Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Invitation
Kastiel entered the study room, only to be greeted by a scene that was all too familiar from the day before. There sat Alaric, his eyes glazed over and unfocused as he absently doodled on a piece of parchment. A sense of déjà vu washed over Kastiel as he took in the sight.
However, there was one notable difference today - Alaric looked utterly exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes that rivaled those of a panda fresh from hibernation. The poor prince seemed to be fighting off sleep at every turn.
As Kastiel recalled this morning’s shocking discovery in Alaric’s chamber, he couldn’t help but blush furiously and shake his head in an attempt to banish the inappropriate thoughts that flooded his mind. He had gone to wake Alaric as usual, only to find Carlton sleeping soundly beside him on the bed.
The sight of Carlton snuggled up beside Alaric in bed, their bodies entwined and clothing askew, had nearly sent Kastiel into a fit of shock-induced blindness. He could have sworn he glimpsed Carlton’s hand tucked beneath Alaric’s robe before hastily averting his eyes.
Had His Highness truly succumbed to Carlton’s advances? Or perhaps it was the duke who had been... "consumed" by the crown prince? Kastiel’s mind raced with scandalous possibilities, his face flushing a deep crimson as he contemplated the implications.
Two particularly vivid explicit scenarios played out in Kastiel’s imagination - first with Carlton on top (R18 thoughts), then with Alaric taking the dominant role (even more R18 thoughts). Kastiel squirmed uncomfortably at the mental images, feeling both curious and mortified.
The guards stationed outside Alaric’s chambers could only watch in bewilderment as Kastiel behaved like a madman - scurrying out of the room without so much as a word to the crown prince - shaking his head vigorously, squatting down, standing up again, all while sporting a bright crimson hue on his cheeks.
Kastiel’s mind raced with questions and possibilities. Had the two men merely fallen asleep together innocently? Or had something more... intimate transpired between them? The thought made Kastiel’s heart pound and his face flush even hotter.
"What the devil is wrong with you?" Alaric’s voice cut through the haze of Kastiel’s scandalous thoughts like a knife. Kastiel jolted in surprise, his face flushing an even deeper shade of red as he stammered incoherently.
"Dominated...top position... devoured!!!" Kastiel blurted out, his eyes wide and unblinking. It was as if he had been possessed by some sort of lust-addled demon.
Alaric stared at him blankly for a long moment, his brow furrowed in utter confusion.
".....?????????"
The crown prince blinked rapidly, trying to process the nonsensical words that had just spilled from Kastiel’s mouth.
"What were you thinking...? Dominated? Top?" Alaric asked slowly, enunciating each syllable as if speaking to a child or an idiot. In Alaric’s mind, Carlton had become a malevolent force - a virus that infected and corrupted all who came into contact with him, leaving them stressed, traumatized shells of their former selves, or become someone with an utterly bizarre and incomprehensible way of thinking.
Alaric sighed heavily and waved his hand dismissively at Kastiel’s stammering. "Never mind, you don’t need to answer that... let’s focus on work..." he said, his voice tinged with exasperation.
Just then, a sudden knock at the door made both Alaric and Kastiel tense up involuntarily. Their bodies remained rigid for a few seconds before relaxing slightly - they realized that the knock was too polite to be Carlton’s usual barge-in-and-hug approach. If it had been the duke, he would have simply stormed in like a charging buffalo, ready to smother Alaric with affection.
As Tristan entered the room, Alaric and Kastiel visibly sagged with relief. The young man could only stare at them in bewilderment, wondering what on earth could have caused such a reaction from the crown prince and his loyal attendant.
Why are His Highness and Kastiel looking at me like I just saved them from some terrible fate? What exactly is going on here?
Tristan wondered silently to himself. But he quickly pushed away the thoughts that had been invading his mind and approached Alaric’s desk with a solemn expression. He held out a letter to the prince.
"My Prince," Tristan began, his voice grave, "A messenger arrived just moments ago bearing this missive from King Leopold of Eldoria. I thought it best to bring it to your attention immediately."
Alaric looked up from the doodles he had been absentmindedly sketching on a scrap of parchment, his face instantly becoming serious. "Eldoria? What do they want now?" he asked, setting down his quill.
"They wish to send an ambassador to our kingdom," Tristan explained as he handed over the letter for Alaric’s perusal. "It seems they are eager to discuss strengthening our alliance in light of recent events."
The crown prince took the letter and scanned its contents, his brow furrowing thoughtfully as he processed the message. The alliance between their two kingdoms had been forged during a particularly brutal war that had left countless lives shattered in its wake.
"Hmmm... I see," Alaric murmured, setting the letter aside on his desk. "Well, I suppose we must receive them with all due pomp and circumstance. Arrange for a suitable accommodation and prepare a formal reception in their honor."
