The Festival of Hensville pulsed with life. Banners danced in the wind, stalls overflowed with colorful wares, and the air carried the mingling scents of roasted delicacies and blooming flowers. Nobles, commoners, and merchants alike swirled through the square, drawn to the celebration of the kingdom.
Alex walked beside Riven, hands brushing occasionally, their closeness drawing subtle glances from the crowd. Despite the festive chaos, both moved with calm confidence, though Alex felt a faint ripple of nerves at the thought of what was to come.
From the edge of the plaza, a figure approached, tall and composed—the crown prince. His gaze locked on Alex, steps measured, voice smooth and deliberate as he stopped before them.
"Alex Rosetta," he said, eyes intense. "I have admired you for some time. Your courage, your poise… your intelligence. I would like to court you officially."
Alex blinked, taken aback. The murmurs of the crowd seemed to fall into silence. He straightened, voice polite but firm. "Your Highness… I'm honored. Truly. But I am already courting someone." His gaze met Riven's, steady and unyielding. "Riven."
The crown prince's expression flickered from surprise to disbelief. "That… that cannot be true. You are lying."
The murmur through the crowd grew louder, whispers of shock and curiosity rippling across the festival.
Before anyone could react further, Duke Henry Rosetta stepped forward, voice calm but carrying across the plaza. "Alex is speaking the truth. He is courting Riven Havana, and this is known to us."
Riven's parents, Duke Valerian Havana and Princess Selene, joined him, a faint, amused smile tugging at their lips. "It is true," Duke Valerian said. "We have been aware of Riven's devotion to Alex for some time."
Alex exhaled quietly, shoulders relaxing a fraction, though a flush crept across his face. Cecilia Hans and the rest of the gang were nearby, supportive, giving small nods and smiles.
Riven's lips curved into a subtle, amused smirk, and a faint pink brushed his cheeks. "Well, Cupcake," he whispered, leaning close, "not exactly the reveal we planned… but being dramatic is fun, isn't it?"
Alex huffed, half exasperated, half amused. "Fun, yes… dramatic, definitely. But this isn't exactly how I imagined introducing us to high society."
Riven gave a soft chuckle, holding Alex's hand firmly. "Trust me, they'll remember this day. For better or worse."
Around them, the crowd whispered, nobles glancing at one another, some in surprise, others in quiet amusement. Alex and Riven stood together, steady and united, supported by their families and friends.
For the readers, a subtle thought lingers: the kingdom's history had already seen one-sided devotion, tragic loss, and dangerous obsession in the past. The King's unreciprocated affection for Lord Darius had once shaped the fates of many. Will history repeat itself?
Even amid the whispers and glances of the crowd, Alex and Riven knew one thing with certainty: together, they could face whatever came next—openly, honestly, and boldly.