From Pauper to Prince

by DatHeetJoella

When Prince Nagisa hears that he is arranged to marry Prince Haruka of Iwatobi, he is more than a little upset. In order to take his mind off things, his tutor Rei decides to take him to the town near the palace, where they meet a poor boy with a heart of gold. Little did they know that this meeting would change their lives forever. -MakoHaru ReiGisa

13. At the Negotiating Table

A/N: Happy birthday, Makoto! It's been a while since the last chapter even though this chapter has been in the works since I posted the previous one, and there are two main reasons for that.

The first being an idea for a fic that got out of hand and turned out way longer than I initially intended. It's a Historical AU, so if you like this fic, you might enjoy that one as well. The second distraction was that I decided to participate in Fantober this year. I wrote 31 short fics and though they took up a bit more time than I hoped, I still enjoyed writing them. You can find both the collection and the Historical AU fic on my page.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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With every clop of hooves on the paved path, Haruka's pulse slammed harder against his throat. Each meter they got closer to their destination, his palms grew sweatier and his skin itched, restless. Like he was about to enter a courtroom knowing he was destined to lose his case. A crime he very much committed, but just because something was illegal by law didn't make it wrong by heart.

This road of mental struggle he walked mere days ago back in Sano and he had thought that was the most nervous he could possibly be. Asking the parents of a man you recently met permission to marry him was no light matter after all. So it had been to his utmost delight to find out he was wrong. Very wrong. He didn't know how his parents would react to his requests, but he was certain they wouldn't be as kind and understanding as the Tachibanas.

As they rode uphills, the palace came into view through the coach's window. Although he had lived in that birdcage his whole life, never had its vast white arches looked more like jail bars of a dungeon, ivy slithered around the pillars like serpents eagerly awaiting their next meal, towers looming menacingly over the lively gardens. A gorgeous mousetrap that would fall shut once he dared set foot past the entrance hall.

They stopped in front of the large iron gates that secluded the acres of land. The royal coach followed by an unfamiliar one made the guards do a double-take. When Yamazaki called out and informed them the company was all his, they cleared the way without hesitation. If only Haruka could be as compelling as Yamazaki with one glance, his parents and the advisors as susceptible to its authority as the guards.

The gates screeched open and the sound of the hooves resembling the insistent ticking of an old grandfather clock resumed. The mild breeze swept the scent of freshly-cut grass and trimmed topiaries to his nose. They had once been among his favourite fragrances, but now, they were nauseating. Who would've guessed he'd come to miss the suffocating sensation of smoke and ash clogging up his lungs?

Even the pleasant splattering of the marble fountain couldn't ease his worries, quite the contrary. The sight of water being spilled so beautifully suddenly reeked of wealth. He spent hours sitting on the ledge, lost in thought as beads showered over him. How many jugs of water could this fountain have filled up over the years with all the droplets that overflowed? Could it have saved crops from withering during long, dry summers?

The intricate wood carvings on the ebony doors gradually became distinguishable. They were here.

Thoughts of guilt and shame were drowned out by impending doom. Haruka's gaze fell back to his lap and he gnawed on his lip, rubbing his hands over his trousers to dry them. Of all the times to succumb to overwhelming emotion, this was by far the most inconvenient one. He only had one chance and he couldn't screw this up. No place for jitters, no room for doubt. But it was this knowledge precisely that made the few bites of the bacon, cheese, and omelette sandwich he could barely swallow at breakfast crawl up with a vengeance.

His blood rushed through his ears so rapidly it made him dizzy. Fingers curled into the fabric of his trousers, knuckles white. A lump formed behind his vocal cords and his chest collapsed with a loss of air as he spontaneously forgot how to breathe.

Only a little more and he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready. He-

Two rough hands cupped his face and turned his head ever so gently. Before the fog that glazed over his eyes could dissipate, a firm kiss was pressed against his lips. It instantly burst his anxiety-induced bubble and he returned to the coach.

"Makoto…"

His intense stare was grounding, a three-hundred-year-old oak tree rooted so firmly in the soil no storm could topple it over. Kind, secure, unwavering. Branches pierced through his skin with ease and twined around his veins in an attempt to keep his flimsy willow upright too. Support in its purest form.

"You can do this, Haru," Makoto said, "You can do it on your own, but you won't have to. We'll all be with you. Hoping for you, praying for you, believing in you." His hand wandered from his cheek to seek out Haruka's fingers. He rubbed his thumb over them, then lifted them to his mouth. "I'll be with you. Always."

With that, Makoto pressed a kiss to his ring. The gesture was so unexpected Haruka's blood surged through his arteries for an entirely different reason and his face matched the coach's vermillion bench.

Before he proposed to Makoto, this gut-gripping look paired with the sweetness of his touches would've made Haruka turn away so swiftly he'd nearly give himself a neck hernia. But now, he let his eyelids flutter shut and kissed Makoto again. Brief, chaste, a promise.

No matter what happened at the negotiating table, they would be the authors of their fate.

When the coach slowed to a halt, Makoto squeezed his hand one last time and let go. Haruka would be lying if he said Makoto had completely reassured him or seeped undefiable confidence in him through his pores, but he was a bit calmer now. In a situation like this, that was the most he could wish for.

Sousuke opened the door for them and Haruka stood, adjusted his suit and breathed deeply. Chin tipped up, spine straight, he stepped outside. His eyes ran from the border where grass lapped at bricks up to the tops of the towers, drinking in the astonishing sight that was the palace. His palace. 'Home' had never felt so frigid before.

Their arrival hadn't gone unnoticed. The grand doors parted when Makoto was still inside the coach and out sped a maid, distressed and disarrayed.

"Your Highness!" she said, and Haruka wasn't sure whether she was relieved to see him or terrified. "Your parents…!"

The mention of his parents turned his organs to ice, but he couldn't let it show. Now, the time had come for him to use every strategy and tactic he'd been taught in nineteen years.

"Lady Hanamura, please make sure this coach gets parked at the stables and the luggage unloaded," he said, gesturing towards Rei's coach as he scaled the stairs. "We'll be having guests over, so three rooms will need to be prepared for their stay."

Many more servants were crowded in the hallway, trying to catch a glimpse of what the commotion was about. They whispered amongst themselves, gazes darting back and forth. Haruka continued barking orders at them. It didn't matter who fulfilled these tasks; if he hesitated for even a moment, he could be squished.

"I hereby request an official audience with my parents and their advisors. Tell them I need to talk to them not as the crown prince, but as their son." He stopped in his tracks and looked back over his shoulder to check if his friends were behind him. "In the meanwhile, bring my guests to the sunroom. Serve them tea, refreshments, lunch, anything they wish for without question. Oh, and tell Yamazaki he's dismissed for the rest of the day."

Those who felt up to the challenge scurried away, leaving only a dozen others toeing in place, unsure of what to do. Some guards, a couple of maids and a handful of musicians; witnesses of the charade that occurred here a week ago.

