𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 (𝙔𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚!𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙭𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧)

Chapter Eight: Royal In-Laws

We arrived in font of the palace as Nikolas first got out. When I peeked out of the open door, he was making the butler stand back with his hand reaching out for me. I ignored his gesture and got out of the carriage without assistance, looking up at the huge doorways of the gaped, golden doors.

Sentinels lined up on each side of the door without moving an inch, like statues. When I stepped inside, I was met with six eyes sternly looking at me straight in the eyes.

I gulped down a quiver and forced a smile on my face, "I greet his majesty, the king and her majesty the queen and Prince Aleksander, his royal highness." I bowed my head until my forehead touched the floor, hearing Nikolas greet his parents as well.

"You may rise." The king ordered, complying to his orders as I rose up from my knees. Queen Amanda, a beautiful and powerful woman who was married into the imperial family. A duke's daughter who was closest to the family with their excellence through war and military forces. She must be skilled herself.

From what I heard, she once killed a burglar that wandered through her chambers when she was just the king's fiancé. With her striking visage and golden, blonde locks, I knew that Nikolas took most of his appearance from Queen Amanda and his prepossessing blue and monolid shaped eyes from King Callum.

While we walked through the lavishing palace and to the dining hall, I glanced towards Prince Aleksander that was beside his father. With his features, he looked more like the king. He was taller than the king, with big and broad shoulders and a muscular physique. His skin was as white as snow, with dark brown hair and the alluring green and blue hazel eyes.

He has bushy eyebrows but pretty, hooded eyes like his mother. He did not move a muscle, keeping his eyes darted forward. I heard good and bad things about Prince Aleksander, from how skilled he was in battle and how he was more fit to being the heir to the throne unlike his older brother, Nikolas.

While other's say he was a germophobe who dislike physical contact and getting his schedules ruined. A busy man. Just standing close by him already made me chilly, even from his bitterly-cold stare when I just arrived.

Aleksander gazed back at me from the corner of his eye, catching me stare in a glimpse before I turned away with a fluster.

I stared at the king, the one who has respected by many including me. With his dark brown hair and hazel eyes, he was indistinguishable as prince Aleksander who walked beside him. A large, wooden door opened right in front of our eyes as they went inside while Nikolas wrapped his arms around my waist and lightly pushed me forward.

Nikolas and I sat beside each other. The kitchen door burst open from just beside the dinner hall door. Many ladies came out one by one with different dishes in hand, striding in each step like it was a march.

The smell of all the delectable food swirled around in the air, making my stomach grumble. They placed down different kinds of meal as the royal family ate quietly, only looking down at their plate with their knives and forks at hand.

I dug right in and chewed slowly. "So, (y/n), is it?" the queen suddenly spoke, making me look up in a flash. "Yes, your majesty." I replied, "I heard lovely things about you from Nikolas," she smiled in awe with a following sigh, raising her thin cloth and tapping it on the corner of her lip.

"If we knew you sooner, we wouldn't have had any problems with marriage, isn't that right Nikolas?" she turned to the prince beside me, with boredom written all over his face.

"Why yes, mother. I suppose." he replied blatantly, stabbing the piece of meat with his fork. "Well, (y/n) dear, I hope it's no bother if you get married tomorrow, yes?" the queen chuckled, "Tomorrow? isn't that a rush, don't you think father?" Prince Aleksander spoke, making me turn to him as he rest his chin to his gloved hand.

"Why, (y/n) doesn't looked bothered by that plan, isn't she?" the king answered back. Prince Aleksander looked at me and spoke, "I haven't heard the lady 's opinion herself yet. Is that alright with you, lady (y/n)?" he asked with a raised brow as all eyes suddenly laid on me.

I sunk back to the velvet, cushioned chair and cast a small smile on my face. "Yes, your royal highness." I nod my head, picking at the sliced food on my plate without looking up. "Then it's settled, tomorrow's the wedding as planned," the queen cheered, taking a sip of water.

"You might not see the prince for a year, (y/n). Defeating the kraken isn't quite easy, you can get stranded in the middle of the sea for a long time. It's a spiteful curse, they say." the queen talked.

A year without my soon to be husband. That gave me a bit of hope that maybe he'll go to some faraway land and find a better maiden than me. "What's with that smile of yours, (y/n)?" asked Nikolas, bursting my thoughts. I gazed up at him with my unconscious smile slipping away. "I...I just thought of something, your royal highness." I replied and looked away.

After we ate, Nikolas stood up and took my hand. "Please excuse us, we'll be taking our leave first." Nikolas announced and hastily pulled me out of the dining hall. I staggered behind him, his grip tight on my hand as I was forced to keep up with his pace through the hall.

With enough strength, I pulled away and stopped from my tracks. "Your...your highness, is there something wrong?" I asked, making Nikolas look around with a scowl and furrowed brows. "I do not like you making eye contact with Aleksander, (y/n)," he snapped with fiery, snatching back my hand and continuing to walk.

I was left speechless and could only let him lead me to wherever.

"Please refrain from doing such eye contact like that, or else I would have no choice put to gouge ones eye out of those who would look back at you."