[BL] The Ice Prince and his Fairy

Proposal*

AN: I'll be honest, I had no idea how to end this chapter. I've been struggling for weeks now to figure out how to proceed. After some consideration, I've come up with a proper way to do things.

*****

"Sire, I-"

"Am I to assume you failed to catch him?" A cold voice cut the guard off, stilling his tongue as the prince's mood became clear to him.

Despite his expression being calm, the man was furious.

Xander couldn't say he was surprised to have woken up alone. Knowing Qin Rong, of course, he'd run as soon as he could. The morning after was bound to be awkward and the Fae, despite his tough-guy attitude, seemed to really dislike awkward situations.

Despite all his understanding, however, he was still furious that the man had managed to escape again.

What the hell were the barriers and guards for if they couldn't even hold one man in the building?!

The noble guards could only feel greatly wronged for this accusation despite not being able to defend themselves. They had a job, of course, but it wasn't to keep lovers from slipping out into the morning.

The injustice of it all was palpable.

Yet each man stood straight back and sweaty as their prince stood before them. None of them had ever actually met the prince before this. Most were new and had only heard about the prince in bits and pieces.

The princes with foreign blood.

Everyone knew about them. The king, ever the polyamorous man, had many wives but none like the noble Lady, Amalia, from whom the princes were born. She was a tribute from the noble classes of the small nation of Luze before it was conquered years later.

Lady Amalia was a lovely maiden, with skin like toasted almonds and hair as black as night. While she lacked magic, her dancing was enough to entice even the most hard hearted of those around her.

Obviously, the king adored her and fathered two royal princes, Prince Xander and Prince Nikolaus.

Not much was known about them and even less was expected of them. They were but a pair of royals who would undoubtedly either perish under some scheme or kneel before a more powerful foe.

Like so many before them.

Yet the war had hardened them, gaining them loyal companions and honors that would astonish even the most accomplished veterans.

Even more surprising was their age. Most soldiers went to war young but to accomplish so much with little to no support despite being a Prince yet getting so far was awe-inspiring. As such, the soldiers under him respected and followed him anywhere.

Those who had spent their lives guarding the castle and the capital only had stories to base their opinion on and that wasn't enough. They all thought it was the unusual embellishment or just a superior taking credit for hard work done by those below them.

That's how it usually was.

Yet as they kneeled before the 8th prince, informing him that his lover had slipped past all of them, they realized that there had been no embellishment. This heavy feeling was one that every soldier, front lines or not, knew. It was carved into their bones and filled their every breath.

The authority of their leader.

Unfavored or even Luze blood, Prince Xander was a leader.

"My apologies, your Highness!" The captain of the guard shouted, lowering his head. "We failed to anticipate your guests' skills."