When the sunlight hit the figure, he marched down from the carriage with the kind of unmatched grace only royalty could muster. And Kayden didn't know how else to describe it, but the guy looked just like one of those models on runways or splashed across glossy magazine pages—except this time, Kayden was seeing it live. The carriage creaked as if giving its solemn consent for the royal prince to descend to the ground.
Kayden was caught off guard for a moment because what he saw next made his blood run cold.
Before him stood none other than his rival, clad in full royal attire. And that gold jewelwork only heightened the prince's regal, almost immaculate aura, making his presence nearly formidable.
How was this possible? His worst enemy—the overbearing Dante Valentino—was alive, standing right here, and now apparently a prince. Wow. That was unexpected.
Oh no! Would he be recognized? Forgetting his own new appearance, Kayden turned away immediately, shielding his face.
"Your Highness demands your presence, young man." Another breathtaking man tapped Kayden's shoulder to inform him.
Still reluctant to face his nemesis, Kayden turned slowly—and that was it. He found himself face-to-face with the prince. And he didn't know why, but he suddenly held his breath.
The guy before him was ethereal. His hair was pure raven black, and his eyes were hazel—those fucking hazel eyes—and his face, goddamn it, looked sculpted as if formed from one of the rarest materials on earth.
Kayden was spellbound, and for a moment, it felt as if the world froze, leaving only the two of them in existence. No annoying man who'd forced him to turn and land in this situation—just them. And there was this unexpected glint in the prince's eyes as he stared at Kayden.
Almost as if he were asking for sex. But that was impossible. The prince was straight. Especially in this Cinderella fairytale. And not to mention, the writer of this whole storyline that Kayden seemed stuck in was his friend—a straight, homophobic guy. So what the hell was happening?
Then it started: the prince was about to speak, and not wanting to hear whatever he might say, Kayden bolted toward a nearby bush, spinning on his heel.
The prince was speechless, his mouth hanging open as his jaw dropped.
What had he just witnessed? A peasant running away from a prince—a mighty one, and crown prince, for that matter. Not to mention the heir to the throne.
Prince Zolan, the said prince, stared first at the carriage rider, then at his father's butler, who'd been the one to call for Kayden's attention. But the butler looked just as stunned, his shock practically radiating off him.
"Should I chase after him? He couldn't have gone far. We should probably teach him a lesson for fleeing from the Crown's presence," fumed Clyde, the butler, rage threatening to explode inside him.
Who did that guy even think he was? That was so random.
Zolan just laughed it off. He wasn't about to let something so trivial ruin his day. He had better things to worry about than some peasant, like the ball his father had arranged especially for him—to get married.
The mere mention of marriage made him tremble. He just wasn't ready to settle down, especially not with ladies. No doubt, they threw themselves at him, but he always felt awkward around them.
Well, it was time to move. They'd already spent more time in this village than intended, and they had to return to the palace. The ball was tonight, after all.
"Well, Clyde, just forget about it. He's probably someone who doesn't know who I am." Both of them knew that was a lie because Clyde distinctly remembered mentioning His Highness the Crown Prince. And what had the boy done? He'd run away.
"Just stop, okay? Let's keep moving. We still have a long way before we reach the palace," Zolan exclaimed, calling out to John, the carriage driver. John nodded, and Clyde climbed in, seating himself opposite the prince. The carriage immediately rolled forward.
Zolan, gazing out the window, let out a small smile.
Well, wasn't that interesting—someone who wasn't utterly terrified of his title or his formidable father. How refreshing.
He wouldn't mind meeting that boy again. He was curious about him, and not to mention those silver hair and eyes. There was something special about that boy that Zolan couldn't quite explain. This wasn't the end. Maybe fate would bring them together again.
Meanwhile, Kayden was panting, having run all the way back to where he'd escaped earlier—Cinderella Castle. Well, it wasn't mandatory for Cinderella to know his exact whereabouts in the castle. He could easily hide, and the suspicious girl wouldn't even know he was there.
The castle was big, after all. But now his plans were ruined. He'd wanted to see the prince's dick so bad. Yes, he was shameless, but who wouldn't be curious to see why girls were practically dying for him?
Besides his looks, he must have some special… thing. Like, his manhood must be impressive, right? Realizing how vile his thoughts were, Kayden facepalmed and shook his head to clear away the immoral fantasies.
Arriving at the gate, he sighed. Once again, he was back here. He quickly opened it and hurried through the huge pathway, finding his way back to the castle. That was when it hit him: he hadn't eaten a single thing since his arrival, and his poor, innocent stomach was paying the price. While trying to think of a solution, he didn't realize that half the day had passed and twilight was closing in.
"Wow, that was so fast." Kayden looked up at the sky, still starving, when he overheard a voice.
"Girls, girls! Aren't you done yet? The ball will begin soon, and I want you all to capture everyone's attention!" It was that witch's voice—Mira or whatever the hell she called herself.
She seemed in a hurry. Well, the ball wasn't going to run away, so they should chill.
Oh goodness, his stomach. He was about to sneak off and find some food to steal—perhaps from the kitchen—when he suddenly felt a glow. It kept growing, brighter and bigger, and curiosity got the better of him. He turned around, and lo and behold, it looked like fireflies were gathering and swirling into one.
Kayden stepped back in horror. What was happening? He just wanted to eat. Was that too much to ask for?
"Hello, it's your fairy god—" the voice started, but Kayden interrupted.
"I know, I know. You're the fairy godmother, and you're here to grant Cinderella's wish. But aren't you like… way too early? By my understanding, that's supposed to happen later." Kayden folded his arms, looking appalled. His reaction seemed to shock the fairy godmother to her glowing bones.
She was shimmering, translucent, almost invisible, her huge wings flapping continuously.
"Wait, I don't understand. You're supposed to be surprised! I thought my entrance was so magnificent!" the fairy protested, still looking utterly flabbergasted.
Kayden just laughed. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but your entrance was terrible. And what are you doing here? Dear Cindy is waiting for you."
Kayden's eyebrow arched. Something about this fairy felt… off.
"Who are you, man? You're not from this world," the fairy suddenly declared.
Kayden froze. Oh no. Had he exposed himself? That was bad.
Kayden tensed, ready to bolt, but what came next didn't just shock him—it paralyzed him.
"I've been expecting you, boy. You have a mission tonight. And you have to seduce the prince for it to work."
"What the fuck…" Kayden exclaimed.