The Royal Banquet --- Part 3
Yohan and the orchestra continued to play after the performances ended. And people started dancing.
The Crown Prince stood up and went towards Ara. People's attention quickly went on them. Some even stopped what they were doing and watched.
"May I have a dance with you, Ara?" He asked.
"Excuse me, your highness-"
Aeneas and the Duchess were about to talk when Ara interrupted and took his hand.
"I'll be back after one song," Ara said and went to the center with the Crown Prince.
They both started dancing, and everyone was amazed by how beautiful they look. And the King seems satisfied.
"I know that your highness wishes to talk to me," Ara said.
"Ara, you know that I didn't mean to do that to you. I was too tired from working, and I wasn't able to control myself at that time."
"So you still haven't given up? Your Highness, it's better to break our relationship right now before I say something even more terrible." Ara said in a cold tone.
"I'm not breaking up with you. What's the problem? We were okay, and then to our next meeting, you suddenly want a breakup? At least explain to me why!" He said.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes!"
"I know that you and Andrea had a close relationship."
The Crown Prince's eyes widened and grabbed her shoulders. The Spencers stood up from the chairs and were about to explode in anger.
"What are you saying?!"
This time, Ara kept a straight face and looked at him in the eyes.
"Stop the act, Your Highness. I know everything. If you think that loving two women at once was okay, then we're not meant for each other after all. I don't wish to marry a man who will keep lying to me." Ara said.
Then the Duchess came to interfere and harshly remove his hands off Ara's shoulders.
"Your highness, I advise you to stop right now," The Duchess said as she glared at him and the King.
"Ara!" He called her.
But she glares at him and says, "Please stop calling me like that from now on, your highness."
Aeneas gave his coat to her.
"How are you?" He asked, worried.
"I'm fine, brother," she answered without any emotions.
"Are you sure? Do you want to go home? I'll tell them to prepare-"
"We must not ruin the banquet. I can stay. I promise I'll be fine, brother."
"You shouldn't push yourself, Ara. I'll take care of everything from here. You should go. I already told them to prepare the carriage." The Duke said.
"But father-"
"Aeneas, bring your sister home. Your mother and I will stay and talk to the King."
"Understood, father," Aeneas replied.
Ara ended up leaving the banquet, and everyone understood why. The banquet continued. But the Royal family, along with the Duke and Duchess Spencer, went to a different room.
"Their engagement must end here, your highness," The Duke said coldly.
"Duke-"
"Your Highness saw what your son did to our daughter earlier in front of those people! I do not wish to let my daughter marry a man who might abuse her-"
"Duke, you must mind what you say. You're still talking to a royal-"
"Well, it must not be a problem if I'll talk. I warned you last time, brother. And I'm expecting you to solve this as soon as possible. But it looks like it got worse. Stop thinking that since you're the King, you can do whatever you want with your people."
"Louisa!" The King yelled.
"YOU'RE SITTING ON THAT THRONE TO SERVE AND SPEAK FOR YOUR SUBJECTS! Eldric, don't anger me any longer. I don't care if you're the King right now. But I have a hundred ways to push you away from the throne that you are sitting once you touched my family." The Duchess said, angry.
The whole royal family was shocked by her remark.
"YOU'RE CROSSING THE LINE, DUCHESS!" The Queen yelled back.
But the Duchess chuckled.
"I know, but because of your son, my patience runs out. You might've become part of the royal family 20 years ago, but I became a royal since the day I was born. I didn't say this before, but if I didn't choose to get married to a Ducal house, you might still be a Count's daughter or someone else's wife, Your Highness."
Everyone except the King and the Duchess got shocked.
*Later that night*
"Is it true, Your Highness??? You're the King! Why did you let that woman threaten us?!" The Queen said.
"My sister was chosen by the gods and the founding Emperor. She was already special from the start."
"What do you mean?"
"The founding Emperor received a prophecy thousands of years ago. A princess born from our Kingdom would be the hero who would save the Empire from destruction. That prophecy was kept hidden and was not revealed to the public to avoid chaos. You know that only Princes were born in our Royal family, and Louisa was the very first princess. The previous Kings favored her so much and even wanted to make her their successor. Not because she was the princess in the prophecy, but because she was the most outstanding candidate. But she refused and chose to marry her lover, who was the heir of (the previous) Duke Spencer at that time. I might be the King, but once the elders and temple found out that she wanted to replace me, they will do it."
***
"WHAT THE- WHY AM I NOT IN MY BED?!" Ara woke up and yelled.
When Ara woke up, she noticed that she's in a moving carriage.
"Don't worry, my lady. Everything's fine." Joana answered calmly.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! WHERE ARE WE GOING?!"
"The Masters ordered us to guard and bring you to Athena, my lady. We don't exactly know why as the young master didn't answer our questions. But we were given an identity plate and go to the Griffiths mansion."
"Wait, Griffiths?! Isn't that one of the families who supported and served the founding Emperor of the Great Empire?!"