Alphonsus didn't speak for a beat when Chris informed him helpfully of what was happening in the courtyard. He gave a glance at Raphael for a moment. It was a sharp gaze for a brief moment before he masked it with the air of innocence of what transpired.
Wilson caught all those subtle moments. He often dismissed those times the prince looked out of place back in his previous life, thinking he might be just under the weather or something had irritated him. After all, he is only human; there should be a time that he would drop that perfection to be real.
Back then Wilson didn't dig deeper. But oftentimes something bad would happen to those who had offended the prince days prior. It was a chilling detail that he didn't think of connecting to the prince at that time.
And if the thought did come to his mind, he had long been blinded to notice if the prince did look at him with cold eyes once his usefulness had run dry.
"It might have been an exciting match as you claim, Mr. Dane." Alphonsus said diplomatically. "Wilson here is an accomplished swordsman and Mr. Mare is an upcoming talent. I wish I was there to see it with my own eyes."
"Indeed it was a pity." Chris said, following Alphonsus's words like a gullible child. "Too bad, maybe the only chance for you to see such a match again would be during the Festival of Spirits. The king requires young nobles to showcase their prowess in the tournament to see their skills during this time. As an official heir, Wilson is sure to be in attendance as a participant."
"Yes, that might be the next opportunity for me to see the two of them duel in formality," Alphonsus said, then with a sigh. "However, it will take at least three years before the next festival will be. The last Golden Moon passed by last year and it typically takes four years before it appears again for the festival to be arranged."
"It certainly will be a long time. But it will at least make the two of them prepared for a rematch, right?" Chris carelessly said. "And at that time there would be no changes of stakes or rules from the beginning to the end."
"You jinxed it, Mr. Dane," Raphael cut into the conversation. "It was just a friendly spar. Changes happen to make things exciting for all. Didn't we see how talented your cousin and Mr. Mare were with that exchange?"
Chris only gave a small smile at those remarks. He is someone who was trained intensively by Earl Thymes since he was seven years old; from his experience he could tell how much of a failure of a swordsman Tyron Mare was. It was a stretch for him to be called a talent and comparing him to his cousin who never fell behind his father's training and expectations.
Alphonsus gave a small laugh at the barbed exchange. He gave a few words to expel the tenseness of the room. Working with his silver tongue, he easily directed the conversation to his liking.
Wilson willingly went along with the conversation that followed. The prince lingered with their group and engaged with them for a time like a good host. Only after a retainer came near and whispered in the prince's ear did he leave them. Though before he left, he asked him to speak privately at the parlor.
Wilson saw no problem with that. He wanted to see what he is up to. After all, Alphonsus never liked speaking in public words that may be misunderstood unless it works in his favor. With a nod, he said to the prince he will follow him in a moment.
As the prince left, Wilson turned to Alexus, Chris, and Diane who were looking coldly at the Third Prince's back. If looks could kill, they would have killed him too many times to count. He has no doubt they didn't like the way the prince handled the situation.
"I don't know if I should be impressed by how lax or how much of an actor my third brother was," Diane said as she accepted a glass of the beverage being served.
"He is always a cunning one," Chris said with no regard for respect to the royal status the other held. "He often uses this trick: allowing others to do something outrageous then cleaning it up. There are countless who were harmed by him over the years."
"I'm interested to hear about that," Diane said as she took a firm grip on Chris's arm. "Would you share with me what you know about those incidents?"
Wilson could see Chris tense over the princess's actions and words. He gave him a look seeking help. Not wanting to destroy the princess's fun, he decided to leave the two be and placed his attention on Alexus who is visibly frowning.
"You don't want to be alone with him," Wilson said as a matter of fact to Alexus. "I will give you my word. Nothing bad will happen to me."
"I trust you to uphold your words," Alexus replied. "It's the prince whom I don't trust. As Chris said, Alphonsus is a cunning one."
