Prince Halcyon
I followed the Casimir brothers back to the parlor where they had placed me when they left with the maid to get refreshments. The maid had told me that I would need to wait to see if Keziah would give permission for me to view her studio today. I waited until they were far enough away that I wouldn't be caught leaving the room to go next door.
What studio in our kingdom denies a prince entry when he wants entry?
First off, who is this female to tell me I can't look at her amateur artwork whenever I want? Second, no matter what she says, I still think this is a ploy to snag my attention. She's probably being spoiled by everyone praising her alleged change in behavior from the annoyance she's been for the past three years. I want to see for myself…
My thoughts left my mind as I took in the unreal painting of a woman crying as she held a cracked star against her chest. The emotions in the painting drew me in so deeply that I only pulled myself away when I noticed the sculpture next to it.
I wandered around what I now realized was a large salon turned studio, with beautiful instrumental music coming from somewhere in the room. I took note of each piece, seeing the talent and expertise of the artist in every one of them.
I finally ended up in what I assumed was the center of the room. It was relatively cleared of any works in progress. Present in the space was a desk and chair, a black canvas, a low table, a sofa, and Lady Keziah sketching in a sketchpad, seemingly unaware of my presence.
I came up behind her, trying to see what was holding her attention so completely that she didn't notice me. Before I could make out what she was sketching, she looked up at me blankly, confused. She pulled back a bit, as if trying to figure out what she was looking at, before her eyes widened in shock.
Then she screamed and fell off the sofa.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, why is she screaming? Did I scare her?
Surely, she heard me come in. Surely, she was giving me unspoken permission to look around. There's no way she would be so in her own world, like a real artist, that she didn't notice me here. That would be very unsafe. Just anyone could walk in with that door unlocked, especially with all the artwork in here. Her masters must have given her these pieces to use as inspiration.
I could hear her yelling at me, but I couldn't figure out why she was yelling. Doesn't she want me in here? Isn't this all just a ploy to gain my attention? Isn't she finally being smart for once, helping her brothers connect with me since I wasn't going to engage with them while she was being so extreme before?
I stood frozen and confused while her brothers and the maid rushed in.
"What is going on, Your Highness?"
"What are you doing in here?"
"What is wrong with Lady Keziah?"
"Did you touch my sister?" Lord Quinn asked in a threatening tone that I will never admit made me feel a bit concerned.
"No, I did not touch your sister or do anything that would have caused her to start screaming or yelling," I said, crossing my arms and glaring at them, daring them to try to pin this incident on me.
The brothers both glared back at me but didn't speak further. We all watched Lady Keziah for a while, and just as I was about to speak, she stood up from her seat and turned to face us.
She looked at us all with such displeasure that I felt like my stepmother was standing in front of me. Lady Keziah held herself with all the poise and authority of a queen. It was a bit of a turn-on, if I'm to be honest. I looked away to hide the light blush I felt growing.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the maid approach Lady Keziah. They spoke softly to each other before Lady Keziah directed us to the parlor to discuss matters.
I settled onto a loveseat and was quickly served a cup of tea by a maid. Lady Keziah's maid served the Casimir siblings tea and refreshments, then stepped back to stand behind Lady Keziah. I served myself a few nibbles and waited.
I expected one of them to speak first, but after a while, I looked up to find them all staring at me with narrowed eyes as they sipped their tea in unison.
That is very weird and creepy. I've only seen my youngest siblings, who are twins, do anything so in sync before.
"So, Prince Halcyon, why were you in my studio? I'm sure you were told that no one except Callie and myself has unrestricted permission to enter. So why were you, a guest, somewhere you weren't supposed to be?" Lady Keziah asked with cold politeness.
"I figured that wouldn't apply to me. I thought you would want to show me all the art you have in there. To show off the works your masters lent you for inspiration. To show the man you want to marry the art you aspire to create one day as you work toward the goal of being a Premier Artist. You're smart to switch your strategy, and I give you kudos for the idea, but—"
I was speaking in a kind and approving tone, until I was interrupted by the laughter coming out of Lady Keziah.
"Wow, how did I not know you were this narcissistic? Your Highness, Prince Halcyon, let me try to break this down for you since you seem to not be understanding the situation."
Lady Keziah accepted a handkerchief from the maid to wipe away her tears. The brothers looked at me like I was a fascinating creature they had found in the wild. I opened my mouth to retort, but she held up her hand to stop me.
"Before you speak again, let's set the record straight with witnesses present. I am not interested in marrying you. I have no intentions of doing so in this lifetime. I am focused on my art and my family. You are a guest in a Duke's home and had no right to enter a room you were told required permission to enter. You being a royal does not give you an all-access pass. However, because you are royal and a guest of my brothers, I will forgive you this one time since no lasting harm was done."
Lady Keziah stared into my eyes and did not break eye contact. The warm brown of her eyes seemed to glow as the sunlight hit them through the window.
I opened my mouth to speak again, but her hand was once again held up to stop me.
"Next, I wish to address a misconception you appear to have about the pieces you viewed in my studio. Every last piece you saw was created by me. I am the creator of all of it. My masters have not brought their pieces for me to view since the first month. If they wish to show me their work, I go to their homes to view it. I will also forgive your ignorance, as this is your first time viewing my work. However, do hear me when I say this will be the only time I forgive you without compensation for such behavior and actions. Next time, a letter will be sent to the King and Queen asking exactly what is being taught in the royal household that a prince would act like such a complete narcissistic asshole."
The shocked silence of the room wasn't just from me but also from the other inhabitants.
"You dare speak to and threaten a royal in such a manner?" I asked incredulously. I was trying to keep my cool, but I had never been called an asshole or had my manners questioned before.
"I said what I said, Prince Halcyon. Nobody may say it to your face, but a lot of people think you are an arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed asshole who thinks, because no one outside of his family tells him no, that his every action must be right. You have your good points as well, which is why people are supporting you to be crown prince, but don't get it twisted. You need to really take a look at yourself and those people in your circle."
She gave me no respect as she confirmed rumors Cyrus and Dad had told me, though I had assumed they were just playing mind games in this race for the throne.
"If nothing else, spending time with my brothers will show you what you should and shouldn't expect from people who will support you. They will not just say yes or no to appease you. I'm sure you've gotten some inkling of this from your interactions with them so far. I'm also sure that's why the King told you to build a working connection with them."
The shock on my face appeared to amuse her as she ate a carrot stick.
"I'm guessing he suggested you build a connection with me as well—someone who, despite making her first art debut this year, ranked 4th in the individual categories and for the overall art competition. I'm clearly going to be earning my designation as a Master soon, so I'm someone worth getting to know now, before I become like your Aunt, a Premier Artist who is not easy to meet with.
She spoke with such confidence and beauty that I felt in awe of her.
She was not like this before. In these six months, she has transformed from a sapling girl who would chase me everywhere, butting into my affairs, into a beautiful tree—confident and strong in her purpose, no longer needing anyone to support her.
Maybe she is worth getting to know better.
I then spent the next hour, days, months getting to know the Casimir siblings as the true friends Kezi promised they would be.
It appears her ploy to make me fall in love with her is working. She is truly a woman worthy of me. Wise, hardworking, considerate, passionate, and honest are all the wonderful qualities of hers that have made me fall for her.