"Sir Minami, could you please escort Mr. Tachibana and Mr. Ryugazaki to the sunroom?" he addressed directly to snap the servant out of his lingering. "Make sure their every need is met. They are my dear guests, after all."

"Certainly, Your Highness." Sir Minami bowed his head. "Please, follow right this way."

Makoto shot him a questioning look. When Haruka nodded in confirmation, he mouthed a last 'good luck' before he trailed behind Rei and Sir Minami through the long hallway.

"Are you coming, Prince Nagisa?" Haruka emphasised and from the corner of his eye, he saw flabbergasted expressions and the hushed whispering resumed.

"Certainly," Nagisa said, biting his lip to hold back laughter. "Guide the way, Your Highness."

They went into the opposite direction, through the throne room to the adjacent negotiating chamber. They came to a halt in front of it and Haruka tried to raise his arm towards the doorknobs, but the lead weighing down his limbs made this impossible. With a huff, he rolled his shoulders to shake off this feeling, but it only made him tremble more.

Then, a hand equally as quivering grasped onto his and squeezed tightly. Startled, Haruka peered down at Nagisa. The otherwise joyous sparkle that would light up his irises was absent, but his ever-present smile was steadfast.

Although this was the second time they would go through this type of ordeal together, it wasn't until now that Haruka realised Nagisa and he were one and the same. Their circumstances, social-standings and upbringings were different, but they were both princes, both fighting for the right to be wholly and unapologetically themselves. To live their lives the way they wanted, with whom they wanted, regardless of how the rest of the world perceived them. Side-by-side they climbed a hill, and now, hand-in-hand, they would face the steepest mountain yet.

So Haruka smiled back at him and held onto his smaller hand as he pushed down the handle.

To his surprise, the chamber was vacant. The large, octagonal table was clear, the usual maps and documents stashed away on the tall shelves embedded in the walls, and the chairs surrounding it were empty. They arrived here first and Haruka wasn't sure whether that was good or bad.

Perhaps it was good: it gave him a bit more time to prepare, to rehearse the points and arguments in his head before the court hearing would officially start.

He plopped down in his designated chair, gesturing for Nagisa to take place next to him. He couldn't recount the hours he'd spent here, sitting in on discussions to drill him about various topics and beliefs so that, by the time his opinion mattered, it would be the right one. Back then, he did as they told him even if it bored him to no end or if he fundamentally disagreed with what he was being taught, because he didn't think he had another choice. His parents and advisors probably hadn't expected that teaching him to debate would end up working against them. The blades were sharpened and the practice rounds over; on paper he'd deem himself ready to march into battle head-first.

He didn't have to wait long to find out if he was actually ready or bound to suffer a great defeat: his mother stormed in through the opposite doors, tailed by his father and three of their confidants: Lady Amakata, Sir Sasabe and Sir Azuma. Fire flickered inside his mother's cobalt eyes, brows set like lightning bolts about to strike her nasal bridge, while his father's face appeared to be melting off - at least he wasn't the only one who felt dreadful.

"Haruka Nanase," his mother yelled as she slammed her hands down onto the table, "Where in heaven's name have you been?"

"I could ask the same of you, disappearing at the break of dawn when we just welcomed my fiancé, of all people," Haruka said, and his snarky tone was berated with a squeeze of his hand. When he glanced at Nagisa, he was met with a bounce of blond curls as Nagisa lightly shook his head. He was right: he'd never win this if his attitude was hostile from the beginning. "Please Mother, Father, take a seat and I will explain everything."

Baffled by his unconventional behaviour, his parents did as they were told and everyone sat around the table.

Haruka swallowed thickly, contemplating how to best phrase his thoughts without sounding too accusatory while also starting off on the right foot. "I knew from the moment I saw Prince Nagisa instead of Princess Nagisa that you made a grave mistake. After all, I couldn't imagine you would marry your only son and heir to the throne off to another man."

His mother sputtered, unable to find the words, while his father's ears grew red. The advisors wisely kept their mouths shut.

"Knowing you would be forced to terminate the arrangement with Sano, I couldn't let this travesty go on for any longer. So while you visited other realms in search of a maiden to replace Prince Nagisa with and call off our engagement, I took the initiative to solve this mess directly and went to Sano to talk to King and Queen Hazuki about the matter. Because, unlike us, they went into this arrangement fully aware of the fact their son would be marrying a prince instead of a princess," he said. "As you can imagine, King and Queen Hazuki were furious. They couldn't understand how the rulers of a kingdom as great as Iwatobi couldn't even tell the difference between their son and their daughters."

"In our defense, Your Highness," one of the advisors spoke up, reluctantly raising her hand, "The Hazuki family has three daughters and 'Nagisa' is not exactly the most… masculine name, therefore it is only natural we assumed-"

"That would have been a valid argument, Lady Amakata," Haruka cut in, "were it not for the fact that I was blessed with the name 'Haruka' at my birth."

Her hand retracted like his words whipped her across the fingers and she sunk back in her chair.

"It took hours of negotiating," Haruka lied, "but at last, I got King and Queen Hazuki to agree to keep this act of absolute foolishness on our part quiet. They even agreed to cancel the engagement, on the condition that the alliance will be continued even without the marriage."

"That is an absurd demand," Sir Azuma said, "Without a royal marriage, there are no benefits to an alliance with a kingdom as poor and insignificant as Sano. Our businesses will lose profit if the borders with Sano are open, for folks will spend the coin made in Iwatobi in Sano instead."

"Did you not hear what His Highness said?" Sir Sasabe frowned at his companion. "We cannot afford for this mistake to be made public. This alliance will appease King and Queen Hazuki."

"Why should we care if this is made public? It's a simple mishap and nothing more than that. There will be some talk about it, sure, but once a royal wedding is announced, those rumours will die out and be replaced with excitement and festivities."

"Because it is utterly humiliating," Haruka said, "You were not there receiving the looks I received. They questioned my, our intelligence and it took all of my convincing to assure them we are, in fact, not complete idiots. What would happen if our people heard of this? They're not too fond of us as-is and an incident like this would strengthen those feelings. They would find us incompetent, unfit to rule this great kingdom with all its challenges when we can't differentiate a prince from a princess."

"Haruka is right," his father said. "Something like this getting out would beseech our name and reputation. Not only would that damage the way our people view us, but also the way other kingdoms view Iwatobi."

"Thank you, Father." Haruka bowed his head and he squeezed Nagisa's hand under the table.

"I must admit that, even without the marriage, I am still in favour of an alliance with Sano," Lady Amakata said, "It's true that they might not be as wealthy or powerful as many other kingdoms, but having another ally never hurts."

"Historically, Sano has remained neutral throughout many conflicts." Sir Sasabe stroked his short beard in contemplation. "Although we currently do not have any ongoing feuds, it would be good to know they would be on our side should something unforeseeable occur."

