PRINCE HARTLEY CLENCHED his fists tightly before letting it unfurl again. He had been scanning the dance floor for the last few minutes, desperate to catch the familiar glimpse of blonde hair. From when it had started, he wasn't sure, but Hartley was always observing his surroundings, hoping and praying that Alice would be somewhere in his line of sight.
Unfortunately, he didn't have any luck tonight.
"Looking for someone, Your Highness?" Wyatt asked with a knowing smile.
Hartley took one look at that cocky grin and immediately scowled.
"You're as annoying as ever, Wyatt. Why are you the one I am stuck with?"
Wyatt took no offense to the prince's words. He merely grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling a little as he did so.
"And who else would you wish to be stuck with, Your Highness? Not a certain blonde, I hope?" Wyatt teased.
"Nonsensical," Hartley muttered under his breath. Wyatt had absolutely hit the nail on the head. Of course, not that Hartley was ever going to admit it.
The party continued to rage on, the bodies mingling around in the ballroom, some exchanging pleasantries while others offering malice. Nonetheless, whatever happened with the nobility, as long as they knew their place, the royal family wouldn't step in. That was their role— the all-seeing powerful overlord that should remain neutral, at least on the outside.
"I heard rumors that Lady Petunia Devon had been causing trouble for our darling Alice," Wyatt casually stated. His face remained calm and unbothered, staring straight ahead at the dance floor.
Hartley flinched subtly. "And why are you telling me this?"
"Just thought that Your Highness would want to know. After all, you did risk life and limb to ensure Alice's safety. If it's something even easier to deal with, you will probably do everything in your power to inflict justice for our dear Alice," replied Wyatt.
"Lady Petunia is one of the women competing for a chance to become the next crown princess. If I outwardly show any favor to Ali—"
"If you do, then the queen might know," Wyatt finished the sentence for him. "That Alice means a little more to you than she should."
Hartley needn't reply to that. Once again, Wyatt had proven that no one knew the crown prince of Gladiolum better than he did. Even Hartley wasn't sure if he understood himself just as well as Wyatt.
"However, thankfully for us, there is no need for that."
Hartley's eyes widened. "What makes you say that?"
"Can't you hear, Your Highness?" Wyatt asked. "The people here are all gossiping about a brilliant new scene they had just witnessed. Like a knight in shining armor, the second prince of Gladiolum had arrived to slay the dragon that was harassing our princess."
Wyatt's choice of words caused the corners of Hartley's lips to twitch a little in amusement. Yet, it wasn't enough to distract him from the fact that Spade had been the one to step in, saving Alice from the sticky situation. For some strange reason, his stomach tangled, furling around in discomfort.
"What did he do?"
"He made it clear that the dress Alice wore on her body was a gift from him," Wyatt explained. Then, his voice became a little more serious, "And that implied that she was a person that was under his protection. In other words, he laid claim to her."
Immediately, the atmosphere soured. Neither of the two men liked what Spade had done. They were grateful that he had stepped in and protected Alice from harm. However, the way he did it also felt as though he was declaring war against them.
"Crude, underhanded tactics as usual," Hartley commented under his breath.
Wyatt merely shrugged. "No comment," he murmured in reply.
☆ ☆ ☆
Waltz music filled the air, the musicians playing their hearts out to create a lively and elegant vibe for the celebration. There was still one person, however, whose heart was filled with dread. She worried about returning to the ballroom, not knowing how the crowd would react once she walked past those doors.
"You will be fine," Spade comforted. He held out an elbow for her to take, offering to serve as an escort.
"They would stare," Alice said, her voice trembling a little. "How do you deal with all the attention, Spade? As a prince, as a source of envy. How do you handle everything so effortlessly?"
This time, the cunning and playful look in Spade's eyes simmered down. He simply smiled down upon Alice, softly gazing at her as if she held the entire world in the palm of his hands. In that moment, where their gazes clashed, Spade knew that he would let the world crash and burn for all it mattered as long as Alice was by his side.
She looked at him as if he hung the clouds in the sky. He gazed back thinking that even the sky's colorful brilliance was no match for the girl that stood before him.
He leaned down, pressing a kiss at the top of her head. Using his other hand, he brushed the stray strands of her fringe away, combing her hairstyle into place. Secretly, Spade enjoyed the feeling of her soft tresses, a feather-light and silken touch against his skin.
"Bleed for no one in the world but yourself," he answered. "Defy everyone but your heart. And lastly…" He paused, watching as Alice slowly slotted her hand into his, choosing to intertwine their fingers rather than to loop their arms traditionally.
"Lastly?" Echoed Alice.
"Lastly, respect yourself before anyone else," finished Spade. "Only the prey get hunted. So become the predator and you will emerge victorious. Always."
Alice beamed at Spade's words.
What he said was exactly right. Why should Alice be afraid of anyone or anything? She had been through worse, crossing through the borders between two entirely different worlds. The mere stares and mindless gossip between people shouldn't be something to make her bow down.
If anything, she should be able to defy it with ease.
"You're right," she whispered under her breath.
As the large doors opened to allow Alice and Spade in, she held her breath, staring straight ahead with as much ferocity as she could muster.
It was time to defy the world.