Recipient of the letter.

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Time stood still for all the cousins as they gazed upon the sparkling lad who entered the dining hall as all the retainers stood back after serving at the table.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" Lydan's notion muttered as he stiffened in his place, seeing the responses of his cousins.

Sebastian noticed the air in the room, he advanced toward Ayrton, who was dazed as everyone else. "Your highness, the dinner is served," Sebastian said, bringing all of the kinsmen out of their muddle.

"That... thank you, Sebastian," Ayrton blurted out as he realized he wasn't himself a moment ago.

They all unfurled their postures and smiled warmly as they stared at Lydan, who had a strange expression on his face.

An abashed expression crept on Ayrton's face as he looked straight at Lydan, who eventually started to take small steps toward his seat.

"Good evening, Lydan," Ayrton said, smiling.

Lydan gave a nod to Ayrton as he sat in his chair while sneaking a look at everyone–he gave a smile to Lynorr, who was seated in front of him with astonishment all over her face.

They all were seated parallel to each other—Ophni had his usual smirk on his face, and Feron was sneaking a look at Lydan–Arlo beamed as his eyes met with Lydan's.

"Let me introduce them to you," Ayrton said.

"Thank you" Lydan signed.

"In your front is Princess Lynorr from the sixth kingdom, son of Uncle Stephen," Ayrton said.

Lydan gave another smile at Lynorr–she gave a nod to Lydan as a greeting with a smile.

"The one beside her is Arlo from the fifth kingdom, son of Uncle Bruce" Ayrton went on, " and the one on your right is Feron, from the fourth kingdom, son of uncle Helen"

Lydan nodded and smiled at both of them as a greeting–they also shook their heads in return.

"I am Lydan from the third kingdom, I can't speak since I was born so do tell me if any of my signs are not understandable for you" Lydan signed, making them mortified.

"It's nice to meet you Lydan" excitedly. Arlo said" We all know signs language as it was a subject of our royal heir's studies"

"Same here" Lydan signed" So that is why you all can understand me easily"

"You're beautiful" Lynorr blurted out of nowhere, making Lydan indurate in his place.

Silence breathed in there.

"Pardon me?" Lydan's notion muttered.

"We should start eating," Ayrton said suddenly to change the subject.

"You're the only fool who hasn't started eating," Ophni said sarcastically.

Ayrton saw that all of them except him were already eating, "They all acted briskly," Ayrton muttered.

Lynorr was embarrassed by the words that she blurted out–she pretended as if she didn't do anything and started eating.

In the middle of dining, Lydan suddenly felt regard–he saw Feron's hazel eyes fixed on him intently as he looked to his right side. Lydan felt strange–he decided to ignore it and continued eating.

"They all are weird" Lydan's notion muttered.

"Lady?" Ophni called out.

Lydan glared at Ophni, who was leaning on the table with one hand under his chin and a glass in the other hand.

A smirk was on his face. "How are you feeling now?" Ophni asked.

Ayrton who was irked at Ophni, glared at him" What do you mean? And who are you calling that?" Ayrton asked.

"Lady collapsed today, that is why I was asking," Ophni said while peering at Lydan.

Ayrton suddenly looked in Lydan's direction, "Are you okay?" He asked.

Lydan stopped eating and gave a nod in attestation to everyone there gaping at him.

"I am fine" Lydan signed.

"But what happened?" Arlo asked.

"It was just lack of sleep" Lydan signed.

"So you did not sleep much last night," Arlo said.

Lynorr rolled her eyes, "Isn't that obvious? you wisecrack" Lynorr said.

"The genius who does not know what to say is telling me this, I am appalled" Arlo sarcastically replied.

"You both seem close" Lydan signed with Arlo.

"That is because we all known each other since our childhood as we sometimes used to visit each other fiefdoms except for your kingdom" Arlo responded.

Lydan smiled, glancing at Arlo–Lynorr demurred Arlo under the table—Arlo whizzed in pain as he noticed everyone's deathly glares on him except Lydan's.

"That seems fun" Lydan signed.

"We used to fight more than play, it was hell to bear this guy," Lynorr said, gaping at Arlo.

"Tell us about you" Feron, who didn't blurt out a single word throughout the whole dining, eventually said.

"I do not have much to tell" Lydan signed, looking in Feron's direction.

"That is nothing new, we all do not have much to partake in," Ayrton said as he stood up from his seat.

"He is right," Lynorr said as she smiled.

"Let's go converse in the main hall," Arlo said as he stood up.

They all got up from their seats after eating and were going out of the room – Lydan was walking out, too, when Ayrton's voice stopped him.

"I've something to give you," Ayrton said as he walked forward toward Lydan.

"What?" Lydan signed.

Ayrton ordered the retainers in the room to leave–all the servants left, leaving Ayrton and Lydan alone in the room.

...

"Where is Lydan?" Lynorr asked Sebastian, as he was the last menial to come out of the dining room.

"Your highness, he's talking about something with prince Ayrton" Sebastian responded.

"Like what?"

"I do not know your highness, Prince Ayrton ordered us to leave the room"

"What was so important that he did not even let retainers clean the table?" Lynorr muttered.

"Your highness you should head toward the main hall with everyone else," Sebastian said as he made a bow.

"No, I will be going to my dorm," Lynorr said as she giggled in the dining room.

...

"What's it?" Lydan signed.

"I have a letter for you from Uncle Carlos," Ayrton said as he took out the sealed letter from his pocket.

Lydan stared at the letter in Ayrton's hand without any response.

To be continued...