"Exactly. A wise woman once said, 'the best way to win a battle is to not have enemies, the second-best way is to have comrades'."

"Then, let's put it to a vote. All in favour of an alliance with Sano?" his mother said, and Nagisa's hand shot up first.

That was a mistake. All eyes turned to him and studied him sceptically.

"I've been meaning to ask this," Sir Sasabe said, "Who exactly are you?"

Nagisa's eyes widened like a deer who spotted a hunter's crossbow. Before he could blurt out a response that would ruin their mental script, Haruka said, "My apologies, I will introduce him in a second. Let's vote first so we can be done with this shameful subject."

Haruka's mother nodded and repeated, "All in favour of the alliance with Sano?"

Lady Amakata and Sir Sasabe raised their hands, followed by Haruka's father and mother. After some scrutinising stares were sent in his direction, Sir Azuma sighed and reluctantly raised his too.

"Then it's final," Haruka's mother concluded, "The alliance with Sano shall commence as previously arranged, sans the marriage between Prince Haruka and Prince Nagisa."

"I will handle any further correspondence with Sano regarding the alliance," Haruka said, hoping his sudden seizing of the initiative wouldn't strike them as odd. "With, of course, the assistance of Lady Amakata and Sir Sasabe."

"Certainly, Your Highness," Lady Amakata said and Sir Sasabe nodded along.

"It would be good preparation for when you become king." His father pursed his lips in contemplation. "Very well. We shall leave the matter in your hands. I assume they are capable."

"I will prove to you that they are, Father, Mother."

A huff of relief escaped Nagisa's lips, but Haruka dug his nail into his skin to remind him they weren't done yet. One hurdle was cleared, but now, the real battle began.

"So, Haruka," his father said, lacing his fingers together. "Please introduce us to your guest. I am certain he must be someone special, considering you invited him in on our meeting."

"He is," Haruka affirmed and cocked his head at Nagisa, who stood at his sign.

"My apologies for not introducing myself sooner, Your Majesty," Nagisa said, bowing so deeply he nearly smacked his forehead against the mahogany table, "I am Nagisa: Prince Nagisa Hazuki of Sano."

"Impossible," his father said, and his mother looked equally puzzled.

"Haruka, explain this charade this instant!"

"It's true, he is Prince Nagisa."

"Then who did we…?"

"This cannot be!"

"An imposter?"

The advisors blurted in shock, disgrace, scandal and Haruka gritted his teeth. One step forward, a hundred steps back.

"Haruka!"

The venom in his mother's voice could fill ten vials and Nagisa's body shook as though he'd been injected with every droplet.

"Prince Haruka had no part in this, everything is my fault," Nagisa said, not coming back up from his deep bow. "I offer you my sincerest apologies."

The King and Queen exchanged a look, then the Queen bit her bottom lip. "Raise your head and explain yourself."

Nagisa followed her order to the dot. "I um…" he stammered, unsure where to start and Haruka kicked his leg under the table. "When I heard I was arranged to marry Prince Haruka, I was devastated. I mean absolutely no disrespect to your family or your great kingdom, and least of all to your amazing son, but the truth is that I couldn't agree to this, for my heart belongs to someone else. In a temporary lapse of common sense, I decided to elope with my lover before I was due to come to Iwatobi. To buy more time until it was found out I had forgone my responsibilities, I hired a man I knew to act as my replacement."

Gasps were heard all around the table, but Sir Azuma remained focused. "This man… is he a servant of yours?"

"No, sir," Nagisa said, "He's someone I know from my private trips to a town near our palace."

"A commoner?"

"Yes, sir."

Lady Amakata slapped her hand to her mouth. "A commoner?"

"Unbelievable!"

"Did he steal anything?"

Haruka pounded his fists on the table. "Makoto would never steal!"

Jaws dropped at his outburst and silence rippled through the room. His parents and the advisors gaped at him like a bunch of freshly-caught mackerels. Such a display of raw emotion was deemed improper and they weren't used to Haruka raising his voice. There hadn't been many instances worth raising his voice for, not before this political marriage farce was brought to the stage.

"Haru?" Nagisa called softly, and when Haruka looked at him, he lightly shook his head.

"Let's keep this discussion civilised, shall we?" Sir Azuma said, the eternally-bored expression on his rugged face unwavering.

"You are right." Haruka awkwardly tugged at the collar of his dress shirt as he sank back in his chair. "Forgive me."

"Now, there are a few things we need to discuss," Sir Azuma said. "Firstly, give me one good reason why we shouldn't cancel the alliance with Sano right this instant."

"We already voted on this matter, didn't we?" Lady Amakata said.

Sir Sasabe concurred, "We went over why the alliance is in our benefit."

"But that was before we were made aware of this crucial piece of information. I merely agreed because our mistake cannot be made public. However, that issue will be completely outshined by this prince's 'lapse of common sense'."

Nagisa's shoulders slumped and he lowered his head.

"Are you equating a hasty decision made by the most intelligent and highly-educated individuals in this realm to the impulsive actions of a foolish child?" Haruka asked, "Please, sir, you must agree that a desperate act of love will sail much smoother with common folk than a royal family accidentally marrying off their sole heir to another man."

"It would in any other case, but Your Highness, did it slip your mind that pretending to be royalty and trespassing on palace grounds is a crime? And who knows what else this commoner did while he was here."

The way he spat out the word 'commoner' as though it were an infectious rat made Haruka's blood boil. He bit the inside of his cheek to maintain his composure; if he divulged his feelings for Makoto prematurely, he might as well have started packing his bags now. "What the commoner did inside this palace is irrelevant. No matter how you approach this, our people will never accept the repercussions of this 'crime'. If we were to arrest and prosecute the commoner, that would certainly outshine our mistake," Haruka said, "But it won't be in the positive sense. In the eyes of our people, we would be locking up one of their own for doing something a prince commanded him to. If we were to demand something of our subjects, we would expect them to follow our orders without question, would we not?"

"We would," his father said.

"Then I think we can all agree that the fault in this matter lies not with the commoner, but with the prince who hired him," Haruka said, and he had to fight the urge to smirk. This might've been going his way after all. "What are we going to do then? Arrest Prince Nagisa and keep him in our dungeon for the rest of his life? I can only imagine what would happen if we did."

"A war would ensue," Sir Sasabe said, "Sano would fight to get their prince back."

"Exactly. While I have no doubts our military capacity is greater than theirs, I'm not sure how our neighbouring kingdoms would respond to us arresting a child over one foolish action. Either way, a war is not something I have any desire to partake in and I am certain our people feel the same."

"Under no circumstances will we go to war with Sano, or with any other kingdom for that matter," his father said, "I will not allow for Iwatobi to be regarded as a tyranny. My mother held much value to peace and our land shall continue to be revered as it was under her reign. We must protect her legacy at all costs."

"I completely agree, Father. However, if we do nothing and let this incident pass by without any consequences, we'd look spineless. Like Iwatobi is a kingdom of crooks, a lawless land where anyone can get away with a crime."

