Crown Prince Hemeri didn't take long to reach the door to Second Prince Alanus's chamber. At the sight of the familiar young man who was standing near the door, Hemeri Van Hale could guess right away that his cousin was in.
When the young man who was the personal guard and attendant of Alanus saw the Emerido Crown Prince, he quickly rushed to him and bowed. "Your Highness, I have no idea that you're here. I will inform the Second Prince right away. He will be very happy to see you."
"How about I enter without notice instead, Nygel?" Hemeri Van Hale suggested with a playful smile on his face. "Will that put you in trouble?" At the moment, not even a trace of that rude and cold Crown Prince earlier was seen in him.
The guard named 'Nygel' smiled. "Not a chance, Your Highness. It will be a great surprise for him. It's been so long since you see each other after all."
"Then I should take the chance," Hemeri promptly said. "You should probably rest too. I don't think I will let him have a single sleep tonight."
"I don't think he will mind that, Your Highness," the guard said with a smile. "Please enter, Your Highness. I will tell the servants to serve you some drinks."
Hemeri Van Hale nodded. "That will be great." He walked past Nygel who made way for him and then opened the door without even knocking.
Hearing the sound of the door being opened without no warning, Alanus Varence who was sitting on a chair behind the desk, darted his eyes to the door, alertly. However, the moment his gaze landed on his cousin, his eyes grew wide and he abruptly rose from his seat.
"Hemeri, what does this mean?!"
Hemeri Van Hale chuckled at the unexpected question. "I thought you would be asking me why I'm here or when I arrive but... what does this mean?" He laughed and continued, "Let me ask you what you mean by that, cousin."
Alanus Varence sighed and walked towards the Emerido Crown Prince who was standing a few steps away. "Playing around as soon as you arrive? You never change."
"I don't think your father will say the same," Hemeri dryly remarked.
"You already meet him?" Alanus appeared truly surprised as he thought that his father would be the last person Hemeri wished to meet there in Aritish.
Hemeri Van Hale lazily nodded and took a seat on one of the couches. "I brought a letter for him and I should at least deliver that."
Trailing his cousin with his gaze, Alanus eventually followed him and took a seat opposite him. "So... what is your purpose for coming here this time?" He didn't want to continue talking about his father as he knew how Hemeri felt. Besides, he was truly curious.
Ever since the remarriage of his father the King of Aritish, Hemeri rarely came to Aritish unless there was an important matter. Even if he did, he always left again right away, refusing to spend even just a night in the palace.
Yet this time, he seemed like someone who came to spend days and also with an exciting purpose. This was so unlike Hemeri Van Hale from Alanus's memory.
With his main reason crossing his mind, the lips of the Emerido Crown Prince curved into a little smirk. "Be patient," he simply said to his cousin. "You will know it soon."
His response and demeanor only triggered the curiosity of Alanus even more but rather than pressing him, Alanus shook his head and remarked, "It seems like you're up to no good, Hemeri. You are recently named the Crown Prince but the first thing you do is come here. Do you that it is extremely suspicious?"
Noticing the look that his cousin gave him, Hemeri Van Hale let out a chuckle. "Rest assured, cousin. I won't cause you any trouble."
Before Alanus Varence could respond, there was a sound of knocking on the door, and with a knowing smile on his face, Crown Prince Hemeri beat his cousin on responding to it.
The Emerido Crown Prince's guess was right as two servants came in and served some alcoholic drinks. "I don't plan to let you have a single sleep tonight. So, why don't we drink to our heart's content just for this one night?"
"And forcing me to hunt tomorrow?" The Second Prince sighed as he knew his cousin too well. He was always great at tormenting others through some tricks that he came up with a remarkably smart brain of his!
"That will be great." Hemeri simply lifted the cup and gulped down the drink. "It's been a while since we hunt together, right?"
"I will pass that," Alanus Varence said without even feeling the need to give a thought. He lifted his cup and gulped down the wine before he said, "Drinking should be enough."
"It seems like you still hate hunting," Hemeri pointed out with a chuckle. "How can you hate such a fun thing? I don't understand."
"When have we ever understood each other, cousin?" Alanus laughed and added, "But we still get along well than anyone else, don't we?" He poured another cup of wine for himself and then poured another one for Hemeri.
Looking at the Emerido Crown Prince, Alanus Varence lifted his cup and said, "Let me congratulate you for finally taking your rightful title, Hemeri. I look forward to the world that you will build."
Hemeri Van Hale looked at the cup that his cousin stretched to him and slightly smiled when he lifted his own and clinked with Alanus's cup. He gulped down the wine again and his smile grew when he said, "Will we only talk about me? What about you, Alan?"
Alanus Varence didn't need any hint to know what his cousin was talking about. However, it indeed made his smile slip a bit. "Don't mention it. It already bothers me enough."
"I'm bringing up this because it bothers me too," Hemeri Van Hale frankly said. "You know Owine wants you to take over his position as the Crown Prince. If you refuse, it will be Saerus but you know that Saerus has no interest in politics and administration." His face turned a bit dark when he asked, "Do you want that half-brother of yours to become the Crown Prince and rule over you?"
"Hemeri -"
"You know I will never allow that," the Emerido Crown Prince interrupted. "If Aritish ever falls into his hand, I will do everything to crush it. You wouldn't want your people to suffer in my hands."
If there was something that Alanus truly regarded as remarkable among the traits that his cousin possessed, it would be his brutally honest nature. Despite being highly intelligent, Hemeri Van Hale was someone who never hesitated to speak his mind; no matter where or when, and to whom he was speaking.
He hated sugar coating things.
"Just give me some time," Alanus finally said, not even feeling offended by what his cousin just said. "This is not an easy decision to make for me too. Owine's health might deteriorate but he is still alive and above all, he is my older brother. Unless he is bed sick and unable to fulfill any of his duties, I don't want to take over his position and make him look like an irresponsible and incompetent heir."