30 Days As A Substitute Prince

Chapter 4

"This will never work." Chad huffed with nerves dancing all over his body as Joshua adjusted the tunic on his shoulder. The navy blue suited him perfectly, and he couldn't believe that only 12 hours ago, he was merely an artist wondering what his next painting will be. 

Now, he was dressed as a prince with  a carriage on its way and a princess in a castle waiting to see him. 

"Well if you have doubts now, you're a bit late, my friend. Zadkiel is already across the Atlantic by now." Joshua chuckled as he adjusted his own uniform. 

"Why did I agree to this again?" 

"Because you and Zadkiel had been rather foolish. But I am willing to aid as best as I can until we get discovered."

Chad gulped. As if his nerves weren't in a shingles of mess already, Joshua just had to say something like this. But Johsua simply found pleasure in teasing him like this. Their plan had a high probability of failure, but it was indeed exciting to imagine how it would unfold.

"Do you believe we'll fail before Zadkiel returns and sets things straight as he insisted he could?" 

"Perhaps," Joshua said, not sure about what will happen. "But if we work together, we might just do this right. Zadkiel was confident in you. So why not? Besides, you look like a prince more than Zadkiel himself." Joshua's attempt to lighten the mood with humour, but it  fell on unfertile ground. All Chad could think about was his conversation with Zadkiel last night. 

*Flashback*

"I would like to offer you all that your heart desires, if you do a simple favour for me," Zadkiel said eagerly as he stared at Chad. 

At first, Chad didn't mind. If Zadkiel needed him to do something, he didn't have a problem helping a friend. He surely didn't need to grant him something in return to attain his help either. Chad was more than willing to help him with whatever issue without price. 

"What is it that you desire for me to do?" Chad asked, his eyes shining in excitement, simply because Zadkiel's held the same emotion. 

Zadkiel then went on to explain to the artist that he was to marry a princess, and they would have a month to court before marriage. However, even being a prince, he has never set foot out of the castle. 

Chad pitied him. He couldn't begin to imagine what it must've been like for Zadkiel growing up, simply because a woman had all intent to hurt him and his family. All the times Chad had been on the open seas, he suddenly wished he could share it with Zadkiel. And he could, if he simply agreed to his plan. 

"How may I help? I will in any way." Chad stated confidently, feeling honored that Zadkiel trusted such an experience with him. Zadkiel's smile grew impossibly wider as he stared Chad deep in his eyes. 

"I would like for you to be me for a month. Nobody in this kingdom and mine has ever seen my face or know how I look. You could easily pass as me. You're even more handsome." Zadkiel laughed, but Chad found no humour in it. 

He was still processing what Zadkiel had suggested. Be him? For a whole month? 

Chad suddenly felt pressured and terrible, knowing he couldn't help his friend in this way.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I will have to decline your request. I simply cannot. I am an artist, not a prince." 

"Oh but you could be," Zadkiel insisted. "Think about it. If you could pretend to be me for a month, I could finally get to see the world like you and so many people have, and I promise you Chad, that when I return, you will never have to wait another year to go on a trip again. I will cover your expenses in this life and the next."

This much had Chad stunned into silence. A whole lifetime of travelling, only by doing this simple act? 

He was almost tempted to agree, but then reasoning struck him and he was reminded how crazy the plan was. 

"But-but isn't that rather selfish? How will the king, queen, the kingdom and God forbid, the princess feel after such manipulation? Will they not have my head and lose all respect for you?" Chad reasoned, not wanting to offend or disrespect a prince, but only try and talk sense into him. His plan simply won't work. 

"Leave that to me when I return," he simply said as if it was nothing. 

"Would it not be better to meet the princess tomorrow, explain your situation as you did now with me and take her with you to an adventurous courtship? Or would it not be better to go after you've finished courting, and come back to get married?" 

Zadkiel sighed. "It is not that I cannot wait, my friend. If I should see the princess tomorrow and begin courtship, soon I'll be caught up in duties and my trips would not happen until months, if not years. Plus, they  would have to be rather short, Chad. Please understand, I cannot give up such an opportunity. Even if it means losing my crown, this is what I desire. This is what I yearn for." Something in Zadkiel's voice moved Chad. 

He could see that Zadkiel burnt for this more than life itself. But then again, he didn't know what life was, after all. He's been robbed of his life for twenty two years. In some twisted way, Chad could understand Zadkiel's reasoning and zeal. 

Zadkiel had lost his freedom even before he was born. Now it was slapping him in the face and he didn't want to wait for it to reach him in a mere fraction. He wanted to embrace it completely. There are still so many ways that he could've gone about this. It's not like he'd locked away in this Oryn's palace too. But the look in his eyes couldn't make Chad say no. 

It resembled desperation, like he needed this to breathe. 

Zadkiel had faith that this plan would work. He had faith that this was what he was supposed to do. Destiny had pitied him and sparked the union of these two men. It had to be. 

There's a thin line between faith and insanity. Faith may say this plan will work if everyone plays their cards right. The belief that things will go as planned was imprinted in Zadkiel's brain. 