A sharp pain spread through his hand as Nagisa's nails nearly burst through his skin. No sound left his lips, but his magenta eyes were screaming at him. What the hell are you doing?

Haruka pursed his lips into a thin smile. Just trust me.

"We cannot look weak," his mother said.

"What do you reckon would be the best course of action, Your Highness?" Lady Amakata asked.

"Frankly, I don't think we have any other option than to keep this under the covers. With the newfound alliance with Sano, I'm sure that won't be a problem. We can put our 'lapses of common sense' behind us and start afresh."

Sir Sasabe smiled. "You've gotten quite good at this, Your Highness."

"Thank you. I was taught well." Haruka tried his best to mirror the advisor's expression. He wasn't above flattery, on the contrary. Every tool was welcome.

"Perhaps a bit too well," said Sir Azuma under his breath, then he straightened his back. "Now, about this commoner. Who is he and why did he agree to be an accomplice to your crime?"

"He-" Haruka started, but Sir Azuma interrupted him before he could get a word out.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, I was asking Prince Nagisa."

Haruka bit his tongue and settled back in his chair, resisting the urge to cross his arms. If only Nagisa remembered the story they rehearsed.

"His name is Makoto Tachibana. He's the son of a well-known blacksmith. Because of the… financial circumstances in Sano, it was tough for his family to get by."

"So he resorted to a life of crime?" Sir Azuma filled in, but Nagisa vehemently shook his head.

"No, sir, not at all! Not once in his life has he been on the wrong side of the law. Well, prior to now, at least." Nagisa giggled sheepishly, but when no one joined in, he scraped his throat. "Although he struggled to provide for his family, he's always been a straight-laced man who works hard to earn every coin fair and square. Under any other circumstances, he would have never accepted a job like this. He refused numerous times, but I was insistent. My desperation got the better of me and I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."

"What exactly was your plan, if I might ask?" said Sir Sasabe. "You hired a man so you could have a head start, but what did you imagine would happen if his true identity were revealed? Surely you didn't expect him to actually marry His Highness in your stead?"

"I knew beforehand he would eventually be found out, but I was selfish. I only thought of my own happiness. He was well aware of the risks and repercussions, but he took on the job regardless. He is the kind of man who would do anything for the people he cares about. Besides the fact that I couldn't run away from my duties, the guilt I felt from ripping an innocent young man from his family was one of the forces that drove me to return."

"This family you keep mentioning, who are they?"

"His parents and two siblings, sir."

Lady Amakata, who had been diligently scribbling notes of what was said, stopped writing. "And what about the servant he brought, Sir Shigino? Is he also a commoner?"

"No, Sir Shigino is my servant. His family has served mine for generations and he was already due to accompany me here."

"If he's your servant, why didn't you ask another servant to replace you instead of a… commoner?" his father asked, and the hesitancy in his voice made Haruka lose a large chunk of his confidence. This discussion was a defective metronome, swaying back and forth without rhyme or reason, making the outcome undeterminable.

"Because I couldn't trust my servants, for their loyalty lies not just with me, but also with my parents. Although everything happened on a whim, I couldn't risk them running off and informing my parents of my plan. Sir Shigino and I have a long history together and he was the only man I was certain wouldn't betray me."

His explanation made a lot of sense, but that didn't erase the doubtful frowns on the opposite party's faces. Haruka's heart sank to his feet, but Nagisa squeezed his hand once more.

"Makoto is a good, honourable man," Nagisa said with his chest puffed out, "He is a commoner, but not once have I met a man more authentic and reliable than him. I asked him specifically because he is the sole person I trusted enough to offer this job. I would have never jeopardised the safety of you, Your Majesties, or His Highness, or the safety of any staff member by sending a man I didn't have faith in. Instead, I sent a man I knew I could vouch for. I cannot imagine he did anything inappropriate or reprehensible during his stay in this magnificent palace, but if he did, then I take full responsibility for him and his every action."

A hint of a smile played at the corner of Nagisa's lips as the frowns around the table deepened. There was nothing they could fault Makoto on and they knew it; even if he had behaved inappropriately, they weren't here to witness it for they had vanished by the first dawn after their meeting.

The toughest, most vital part of these negotiations was coming up and Haruka wanted to brace himself for it as much as possible. "I can also vouch for Makoto. In the brief time we spent together, I got to know him like no other. He truly is a great man. One of the best I've ever met, which is why I…" Haruka swallowed thickly and summoned all the courage from his bone marrow, then said, "Which is why I want to marry him."

A pin could have dropped on the floor and the clink would've echoed and echoed throughout the room. Everyone looked at him in various degrees of shock and confusion, and Lady Amakata shattered the deafening silence with an awkward chuckle.

The reaction didn't faze Haruka. He stared her right in the eyes, not moving a muscle in his face, to convey the message clearly. This was no joke.

"Wait, you were serious?"

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life."

That declaration snapped the others out of their trance.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"I can assure you that I am not, Mother." He maintained his stoic demeanour, but his mother's fierce yell was a dagger to his chest.

"Indulge me, Your Highness," Sir Azuma said, "I would love to know your reasons behind that brash desire. I assume they are plentiful, for I cannot fathom why you would want to marry a man who has been lying to you since the very moment you met. Unless you were aware of his fraudulent act from the start?"

"I was not. I didn't find out about this until Prince Nagisa himself showed up and Makoto confessed."

"Then how can you say you want to marry him?" his mother said, "This man has been lying to your face the whole time!"

"Just because he was lying about his identity doesn't mean he wasn't genuine about who he is." It sounded absurd, Haruka was well aware of that, but he didn't know how else to explain it. "Even though he claimed to be a prince and lied about certain things to cover up his act, that doesn't mean I didn't get to know him. His name and status were lies, but his personality, his heart was true."

"And what? You've fallen madly in love with this gentleman?" Sir Azuma asked, serious but with a scoffing undertone.

Heat rushed to Haruka's cheeks, embarrassed to open up to anyone, let alone to his parents and the advisors. But he couldn't back down, not now. "Over the time we spent together, I have developed feelings for him, yes."

"But Haruka, how could you develop feelings for someone you barely know? You've only known him for two weeks, and half of that time he was lying to you."

His mother didn't sound enraged anymore. Rather, she spoke like she was telling off a small child who believed the frog it caught could turn into a prince after reading one too many fairy tales. It made Haruka feel like he was being mocked.

He tried his best to retain his composure, but slowly his emotions were chipping away at him. "You have to see things from my perspective. One day, I suddenly get told that I'm bound to marrying someone I don't know. That no matter how I feel, I have to get used to it because the decision is final. Then, the day I've been dreading arrives, I meet my future partner and they're the greatest, most amazing person. So I give it my all to make this work, because I thought I was going to have to spend the rest of my life with him. In the process, I lose my heart to him, as I was told would eventually happen, only for it to turn around and all be an illusion. Do you have any idea what that felt like?"

