Princess Liviana's POV
I studied his face and tried to remember where and when I saw his familiar face. "You're Prince Andrew." I asked to confirm. He smiled sweetly at me. "You are my brother's best friend, am I correct?" If I remember it correctly, the last time I saw him was when I was thirteen years old. It's been seven years.
"Yes, you are right." He said. Prince Andrew has the same age as my brother. He used to visit my brother to play, study and train. "How are you? It's been a long time." He added.
I felt Conrad's hand put around my waist, and he pulled me closer to him. I was taken aback by his sudden action. "Would you mind introducing him to me, my dear wife?" He said as he looked at Prince Andrew with a naughty smile. My eyes widen in shock. He cannot control his temper.
"Wife?" Prince Andrew asked. "You're married? How? When?" He questioned us as his expression changes into something that I cannot explain.
"It's been a year." I answered him. "Prince Andrew, he's my husband, Prince Conrad." I introduced them to each other.
"I'm her husband, the lucky bastard." Conrad said as he extended his hand to offer a handshake. Prince Andrew slowly looked at his hand.
"Indeed, one hell lucky bastard." Prince Andrew said as he accepted Conrad's hand. They shook their hands for few seconds while looking at each other intently. I don't understand these two. They looked like they were competing.
"You went overseas, right? How have you been?" I asked as I tried to divert the topic. They decided to let go of each other, and they both looked at me with a soft expression. What the hell is going on? They are giving me creeps.
"I studied abroad and took hard pieces of training. It has been tough years, but I managed to survive." He said. "Would you mind coming with me for a bit? I want to tell you something." He said while looking at me seriously.
"You may tell her what you want to say in front of me. She's not coming with you." Conrad blurted out angrily. "You just heard that she's married, yet you have the nerve to ask her anyway." He added. I can sense that he's really pissed off. However, Prince Andrew is my brother's best friend. We have known each other since we were kids, and he was like a brother to me.
"Con—"
"Let her go." My brother returned as I was about to speak. Conrad looked at him furiously. "Take it easy. They are just going to talk. Let my sister breathe." Conrad's eyes widen in shock and realization. His brown eyes turned black. This is bad.
"Brother." I said as I tried to hush him down. I removed his hand on my waist and I squeezed it with both of my hands. "I will be back." I said. I looked at his face and found him looking at empty space.
Prince Andrew led me to the other side of the ballroom, where a huge door was open going to the veranda. The cold breeze touched my bare skin. It's refreshing to go outside than staying inside of the ballroom.
"You got prettier than you were seven years ago." Prince Andrew complimented me as he looked at me while smiling sweetly.
"You're not too shabby yourself." I said as he laughed. "Did going overseas make you a better person?" I asked.
"Well, I have gained experiences and met true people. I think having those two benefits the way I am right now." He said.
"What do you mean by true people?" I asked curiously.
"True people are ordinary people who know the true value of life. They were shaped by how they were raised, their education, how they do for a living, their struggles, experiences, and dreams." He enlightened me. Those words are deep enough to know that he indeed learned a lot. "I can use what I learned from them on ruling our kingdom as the future King." He added.
"You will be a good King, for sure. Knowing the struggles and despair of those people who you govern will definitely give you an advantage on how to support and give what they need to make their life less difficult." I stated.
Prince Andrew has matured enough compare to my brother. He really acts and thinks according to his age. He is responsible for every decision he makes. I admire him for being like that.
"Your stupid brother did not even tell me that you are already married." He said as I chuckled because he called my brother stupid."I will beat him into pulp later after his birthday celebration." He said with a serious tone.
"My marriage is not something that he will dare to talk about." I said as I looked outside of the castle.
"What do you mean?" He said as he leaned on the wall behind him.
"My brother did not attend our wedding. He has no idea that I was going to marry when he was sent off to do his duty." I explained.
"It's an arranged marriage." He stated, and I nodded in response. "Why did you agree to do it?" He asked.
"I accepted it to be a good daughter for once." I said, smiling as I remembered how I pleaded for my freedom. I cannot say yet that what I did is the best decision, but knowing my husband's family and being part of them made me happy. "Conrad is the Crown Prince of their kingdom like you and my brother. You should get along with him, you will be allies soon."
"I don't think it's going to happen between us." Prince Andrew said seriously.
"Why? Is there something wrong?" I asked.
"I cannot get along with a guy who stole my future Queen." He said that made me confuse all of a sudden.
"What do you mean?" I asked. Did I hear him right? Who stole his future Queen?