Chapter III

“Congratulations on your wedding my princes!” Leon hugged both grooms after all the guests finally left the castle. “The dinner is served in your room.”

“Our room?” Axel gulped.

“Of course yours,” Nathan smirked. “You are married after all.”

“Let's go, Axel, I am really hungry, to be honest.” Lucian chuckled before his stomach growled, and the three other men started laughing.

“Yes, you really should go eat,” Leon said before pushing the grooms inside their room and closed the door.

“You are smiling from ear to ear, Your Highness.”

“Leon prepared my favourite dish,” The prince rubbed his hands and sat in front of the small table that was in the middle of their immense royal suite.

“Please, do not let me repeat it. Call me Lucian.”

“Y—Yes, Lucian.” Axel smiled before sitting in front of him. “It looks delicious.” He widened his eyes, looking at the full course meal the handsome chef prepared especially for them.

“You should taste it!” Lucian said, his mouth full of meat. “Lord! Very delicious!”

Axel smiled, not taking his eyes off the prince. He thought he looked really cute this way, making weird sounds every time he tasted something, smiling and widening his eyes when it was really good. He never saw him enjoying his food this way.

“Anything wrong? You are not eating.” Lucian woke him up from his reverie.

“Uh? No, it is just…” Axel rubbed the back of his neck.

“Just what?”

“You look very adorable.” Axel was blushing hard at that moment.

“Oh,” It was the only thing that came out of Lucian’s mouth.

His heart started beating fast and he lowered his head to only look at his plate. He was too shy to look at his husband's eyes. He could not believe that a simple sentence could make his heart flutter.

“Thank you,” He mumbled before eating a cherry tomato.

“Mm, it is delicious!” Axel widened his eyes. “I should compliment the chef tomorrow!”

“He will be glad to hear it, especially from the new prince.” Lucian smiled softly.

“It feels weird to be called a prince,” Axel said. “I was just a peasant and now...”

“Because you deserve it, Axel.” Lucian sighed. “Others want the crown only for money and power.”

“But I wanted something in return too.”

“Axel, taking care of your sick mum is far from being selfish. Anyone would like to save a family member, even I did it for my sick father.”

Axel bit his lip and stared sadly at the prince. “I am sorry. I hope he will get well very soon.”

“I hope so too.” Lucian smiled at him.

Axel looked around him, amazed by how large and luxurious their room was. It looked better than he ever imagined a royal suite to be. Then he stared at the king-sized bed and blushed. It was their bed.

“Do not worry about it, Axel.” He hears Lucian say and turned back to face him.

“Pardon?”

“We are not going to do anything tonight,” Lucian said. “We barely know each other and you are still new here in the castle. I do not want to seem like I am taking advantage of you or something. I just want you to feel at ease here.”

Axel was touched by his words, but at the same time, he felt disappointed. He was nervous about their first night, and he even mentally prepared himself for it, but it seemed like it was not a good time.

“We are just going to enjoy this meal and maybe even talk a little before I go back to my room,” Lucian added.

“Your room?”

He is not going to spend the night here. Axel thought.

“Yes, I do not want to make you nervous.”

I wish I could spend the night here. Lucian thought.

It was past midnight and Andry finally came back from the stables. He still did not change his ceremony clothes so he wanted to get to his room as fast as possible. He spotted Leon and Nathan whispering things to each other and smiling like idiots in the hall. He chuckled and shook his head. “These lovebirds.”

He walked in the corridor which led to his room and that is when he saw a dark silhouette approaching. Silver hair, tiger eyes, and charismatic aura— King Daniel.

“Oh, well, look who we have here,” Daniel smirked.

“Your Majesty.” Andry bowed to him.

“Where were you in the middle of the night?” Daniel asked, eyeing him from head to toe.

“I was feeding the horses, sir.”

“But you are a royal knight. Isn't there any other person in charge of doing that thing?”

