He tore his gaze from me and focused them somewhere else. The prince suddenly couldn't hide the disappointment that overcame him.
"I see, you were elder brother's betrothed, that made sense now. I heard you were breathtaking, and I never know how you looked like until now. I thought you were beautiful last week, far more beautiful than any consort in the palace. I should've have known better, I should have known you already belonged to someone else."
He sighed, and I blushed at how romantic he was. I'm hardly breathtaking or beautiful for that matter, I thought.
I was about to say something when I was interrupted.
"Forgive my youngest, Jasmine. Julong is still quite young, raging with hormones and full of energy. He'll say anything to any girl."
I turned to the emperor, lips simpering. "It's alright, your highness. He didn't bother me."
"I see you two met already."
"Yes, she had no idea who I was." Third prince Julong told his father.
"Forgive my being naive, I should've known who you are." I squeezed my voice in between.
Third prince Julong smiled. "It's fine, it's nice not getting recognized for once, and forgive my rudeness, I had no idea who you were at the time either."
All fell into silence while the dinner commenced once everyone was at attendance.
I picked up my chopsticks when prince Julong's hand landed on top of mine. I jerked at the suddenness of what happened while he quickly yanked his hand away. Surprised as every bit as I am.
Every nerve in my body screamed, making me aware of him.
He apologized immediately. "Forgive me, I thought those chopsticks were mine."
"If you weren't sitting so close to her, you wouldn't have confused it, my son." The emperor murmured sardonically. I saw that he picked up the brewing tension between me and his son. "Move away from your brother's betrothed Julong, you're suffocating her."
"Yes, father." The third prince murmured like a child and scooted a few inches away from me.
"Further." Said the emperor.
"Yes, father."
Julong scooted his seat further.
"You have the entire opposite end of the table Julong. Move further."
His mouth dropped, aware his father's childlike playfulness.
I heard a soft laughter coming from across the table, it was from his cousin, the man who came together with him. "Sit with me, cousin. Let me pour you a drink!"
The third prince rose and moved across the table, taking the seat beside his cousin.
The entire dinner, I noticed the stray glances he made, he occasionally stole glances when I was not looking. The third prince watched me, tearing his eyes away once I became aware of them.
Before long, we were chasing each other's gazes that I grew more stressed with this game we're playing than trying to keep my proper etiquette dining properly.
He was so distracted his cousin thought it would be funny to slip an entire ripe chilly on his plate, waiting patiently until the prince finally took a bite of it.
Lord Hooney cracked a riotous laughter once third prince Julong choked on the burn in his mouth. My mouth dropped while the crown prince rolled his eyes, bemused at his immature younger cousin and brother.
The emperor slammed both his hands on the table that made lord Hooney jump.
"Hooney!" The emperor bellowed across the table.
The cousin suddenly snapped his head up terrified of his uncle. "U-uncle."
"You should know better!" The Emperor reprimanded. "You are a duke, a governor – general to one of my biggest provinces! Act like one!"
The young man nodded, he tucked his head low, ashamed. "Yes, uncle. I will keep that in mind."
The emperor groaned, and I saw him for who he really was, a family man, regardless of what the nation thought of him. The emperor was a decent loving man with an affection for all his family.
By the end of dinner, I grew exhausted, could hardly wait to take my exit. I asked for permission to exit driven by the third prince's stray glances that just kept going. He couldn't stop looking at me. He made me noticed him and paid attention that I found myself staring at him just the same.
I don't know what to call this feeling that came over me. It was all too confusing and nauseating. Everything was spinning and I could hardly keep up with what's happening. It was like being struck by lightning and made me see no one but him.
It made me happy and excited that my stomach knotted the longer I sat there aware of him.
"I need to go, your highness," I said suddenly frantic.
"Stay Jasmine. We have yet to have dessert."
I clutched to my stomach, butterflies tickling inside it. "No, I must go, I don't feel good."