Everything Except One

"Your Highness, is everything alright? What happened at the royal court?" Vincent asked when he noticed the troubled expression on the face of his Princess.

"Everything's fine," Princess Rizelle muttered and took the seat on one of the couches. "You must be tired, Vincent. Go and take a rest."

"Are you sure, Princess? You can tell me if anything's wrong," the guard insisted with a hint of concern on his face.

Vincent was a friend of Rizelle's older brother, Crown Prince Renaut and for Rizelle, he was always like a reliable older brother rather than a mere guard. Not to mention that they were quite close because they grew up together.

"You're always so doubting," the Princess pointed out with an amusing smile on her face. "The Esriven royals are very good to me, Vince. Don't worry."

Vincent examined the Princess's expression for a while and he nodded. "Alright. Have some rest." With that said, he bowed and walked out of the Princess's chamber.

Now that the guard was gone, it was Fina's turn to ask questions.

"They are really good to you? Then what about Prince Nicien?"

The question made Rizelle recall that short introduction from her fiance. "He's quite cold and aloof but... " Thinking of the Supreme Princess, she concluded, "I have a feeling that it will be fine."

* * *

Prince Nicien was in the west wing of the palace, named the 'Candor Palace', where he resided with his mother. Right now, the Prince was with his mother in the latter's chamber, talking about the marriage, his bride-to-be, and all.

"Are you sure that you treat the Princess well?"

Nicien Vamieres looked at his mother who was sitting on his left when he heard her question. "What do you mean, Mother?"

"Before I enter the royal court earlier, I heard the officials talking about how rude and short your introduction was. They even said that it would be very awkward for Princess Rizelle who came from a faraway place," Supreme Princess Selova reminded the Prince; sounding firm and clear like a mother who was reprimanding her son.

The expression on Prince Nicien's face was as if he was caught red-handed while doing something bad! A few seconds passed but he didn't say anything; much more like he can't.

"Nicien," the Supreme Princess prodded and the Prince let out a breath.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I should have been more thoughtful," Nicien Vamieres apologized, slightly lowering his gaze.

The Supreme Princess stared at her son for a while and let out a sigh. "Do you at least apologize when you escort her to her chamber?"

There was no response and she understood that there was no apology either.

"I don't force you to accept this marriage, Nicien. You are the one who says that you are willing to fulfill the alliance marriage on behalf of our Esriven. Do you already forget?" Her gaze was firmly fixated on her son who still had his gaze lowered.

"No, I don't."

"Then don't make the Princess suffer," Supreme Princess Selova deadpanned. "It will already be hard enough for her to leave her homeland and come all the way here just to marry you. As a man, you should at least fulfill your responsibility and treat her well.

"It's fine if you make mistakes but if you neglect her after making her come all the way here, I won't forgive you as I'm also a woman. Do you understand?"

Prince Nicien looked at his mother and when he noticed how serious she appeared, he nodded his head. "Yes, Mother. I apologize."

The Supreme Princess observed her son for a while and then finally flashed a smile. "Good then. You won't know how surprised I was when I heard that you accept to fulfill the alliance marriage. You never seem to be interested in marriage and I was always worried."

"Mother -"

"You told me before that you are willing to listen to me in everything except one," Selova Vamieres muttered and her smile slipped a bit. "So, fulfill that. Even if you can't be a good husband; at least, don't make her life miserable. She is just a pure-hearted girl who sacrifices herself for the sake of her people."

Prince Nicien's face slowly turned pale and he even ended up squeezing his clothes, nervously. "I will remember that, Mother. Please don't worry."

With that said, he rose from his seat. "Then I will take my leave now. See you later." Before the Supreme Princess could say anything, he bowed and left the chamber in a hurry.

*

Prince Nicien was supposed to return to his chamber but... he suddenly changed his mind and stormed out of the Candor Palace instead. He asked for his horse and when it was brought to him, he mounted on it and rode away from the palace alone.

Around half an hour passed and the Prince just entered the camp of the Vamieres Army.

His late father, the husband of the Supreme Princess hailed from a military family and he was the Commander of the Vamieres Army since his death ten years ago. For a few years, the Supreme Princess ran the army with the help of the loyal Generals and Nicien took it over and became the youngest Commander when he turned 14.

Since then, the Vamieres Army regained their honor and gained immense power and influence in the process; much to the rage of King Hamon Caderin who feared the power that Nicien held. However, the Vamieres Army was the main defense of Esriven and despite being the King, Hamon Caderin can't really do anything about it.

It must be why he regarded his nephew as a thorn in his flesh, a threat to his throne.

Nicien Vamieres didn't lose any time and went straight to his tent, i.e. the Commander's tent. He immediately took a seat on a chair behind the desk and placed his head on top of the backrest. Then he shut his eyes and remained that way for a while even when he heard the sound of a footstep that was approaching him.

"Your Highness, I thought that you will be in the palace until the marriage. Is something wrong?" The young man who was now standing before the desk asked.

Around ten more seconds passed and Prince Nicien finally opened his eyes to look at his right-hand man who was also a General in the Vamieres Army. Then he asked, "Be honest with me, Elias. Do you think it is wrong of me to accept this alliance marriage?"