign to shit up and enjoy the morning while he could, Abrose took to gazing around at the unfamiliar hallways they passed through. Until they got to a pair of ornate doors, more servants standing on either side.

He bowed and thanked the servant girl for guiding him and slowly took a step towards the doors. Slight panic struck him as he beheld the beautiful room. The room was completely empty save for the prince at the head of the table and whom Abrose assumed to be the chef. Back home, ever since the castl had allowed it's subjects to use the castle as shelter, he had never been to a quit dinner. Carniel's dinning room had always been filled with laughter, loud chatter and the clinking of plates. While not always the thing he had wanted to wake up to every morning, by the time Abrose had pulled himself out of bed and gone down to eat, he was always eager to eat and talk among his people. To know that they were happy and well fed and safe.

He hadn't realized how much he missed those rowdy mornings and evenings until he thanked the servants at the door and took a step into the seemingly vacant room, the only sounds here was the echo if his voice and the occassionally russtle of fabric. He took a deep breath, focussing on the decide of the room and the layout of the the table before making his way to the head of the table to greet Malachi, his footfalls all to loud in the space.

He bowed low and kept his gaze towarss the ground as he greeted Malachi. "Thank out for inviting me to breakfast, your highness." He straightened and offered a smile. "Forgive if I'm late, I was summoned to care for the horses in the stables earlier this morning and may have lost track of time." He laughed softly before shaking his head and bowing again. "But that's no excuse for making you wait. I hope it wasn't long." He took a seat after straightening once more, a few chairs away from Malaxhi since he assumed those closest to him were reserved for the late Queen and Malachi's siimgs at every given time, despite their presence. He took another moment to gaze around the room, able to focus more now that he was seated. "You truly do have a beautiful home. I can't even begin to imagine the dinner parties and events you have in here. They must be spectacular." He mused softly, trying to keep his voice from echoing so much.

The silence did not really bother him. You could practically hear a musket go off in the other side of the castle from here. On the other hand, he secretly wished that the room was filled with some vibrancy. He did not want to spend more time having meals by himself, even though he usually invited Maeda and officials or his niece and nephew. It would be nice to have family here.

Malachi let out a heavy sigh as he relaxed back in the seat. His face was drawn from any sign of emotion. It simply remained bleak, as usual. And yet, there were little rings under his lackluster eyes. The cold weather and dark skies outside did not really help much with anything at all.

When hearing footsteps outside, he immediately sat up. Waving his hand, he motioned for the servers to get ready right away. "Oh Mother, please help me get through this," He mumbled to himself. "Please…."

Hearing the doors creak open, he returned to his regular position. His eyes were glued to Prince Abrose, watching the other prince's movements. He shook his head, "No need to apologize at all, Abrose. You were only a few minutes late, that is perfectly fine with me."

Slowly he nodded, gazing up to look around the room again. "It is quite a room…." He said. Glancing back at Abrose, he laughed a little. "Speak at a comfortable volume, you do not have to watch it. Although, speaking from experience, I ask that you do not shout. It is not fun afterwards when your ears are ringing."