Chapter 32

~Talfen, the capital of Coldshore~

~The main palace~

Sarell simply bowed deeply behind him; this was one of the lax rules on Earth, he wasn't required to drop to his knees as well.

King Holdred stepped down from his throne to receive Reqiel. "You may rise," He allowed cordially, "We're honored to have you pay a visit to our humble Kingdom, do make yourself at home."

Reqiel smiled and nodded and said all the right things.

"Not to trouble you so soon after your arrival but you should have lunch with us, it would make me happy." Queen Myla said kindly, her big dark eyes staring gently at him out of a delicate face.

Prince Cederic and Princess Aethel said nothing and that was fine with Reqiel; he wasn't required to make any ties but that didn't mean that he was going to wreck Mistbourne's budding relationship with Coldshore.

It would be for the best if they remained passing acquaintances.

Reqiel agreed to lunch, hoping that this wouldn't become routine. He was quite strung up around nobility.

After pleasantries were exchanged, there was no need to remain in the throne room and Reqiel excused himself, making away with Sarell in tow, his attendants which were left outside following suit.

"Are you sure he's the Prince and not an undercover Princess?" Queen Myla mused. "He is so delicate."

King Holdred hummed, he had similar thoughts to his wife. "He's said to be a hidden child of King Brummel, perhaps he's sickly."

Cederic had watched the entire scene unfurl before him quietly; The delicate Prince from the North didn't look at all sickly.

"What do you think about him, Aethel dearest?" King Holdred asked his only daughter.

Aethel jumped at this, she had been lost in thought, big dark eyes that she inherited from her mother going wide. "No-Nothing, Father, he seems nice." She stuttered at a loss for what to say.

Cederic scoffed, his hand impatiently tapping the hilt of his sword. He was good looking in a brawny way and could easily have women falling at his feet with a flick of his hand; he didn't think the fair Prince from the North was a suitable match for his lovely sister.

"Have something to say Cederic?" King Holdred quirked a brow.

"Aethel would prefer someone who can protect her, not someone who looks like they'll need protecting." He said gruffly.

At his words, a vague image of a tall, dark haired man dressed in black robes crossed Aethel's mind and a high blush fluttered over her pale cheeks.

"Cederic has a point, darling." Queen Myla supported.

"Very well, enough talk about this." King Holdred concluded. "You should both play nice with our guest." He warned, looking straight at Prince Cederic. "Mistbourne is a powerful Kingdom, we do not want to make enemies of them."

Aethel had already gotten over Reqiel's presence, she thought him pretty with his plentiful golden hair and strange eyes but someone else had already taken up the space in her thoughts.

Cederic however was thinking over the reports he had gotten through the grapevine; Prince Reqiel was a willful little minx, he didn't want a person like that marrying his sister.

Outside, Reqiel was all smiles as they made their way out of the King's palace. "So how'd I do Sarell?" He asked cheerfully, half skipping as they made their way back to the palace assigned to him.

Sarell allowed it, he didn't feed off Reqiel's misery, contrary to what his charge liked to say; he preferred Reqiel when he was this way, laughing and smiling.

"Very good, your Highness." He applauded him. "I've been informed that it's almost time for lunch so please prepare yourself." He added kindly.

"Awesome, I'm hungry." He mumbled, rubbing a hand over his flat stomach.

"Even though you snacked the entire way here?" Sarell reminded him, he didn't like the fact that Reqiel had to walk everywhere in the palace grounds. It was the one thing he couldn't stand.

Reqiel flopped face up on his large bed. "That was then, now is now." He said wisely.

He rather liked the privacy Earth had to offer, other than Sarell, no other servant was allowed in his room outside of bath time.

He still wished he could bathe himself because it must seem strange that a grown up Prince couldn't do basic hygiene but Sarell didn't even bat an eyelid, directing the servants on how to properly go about washing him up.

Sarell shook his head fondly at Reqiel's response, getting on the bed beside him. "What do you think of the Royal family?" He asked curiously.

Reqiel sighed, slipping his eyes shut. "King Holdred will want me to marry Princess Aethel, Prince Cederic will be furiously against it and his mother will support him." He answered shortly.

Sarell was caught off guard by this, Reqiel was more perceptive than he had given him credit for. "And the Princess?" He prompted.

"I don't know." Reqiel turned to his side to face Sarell. "She looked right through me."

"That's good news then." Sarell said weakly. "But if you want to, you can marry her." He added delicately, judging the noble Angel's reaction. "A hundred years is nothing to an Angel…"

Reqiel went quiet for a moment too long before breaking into laughter. "Sarell, dear Sarell, you're too serious, lighten up some." He urged him.

Sarell gulped at this, he was too used to the safe and rigid routine they had in the Celestial Realm; he was way out of his element here on Earth.

"I don't plan to get married though." He added seriously. "I just want to travel around Earth." He shrugged, falling on his back again.

Sarell sighed, of course Reqiel had no romantic inclinations, he should have known better, he literally raised the Angel. That was fine too, he was just starting his life and he still had a long way to go.

Sarell should try listening to Reqiel sometimes, he should try lightening up. "It's about time for lunch though, we don't want to be late on our first day here." He immediately shot to his feet, readying to bustle around.

Reqiel bit back a groan but let himself be dragged off the bed; his freedom was in the palm of his hands after all, what were a few concessions?