A Crown of Thorns

Manners

Ryan's POV.

Andy has been on edge ever since his mother arrived. Jumping at little things, zoning out most of the time, and kissing or asking me to hug him any chance he got. I was becoming really concerned.

The wedding had been pushed back a week, my mother saying we must have some party, like every king had, before tying the knot. It made no sense, but I honestly had no patience left to do anything other than agree with her.

"I might actually throw up if they keep talking about us." Andy mumbles from my side at the dinner table. Our mothers had started talking about our most embarrassing moments as princes. Each being more and more about image instead of actual embarrassing moments.

Our mothers used to be friends before we were born. Both high in station and raised properly. It was when my grandfather died that they were pit against each other. Each of their parents wanting to marry them off to my father. My mother ended up winning the power struggle. And Andy's mother moved to England, where she married the king. So, I guess they don't have much to hate about each other now, they were both queens at some point.

"They aren't even good stories." I mumble back. He just chuckles stealing a piece of my cake, eating it before I can protest. "And now you're stealing my cake..."

"You'll get over it."

"You're so mean to me." I pout.

"I am not. You're just sensitive."

"Look who's talking." I chuckle pushing my dessert plate towards him. "You're sensitive and, this week, very clingy"

His faces falls mid bite. "I'm sorry." A little bit of guilt and insecurity is what I see on his face. This being something I hadn't seen in awhile. The insecure expressing almost always visible in the beginning, a result of him not being sure about me. It doesn't really make sense now.

"You can tell me no, you know."

"I can never tell you no." I softly place my hand on his thigh pulling his chair closer to me. "And plus, I just said you were clingy. I never said I didn't like it."

He smiles, a little redness viable on his cheeks as he looks down at his empty dessert plate. "You're perfect. I hope you know that."

I softly squeeze his leg kissing him on the temple afterward. Both of us totally forgetting we're sitting at a dinner table. I'm fully wrapped up in the thought and sight of Andy.

"I'm not, but you.."

"Prince Ryan!" The Queen interrupts me suddenly. "Are you excited about the ball being hosted."

"I...um. I guess so." I say politely turning my attention towards her. "Me and Andy aren't really big fans of party's." Andy stiffens at the mention of his name.

"Well, this one isn't really about him is it." She casually pushes a piece of fruit around her plate.

"What do you mean?" I question totally confused by her comment.

"Well, my son." My mother buds in, sending a questionable look to Andy's mother. "This party is to honor the future king of Spain. With a few extra events throughout the evening." My mothers words are sketchy. Her face giving away that she's not telling the entire truth.

"Right..." I mumble glancing back at Andy, who's now zoned out staring at his plate.
I carefully drum my fingers along his thigh pulling him back to the conversation.

"So, Andrew why haven't you been writing. I heard a little bit about what's been going on in the beginning, But then the letters stopped. What happened dear?"