Greetings and salutations! I hope you all are having a good day/night. This last week has been crazy with finals and papers everywhere. I have one last final then I am free from the summer which means MORE CHAPTERS!

Love Eden


Edd squeaked and fell out of bed. Last night was a little hazy after his 4, or 5th he couldn't pinpoint it, glass of wine. But what events led up to him waking up with a shirtless prince? Looking down, he was still in his shirt and leggings that Jimmy gave him, though they were slightly wrinkled from sleep.

Kevin sat up and stretched. "Calm down, Edd. You fell asleep before I could ask where your room was so I just brought you back here. You were pretty drunk."

Blushing, Edd was relieved that nothing happened. He was here on a diplomatic mission, not to find love. The king of Eloria was counting on him. But the shirtless prince was rather tempting, lounging lazily in bed.

Kevin raised an eyebrow at the staring scholar. He had seen that look in maidens' eyes, curiosity and something more primal. It took a lot of effort for Edd not to crawl back into bed. The king warned Edd that hormones would take control at this stage in his life. He was in a relationship with a page before he was sent to Stone Brook so he was not shy to the ways of intimacy. Hormones tried to pursue him to stay but logic won out in the end.

I should leave before I do something regretful, Edd thought as he edged towards the door.

"Um well, thank you for taking care of-"

Edd ran into a table as he backed away from the bed.

"-making sure I made it back to the castle safely. Now, if you excuse me, I'm sure Sir Thomas is worried about me."

He collided with the door frame then slid open to the door.

"Thank you for a good night. I hope to see you at festival later."

With one last flustered smile, Edd finally slipped out of the room.

Kevin smiled and shook his head. "Why does he have to be so cute?"

Unknown to Kevin, Edd was still on the other side of his door, hearing the prince's words.


King Barr walked lazily down the hall, humming to himself. His son's birthday was in a few days and there were so many things on his horizon. There were many eligible women, ladies and princesses alike, that would make great future queens. The courting process should not take long at all. Kevin is young and full of life. Once he was wed, it would not take long before he would produce an heir and they would gain a stronger relationship with an allied country. Stone Brook's relations would prosper and, with the Eloria treaty coming to a head, would continue to prosper.

Just as the king was turning the corner, he ran into someone. The halls in this part of the castle were usually empty, the inhabitants typically out running errands during this time of the day. The prince was the only one to wake this late in the morning but it was not the red headed heir that King Barr collided with.

Holding his nose, Edd muttered, "I'm sorry, I was not watching where I was going. I hope that…"

He trailed off when he saw who it was he ran into. The king raised an eyebrow at the young man, waiting for him to continue. When they first met, Edd reminded King Barr of a frightened rabbit. If it was not for King Ulrich's favor for the child and his possible use to Stone Brook in the future, the library would not have been graced with a new aid.

"I'm sorry your majesty, please forgive me." Edd bowed stiffly.

There was always a tension that Edd carried around his king and King Barr. King Ulrich was a tough but fair ruler. He took the young man under his wing at a very young age but the way Edd acted around him made it seem like he was afraid of the man. It made King Barr a little uneasy. A subject afraid of his ruler was never a good sign for the ruling class.

King Barr smile softly. "It's okay, Eddward. I ran into you as well. How about we make a pact that we shall look around corners before turning?"

The idea of the king peering around the corner was a silly thought. Edd's hand covered his mouth to hide his smile. A giggle broke through, light and innocent. King Barr was glad to see him loosen up a bit. He was a handsome boy when he wasn't being scared of his own shadow.

"Well, I am sure you have more important things to do than converse with someone such as me. I hope you have a wonderful day." Edd bowed again, this time gracefully.

King Barr watched the young man vanish around the corner before getting back to his task. Kevin's door was slightly open. The breeze from an open window could be felt in the hall. Kevin was lounging shirtless on a couch, reading. The large bed was still unmade and the pillows looked as if he had someone sharing a bed with him.

The king sighed. "I hope that whoever shared your bed was a onetime thing."

Kevin looked up from his book and frowned.

"You know that your mother and I want the best for you but relationships for royals are more complicated. The last thing we want if for you to fall in love with a girl not right to rule." His father sat in the chair next to Kevin.

The prince put down his book. "It's not what you think."

King Barr put up his hand to stop his son. "I do not need to know nor do I want to know. I just want you to be careful. But I came to talk festival and tournament, not something serious. Your birthday is coming up and I thought a tournament would be a good idea. There are a few guests that are going to be visiting."

Kevin snorted. "So for my birthday, I will be entertaining your guests?"

"They are your guests as well." The king frowned. "These people will be your allies once you take the throne. And who knows, your future wife could be one of them."

Groaning, Kevin fell back onto the couch.

"Please do not act like a child, Kevin. You are a prince and are expected to marry for the wellbeing of the kingdom. And if you find love in that marriage, like your mother and I, than I will be happy for you. But for now, I need you to be a man."

Rage curled up inside of Kevin but years of practice leveled his emotions. His father was not doing this out of spite. This was for his wellbeing. What good was a kind that threw tantrums like a child?

"You're right, I am sorry. This won't happen again." Kevin sat up straighter. "Now, shall we discuss the tournament?"


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