"It's a very unfortunate situation, Your Highness, and I feel for you," Lady Amakata said, "but we couldn't have foreseen that something like this would happen."

"Indeed, you couldn't have foreseen that this would happen, but that doesn't exempt you from blame. You ordered me to fall for this person and I did. And I specifically recall that, after my father said I was going to marry Princess Nagisa and that was final, you, Lady Amakata, said that I might like her if I got to know her."

Lady Amakata twirled her thumbs and averted her eyes, but Sir Azuma didn't waver. "Exactly, Princess Nagisa. We didn't order you to fall in love with a commoner."

"But I couldn't have known the person presented to me as Nagisa would not be them. Neither could any of you, but that doesn't change the fact that you ordered me to put my personal feelings aside for the wellbeing of the kingdom, and I did." Haruka could feel his hands were beginning to shake again, but this time it was not because of nerves. "During all this commotion, everyone did as they pleased without taking me or my feelings into account. Nagisa didn't consider my feelings when he ran, Makoto didn't consider my feelings when he took the job, and none of you considered my feelings when you married me off to someone you didn't even know. But that wasn't surprising, because none of you have ever taken my feelings seriously. The only person who never trampled all over me was Grandma."

"Leave your grandmother out of this," his father said and a vein visibly pulsated in his forehead. "Do not abuse her name and legacy for your selfish agenda."

Haruka had never seen his father so mad before, but he couldn't care about that. Not when he felt more furious than ever himself. "Grandma wouldn't force me into anything. She would want me to make my own choices, to do what makes me happy."

Even if they wanted to argue, they couldn't. Former Queen Nanase loved her kingdom and her subjects, but there was nothing she loved more than her grandson.

"I haven't felt this happy since Grandma passed and I'm going to pursue this happiness whether you like it or not."

His mother opened her mouth to spew her displeasures, but Sir Azuma held out his hand in front of her, a reminder to keep her cool.

"How are you planning to do that, Your Highness?" Sir Azuma asked, unimpressed.

"I will be with Makoto," Haruka said, "If you do not accept him as my partner and insist on marrying me off to someone else, then I will resign from my duties and relinquish the throne. You will have to find another heir."

That seemed to shock his parents and two of the advisors, but Sir Azuma merely scoffed. "Then what? You'll move out of the palace and live with the commoner?"

Smoke was nearly fuming out of Haruka's ears at the derisive tone. "Yes. I've already been to his living quarters and met his family. They assured me that, if our discussion ends unfavourably, I'm welcome to come live with them."

"But didn't you say they were quite… impoverished?" Sir Sasabe asked. "Sure, they received the payment for Mr. Makoto's job, but does that amount to them being able to take another person into their household permanently?"

"Especially someone like you, Your Highness, who is used to living… comfortably," Lady Amakata said.

"I would have to earn my keep, but if you fear that I'm too incompetent to work, then I must disappoint you. I've tried my hand at several different occupations during my visit to Sano, and while it's true I do not excel in all of them, I have been offered a job already."

Even Nagisa seemed shocked at that revelation, which was because Haruka made it up on the spot.

"Is that so?" Sir Azuma said and though his expression didn't change, Haruka could tell he didn't believe him. "What kind of job would that be?"

"A tutoring job," Haruka said without hesitation. "There are a lot of children at the local school so the teacher could use a helping hand. It wouldn't earn as much as sitting by idly and collecting taxes, but there are a lot of career advancement possibilities. I wouldn't be living in a palace, but I'm certain I could continue to live 'comfortably'. I'd have everything I need."

"But Haruka, would you be willing to give up your whole life, your status and all the luxuries that come with it for a commoner?" his father asked, seeming perplexed by the mere prospect. "Would you trade in everything you have for a life of mediocrity, at best?"

"Preferably not, of course. In an ideal world, I would want to have it all without surrendering anything for it, but I know things are not quite that simple. If it got to the point where I would have to choose between a life of luxury and being with Makoto, then I choose the latter."

"How can you say that?" His mother raised her voice again, but she didn't sound angry this time, rather desperate. "You're blinded by this man, Haruka. You barely even know him and now you're saying you would give up everything for him?"

"Perhaps I am blinded, but that doesn't change my feelings."

"Does this commoner, Mr. Makoto, share those feelings?" Lady Amakata asked.

"He says he does and I believe him. I can feel it's mutual."

"But he's a commoner, Haruka! What if he's just interested in you for your status or wealth? What if he's simply using you in an attempt to scale the social hierarchy and discards you when he's done with you?"

"Makoto wouldn't do that," Haruka insisted. He understood his mother's concerns, but he couldn't imagine Makoto would do such a thing; it probably never even crossed his mind before. "He isn't like that."

"How can you be so sure of that? You weren't aware of his lies and deceit before, so who says these supposed feelings for you aren't another one of his acts?"

"I can't be sure," Haruka said, "But that's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Why would you take a risk when the outcome is already obvious?" his father asked. "All commoners are the same! Every last one of them seeks power and wealth, and some won't stop at anything to achieve that."

"That sounds more like a description of the noble than of commoners. Have you tried stepping outside of your social circle and expanding your worldview?"

"Of course I haven't. Social hierarchies exist for a reason."

"Then how can you claim to know what commoners are like? These are our people, Father. I'm certain they wouldn't be happy their king writes them off as thieves and con artists without even putting in the effort to get to know them."

"So what? You meet one commoner - a self-admitted liar - and suddenly you're the voice of the people?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Haruka said, leaning forward in his chair, "Of course there are commoners who commit crimes and live lives of dishonesty, but there are bad people in every social group. What's important to me is that Makoto isn't like that. He was a man desperate to help his family, who was granted a golden opportunity by a prince. He's loyal and trustworthy, and he would prove that if you gave him a chance, if you actually got to know him."

"There's no reason to get to know him because we will never allow you to get married to a commoner!"

"Then I believe this is the end of our conversation. Good luck with finding your next heir."

With that, Haruka got up, the legs of his chair screeching over the floor and he swiftly turned around and began to walk off. Before his hand could grasp the doorknob, though, his mother called him back.

"Haruka, wait!"

A smirk emerged and he quickly bit it down. Losing his cool had not been part of the plan, but ending the conversation prematurely was. Now, the actual negotiations could commence.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Sit down. This conversation isn't over."

He took place in his seat, leaning back and entwining his fingers on the table, eyeing his mother expectantly.

"Please be reasonable, Haruka," she said, "even if we were to agree to you getting married to a commoner, how would you envision this? Our kingdom needs an heir, the Nanase bloodline must continue and you're both men. It's impossible for you two to have a child together."

"I thought so too at first, but I found out that it's not," Haruka said, earning himself frowns from all around the table.

"Unless Mr. Makoto is only male from the waist up, then I do not see how," Sir Azuma said.

