"Did Mizak's words move your heart?" Prince Ivive asked as he traced the map with his brush.
"What? Move my heart? What words did he utter that would stir my feelings?" Teri retorted.
Prince Ivive smirked as he glanced at Teri. "I was just outside his chamber door, so of course I heard everything.
I have been close to Mizak since he first came to Alririt Kingdom. It was when I was fourteen, a decade ago.
I thought I was the closest to him, but it seems he is now closer to another, which is you.
They say your dearest friend can have a dearer friend, and that dearer friend can have another dearer to him, and so it goes on."
Teri rested his arms on the table and rested his face on it "Wait, you first met Mizak when you were fourteen, a decade ago.
I finally know your age, twenty-four. Well met, old man," Teri chuckled.
Prince Ivive poked him with the brush. "Hey, I am not that old for you to call me old man. I am still in my prime," Prince Ivive said.
"So Mizak is your only friend then," Teri said.
Prince Ivive chuckled softly. "My younger brother once asked me if mizak was my only friend.
No, he is not. I have friends in brothels and gambling houses, and some other commoners back in the capital.
As for nobles and royals, I was friends with some when I was little, but as we grew up, we drifted apart. I do not blame them. It is wiser to be close to those that have higher powers.
You see, Teri, I may be a prince, but I am next to nothing in many eyes.
You lived in Alririt Kingdom for years. Did you not hear of the useless fourth prince?"
Teri sighed. He did not hear about the fourth prince, but one thing he knew was true in what he said, was that people tend to be close to those with higher power.
"No, I have not heard of the useless fourth prince. I was never interested in the matters of nobles and royals. It is not like I will gain wealth from it.
The first time I knew who you were was when Mizak introduced me to you in Melvor's residence.
And why have friends in brothels? Do you drink and chat there?" Teri asked.
Prince Ivive chuckled, smiled, and dropped his brush as he turned his head to Teri. "Do people visit the brothel to just drink and chat?"
Teri furrowed his eyebrows. Of course he knew what happens in brothels. "Stay far away from my sister, alright?"
Prince Ivive picked his brush and resumed the drawing of the map. "Do not worry. It is not your sister I am after."
Teri nodded his head. "So his highness is indeed after someone after all. Your highness, if it is Melovine, let me give you a piece of advice, even though you may disregard it for the fact that you are way older than me.
If you end up being with Melovine, she will wear the breeches in the marriage. Find a less fierce lady."
Prince Ivive smiled. "Have you ever been sexually pleasured?"
Teri's face flushed red as he turned his head sharply to Prince Ivive. "What?"
Prince Ivive continued. "Do you want to know how it feels like? If you are interested, I will help you," he said with a smirk as he glanced at Teri.
Teri cleared his throat and turned his head away. "I am grateful, your highness, but I do not want to visit your brothels.
Did Melovine promise you that? As expected of her, the brothel is her calling."
Melovine opened the chamber door with force and stormed inside. "Silver-haired blind boy, what did you just say? Brothel is my calling?" she said as she gritted her teeth in anger.
"I thought you both were plotting something without Mizak again, but blind boy, did you just say that?" she said as she swung her arm as she walked hurriedly towards Teri to punch him.
Teri knew what was coming for him, but he did not react. He just sat still.
Prince Ivive blocked her from hitting him. "We are busy. Fight later".
She snatched her hand away in vexation and muttered a curse under her breath. She placed her hand on her waist and glared at him. "Only you are busy, your highness. Teri is just sitting there. How dare a blind boy call me a whore?"
Mizak, Elley and Kiera entered Prince Ivive's chamber and the prince glanced at them, wondering why they were there.
"I could not sleep and I met these two ladies as I was heading here. It seems they could not sleep either," Mizak spoke, but Melovine and Teri were having their own drama.
"I never called you a whore!" Teri protested
Melovine snorted in anger, "The brothel is my calling, what else do you mean? You called me a harlot!"
Teri rose from his seat, "Since you want to be called a harlot so badly, then fine, you are a harlot!"
She eyed the bed and then him, "Let's play on the bed", she said as he seized Teri's wrist and dragged him to Prince Ivive's bed.
Prince Ivive kept drawing like nothing was happening. Mizak and Elley found a place to sit as they watched them quarrel while Keira stood as she watched them with envy.
"It is always you two. Just wed already", Mizak jested.
Teri and Melovine who were wrestling on the bed heard what Mizak said and turned to him, "What!", they both exclaimed.
"I would rather stay unwed for the rest of my life", Teri said.
Melovine laughed and nodded, "Do you know how many men kill themselves to be with me?"
"Lady Melovine really deserves the name, bad tempered lady in red", Elley muttered.
"Those men are fools!", Teri said as he continued to fight with Melovine.
************************************
Moments later, Prince Ivive was done with the map.
They all sat around the table as they gazed at the map.
"So we are going to the palace in search for a map", Melovine said. Her brown hair was disheveled.
"Prince Ivive you have to be with your extendable spear all the time, it is portable and the same goes with you, Melovine.
And Mizak you have to use a double sheath now which one will contain your sword and the other will contain King Athelin's sword.
Lady Keira, you will have to stop wearing white, it draws attention, wear only dark colours", Teri said and Keira nodded.
Elley walked to the window and opened it. She looked outside, it was already dawn, "It is already dawn, are we going to continue our journey today?", she asked.
"Little sister are you weary, if you are weary we will go tomorrow", Teri said.
"No, I am not, I am ready", Elley said.
"The new travellers, Melovine and Keira, we do not always sleep and eat in inns as we journey. We sleep outside most of the time, I hope you can handle it", Prince Ivive said.
"What?", Melovine said.
"And we are not using carriages, just horses and you should have few things with you.
Now are we all ready?", Teri asked.
They glanced at each other and nodded their heads, "We are", they said in unison and Teri smiled.