Chapter 4
1716 Words
Ryan sighed for the umpteenth time, desperately wishing that today had never come. He would have preferred yesterday’s boring event to this. Or maybe not.
Both situations were equally tiresome.
He wished he hadn’t returned home if this was what he had to go through.
What all he had thought about when he rushed here without even taking a break.
A war. Tragic situations. Illness.
He had imagined all of these and worried over them the day he reached the castle in a hurry.
And what did he get for all that?
A courting session.
God!
He sounded like a whiny brat, but he didn’t care anymore. Anyone in a situation similar to his would feel the same.
He sat in a chair, the cushions comfortable enough to put him to sleep—though not today, it seemed—as several chairs stood in front of him, occupied by his relatives.
There sat his mother; his grandfather’s brother and wife along with their daughter and her husband; and his grandmother’s sister and her family.
They were all excited about yesterday’s event and wanted to know—more like interrogate him about it. Worst of all, Nora and his other guard, Gary, stood near the door suppressing their laughter, which he could hear even though they weren’t laughing out loud.
Why?
Why did he have to go through this?
“Did you interact with the princesses, Ryan?”
“You should consider choosing a princess rather than girls from noble families. It’s better that way.”
“It would be better to choose a beautiful woman rather than an intelligent one.”
“Better select someone submissive.”
“You should consider your position and choose accordingly.”
“Maybe you should consider our family history and pride before getting interested in someone.”
“Don’t look for beauty alone. Think about what she could offer our country with her status.”
“Choose someone who doesn’t spend all her money on makeup and clothes like your aunt does. She would empty our treasury if she were anything like her.”
“Don’t become too close to any of the girls. Some might accuse you of pregnancy and claim you as their husband.”
“If you’re interested in courting someone, come to us first.”
“You should be careful about what paper you use to send letters to her and her parents.”
“Ask about what she likes and dislikes so you can select the courting gift carefully.”
“Don’t spend too much on courting gifts, or she’ll get it into her head that you can buy anything for her.”
“For God’s sake, Ryan, don’t ever choose an arrogant woman. She’ll be the death of you.”
“Even arrogance is better than a cunning witch. She would ruin our family.”
Ryan gritted his teeth and endured it all, offering courteous replies to every silly and stupid question.
At first, their contradictory advice irritated him. Then it simply exhausted him as they tried to one-up each other even in this.
This was why he hated being part of the royal family sometimes. Why did they compete even over this, just to prove superiority?
None of them cared about him or his life. They were too busy displaying their pride and power.
It might have been humorous for Nora and Gary, but not for him. Maybe he would laugh too if he were in their place. But sitting here, listening to them drone on about his future wife, was testing his patience.
Seeing that he was close to snapping, his mother skillfully redirected the conversation toward other royal gossip.
After all, Elvira Burton, Princess of Deraan, was well-versed in politics.
Her homeland was far away, months of travel from here, yet she had married his father for love alone.
Thank God his sister wasn’t here. He didn’t even want to think about how she would have to attend these dreadful gatherings one day. He hoped Joy never grew up. No—he didn’t want to think about men trying to capture her attention.
As they began discussing fashion and jewelry, he tuned them out.
Maybe he should have pretended to be in love with someone far away, claiming he was waiting for her letters. But it was too late now, and fooling this many people would have been impossible anyway.
As they finally drifted out of the room one by one—thankfully—it had only been an hour or two, but it felt like an eternity.
Once they left, his mother patted his shoulder comfortingly. Sometimes he wished she would forget royal decorum and just hug him.
“I know you’re irritated, Ryan. But endure them. We can’t afford to make enemies.”
“I know, Mother. But that doesn’t mean I have to like them.”
She chuckled at his clear dislike.
“Come here.” She gestured for him to sit beside her. He did so reluctantly.
“Now tell me—are you interested in anyone? Did any girl catch your eye?”
Unbidden, overwhelming turquoise eyes flashed through his mind.
Her eyes. Her lips. The way her waist had felt beneath his hand. The warmth of her body. The way her eyes widened as she looked at him. The slight tremble of her lips. The way her fingers had gripped his arm for support.