"I can assure you that Makoto is completely male, both on the inside and out," Haruka said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, "But that doesn't make it impossible. It is very much possible to have a child that consists of both my royal blood and his blood."

"But how?" said Lady Amakata and Sir Sasabe in unison.

"I'm glad you asked," Haruka said, channeling his inner-Rei, "Have you heard of surrogacy?

"Surrogacy?"

"I cannot say that I have," his father spoke for the first time since he screamed, though his tone was very sceptical.

"It is the act of having a woman carry a child that she will not be the mother of. The child can be conceived without any physical contact between the woman and a man."

"That is absurd!" his mother said.

"Carry a child that she will not be the mother of?" Lady Amakata said in disbelief, "Conceived without any physical contact?"

"Now before you jump to conclusions, allow me to elaborate," Haruka said, twirling the ring around his finger with his thumb. "Many decades ago, there was a queen in Hidaka who found herself in the same predicament as the one we are facing. She was the sole heir of her kingdom and she loved another woman, with whom she wished to have a family. Thus, she had a team of scientists conduct a study and research to find a way to make this possible and they succeeded."

"The head scientist wrote a book about his scientific discoveries, including a very detailed explanation on this subject," Nagisa said as he leapt up from his chair, "We brought the book with us, it's in Rei's trunk. I'll go fetch it."

Before anyone had the chance to respond, Nagisa dashed out of the room.

Nagisa's abrupt exit left Haruka baffled; this wasn't something they discussed. But he couldn't falter now. He had to keep this going until the end.

"You can read up on the method in detail later, but I'll briefly explain how they achieved it," he said, "The woman the queen loved had a twin brother who provided his… stuff to the queen in a sterile container. The queen was then able to inseminate herself with a syringe and multiple successful pregnancies followed. Technically speaking, the children were not the woman's but her brother's, but because they were twins, their genetic makeup was so close that there was barely any difference. The children were of her blood."

"That's lovely, Your Highness," Sir Azuma said sarcastically, "But I don't see how this is applicable to you and your commoner's situation."

"I'll tell you how. As Prince Nagisa mentioned earlier, Makoto has two siblings. A brother and a sister. They're twins," Haruka said, hoping they wouldn't poke through his phrasing, "We've already discussed the matter with Makoto's sister and she has agreed to be our surrogate. Then, the blood that will flow through our children's veins will be as much Makoto's as it will be mine."

"If what you're saying is true, then why don't you use this method with a maiden of nobility?" his father asked, "As long as you and your future wife bring forth an heir together, it doesn't matter how the child is conceived. There is no need for our bloodline to be tainted with the blood of commoners."

Haruka had to suppress the bile that crawled up at that question. "Because I want to be with Makoto."

"Then have him be your concubine for all I care!" his father said, "You don't have to love your wife. The marriage can be strictly political behind closed doors, but the public has to see a strong relationship between their king and queen."

Mentally, Haruka counted to ten. "I'm not an actor, Father. If my whole life has to be on display for the entire world, then I want to be true to myself, to my feelings. Transparency is greatly appreciated in leaders and I do not want to deceive our people so unnecessarily."

His father opened his mouth to protest, but Lady Amakata tentatively raised her hand. "Um," she mumbled, "Could I make a suggestion?"

"Of course, go ahead," his mother said.

"What if His Highness marries Mr. Makoto, but their surrogate is a lady of nobility?" she said, "Then we can oblige to His Highness' wishes while also keeping the noble bloodline pure."

"Theoretically, that's not a bad idea," Haruka said, "But I highly doubt you'll be able to find a princess or a duchess willing to make such a sacrifice without getting anything in return. You can offer her gold or rare gems, but I'm quite certain no noble maiden would be swayed by something she already possesses."

Lady Amakata nodded and lowered her hand again in favour of scribbling down some more notes.

"You could always grant Makoto's sister a noble rank," Haruka said, trying his best not to smirk at the thought, "Then our problem is solved."

"Absolutely not. She has done nothing to earn such an honour," his father shut down as he expected, though he didn't quite see why. Carrying the royal baby for nine months seemed pretty noble to him.

Haruka sighed audibly. "It's clear that we are not going to see eye to eye on this matter. I believe everyone is created equal and marriage should be a union of love. You believe privileges granted at birth are just and marriage is a pawn in a political game of chess. We can keep this discussion going until the end of our lives and nothing will have changed. One of us is going to have to give in on some points."

"But I already have," his father said, "I could forbid you from ever seeing this Makoto of yours again, hell, I could have him locked up in the dungeon till the day he dies if I so please. My offer to make him your concubine is more than generous."

"Perhaps so, except for the fact that I don't have as much to lose as you," Haruka said, sitting up straight, "Beyond these doors, I have a life waiting for me, a family that welcomes me with open arms and a job to earn my keep. I will lose my riches and title, but I'll survive. You, on the other hand, will have a kingdom without a ruler and a family without an heir. You'll have to surrender your status and land to the Grand Duke. Unless Mother is capable of bearing another child, of course."

"I'm not having another child," his mother said, grimacing at the thought. That stage of her life had long since passed.

"Then that leaves you with no other option," Haruka said with a shrug, "You could force me to stay and marry a noble maiden, but word of that would spread quickly. I'm not sure how our people would feel if their future king is a hostage in his own palace, let alone what other rulers would say. That would destroy Iwatobi's reputation in an instant."

"And having the crown prince marry a commoner would not?"

"I don't believe it would. Hidaka didn't fall after the queen married a commoner and Iwatobi is far greater," Haruka said, "Besides, the times are changing. I'm convinced our people would love to have one of their own marry into royalty. As for our allies, they would think it was odd at first, but before long that will change into admiration, perhaps even envy. Iwatobi will be known as a progressive nation, one that goes against the current while staying true to our traditions and values."

As he anticipated, his parents and the advisors were not immediately convinced, but they didn't shoot it down right away either. Although his father's face was still set to anger and discontentment, it was silent for a moment as everyone pondered his words over. Sir Azuma was the first to rupture the blanket of quietness.

"Say we would go along with everything you proposed," he said, though a challenging glint resided in his grey irises, "How would this work out? Your commoner comes from a completely different background, with different customs and behaviour. Someone like that would stick out like a sore thumb in every social gathering. People will assume he's an ill-mannered servant rather than the crown prince's partner. I mean, is this man even literate?"

Haruka ground his teeth at that question. Everything Sir Azuma said made perfect sense, but that wasn't the image he wanted them to have of Makoto.

"He is not, but before you continue with your prejudices, there's a good reason for that. He never had the opportunity to go to school because he is the first-born in his family and has worked diligently from a young age. In his spare time, he tried to teach himself to read with his siblings' books, but found that it was impossible because he is in dire need of spectacles," Haruka said, trying his best to contain the fire flaring up in his throat, "As for his manners, I assure you that he is incredibly polite and courteous. I don't think he will stick out like a sore thumb because he has already been in a social situation before in which none of us, me included, saw through his act. If we couldn't discern a commoner from a prince, I don't expect many others could. There are some things we will have to teach him, of course, but Makoto is smart and zealous. I already discussed the matter with him and he said he would gladly receive an education. In fact, he felt immensely honoured at the mere prospect."

