MSHELL
For the first time in a while, I find myself eager for the holiday to end. Not that home was unpleasant or anything, but I truly miss my friends from school. It's only been a week since the holiday began, but it feels like a long time already.
It's funny how back in my prime years at Crowns Academy, I didn't have many friends. Yet, now in my senior year, I have so many wonderful people in my life. There's Mello, my buddy, his adorable girl, Carlo, the talented blonde basketball player, Jerry, my all-time boss, and Hayley... she's really special. And then there's my most recent friend, Evly. She may come off strong, but I have a really good feeling that we'll be close soon enough.
A polite voice from the other side of my room door called out, "Your Highness." I invited the Chief servant, Mr. Owen, to come in. He had brought the castle servants to help me get ready. I wasn't particularly fond of the royal hearings. They were always long and boring, with Kings and Lords from the kingdoms reading scrolls and making statements. These scenes suited Kenzo more; after all, he was the crown prince. However, Mr. Owen insisted that I attend, probably because my father wanted me to be part of the hearing.
The royal hearing dragged on for a while. Joe and I sat next to each other while Kenzo, Dad, the Kings, and the Lords were seated at the other end of the royal court. It seemed more bearable to me than to Joe; you could say he was losing his mind.
My siblings are the most unique and wonderful siblings one could have. Kenzo, the firstborn and crown prince, is very timid and sweet. I know he would make a great emperor; it's like he was born to lead this great nation. Carmen, the second-born and only girl, is beautiful and successful. She graduated from the Royal School of Music as the best student and has been flourishing ever since. I'll miss her when she gets married; she's like a second mom to me. Then there's Joe, the youngest and the funniest being. He's in high school, but not at Crowns; he attends the Royal School of Arts here in Athras Central.
"I'm losing my mind, Mshell. When will this be over?" Joe asked, as though I would have the slightest idea.
"Trust me, bro, I have no idea," I replied back.
After what seemed like endless hours of listening to tedious speeches, the royal hearing finally came to an end, and the Lords of the kingdoms exited the court. We had to stay back and pay our respects to the royal family.
As each of the Lords and Kings of the kingdoms in Athras came forward, Mr. Owen would announce their names and state their positions in the nation. I learned the breakdown of the great nation of Athras at a young age. As the second son of the emperor, this knowledge was something I couldn't escape.
The great nation of Athras is divided into three main parts: Athras Central (the capital of the nation and where the emperor's home is located), the North, and the South. The North has two kingdoms: Al'done and Odessa, while the South has three main kingdoms: Asianie, Mane's, and De'Rheal.
Finally, the hearing was over, and I could carry on with my life. Life in the palace was not as boring as one might think. We had a huge library filled with numerous books, and being the nerd that I am, I made the most of it.
Later that day, we had dinner, and Carmen's engagement was officially announced. She was getting engaged to the son of the prime minister of Athras Central. Apparently, they met at the Royal School of Music and fell in love. Carmen is my closest sibling, so I know all about their love story, and it's truly beautiful. Despite knowing about my crush on Hayley, Carmen keeps telling me to look around, thinking I might be into someone else, but Hayley is the one; these feelings are rare for me, but they happened with Hayley.
After dinner, I went to my room and decided to check my phone. Evly and I have been texting a lot this holiday; she has been really helpful with my Hayley situation.
EVLY
Mshell: Hey, friend! 😊
Me: Hello, how's it going? Did you talk to her?
Mshell: Yes, I did, and you were right. She's not fond of those kinds of gestures.
Me: I told you I'm never wrong.
Mshell: I can see that now. So, what book are you reading now?
Me: Hmm, want to take a guess?
Mshell: I'm terrible at guessing.
Me: Alright, it's a bit old-fashioned.
Mshell: Tell me.
Me: It's "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green, from 2012.
Mshell: Oh, Hazel and Augustus.
Me: You've read it?
Mshell: Oh yes, I have.
Me: Wait!! Paperback or Kindle?
Mshell: Definitely Paperback!
Me: Oh my goodness, you're definitely my soulmateJ.