"I know," Wilson said and went beside Alexus. He then placed a hand on Alexus's ear. Since Alexus is taller than him, the other leaned a little to accommodate him.
Satisfied, Wilson whispered. "You're worried about me being confused by Alphonsus. I promised you a chance, and you're the one I gave my word for. Alphonsus had lost his once he started plotting against me."
Wilson saw Alexus's eyes widen at his words. Before he gave Alexus's cheek a light touch of his lips, then addressing Diane and Chris that he was leaving. The two acknowledged him and excused him. He did all this with no pause, and didn't allow Alexus to react at all.
Though before he fully left, he gave Alexus a look in the eyes and smiled at him like he had just teased him. He saw him flustered with his little actions. Finding his reactions a little cute, he decided to do this once in a while. Let it be a reward of sorts or assurance to him.
While he can't really meet his emotional needs right now, there is really no other who is loyal and true to him. Both this life and before had shown it. He really doesn't want to trample and not honor this man who is willing to go to hell for him.
Among all others, Wilson is assured that Alexus is the only one who will treat him well. So he let himself give the man small intimacy once in a while, incorporating himself until it becomes natural. Indulging himself in the stability and care the other freely offered. And someday, he will develop the emotion Alexus wanted from him after the fire of hatred in his heart is doused.
This was a vow he made on himself since he broke that thin layer between them.
Away from the group, he followed the prince's servant who was instructed to wait and escort him. Once they reached the parlor, the servant politely informed him that he cannot escort him further than the door. Wilson thanked the servant and went inside himself.
Inside the room was Alphonsus himself by the window, looking at the dusky skies outside. There was no other person in the room other than the two of them. Once the door was closed the prince turned to his direction with a smile.
"You've arrived," Alphonsus said as he approached Wilson with familiarity. He then reached out and held his hands and guided the two of them to the sofa. "It's been a while since we have a time to talk in private."
"Indeed it has been quite some time already," Wilson agreed to Alphonsus's remarks. "The last weeks were hectic for all of us. I basically didn't have any time for any extra activities to make up a few lessons before I leave."
Now seated on the sofa, Alphonsus gently caressed Wilson's hand with his thumbs. "I did understand that there are a few subjects that you needed to accelerate to complete your credits on them. I heard how busy you are, so I stopped myself from disturbing you. Do you blame me for not spending time with you?"
"I don't blame you, Your Highness," Wilson said as he allowed Alphonsus to play the role of an affectionate lover. "I know you're also with affairs you need to work on. Between the two of us, it is I who needed to ask for forgiveness for not being able to help you out."
Alphonsus smiled and clamped their hands together. He seems pleased at the words he was hearing. With affectionate eyes he assured Wilson that it is fine that he wasn't able to join him, giving a few sweet words to soften his heart and to subtly plant ideas to him. Using promises that once everything gets better, he will introduce him to his mother to formalize their relationship, asking more time for him to prepare the best environment for the two of them.
While two men being together is accepted by law and faith, out of the need for the continuation of bloodline it is a little controversial to be fully accepted by the nobility. Especially for the royal family who have to uphold their reputation to the populace. There are ways to overcome the need of a child between the couple, those means are so hard and only after they are assured of an heir do same-sex couples get better treatment by the upper-class society.
Alphonsus wants to leverage on these means to string him for a long run. To be honest, as a child of Thymes, he is indeed weak with the matters of emotions. Once the Third Prince had expressed a little affection roughly back when he was fifteen, he became a willing pawn of the prince.
But now, Wilson is too sober to be fooled. So he played along. Word for word he spoke of words Alphonsus liked to hear. Though inside it disgusted him, he maintained the mask of an understanding partner, inwardly thinking he was really blind in his past life to allow these sweet nothingness to trap him to the marsh.
With clearer eyes, he could see the cold calculation behind those affectionate gazes. At this time he will not be fooled. Wanting to play with him until his usefulness ran out, Wilson will return everything back little by little. And when the time comes, he will let him taste the feeling of being used with nothing else to hold on.