Lady Amakata and Sir Sasabe seemed rather impressed by those statements, but Sir Azuma remained as unreadable as always.

"How would we introduce him, then? To our people and at formal gatherings?" Sir Azuma asked.

"As my fiancé, which he already is. I asked him two days ago and he said yes," Haruka said. resulting in shocked expressions from around the table. To keep the conversation on the right path, he continued before they could inquire about it further. "We obviously cannot disclose the truth behind our first meeting, so I have come up with a false first meeting for us."

"Oh?" Sir Azuma said, smirking a little. "I thought you didn't want to put up an act?"

"I don't, but this is not an act. This is a colourful variation of the truth," Haruka said, smiling back at Sir Azuma, "Makoto is quite musically gifted, both in guitar and vocals and he uses this talent of his to help his family financially. Everyone in his town knows him, either from his other work or from his performances on the street. When I was in Sano on my private trip, he also performed at his town square. We can say that his voice lured me to him and I fell in love at first sight, thus I spent the remainder of my trip by his side. Even after going back to Iwatobi, I couldn't forget him and when I reached out to him, it turned out my feelings were mutual. At this point, Makoto was not yet aware of the fact that I was a prince, nor that I possessed wealth."

Sir Sasabe scratched his head. "Do you think this story is believable enough?"

"Absolutely. Although I was incognito, many folks spotted us together and asked Makoto to introduce me to them. They simply know me as 'Haru', Makoto's friend from out of town. You can ask one random person in that town and they will affirm that I was there and that Makoto was most likely in the dark about my status."

This was it. This was all Haruka had to say on the topic: his cards were on the table. Now, it was time for the verdict.

The tension in the air was poignant and Haruka barely dared to breathe. He thought he'd been pretty convincing, but that didn't have to mean the others thought so too. At this point, the dominoes could tip either way.

Then, a hint of laughter resonated through the chamber and Haruka's jaw nearly sank through the floor, all the way down to the dungeon. Sir Azuma's gruff face was contorted in a sly grin.

"You know what? This might work."

"Really?" Lady Amakata asked with a frown; not because she disagreed, but because she hadn't expected her colleague to claim that. "How so?"

"I think we all know that since the death of Iwatobi's beloved queen, may her soul rest in peace, the popularity of the royal family has eroded. While we're not in immediate danger of a coup d'état, there are certainly people who are dissatisfied with the way things are going. Poor folks especially, who work day and night and still cannot get by, do not understand what we do here in the palace. As His Highness explained, they think it's unfair that we have all that we have while they do not. If worse comes to worst, they might band together and cause an uproar. And that is where the commoner comes in."

"How could a commoner raise our family's popularity and prevent an uproar?" his mother asked.

"Not just any commoner could accomplish this, but Mr. Makoto can. He comes from the lowest social class, poor and desperate to make the ends meet for his family. In every single regard, he is a representation of the average man in those circles, someone commoners can mirror themselves on and there are two ways this will benefit us," Sir Azuma said as he held up his fingers, "One, Mr. Makoto understands like no other what it's like to have nothing. Having him enter the royal family might give people hope that he can influence politics. A voice of theirs in a place where none of them have ever been heard before."

"That makes sense," Sir Sasabe said. "But this can only work if Mr. Makoto has a likeable persona. If folks get the idea that he has changed into a nobleman, then that might cause even more dissatisfaction. Like he abandoned his upbringing and traded in who he was to obtain power and wealth."

"But he can't behave like a commoner when he's around nobility either," his mother said, "or else he'll be an embarrassment to the Nanase name."

They turned to Haruka and he tried his best to sound persuasive as he said, "Makoto is kind, down-to-earth and cordial and I am confident he will be revered by everyone, regardless of their socio-economic standing."

Lady Amakata asked, "Then, what is the second way?"

Sir Azuma's smirk returned. "Marrying into royalty is something every commoner secretly dreams of, but that solely occurs in fairy tales. But when His Highness marries Mr. Makoto, that dream suddenly becomes feasible; one day, they too might run into a member of nobility on the street of their hometown and have a passionate romance. If that seems within reach, even just a little, then common folks are less likely to condemn the monarchy or the riches of the Nanase family, because it could possibly be theirs to share somewhere in the future."

That was vile and the thought of Makoto being used as a tool to manipulate commoners left a disgusting taste in Haruka's mouth. But if he objected now, then all their efforts would be in vain. He had to sit back and bite his tongue.

"That's an interesting point you raise, Sir Azuma," Lady Amakata said, looking up from her writings to clutch at her chest. "I'm certain the people of Iwatobi would adore a marriage between His Highness and Mr. Makoto. It truly does sound like a fairy tale."

"It undoubtedly does for commoners," Sir Sasabe said with a troubled furrow between his eyebrows. "But I do wonder how this will sail within the upper class. To them, it might seem like a nightmare, as if no maiden was willing to take His Highness' hand and a commoner was our last resort."

"That all depends on how well we sell this story," Sir Azuma said, "The love between Haruka and Mr. Makoto must be palpable and in public, Mr. Makoto must be radiant enough to outshine every last maiden in the realm. The reasons His Highness fell for his charm must be understood the second Mr. Makoto enters a room."

"They will be," Haruka said, "If you spend enough time with him, you can see he's a diamond in the rough. All he needs is a little polishing. Our tutors and tailors are skilled enough to make it appear as though he's been part of a royal family since his birth."

Slowly but surely, every hesitant look turned a bit more convinced, every look but one: the sour expression on his father's face hadn't diminished. In fact, the more Makoto's name was dropped, the more fierce it grew, like he was eating lemons by the handful. His father was a proud man, but normally, he wasn't unreasonable. The pros and cons of each option were clear and everyone waited for his reaction.

At last, he said, "We'll discuss this matter in further detail. Haruka, you're dismissed for now."

Haruka nodded, got up from his chair and bowed. "Thank you for listening to what I had to say and for taking my offer into consideration. I'll await your answer patiently."

With that, he left the room with a pit of uncertainty brewing in his stomach. Hopefully, after everything had sunken in, his father would be more easily swayed by his advisors.

As he walked through the throne room, heading towards the sunroom to relay the conversation to Makoto, he was suddenly called back.

"Haruka, wait!"

When he looked over his shoulder, his mother was standing behind him. Had they reached their answer so swiftly? "Yes, Mother?"

"Can I talk with you privately for a moment? Not as the Queen, but as your mother."

Haruka's frown deepened, unsure what to expect. "Of course."

She led him over to one of the red velvety sofas that aligned the wall. After they took place, she hesitated for a moment before she said, "Haruka, are you absolutely sure about this?"