He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, careful not to reveal anything. If he gave even an inch, his mother would uncover everything.
God—those eyes hadn’t left him since yesterday.
Mistaking his silence for disinterest, his mother began advising him gently about his responsibilities and the need to choose someone soon. He barely heard a word.
How?
How could he explain that the only person who had caught his attention was someone he didn’t even know?
He didn’t know her name or her country.
He was only mesmerized by her eyes.
And how could he confess that all these confusing emotions were directed toward a maid of all people?
~~~~~~~
Nora was confused.
He had been strung along with irritating chores—delivering letters from one end of the castle to the other, a journey that took nearly an hour even with shortcuts. He was a knight; his duty was to guard his prince. Yet for a week now, Prince Ryan himself had assigned him these pointless tasks.
He knew the prince was angry with him. Maybe laughing during that family meeting hadn’t been wise. Still, even now, Nora couldn’t suppress a chuckle when he remembered Ryan’s expression as his relatives lectured him endlessly.
He felt bad for his friend. As a member of the ancient House of Mirabel, Norman himself had duties and formal meetings, but it was never this bad. Becoming a knight had been a relief—he only had to visit home once every six months.
That was why he was surprised his sister had attended the courting event and was still staying at the castle despite his letter begging his family not to allow it. It had been useless.
This was his second time attending such an event. The first had been at nineteen, and now again at twenty-four. No one pressured him to choose a bride—his elder brother, the heir, was already married. He attended purely for formality and to stop his mother’s pleading letters for a year or two.
So why was he confused?
Prince Ryan.
Ryan’s mother had tasked Nora with overseeing guest arrangements, hoping it would force Ryan to interact and form political connections. A clever move.
Normally, Ryan would have seen through it and handed the task to ministers. Instead, he accepted it—much to Nora’s surprise.
And that made Nora suspicious.
Was Ryan sending him away under the guise of anger to hide something else?
Sometimes Ryan—the open-minded, grounded friend—changed into someone unreadable, someone even his mother couldn’t decipher. But Nora often could.
Was that why he was being kept at a distance?
Was he overthinking it?
Or was something truly being hidden from him?
Meanwhile, said prince sat silently in a meeting room.
A week had passed.
Seven days of tedious work—work he had volunteered for.
Meeting every foreign guest, asking about their stay, ensuring satisfaction with arrangements.
It was also meant to foster connections among royalty.
So why had Ryan Burton—who avoided gatherings—agreed?
Of course, because his mother had asked. And she had already been disappointed when he left the courting event early.
Not that he had ulterior motives.
Nope. Definitely not.
It had nothing to do with meeting maids and servants while compiling guest lists, food requirements, and imports for comfort.
Nothing at all.
He hated this wasteful extravagance, especially when beggars roamed their streets and villages suffered drought.
So why?
Why had he agreed?
It wasn’t as if he wanted to see her.
Definitely not.
Yet he had spent a week enduring meetings—half the princesses and noblewomen—just for a chance to glimpse her.
He could have left. Ministers handled the servants well enough.
But he stayed.
He remembered the way her fingers had gripped his arm.
The moment could have lasted longer—but she pushed him away gently, startled by his tightening grip.
He hadn’t realized what he was doing. He’d felt drawn to her by something inexplicable. Magic, perhaps.
When he finally realized, he released her at once. As he scrambled for words, she fled—leaving her clothes behind.
He stood frozen, shocked at his behavior.
Why had she run?
Fear, perhaps.
He should apologize. That was why he was searching for her. Only that.
He tapped his quill, waiting.
“Next—the maids from mermaid land, Prince Ryan.”
His interest sparked. Only two mermen entered. How could they guard a princess with so few?
Then he saw her.
Those eyes that haunted him, now staring back, widening in recognition.
Why?
He had found her. He could apologize.
So why did his heart sink when he learned she was a mermaid?
He remembered what he had read.
Mermaids could only be with mermen. Never humans.
Even if they looked human.
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- Writer
