"Woo...woo...woo, take it easy, Your Highness!" Matthew jested as he sat up after getting out of the shock created by Leon's question.
Leon rolled his eyes at his right-hand man's behaviour. It was why he hated asking him questions like these because he was surely going to tease him before giving a proper answer.
"It's a simple question, Matthew. You wouldn't lose your limb if you just gave a straightforward answer for once in your life," Came Leon's remark at Matthew's playful statement.
"Straight forward answer?" he laughed before picking up the bottle of wine on the stool and pouring some more into his goblet.
The man was never tired of drinking.
"I do give straightforward answers, Your Highness but you should know I could never give one when it comes to questions like this,' Matthew said in a matter-of-fact tone, with his devious smile making Leon snort.
"Whatever. Can you speak now?" Leon looked at him expectingly.
"I have only truly tried to woo one woman before." Matthew's words were straight to the point. "But I got rejected." he deadpanned and Leon choked on his drink before bursting out laughing.
"There is nothing funny, Prince Leon," Matthew said with a straight face, not liking how the prince thought to laugh at his predicament.
However, it only amused Leon further. To think this man he had thought no lady could ever deny had been rejected and on his first trial made it funnier.
"It could happen to you too. You have no idea yet so I would say you save your amusement till you have won your love interest." Matthew warned Leon with a poker face when his laughter had died down.
"I have no love interest. I was only curious to know how you did it your first time but it seems I don't have anything to know about." Leon retorted, indirectly mocking his right-hand man.
"It was only that one though. Aside from her, I was wholly capable of luring the rest." Matthew lifted himself.
"One is enough to hurt your pride."
"And the others should be enough to lift it," Matthew responded.
It just kept going until Leon decided to stop taunting his friend.
It was very funny to see Matthew in this situation and it only made him want to pry further but knowing it was a bitter memory for the latter, he resolved to discontinue the jeer.
He tried bringing up other topics that simmered down Matthew's emotions until they had evaporated away. The two discussed for a while, bantering each other from time to time and talking about matters relating to the court before Leon suggested,
"The night is slowly drowning. We should head back to our rooms before the day begins. I'm sure there would be a lot we would need to accomplish before the coronation tomorrow."
"Well said, Your Highness." Matthew concurred and the two of them got up before Matthew bowed and threw a smile at the prince. "Thanks for honouring my invitation," he said in a half-serious and half-joking manner and the prince nodded at him, not denying the fact that he did have a good time and cooled his head.
Leon had no problem undertaking his journey to his room as he had been modest with his drinking. However, Matthew slightly lost his footing because of the mindless drinking he had glutted himself in but in no time, he managed to balance up.
He was used to this.
He saw a maid who was strolling around and asked her to clear the gazebo where they had dined and she immediately complied.
He entered the quarters that led to his room and when he reached his room door, he turned the doorknob open before getting inside.
"Oh, you're finally back!" A female voice welcomed him as he closed the door. It was the same lady he had been with, in the gazebo.
"I thought you were going to spend the rest of the night there and leave me here all alone!" she grumbled with her mouth pouted as she moved closer to him and grabbed his arm sensually, caressing them.
"You should go to sleep, Natalie. It's already late. There is no time anymore for that and I am certain you would be tired." Matthew tried to push her away nicely, not wanting to disclose that he was not in the mood but she was relentless.
"Oh, come off it. I do almost nothing during the day and you know I am very active at night. Little sleep deprivation would do nought to me." she said smiling, this time pushing her hand forward to his chest before caressing it and slowly drooping it down until it reached his hip bone, about to go even lower when Matthew held her hand in place.
"Stop." his voice was cold, unlike the flirty one he used when he spoke to her and it made her smile falter for a second before it grew back on her face.
She didn't get the message yet.
"I see... playing hard to get...? Looks like someone wants our roles reversed for today, hmm?" she tried to use the flirtish tone he used on her when she was being coy but Matthew dropped her hand from his body and pushed it away.
"I am serious, Natalie. You need to leave." Matthew opened the door for her and brought his hand forth, demonstrating to her that she should walk through the door.
"What is wrong with you, Matthew? Since when did you start chasing me out of your room?" she asked in confusion.
"Since today. Now get out," he said expressionless and she heard the sudden impassivity in his voice that made her eyes widen subtly.
Trying to play the understanding one, she came closer to him and cupped his cheek, "Matthew, what happened, are you o-"
Before she could finish, Matthew slapped her hand away from his face, causing her to gasp as she held her hand.
"Matthew?!-"
"Get out or I'll throw you out myself," he told her once more pointing towards the exit and with a heavy heart, the courtesan picked the hem of her dress and walked out the door. Before she could even turn around to look at him, she heard a loud bang behind her as Matthew had already closed the door.
Her heart sank in disbelief and Matthew could hear her cry through the door as she sprinted away from there.
Now alone in his room, he went to the bed and sat on it before running his fingers through his hair, exasperated.
He thought he had moved on...he really thought...
He sighed and removed his shoes before he lay on the bed and drifted to sleep.