As soon as Sebastian returned, he threw himself onto his large, four-poster bed in his massive, luxurious room.
Despite his cold demeanor towards Elara, and his attempts to act careless, he couldn't shake off the memory of her confidently saying, 'I know you're not here for this.' She was right, of course. He hadn't visited her family to offer aid, but to see her again. No matter how disastrous the visit had been, Sebastian was resolute. He would visit her again, and again, and again - until she fell for him, or perhaps, fell for his tricks?
The next morning, Sebastian woke up to the sound of loud footsteps and his door slamming open. "SEBASTIAN!" Prince Sebastian opened his eyes, rubbing them to clear his blurry vision. He sat up, finally focusing on the figure standing before him.
"What?" Sebastian asked, looking at his brother.
"You..." Prince Leo clenched his teeth, restraining himself from saying more.
"Speak your mind, brother," Sebastian said, intrigued. He realized his brother was angry, but he couldn't fathom why his actions had provoked such ire.
The Crown Prince took a deep breath before speaking. "Father has sent me to bring you to our family meeting."
"Family meeting?" Sebastian raised his eyebrows, surprised.
He knew why the king held these meetings, exclusive to family members. These gatherings addressed sensitive topics, not to be shared with anyone outside their inner circle.
"Yes, get ready," Leo ordered, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument.
Sebastian quickly showered and dressed in his signature black attire, which he wore to every meeting, including family gatherings. He glanced in the mirror before leaving his room with Leo.
As they entered the grand hall, the guards opened the doors for them. Sebastian caught Marco's glance, who stood beside the king, and then turned his attention to his father. The king's expression was stern, his facial features revealing the gravity of the situation.
Leo walked towards his chair and sat beside the king. "Come here," he ordered Sebastian, gesturing to his chair.
Sebastian's jaw clenched, a spark of resentment igniting within him. He disliked being ordered around, but he knew better than to disobey, especially when the atmosphere seemed so charged.
With a fluid motion, Sebastian took his seat, his eyes scanning the room. The queen entered, her presence regal, accompanied by Florence and Princess Catherine. They took their respective seats, their faces etched with concern and curiosity.
The king's whispered words to his minister seemed to hang in the air, a silent signal for the servants to discreetly exit the room. The doors closed with a soft thud, enveloping the family in silence.
The queen's voice broke the stillness, her tone gentle yet probing. "Is there anything wrong, my lord?"
The king blinked twice, emerging from his royal daydream. "Hmmm?" He pretended to be clueless, because, well, being a king can be hard.
Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he said, "Ahhhh, well, I don't know... ask him... your dearest child." He waved at Sebastian, presenting him to the crowd like a prize exhibit.
The queen's gaze turned intense, her eyes narrowing. "Sebastian... what did you do now?" She asked, her tone laced with a hint of 'I'm going to kill you later.'
Leo, sipping his tea, dropped the bombshell with ease. "He's taken an interest in a commoner."
The room erupted into a chorus of gasps and shocked whispers. Catherine's jaw dropped, her baby kicking in her womb as if protesting the news. Florence slammed her hand on the table, standing up to glare at Sebastian.
"What?" Florence exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and horror.
Sebastian sighed, rubbing his temples as if warding off a headache.
Now his secret was revealed, but he was also shocked because he never knew that it would be revealed so quickly. He wanted to keep it private for a while.
He knew it wouldn't take too long for his 'snakes' to find out about it, but he never knew it would be revealed the very next morning after he came back from Elara's home.
The king shook his head, disappointment etched on his face. "Ts...ts...what nonsense... who told you to speak, Leo? When your father is capable of saying it himself."
Leo coughed, nearly choking on his tea. "Sorry."
The king turned to Florence. "Sit back down, let me explain."
Florence rolled her eyes and sat back down, crossing her arms together. The king straightened his collar, a self-satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"Our son has taken an interest in democracy, actually.....he finally has started to work on his position, AND is thinking of spending the royal treasure on the kingdom's poor people to give them a taste of richness."
The family members looked at Sebastian, aghast, except for Prince Leo, who continued to sip his tea, seemingly unfazed.
"This is not true," Sebastian protested.
"Oh? Then what is it, huh?" The king asked as if daring him to disobey his rules. "Are you looking outside our class for marriage?"
Sebastian slammed his hand on the table, standing up. "FOR GOD'S SAKE! WILL YOU STOP THIS NONSENSE?"
The king's face turned red with rage. "HOW DARE YOU—"
The queen grabbed king's hand, stopping him from unleashing his full fury. "My Lord, no."
"SEBASTIAN, SIT BACK DOWN!" Prince Leo glared at Sebastian.
"NO!!!!" Sebastian shouted, his voice echoing through the hall. He slammed his hand on the table, making the silverware jump.
"I heard enough," he declared, his eyes sparkling with defiance. "Now you all will listen."
He took a deep breath, composing himself. "First of all..... I have not taken the royal treasure, and will never use it on my own desires. I only spend the luxury which is in my power and my own property."
Sebastian paused, taking a sip from his silver cup. He strolled to the other side of the table, a confident stride.
"Then the second and the last," he continued, a hint of mischief in his voice. "I don't need to hide what I want and what I don't..... So if there will be any mate I will like to adopt in my life I will surely not waste a single moment to shut my ears from the tradition, and you all to let my bloodline grow with her."
The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on Sebastian.