Rayne leaned forward slightly, placing his teacup carefully on the table.
"I am their sole heir, so they have always guided my path, expecting my obedience. But this… this is different."
A spark, defiant and resolute, lit his eyes. "I am prepared to challenge them on this."
***
The hushed words of their discussion had barely faded into their sudden silence after hearing Prince Rayne's confession, when a sudden, urgent commotion erupted at the palace's grand entrance.
Heavy and hurried footsteps echoed through the quiet halls. A guard, breathless and flushed, appeared at the salon door.
"Your Highnesses! A royal messenger from Valendale, arrived with utmost urgency!" he announced, his voice strained. "He carries a direct Imperial Decree for Crown Prince Rayne."
Ryane's face, already serious, tightened further. He already expected his parents would ask him to go back, but not this fast.
