Dumbstruck

"Mae be polite." She scolded through gritted teeth

"Listen to your mother." Morgan nodded.

"Mae." She forced a smile, not wanting to go with the title calling.

The two Princes still stared in awe at how melodious her voice sounded.

"If you two are done staring, it would do a lot of good to know your names akin to your faces after our head advisor had called a total of three names, I just need to confirm something." She explained, and to the point.

Shaking the initial reactions, the Prince's nodded their head, the first who had a sleek back black textured messy look, it almost looked like he did so with a simple push back with his fingers, his green eyes reminding her so much of her pet cat back when she had tried to have pets, than a person. He was dressed a little too uptight, his white raised collar, securely adorned with a gold chain that hung on each golden button running down his shirt made Mae cringe at how well his aura seethed wealth than character.

"I'm Prince Daven of the prestigious Kingdom of Niveen." He bowed.

'If you think that would impress me, you must be clearly mistaken.' Mae felt like throwing up at the way he had intentionally magnified his kingdom.

She looked over to the next person, for some reason she felt they had shared a certain look, one she had seen so well while watching the guards practice–rivalry.

"Is anything the issue?" Her words brought him back to his senses, all traces of the look shared earlier dissipated.

"Nothing Your Highness." He smiled.

"I'm Prince William of Valense." He smiled. His brunette hair is short with simple messy bangs at the top creating the amazing soft touch hair with precise tapering on the sides which was further enhanced by minor side sweeping to create a perfect gentleman hairdo.

Mae couldn't help but agree she liked William's hair better than the other, but she immediately shook the thought away, she couldn't be so vague and shallow could she?

"Hmmm." She hummed, finally getting a piece of information she had been searching for.

'So this Prince Lance isn't one of them, could it be it's the same Lance I know of?' Her eyes watched the two Princes tentatively.

"Father." She turned towards her father, "If I heard correctly, Theodore mentioned three Kingdoms and three Princes, but I only see two, where is the last Prince?"

King Morgan's eyes widened at how direct her daughter was, if he didn't know better he would have clearly thought she was asking due to curiosity, but knowing Mae there was certainly a drive to it and thus he was determined to get to the bottom of it, not now but later.

Coming up with the safest approach in order not to embarrass the two Princes nor present himself or his daughter that he supported her seemingly favouritism to the Prince whose arrival had been delayed by some unexpected event.

"Mae, why are you so interested in this now?" He decided to put her in a tight position.

Knowing her well enough, Mae was one not comfortable in being put in such a position.

Queen Vivian finally caught up on what her husband was trying to pull, she gave a slight squeeze on his scrunched knuckles which laid comfortably on the red cushioned armrest.

Shaking his head, understanding her worry, he blinked once with a smile to show he knew what he was doing and this approach being the only way.

The two Princes watched Mae, awaiting her response on the question raised with undivided attention. Suddenly the throne hall felt a little quieter than necessary.

This question also caught Leo's attention who had been watching the whole scene with a seemingly apathetic demeanor. He had made a promise to stand by her and watch out for her, but yet not interfering at the same time.

He had also wondered why she had suddenly taken interest in that particular name, for some reason, he couldn't shake off that was who she had snuck out to see, but he relegated that to the back of his thoughts as the chances for him being the same person were low given that she still asked who that Prince was.

Mae realises what her father had done, shooting a glare at her father, she frowned at what she had unwittingly fallen into. "I think it's only fair if I know my suitors, no one is allowed to slack off on whatever they want to do. Who knows I might like him better.* She joked.

Prince William's brown eyes darkened in jealousy at her words, he couldn't help but feel like whoever this other Prince who hadn't shown up, was both tardy and surprisingly a competitor.

'I thought father said he would take care of him? And this moron standing next to me?' He hid his thoughts behind a blank expression, his hands balled into a fist.

'Why is she so concerned about Lance? I thought he told me he would be here today? Where is he? What happened to him?' Prince Daven's thoughts were clouded with those questions as he tried to compose his behaviour.

"Any news when whatever you have planned will begin?" She sighed pretending to be happy about the whole event.

"Well that depends on when Princes Lance arrives today or tomorrow." King Morgan replied.

"Leo?" King Morgan's eyes singled him out.

Closing his eyes in regret at having to be spotted out so easily, he reluctantly replied, "Your Majesty, how may I be of service to you?"

"Since you are here, I feel at ease and I thought you would be the best one who could see the Princes being shown to their Chambers.

'Oh please no!' He internally screamed, the mere look of the Princes for some reason made his body itch. Especially Prince William, he had a plain expression, but he felt he had something more sinister going on in his thoughts.

"As you wish, Your Highness." He bowed.

"I wish you a pleasant stay in our Kingdom, in a few hours you would be called by our servants to the courtyard, my daughter would personally give you both a tour of our Kingdom." King Morgan laughed, not bothering to take a glance at the shocked expression on his daughter's face.