Gun or Crown

19: The Queen's Threat

[AN: Previous chapter: Meyer discovered that Ohm's killer is a Thanakun. He vents his anger on Gulf.

This is Gavin's version.]

19: The Queen's Threat

Gavin woke up at noon, a few hours after Meyer whispered that he'll be returning to his condo. His sleep was disturbed by his faithful bodyguard who was knocking urgently on his door.

He groaned. The hot noon sunlight from the window hit his face. He was not used to this. Meyer usually slides the curtain when he wakes up. He should be here by now, but where is he?

"Prince Gavin, please wake up. King and queen at the entrance."

He immediately jumped from the bed in an attempt to freshen himself. The king rarely visits the south wing. In fact, he had only visited on the same year that they had thrown him here. But to be accompanied by the queen? Gavin knew there's some serious matter to be discussed.

He had just finished washing his face and putting on proper clothes, when the door was opened by Zee, as slowly as he possibly can, for the highest monarchs to enter.

"King, queen." He bowed at them and hastily glanced where the queen was looking at. He mentally cursed. His bed was nowhere near tidy. She sighed.

"Noon, and just woke up?" the queen sneered. Meanwhile, the king roamed around the room. Gavin's heart skipped a beat as the king kicked lightly a silk bathrobe on the floor that Meyer wore the night before.

"Um, can I do anything for you?" he asked nervously.

Nobody spoke, and only the queen's disgust for Gavin's choice of furniture can be heard. The king continued roaming around, toeing or poking random stuff. He picked up a small colorful box which he thought was a cigarette pack in disguise and emptied it.

Random band-aids fell on the table, littering Gavin's paperwork. 

"I've received word that you're hiding something in the palace." The king said.

"Hiding something?" he frowned.

The king sat on the couch and slammed an envelope on the table. Gavin picked it up and almost had a heart attack as he saw his own face smiling at Meyer. He examined another photo, taken inside the palace garden: him strolling with Meyer during one time it rained and couldn't go out. And... his heart almost leaped out of his mouth: a photo of them with Zee exploring Asia town during one of their secret dates.

Pretending to be calm, he placed the photos back on the table and put on a questioning face.

"I don't understand, your majesty. What am I hiding?"

"You still won't admit it?" the queen scoffed.

"I'm just walking with my bodyguards, that's all." Gavin said.

Internally, he was cursing. Who dared to photograph his private moments and leak them? He thought his staff would at least be respectful or scared of exposing him. But then again, if they were forced by someone higher, then his relationship is on the line.

"Walking? You're not supposed to wander anywhere aside from school. See, King Sev? This is why I'm against Gavin's practicum." The queen said.

Gavin didn't speak. He'd rather be punished for breaking stupid royal laws they created for him than endanger Meyer's status.