But insanity said it was repulsive, dishonorable and illegal. He must've been crazy to think it would actually work. 

And Chad was crazy enough to agree. 

"Okay," he breathed, almost inaudible. "What do I have to do?" 

"Really? You will do it?" Zadkiel's spirit grew as Chad nodded, and he grabbed his new friend and partner in crime in a hug, spinning him around in a fit of laughter. 

This showed Chad how much this really meant to Zadkiel. He must've stayed awake at night dreaming of this day. Now that it was actually happening must've been utterly blissful. Suddenly, reasoning left Chad's subconscious, and he simply wanted to help a friend. Zadkiel really seemed like he needed this. 

"I will try. Tell me what I'll have to do, and I will try my best. If I fail-" 

"You will not fail," Zadkiel interrupted confidently. "I just feel it. We shall go to the Inn at once and discuss. But we have to pass the hardest challenge."

Chad gulped in nerves. "What will that be?" 

"Convincing Joshua," he said and both men laughed as the air grew light. 

This plan was more than crazy, but maybe, just maybe, it could work.

*End of Flashback*

"Did you hear me?" 

"Pardon me, what did you say?" Chad shook his head as he came back to reality. 

Zadkiel's plan was already in motion. There was no way he could back out of this one. If he should, then Joshua shall go to the castle with no prince, and that would be disastrous. 

"I said the carriage is ready," Joshua repeated, pointing through the window at the carriage outside. It looked so fancy--definitely a royal carriage. 

"Very well then," Chad mumbled to himself, taking one last glance at himself in the mirror in Zadkiel's clothes that surprisingly fit him perfectly. 

A reassuring hand rested on his shoulder, and Chad glanced up to see Joshua behind him, offering him an encouraging smile.

"You need not to worry, Chad. I will show you everything you need to know. Otherwise, be yourself. You have no clue how similar you are to Zadkiel. It is almost scary." Both men shared in the moment of humour before heading to the carriage. 

Zadkiel and Joshua had given Chad a 'crash course' in all he needed to know as a prince, and Joshua had assured him that he would show him anything else he would need to know to pull off this act. Chad felt honored that Zadkiel had so much confidence in him, and it wasn't only geared from his chance at freedom. It was genuine. So, if a prince believed in him, Chad tried to believe in himself too. 

The trip to the castle was rather slow and quiet. The guards that were sent to pick them up were not talkative, but they were surely welcoming. It felt odd when they bowed to Chad, but the greetings had gone well. Joshua silently praised him for doing so well. 

However, when the castle's gates opened and they were inside, Chad's nerves returned. 

This was real. This was actually happening.

It was crazy and surreal at once, but he had to pull himself together when even more guards emerged to greet and escort them. Chad straightened his back and  plastered a decent look on his face before following them inside. He ensured to mimic the walk Zadkiel had shown him last night, and so far he was doing good. 

Then, they appeared at a door with four men guarding it with two on either side. 

"This is the throne room. You will meet the royal family now," A guard announced in a monotone voice before pushing the door open. 

Chad nervously glanced at Joshua who was only a few centimeters behind him, and he jerked his head forward, motioning for Chad to go ahead. 

With a deep breath, he walked through the door and he immediately admired the beauty of it all. The floors shone beautifully, not a speck of dust in place, and torches sat neatly on the walls, though they were not lit.  In the middle of the ceiling, a glass mosaic with Oryn's coat of arms occupied the space beautifully, providing both natural light and a series of red, yellow and blue rays inside. 

He tried not to look too shocked. He was a 'prince’ after all. Surely 'his' kingdom back home should be just as big and beautiful. 

Chad dropped his head from the roof to analyze the royals in front of him. He relaxed completely when he saw how pleasant they looked. 

They were people. Just people. He was a people person! This shouldn't be as hard as he thought. Besides, he's lived in Oryn all his life. He knew that the king and queen were kind, gentle people. He simply has never met them before. 

They stopped a few feet away from the royal family, and Chad took a while to analyze each member. To the far end stood a tall, brown haired woman with a relaxed features, but by her stance, he could tell that she wanted to be somewhere else. 

Princess Tina, he decided. He had recognized her from a photo his sister had of her  in her room. She was definitely more beautiful in person. 

Beside Tina was a shorter and more eager looking woman, with striking remembrance to her sister, but more like in the mini-happy version. Princess Liziath, he thought. It had been rumored that she was the most cunning yet playful of them all, and he would have the honour of being in her presence for a whole month. Remarkable. 

And then his eyes drifted sideways to the third sister. Princess Aria. 

His breath hitched and his eyes widened when he laid them on her. Her beauty was exquisite, far more than he even imagined. 

Chad had been stricken. Aria blew the breath from his lungs by only smiling at him. Gosh her smile was so gentle, welcoming and the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. That was saying a lot, given that he had been to extremely beautiful places around the world. 

He has seen a lot of things and met a lot of people, and none have ever evoked a reaction like this  from him before. She was marvelous. 

And suddenly, the month was looking brighter.