"It's stupidity."
Serpens put the teacup down. The tea spilled outside. The cup and saucer struggled with each other making a clattering sound. After a while they stopped vibrating and calmed down.
The prime minister smiled softly at the aide's loyalty. He picked up the half-empty tea cup. "Your aide is right, your highness." He took a sip, reminding the prince of consequences.
The crown prince didn't move. He held an ink stained letter from Inferos, sitting across from the prime minister.
"You think....my father is trying to kill me?" He put the letter down. His eyes stared directly through the prime minister's implications.
"There's no other reason you have to go to Inferos." The smile on his face disappeared, replaced with seriousness. The king wanted to humiliate and kill his godson. Otherwise, why will they Sent their crown prince to Inferos empire's imperial consort selection?
Celyn turned the letter around and slid it towards his godfather. "We cannot afford a mistake." He tapped a part on the letter.
The part of the letter addressed the requirement for the selection candidates. The prime minister read the part, confusion increasing in his head.
'People with an imperial royal blood line.'
The current emperor of the Inferos empire was the adopted son of the previous emperor. With no blood relation to empire's royalty. So it was clear why he would put this condition. But the prime minister was left perplexed as there was no other condition mentioned. Not even for gender or marital status.
He looked up, staring at the prince. When the realisation finally dawned on him. It was a lesser known fact but the queen was the illegitimate sister of the adopted current emperor.
Married off to Luxuria at 11. In her life she only had one child. The current crown prince. The only person in the whole of the Luxuria kingdom with Inferos imperial blood, was sitting right across from him.
"They sent a letter to Luxuria that means they want 'me' there." Celyn finally explained it to the prime minister. Somehow the meaning of his words hung heavier than the prime minister's earlier words.
There was a chance....the Emperor wanted him dead. It was either the emperor's way of legitimising himself by associating with royal blood. Or it was simply his way of gathering every person that posed a threat to his throne and killing them off all at once. Tyrannical.
The prime minister pressed his lips together. His hands closed into a fist. No matter how he racked his brains he couldn't find a way out of the empire's invitation.
"We have no choice." Celyn got up, his eyes not looking directly at the older man. His hand dragged on the wooden table as he walked past the exit. "I will prepare to leave."
In the upcoming days, the crown prince's palace was in chaos. Not just from his leave from politics. But from the sheer amount of letters he received.
Serpens stood in the room. His hands and eyes were almost in sync. Separating letters one by one. Placed in front of him were three boxes, each filling up half way. But his eyes darted to the prince in the corner every few seconds.
*Click*
The door of the living room opened and closed several times. Yet both of them seemed to be in silence of their own. Serpens took a deep breath. His hand finally stopped. "We can find ways...." His words sounded like a plea.
He put the letter down and walked to the prince who was lying down on the sofa. Reading letters sent by people in his faction.
*Bam*
Serpens dropped on his knees. This was his attempt to stop this madness. But the crown prince simply set the letter he was reading aside. The crisp piece of paper now lay, lonely. Serpens stared at the prince's gesture. Next moment both of them come eye to eye.
Lifeless. The empty eyes stared down at him. Celyn sat up, silent. But his silence held more words.
Serpens felt a cold touch on his face. He flinched. Realising it was the prince's hand. His eyes were still captivated by the prince.
"My mother is dead....Serpens." The voice was weak. Almost as if those words were not meant to be spoken.
"Why should I stay?"
Serpens could see the prince's eyes getting wet. He hesitated, unable to move. What could he ever say?
He moved his hand to pat the prince. But before he could move....he felt a sudden weight. Serpens sat frozen as the crown prince leaped to hug him.
The two young men, now hugging on the cold floor. Serpens' eyes twitched. Ticklish, from the prince's soft hair brushing against his face. Serpens just let his master hug him. Not speaking words to console nor to change the latter's mind anymore. He simply sat there staring at the painting on the wall.
A painting of a silver haired woman. Her noble blue eyes looking at them. Serpens' lips turned into a thin line. He turned his eyes from the queen's portrait. Trying his best to not make eye contact, bitterness spreading on his tongue.
"Your highness, it will be fine."