The girl pointed her hand at Clover.
Clover pointed a finger at Zephyr.
And Zephyr pointed a finger back at the girl.
Somewhere outside, in the rose laden gardens, a crow cawed. The summer heat did not excuse the sweaty frowns conveying emotions with their eyes. There was blame in the girl's eyes, confusion in Clover's and betrayal in Zephyr's.
"Pointing fingers is absolutely disgraceful of an act to commit," The Queen, standing in the center of the triangle, bitterly seethes through her clenched teeth. Her previously racing heart having subsided after the squirrel was out her perspective.
The accusatory fingers go down instantaneously. The squirrel squeaks behind Zephyr's back, getting cozier in the warmth of his hands.
The girl stares at a crushed peanut lying on the furnished tiles of the foyer and silently mourns over the loss of its existence.
The Queen turns to look at her son and shakes her head in a slow gesture, expressing utter disappointment. "I expected you to know better, Zephyrus."
The girl slouches in her posture, still standing behind the Queen, and pulls her rosy lips in a subtle smirk, clearly enjoying the drama.
The Crown Prince diverts his gaze from his mother's face and stares at the tiled floor instead. His mocha eyes flutter around to find a focus whilst his boyish features remain stoic.
"You should learn from Princess Agnes here. She is Grand Duke Bismil's granddaughter and soon your betrothed to be," The Queen presses a hand on the small of Agnes' back and subtly encourages her to come forward.
Upon hearing her name, the Princess stands tall and proud of her presence, settling the hat on her head. As she is expected to be.
Zephyr's head jerks up at his mother, mocha eyes widening just enough to betray a hint of scandalized surprise in his otherwise controlled expressions.
Clover provides the small party a coughing fit for background music.
"E-exc-cu-sse—m-me?!!" He chokes out, growing rosy in the face. Zephyr takes a step to his friend's rescue but one cold stare from the Queen has him stilled at a hand's distance from Clover.
"It's brilliant! Quite shimmy, really, I'll survive!" Clover gasps out, voice breathy and nose runny.
He went ignored by the Royalty.
Princess Agnes takes two elegant steps to stand in front of Prince Zephyr and lets out a breezy chuckle, "Your Highness, I am nothing but a simple maiden with a title. I shall try to prove my greater worth in our future endeavours."
She blinks twice, in the most fake and practiced of gestures that have Zephyr's nerves ticking with repulse. He clenches his teeth, eyes growing colder by the minute. Who was she to suddenly appear in his life and try become a part of his future?!
The ashy haired Princess gracefully bends her knees and bows her head in curtsy to the proud Queen. She had been told that buttering up inlaws was the closest peace one could find in a married life.
"What a humble gem!" The Queen exclaims, tipping Agnes' dimpled chin on her index finger and bringing her silver eyes in line with her startling blue ones. "You shall make a fine Empress one day! I daresay, the Grand Duke was unfair to keep your lovely presence hidden for all this while!" Her bow lips upturned on their tips, smiling genuinely for the first time in a while.
Agnes, not expecting the sudden softness of genuineness in the Queen's smile, coughs out awkwardly.
Zephyr, who had remained in a stunned silence all this while, clears his throat to gain attention. Three pairs of eyes curiously flutter to his presence.
"Mother, dearest, this a genuinely overwhelming surprise. I am quite grateful that you had been thinking of my future—"
"Na-uh, my son, not just your future but the future of our entire Empire," The Queen interjected.
Zephyr humbly nods before continuing, "— so ardently but I don't feel myself capable enough for marriage, as of yet." He holds his mothers blue eyes with his mocha ones, face barren of any faltering emotions whilst his eyes secretly begged his mother to not shove this random woman upon him.
Being born into the royal household of EDA was not his choice but marrying someone for life should have been his choice.
His mother cannot do this to him.
Right?
"Greet her," The Queen's reply is stiff and devoid of any emotions. But her eyes had a clear explanation for those who dared to look in them. It was disrespectful for the lady to not be greeted by her future husband so far into a conversation.
"Your Grace," Zephyr bends on instinct, catching Agnes' satin gloved fingers and holding it with his pale and lanky hand. Surprised by the suddenness, Agnes flinches at the touch.
"Your Highness," Agnes nods in acknowledgement but when Zephyr pulls the back of her hand to his lips, her heart flips. She disliked the unpredictably that came along with this man. She wasn't used to sudden bursts of privacy invading affection.
Zephyr's mocha eyes catch a glimpse of her dilated silver orbs and his lips fall into a satisfied smirk.
Agnes takes a hurried step back and accidentally meets eyes with Clover. His pale green orbs were narrowed at her, plush lips contoured in a scowl. She smiles at him which only earns her a harsher glare in return.
The gesture did not remain hidden from the Queen's sharp eyes.
"No one is talking about marriage, Zephyrus, and this is not a choice. The Elders have decided what shall best for the Empire and I understand that you shall comply accordingly. A royal engagement shall be held by the end of this month."
Agnes winces at the harshness of the Queen's words.
The Queen's tone leaves no room for objections or further conversations. She raises her bejewelled hands and claps them twice. Zephyr and Agnes hear the platinum chains clink against each other in the serene surroundings, resounding like the final bell to a decree of lifetime confinement.
The carved glass doors at the entrance gently swing open and through them walked inside a train of maids with suitcases, trolley bags, purses and gift boxes in hand. Their black skirts with white ruffles sway in synchronization of each other's steps.
"Oh! that's my stuff!" Agnes instinctively blurts out. She waves at the maids in front but ends up being ignored.
"You shall be twenty-two this year, Zephyrus. Keep your royal responsibilities in mind. Princess Agnes shall be staying at the Gale Castle until your coronation ceremony," The Queen informs Zephyr in a cold tone.
She points at the west staircase of the foyer and the train of maids resume their robotic walking. Agnes blows out a breath.
"Also, before I forget, your punishment for today is collecting taxes with Sir Piaget Goldstein in the country side. This Saturday."
Zephyr makes his first obvious gesture of annoyance by taking a sharp intake of breath, eyes rolling away from focus.
"Mother, you know how I absolutely loathe the Goldsteins—"
"And hence why it is a punishment," The Queen clarifies before gracefully holding her gown and leaving the premises.
Clover and Zephyr fall to their knees in respect while Agnes stood in a curtsy, gently waving at the Queen's retreating figure. She was a vision of beauty and grace. Even her back was so straight and flawless. Agnes could only wish to achieve that posture after hunching all around her room for days to no end.
"Well, that happened," Clover deadpans, standing up straight and stretching out his hands. "I felt like I was slowly turning into a mannequin! She still ignores me like the insects," Clover exclaims hoarsely, clearing his throat.
Meanwhile, Zephyr lets the squirrel back on the floor and wipes his sweaty hand over Clover's vest.
"Ew, animal hair!" Clover cringes, convulsing within himself.
But before Agnes could open her mouth for proper introductions, Zephyr charges towards her. Pinning her back to a wall, grasping her neck in a chokehold and locking her wrists behind her back.
"Who are you and what do you want from us?!"
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