"Your Highness! It's dinner time," Mrs. Danby said behind me. I was so engrossed in texting that I didn't realize she had come in.
"I'll be out in a minute, Mrs. Danby," I replied.
Mrs. Danby has been working in the palace for as long as I can remember; she's like family.
At dinner, my father shared stories from his recent travels to Athras Central. As the King of Odessa, it was a regular trip for him, usually for the royal hearing, I assume.
He showed us pictures and videos from his trips. Mshell had warned me about how long and boring the royal hearing was, but listening to my father talk about it, you'd think it was some paradise. He spoke fondly about the Emperor's family and how beautiful and magnificent they were. I wonder what he would think if he found out that the emperor's son was in my DMs, thanks to my friend, of course.
When Dad was done with his stories, Mum called Mrs. Danby to brief us on the upcoming ball.
These balls have to be the worst part of being at home. We have to dress up and act on our best behavior, as Mother always says. Christine, on the other hand, has no problem with the balls. She's a little nerd, and during the ball, she engages in fascinating conversations with some of the ministers of Odessa. She's naturally well-behaved, not that I'm not; it's just not the same.
"Mother, we'll be back at school next week; why not hold the ball then?" I suggested, knowing that the main reason for this ball was for my mother to show off her two beautiful daughters to the kingdom since we're always away at school.
"Oh, my dear, as my firstborn, you should get used to these balls; they are very important," my mother replied, and I joined in with her, "I know, Mum, you don't have to worry."
"If you say so, please be polite if a gentleman asks for a dance. Be polite and dance with him," she added.
"What if he isn't a gentleman?" I asked, though I wasn't expecting an answer.
"Sweetie, if he isn't a gentleman, he wouldn't be at the ball in the first place," she answered with a touch of savagery.
In the next few days, the palace was bustling with preparations for the ball. The Royal fashion designer of Odessa came to the palace to deliver our gowns. Mine was a beautiful floral gown; Mrs. Greta and her team never get a dress wrong.
The day of the ball finally arrived. Mell had texted me earlier that he would be attending the ball. Al'done and Odessa were both in the north and not far from each other; we always attend each other's balls.
"Oh, how I detest wearing dresses," Christine barged into my chambers, ranting.
I knew more than anyone how much Chris hated gowns; that's probably why she loves Crowns' dress code, which allows pants, regardless of gender.
"Too bad, Chrisi, you'll be wearing that for the next four hours, and I'm sure some gentleman will ask for a dance," I thought I had an opportunity to tease Chris, but as always, she showed me she was Chris.
"I'm 14, dummy. Only sixteen and above can be asked to dance. Last time I checked, you're almost 17, right?" she retorted.
"Whatever, get out of my room now!" I yelled.
"Calm down, Your Highness; a lady shouldn't yell like that," Mrs. Danby gently scolded as she came in.
"Excuse my behavior, Mrs. Danby, but Chris is getting on my nerves," I said, trying to compose myself.
"You look absolutely gorgeous, Your Highness," Mrs. Danby said with a warm smile.
"You think so?" I asked.
"Of course, my dear. Did you expect anything less?" my mother said as she walked in, looking stunning in her gown.
"You look beautiful, Mother," I complimented her.
"Thank you, my dear. Remember to be on your best behavior," she reminded me.
"I know, Mum; you don't have to worry," I assured her.
"If you say so, please be polite if a gentleman asks for a dance. Be polite and dance with him," she repeated her advice.
"What if he isn't a gentleman?" I asked, playfully this time.
"Sweetie, if he isn't a gentleman, he wouldn't be at the ball in the first place," she replied with a smile.
A few hours later, the ball began. Beautiful girls from all across the kingdom, most of them in my age range, along with lords and ministers of Odessa and other parts of the north, filled the palace. I paid my respects to the lords and ministers and then lost myself in the crowd so my mother wouldn't detect me easily.
"Running away again, Jare?" Mell's voice came from behind me.
I turned towards him and gave him a big smile; he looked dashing. Mell and I usually spend these balls together, analyzing the eager boys and girls and having a bit of fun. Being the playful guy he is, Mell would sometimes flirt with the girls, and I would threaten to tell on him.