“There is, indeed,” Andry nodded. “But I like doing it.”

“You must love horses.” The king smiled.

“A lot,” Andry smiled back. “And you, Your Majesty? What were you doing outside your chambers?” He asked.

“I was drinking on the balcony. Virtus' wine is very succulent.” He smirked.

“Yes sir, our farmers make sure to take well care of the vineyards of the kingdom,” Andry said.

“You look very tired,” Daniel said, staring at the younger's sleepy face.

“Just a little because of the wedding preparations.”

“You should go to sleep.” Daniel put a hand on Andry's shoulder and squeezed it, making him jump with surprise.

“I should get going. Good night, Your Majesty.” Andry bowed.

“Good night, sir Andry.” the king replied with a very soft voice, almost like a whisper.

They kept staring at each other's eyes for a good moment before Andry broke their contact and headed to his room.

Who was that man to Axel? Did they know each other?  Why did they keep on staring at each other?

A million questions were turning inside Lucian's head. That scene with the prime minister's son earlier was still stuck in his memory. The way he stared at Axel and the way he got nervous around him.

Was he trying to seduce my husband? Why would he? I have never met him before. What if they knew each other?

“Ugh! Lucian just sleep for god's sake!” The prince groaned on his bed.

It was already 3 am and he still could not sleep. He reviewed all the marriage ceremony in his head. How the king and the queen looked proud of him, how his close friends were happy for him, how the guests were cheering and how Axel, his husband looked extremely handsome in his white dress shirt.

Am I that ugly? Am I that undesirable?

In the other side of the corridor, Axel could not sleep either. He was lying on the king-sized bed, feeling cold because there was a large space next to him. He felt sad because the prince left him alone on their wedding night. He kept staring at himself through the mirror wondering if there was something wrong with his face.

Am I not what he wants?

He thought that Lucian did not want him because he was not attractive. He knew that a wedding night was meant to be romantic and intimate, but why were things different here?

Why did he marry me if he does not want me?

The next morning, Axel took a long bath and put on some powder under his eyes to hide the dark circles from his lack of sleep. He put on the outfit the maids prepared for him and got out of the room to be welcomed by whispers every time he walked in the middle of the corridors. He stared at the maids and the castle employees confusingly, wondering why they were staring at him while talking between themselves. He decided to ignore it and head to the dining room.

Lucian still was not there, and the chairs were empty.

“Oh my, good morning Axel!” Leon came to greet him. “Are you alright?” He asked.

“Yes,” Axel raised an eyebrow, looking at Leon's worried face.

“Did you fight with the prince yesterday?”

“No! Of course not!” Axel said. “What is happening here? Why is everyone acting strangely today?”

“You did not spend the night together.” Leon sighed.

“Yes, because we are still not ready,” Axel said. “The prince said that we barely know each other.”

“Well,” the chef rubbed the back of his neck. “There is a rumour in the castle.”

“What rumour?”

“That you rejected the prince because he did not satisfy you.” Leon chuckled nervously.

“No way?!” Axel widened his eyes.

“Good morning,” Lucian arrived and sat on his chair.

“Oh, good morning Lucian.” Leon smiled to him like nothing was going on. Axel looked around him and found some maids staring at them, whispering things and chuckling. He frowned and clenched his fists, then he approached the prince and lowered his head to kiss his cheek.

“Good morning, my prince.” He said loud enough so that everyone in the hall hears him.

Lucian dropped his fork and widened his eyes, not expecting at all this sudden kiss. Leon laughed silently staring at his red cheeks.

“Thank you for the breakfast, chef Leon.” Axel smiled before sitting in front of his husband.

“You can call me Leon,” He said. “You are my friend's husband, so we can be friends too.” He winked.

“Did you sleep well?” Axel tried to avoid the awkwardness between them.

“Yes, I did.” Lucian smiled. “And you?” Axel just nodded.

“Today I am going to the archery field, would you like to accompany me?”

“Of course.”