Eight: Like a prince

Latham was speechless, apparently people in that world do not grow old. The handsome man who was questioning him was his father, he didn't seem old enough to be a father.

Someone should really make some rules around here. How can his father be so handsome and so young? It was just wrong how this world ran, and had he been told that his father was three hundred years old he would not have believed them.

He was having his food in the room with everyone including the king but the problem was that he was the only one who was eating.

Everyone else was busy looking at him with shock. They had never seen anyone eat the way he did, Latham ate with his fingers and even licked them. The King felt so ashamed at his son's behavior but consoled himself by thinking that it was normal.

Since the crown prince came back to life from the brink of death it is only fair that he would behave differently. He told himself that the crown prince will go back to normal soon, little did he know that his son was no more and that the boy in his place. Is a middle class boy from the twenty first century who has never learned etiquette in all his life.

Latham enjoyed his food but eventually became conscious about himself with all the stares he was receiving. Nuru spoke to him through their link.

"You do know that you are portraying a barbarian's behavior right now. Eat like a prince you fool," Nuru said clearly enjoying how he was making a fool of himself.

"How in the world is a prince supposed to eat?" he asked himself internally.

"Simple pick up the napkin on the table and spread it on your lap," Nuru instructed him and he followed suit. "Okay now make sure that the distance between your hands and chest is only an inch and nothing wider," the fox added said and he did.

"Now reach out for your spoon and while you eat ensure that the spoon is half full. It is unregal like to eat a mouthful of food," the fox said and a

he complied.

Soon everyone else started eating too, he felt relieved they stopped watching him but he was hungry and being a prince was not helping. He was eating super slowly and his hands were getting tired of being only an inch from his chest. He hated every minute of his lunch, back home he never had to deal with such nonsense but now.

He ate his food and when he was done he got up to leave when he heard Nuru's voice in his head. "Sit down you idiot, you haven't wiped your mouth yet. And it a rule that men shouldn't the table before the women on normal occasions let alone when the queen is around," the fox scolded.

"Don't you know any manners, leaving the table before the queen is punishable by kneeling in front of the palace for two hours," he said.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Latham said to the fox sitting back down.

"Of course it is not that bad because there is nothing wrong about kneeling on top of red hot soil that burns every inch of for two hours," he said calmly.

"What!" Latham screamed out loud getting the attention of everyone who looked at him.

The queen and her son, second prince Arthur were very surprised at the crown prince's behavior. Ever since he woke he was no longer the shy weak boy that they knew.

This prince looked at people directly in the eyes and also didn't seem shy at all. He talked with people and even screamed at the table with the king present.

"What happened Adrien?" his father asked him and everyone watched Latham keenly waiting to hear his reply. He swallowed hard and wished the ground would swallow him up.

Ever since he woke up in this world, he has been getting into awkward moments such as this and he hated it.

"Nothing father I just had a glimpse of the darkness I was stuck in before and it terrified me do I screamed," he said improvising on a lie.

He already found out that the owner of the body he was currently using had been bed ridden for a long time. Everyone gave him a sympathetic look which he didn't like but it was better than all the looks they have given him so far.

He wiped his mouth and waited for the women to leave. They all finished their food and left the room. He got up to leave but the Queen stopped him in his tracks.

"Would you care for some tea?" she asked and Latham wanted to refuse but Nuru told him that it was rude to refuse a tea invitation.

He couldn't help but curse the person who came up with such stupid rules but Nuru stopped him again informing him, that the Lord made all the rules. And He can read people's thoughts so he should be careful of how he pictures him in his mind.

Latham accepted the invite and joined the queen mother, her brother and sisters for some tea. "So tell me dear, how was your encounter with the Lord?" she asked.

Latham thought of the moment that he had arrived in this place. The man in white with the mask and trembled, that man made him come close to death by just standing next to him.

He could only imagine why he was a Lord, his strength was not ordinary. The Lord also knew that he wasn't the owner of this body when everyone else couldn't tell.

"It was unforgettable," he replied truthfully. He was never going to forget that man and even now that he worked for him. But he was happy he worked for him because then he could ask him for an employee bonus of sending him back home.

"That is nice but don't you think that your talented brother deserved that chance more than you?" she inquired of Latham.

He just nodded so the conversation could end. He needed to go find Nuru and have him track the Lord for him so they can discuss important matters. The fox was a gift from the Lord so he should know where to find the Lord.

"Then don't you think that it is your job to clear the misunderstanding. It is clear that your brother deserves to be the Lord's disciple and get a sacred beast. You should get in contact with the Lord and set things right," she said and Latham's mind finally registered what she was trying to tell him.

He couldn't believe that the woman was asking him to give up his blessings for his brother. It was the same thing that everyone asked of her on earth. He was always the one to give up everything to please others.

Hoping to get love and attention for it but each time he received hate. As those people only cared for him when they needed him to make a sacrifice for their sake. To have that happen to him in this new life, he couldn't let it stand. No it did not sit well with him that she, the queen was playing favourites.

"Yes, but queen mother if brother was really as talented as you say then he would have been selected by the Lord. He wouldn't need me to intervene to help him," she said taking a sip of his tea.

It felt nice to say no to someone like the Queen. To stand up for what was his and refuse to give it up. He was excited.

The queen who was never used to the crown prince talking back at her was shocked at his come back. Prince Arthur lost his mind hearing what Latham had to say.

"Excuse me, but the Lord didn't pick you for your talents you useless boy. He must have felt sorry for you and that is why he did, after all who would even spare an ugly duckling like you a glance," he said in anger.

That statement hurt Latham's feelings, he had taken a look at his body earlier and it wasn't ugly, it was no match for the man at the lake but that didn't mean that he would allow anyone to talk down to him

"Too bad because the Lord didn't just spare me a glance but looked at me for a long time. He choose me as his disciple and gave me a beast as a gift and blessed me in the name of the heavens," he gloated away and even forgot what he was trying to say and start talking non-sense .

He didn't realize that he had accidentaly implied that he and the Lord were having an affair. The clouds started getting darker and darker until there was nothing to see.

Latham stopped talking and froze, he didn't like that everything had turned dark or the fact that he was alone in the dark. He called out to the queen mother and brother but none replied. He called out to the fox but he didn't respond to him either.

"Stop screaming no one can hear you," he heard and took a defensive position.

"Who is there?" he raised a question, feeling frightened. No one answered him but the next minute he went down on his knees when he could no longer keep herself up due to the pressure he receiving.

He had an idea of who it was that he was taking to. Her nose started bleeding but the Lord didn't stop his energy from flowing freely.

"You are my disciple and that means I expect you to act accordingly. That does not mean that you can go around telling people that I fancy you or that we have any other relationships. I will forgive you this once but never again," he said and vanished.

Latham was taken aback at his words, hefainted at the garden and the king got him taken to his room.