"Oh, Mell! Finally, when did you get here?" I asked.
"Just a little while ago, you know I had to pay my respects too," he said.
"Yeah, right," I teased.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Mell asked playfully.
"Well, first of all, I don't want to dance with any of those so-called gentlemen," I said, and some ladies nearby gave me puzzled looks, but Mell quickly charmed them with his friendly demeanor, and they soon forgot about my comment.
"Be careful, Jare; I won't be here to save you all the time," Mell said, pretending to be my knight in shining armor.
"Oh, whatever, Mello," I chuckled and moved away.
As I walked away, a young man stepped in front of me and politely asked, "Your Highness, would you do me the honor of having this dance with me?"
I was about to say no when I felt my mother's gaze from above. Oh dear, how did she even get there?
"Sure," I said, offering my hand. He took it, and we began to dance.
"I'm Albertus Thelios, son of the magistrate of Al'done," he introduced himself. His voice was soft and warm, and as I looked at him properly, I noticed he was quite handsome. He had curly blonde hair and beautiful hazel eyes. I hadn't seen him before, and I couldn't help but smile in acknowledgement of his beauty.
Just then, I saw my mother giving me a little wink; she must have orchestrated this.
After a few minutes, I realized I hadn't said much, and it was starting to feel awkward.
"You look quite dashing yourself," I finally managed to say, and he beamed like a child.
The dance eventually came to an end, and we exchanged contacts.
"How could you keep such a fine soul from Al'done a secret from me?" I teased Mell when I had parted ways with Albertus.
"Who? Albertus?" Mell asked with awe.
"Yes, of course, who else?"
"I didn't think he was your type; he's too beautiful," Mell said, trying to justify his "secret-keeping."
"What! I'm offended, Mell. So, what's my type then?" I inquired playfully, curious about his response.
"I don't know, just not Albertus, a known player, not good for you," Mell said, trying to protect me, as always.
"And what makes you any different from him?" I teased.
"I'm a pervert, not a player," Mell said with an air of confidence as if there was a significant distinction between the two.
"Whatever! So, what are your plans for the upcoming semester?" I asked, smoothly shifting the conversation away from teasing.
"You know me, Jare, I never make plans; I'm always open to anything," he said with a smirk.
"Wanna dance?" I asked, and he replied with a charming grin, "Sure, Jare, why not?"
With that, Mell and I joined the others on the dance floor. The atmosphere was lively, filled with music and laughter, as we swayed to the rhythm of the music. Mell was always a fun partner to dance with, and we effortlessly moved through the crowd, spinning and twirling as if we were in our own little world.
As the night went on, I found myself having a surprisingly enjoyable time. The ball wasn't as dreadful as I had anticipated. Maybe it was the company, or perhaps it was the excitement of meeting someone like Albertus unexpectedly.
Throughout the evening, I caught glimpses of Albertus from afar, engaged in conversations with various people. I couldn't help but wonder what he was like beyond the dance floor. It was intriguing, and a part of me felt a growing curiosity about him.
Later on, after a few more dances and delightful conversations with friends and acquaintances, I finally found myself sitting down to catch my breath. Mell, always the social butterfly, had wandered off to mingle with other guests.
Just as I was about to take a sip of the refreshing drink on my table, Albertus appeared before me with a friendly smile.
"Your Highness, may I join you?" he asked politely.
"Of course, Albertus," I replied, feeling a bit flustered but pleased by his presence.
We engaged in a delightful conversation, getting to know each other better. I discovered that he was kind-hearted, intelligent, and had a great sense of humor. As we talked, I realized that there was more to Albertus than meets the eye, and he seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me as well.
Amidst the soft melodies playing in the background, our laughter and stories flowed effortlessly, forging a connection that felt surprisingly deep for such a brief encounter. The twinkling lights overhead seemed to dance along with our growing rapport, creating an enchanting ambience around us. I found myself drawn to Albertus's genuine warmth and captivating charm, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement about where this newfound connection might lead.