With hearts, Destined.

Chapter 4

"She's nice." Karim said to Ivan with a smile as he looked at the picture.

"I don't care about anyone being nice. I'm not marrying anyone my grandfather suggests." Ivan frowned.

He had gotten a bunch of pictures of prospective wives sent to him on his phone.

"I'm deleting everything." Ivan grumbled.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with this. If you were to meet them and talk to them, you might find one you actually like." Noor shrugged as she sipped her juice.

"I don't want to speak to them or marry any of them." Ivan puckered his lips.

"If your grandfather suggested them, then surely they're good for you and the throne."

"I don't care if they're good for any throne. I just want someone good for me. Not someone who follows are rules to the letter."

"Being a rule breaker as a king isn't ideal, Ivan."

"Tell that to my dad." Karim chuckled.
His dad was the biggest rule breaker he knew.

"It's still not ideal."

"Would you marry anyone your father said to marry?" Ivan eyed her.

"If I find the person to be the right choice and ideal match for me, why not?" Noor smiled.

"Well. I agree with Noor. If the person is the right choice and you fit perfectly, then it's actually fine." Karim said to him.

Ivan frowned at both of them before giving them each a disgusted look.

"You two are perfect for each other. But you're forgetting love, that's what important not matches and right choices. Fitting perfectly with someone isn't what makes a marriage. Love and understanding does."

"Love takes you nowhere. Just straight downhill." Karim said flatly.

Noor gave him a surprised look.

"If someone is the right match for you, the love will eventually grow." Karim added. His previous statement was a bit too raw.

"What about your parents?" Ivan arched a brow.

"They were lucky I guess. How do you know if luck's going to be on your side?"

"Karim's right, Ivan. Love doesn't need to lead everything. It will grow if it has to."

"Well...unlike you two, I'm lucky." Ivan shrugged.
"And I'm not ready to get married now, all I want to know is how I can skip tomorrow's ball!" Ivan groaned.

"Me too." Karim chuckled.

They were having a formal ball tomorrow night. And even though it was supposed to be a fun thing for normal students, they were rather unlucky since it was a part of practicals. They had to showcase their knowledge on how to behave, speak, drink and even basically breathe on such an occasion.
In the first place was this the 1800's? Who had balls these days?

But luckily, after the first hour, everything could go back to normal and they would be allowed to have normal fun.

"It's 40% of the full etiquette course." Noor informed.

"What?! Why weren't we told that?!" Ivan shouted.

"40%?" Even Karim was surprised.

"It's on the notice board, you always fail to read."

"That's why we have you." Ivan smiled.

Noor pulled out her tongue at him.

"Such a princess you are." Ivan joked.