Tristan nodded solemnly. "As you command, my prince. I will see to it at once." With that, he took his leave, exiting the room with purposeful strides.
Alaric was left alone once more with his scattered thoughts and doodles, pondering the implications of this unexpected diplomatic overture from Eldoria. The arrival of their ambassador promised to be an intriguing development indeed.
Kastiel noticed the furrowed brow on Alaric’s face as if thinking about something deep.
"Is there something troubling your mind, Your Highness?" Kastiel asked gently.
Alaric glanced up at Kastiel, his expression thoughtful. "I was just considering the implications of this ambassador’s visit," he said slowly, tapping a finger against his chin. "Eldoria is a powerful ally, but they can also be... unpredictable at times."
Kastiel nodded sagely, though in truth he had little understanding of international politics or diplomacy. "Indeed, my prince," he agreed nonetheless. "It would be wise to proceed with caution."
Alaric sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching out his long legs beneath the desk. "Yes... I suppose you’re right," he mused aloud. "Though I can’t help but wonder what their true intentions might be. Are they truly seeking to strengthen our alliance, or do they have some other agenda in mind?"
Kastiel shrugged helplessly, realizing that he was ill-equipped to offer any meaningful insights on the matter. He is not a cunning strategist or seasoned diplomat who can unravel such political machinations. Kastiel then remembered that he was still holding a stack of papers containing various reports, proposals, and correspondence that had accumulated during Alaric’s absence.
"The advisors mentioned they would discuss these with you later, your highness..." Kastiel began, placing the pile of paperwork gently on Alaric’s desk. "Sigh... You’ve only just returned from the war, but it seems they are already eager to burden you with these matters..."
Alaric looked down at the stack of documents with a weary sigh. "Well... that’s simply the nature of being the future sovereign of this kingdom," he said resignedly as he began to review them. "There will always be pressing issues that require my attention for the sake of our people and our realm."
Kastiel watched silently as Alaric immersed himself in his duties once more, marveling at his prince’s unwavering dedication and sense of responsibility despite the immense challenges before him.
"Oh, I nearly forgot... the empress has dispatched Lady Maria to convey an invitation for you, my prince," Kastiel recalled, his brow furrowing as he sought to recollect the details. "Apparently, Her Majesty wishes for you to join her for afternoon tea this very day."
This morning, Lady Maria, one of the Empress’s most trusted ladies-in-waiting, had imparted this information to Kastiel. However, in light of the recent... due to the "intimate encounter"(?) between Alaric and Carlton that had transpired just hours prior, it had completely slipped Kastiel’s mind until now.
Alaric paused in his perusal of the documents before him and glanced up at Kastiel with a look of confusion etched upon his features. "Afternoon tea with Mother?" he repeated slowly, as if trying to comprehend the unusual nature of such an invitation. "I wonder what could be prompting this? Could it be related to some rumor or scandal that has reached her ears?"
Alaric’s keen intellect began to work through various possibilities at a rapid pace. He knew all too well that his mother, Empress June, was not one to extend such invitations lightly. As the ruler of their realm, she had always preferred for Alaric to focus his time and energy on matters pertaining to his role as Crown Prince rather than engaging in social niceties. And when she did summon him, it was typically in response to some perceived threat or potential embarrassment that might jeopardize either Alaric’s reputation or his position within the royal hierarchy.
Given the recent incident involving Carlton publicly addressing Alaric as "darling" and revealing their shared parentage of a child born just the previous afternoon, Alaric could think of no other reason that might compel his mother to issue such an invitation at this particular juncture.
"I suspect you may be correct," Kastiel concurred thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he considered the matter. "It seems quite likely that word of yesterday’s events has reached Her Majesty’s ears and given her cause for concern."
Kastiel paused for a moment before continuing with a note of uncertainty in his voice. "Though I must confess... I also have a sense that there may be some other underlying motive at play here, beyond merely addressing this particular issue."
Alaric nodded slowly, his expression pensive as he weighed Kastiel’s words. "You may be onto something there," he mused aloud. "Mother is rarely one to act without careful consideration and calculation. If she has summoned me for tea, it’s possible that she has some broader agenda in mind that we are not yet privy to."
Kastiel simply nodded in response, but a sense of foreboding gnawed at him deep within. He couldn’t shake the feeling that their afternoon would be anything but tranquil - rather, it promised to be a tempestuous affair that would leave them all reeling.
In his heart, Kastiel fervently hoped that his instincts were wrong. They had already endured more than their fair share of physical and mental exhaustion the day prior; he prayed that this day would not prove even more taxing than the one before it.
Alas, as fate would have it, Kastiel’s premonition proved all too accurate. That very afternoon would indeed come to be remembered by all who bore witness as the most extraordinary and unforgettable series of events in recent history...
As they say, be careful what you wish for... for sometimes our darkest fears can manifest in ways we never could have imagined...
