𝙸 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝙱𝚎 𝙴𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚛 (WMMAP)

7. A guest.

Claude had no use for 'Cyre' right now, so he left the foreigner to the guard who had led him inside. "Give him a room in the Visitor's Palace." The emperor had said to Isidore before turning to Amar. "There were no instructions on what to do with you, mere child. Perhaps it'd be best if I left you as a guest."

A guest. 

Being a guest meant Claude hadn't trusted him yet. Anastacius wrote the letter in front of his nephew, and he clearly stated to put Cyre as a highly trusted official in the Obelian court. Maybe Claude changed his mind after seeing how weak and inferior Cyre looked at the moment. Amar wouldn't blame him. After being kicked out, his body had become gangly, whereas before, at least he was getting all the nutrition he needed. Anastacius and Esta barely had enough to eat as it was, even though they could afford all the food they wanted with the money stolen from the Emperor's palace before running away. It made no sense, honestly, but there wasn't much Amar could do about it.

Amar was to be sent as Cyre, a diplomat from the foreign lands of the Empire of Verith. Though he had the smarts for it, being the Emperor's son and all, it was not as if he had the time to learn Verithian customs and laws. The bare thought of it made Amar want to bash his head into the wall. 

Isidore had guided Amar to the Visitor's palace, with as much respect as he could, since he didn't know whether the foreigner was a servant or high-ranking noble. Cyre himself didn't bother to clear anything, leaving the knight even more confused. Along the way, they met the Crown Princess and her fiance.

"Greetings to the stars of the Obelian Empire." Isidore said, bowing before going to move on, but Jennette didn't want to seem to go just yet. She stared at Isidore's companion, before smiling brightly. "Isidore, who is this man beside you?" She asked. Behind her, it seemed Ijekiel was brooding about something.

Isidore's face lighted up, as if the Crown Princess merely noticing him would make him happy enough to last a lifetime. "Yes, Crown Princess. This is Cyre, a foreigner from Verith." He replied.

Ijekiel looked up. "Verith? But Cyre is a name from-" He was cut off. 

"Hush, dear." Jennette interrupted. 

Ijekiel went back to staring at the floor. His golden eyes nostalgic of the past.

No one seemed to notice, or even remember that Ijekiel was a Prince, now that he was engaged to Jennette. Even if he wasn't, Ijekiel's position was originally one of a Duke, powerful enough to overthrow the Emperor. 

Jenette went back to looking at the foreigner. "You didn't bow," she stated. "Did you come into Obelia not knowing how to bow?" 

Isidore was confused. He clearly saw Cyre bow to the Emperor, but it was as if he was ignoring the Crown Princess's position. Cyre had replied that, no, he did not know how to bow. For some reason, this made Ijekiel even grumpier.

What did Cyre have against the Crown Princess?