Unlike before, she didn't sound angry or condescending, but concerned.

"As sure as I can be," Haruka said, "but I already told you that."

"I know, I just want to be certain that this isn't something fleeting," she said, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry for the way I responded to you initially. You're seldom so open about your feelings and this was the last thing I expected you to say. I don't want you to feel as though your feelings aren't being taken seriously or that you cannot share what's on your mind."

"It's alright," Haruka said. He could imagine she was shocked by his news, but her reaction wasn't the one that bothered him the most. "I just didn't expect Father to get so furious. I don't think I've ever heard him so fed up about something before."

"Please don't blame your father too much, this was a shock for him too. It tore open an old wound."

"How so?" Haruka asked, puzzled.

A tentative sigh left his mother's lips as she took his hands in hers. Another pause followed, like she didn't know where to start. "When I was your age," she eventually said, "I also fancied a commoner."

Haruka's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What?"

His mother nodded. "One of our horticulturists retired and this young man was hired by my parents to replace him. I was… intrigued when I first saw him trimming one of our butterfly topiaries, but once I got to know him, my feelings only grew."

She averted her eyes and rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. Haruka hadn't decided on what astonished him more: the story itself or the fact that his mother was telling it so straightforwardly. Neither seemed anything like her.

"When I heard I was arranged to marry the crown prince of Iwatobi I, too, was devastated. I very well knew it was inevitable, that I could never be together with a servant, but that didn't stop me from wanting to change it all."

"Did he feel the same way?" Haruka asked; he wouldn't tread further into detail. This was his mother's story to harbour, so she had to choose which parts she wanted to share.

"I don't know," his mother said with a raise of her shoulders. "In my opinion, we got along really well, but we never spoke of our feelings. I didn't dare to tell him how I felt and if he felt the same, then I'm sure he didn't dare to, either. Especially because we were both aware of what was coming."

"Didn't you consider running, eloping with him?"

"I did consider it," she admitted, "but in the end, I never went through with those fantasies. I did what was expected of me, what was right."

Although he could already guess what the answer would be based on what she said before, he couldn't help but ask, "Does Father know about this?"

She nodded. "I told him on our wedding night and he was struck with grief. He had fallen for me during our courtship, so to hear my heart still lied with someone else was crushing to him."

That did explain his outlashes from before. His father was probably projecting his feelings of detestation towards the man who stole his wife's heart onto Makoto.

"But Haruka, you must know that I don't regret it," his mother said with a squeeze of his hands. "My feelings for the servant ebbed away over time and I love your father immensely, much more than I ever loved him."

"But don't you wonder sometimes what it would've been like if you had chosen the man you loved?" Haruka couldn't help but ask. The thought of ever feeling more strongly for someone than he felt for Makoto was simply unimaginable.

"I do, sometimes, but I still stand by my decision. No matter what being with him would've been like, it never could've brought me the greatest treasure of my life, one that I cherish every single day," she said and her gaze met his. "I know I don't say this enough, Haruka, but I love you so much. If I could choose from a million different lives, I'll always choose the one in which I get to be your mother. Nothing will ever change that."

If Haruka was surprised before, then he was downright dumbfounded now. Of course, he knew his mother loved him, as every good mother should, but he couldn't remember the last time she told him with this many words. And as he looked into her cobalt eyes, a reflection of his own, he realised that despite how strict and stern she tended to be, he did love her just as much. He'd thought he would gladly trade in everything to be with Makoto but while the riches and luxuries could easily be discarded, he didn't want to lose his parents. They had their differences, but at the end of the day, his heart remained to be full of them because they were two of the most important people in his life.

"We don't always share the same opinion," his mother continued as though she peered right through his soul, "But you must believe that with every choice I made for you, I had your best interest in mind. Or at least, what I believed to be your best interest. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy and I thought that preparing you for this incredibly difficult job that lies ahead of you was the way to do that. Before I knew it, you turned into a fine young man, one who is ready to lead this kingdom. Hearing you negotiate so skillfully and persuasively made me realise that. And if you're mature enough for something as major as that, then who are we to tell you you're not mature enough to make your own decisions for your future, your happiness?"

If his mother's grip on his hands wasn't so tight, he would've pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "Mother…" was all he managed to get out; her speech left him tongue-tied.

"So if you're absolutely certain that this is what you want, then I won't stand in your way. It won't be easy and I can't make any promises, but I'll do what I can to convince your father to agree to this, too."

"Mother," Haruka said again and an unsuppressible smile welled up. "There is nothing I want more, thank you."

In response, a matching smile lit up his mother's face and she drew him into a hug. "I love you, Haruka, and I'm so proud of you."

"Love you too," Haruka whispered, biting his bottom lip to hold back his emotion.

The sound of the doors being blasted open broke their bubble and Haruka turned his head instinctively. With a thick book clutched against his chest, Nagisa sped through the throne room like a freshly-fired arrow. His cheeks were blazing red and his breathing was laboured, but when he spotted Haruka, he picked up the pace even more

"Haru! Sorry it took so long. I got lost on the way to the guest room even though I already asked a maid where it was, and then when I finally got there, I had to search through Rei's trunk for the right book. Do you know how many books he brought on this trip? Eleven! What does he need that many books for? I can't believe I'm going to marry him. And when I finally found it, I got lost again! Why do all these hallways look- Your Majesty!" Nagisa interrupted his rambling when he got close enough to see Haruka's mother sitting beside him. "I'm incredibly regretful it took me so long to retrieve this book, Your Majesty. The plentiful hallways of this breathtaking palace caught my eye and-"

"It's alright, Prince Nagisa," his mother said as she got up. "If you don't mind, I'll take the book off your hands for now so we can investigate this topic further. I'll personally ensure the book is returned to you the minute we are done with it."

"Of course, Your Majesty, keep it for as long as necessary," Nagisa said, offering her the book with a bow as though it was a sacred artifact. "You can find all the information you require in chapter fourteen."

"Thank you," she said as she accepted it. "We shall let you know as soon as we reach a decision."

"Thank you, Mother," Haruka said with a bow of his own, and Nagisa joined in with another expression of gratitude.

When his mother was gone, Nagisa turned to him. "What was that about, why were you here?"

Haruka shrugged, "She wanted to make sure I was serious and I told her I am."

"Ah," was all Nagisa said: apparently, it was enough to satisfy his curiosity. "Let's go tell Makoto and Rei what happened so far. Which way was the sunroom?"

With a gesture of his head, Haruka guided Nagisa out of the throne room. Hopefully, the next time he left this room, he would have a conclusive agreement to his propositions.

---

The warm summer sun poured in through the vast windows and if it weren't for all the trouble everyone went through to make him this fancy suit, Makoto would've taken his jacket off hours ago. He didn't know what made him sweat more; this sunroom that might as well have been his father's workshop in terms of temperature, or the nerves that were buzzing through his body.

To cool himself off a bit, Makoto took another sip of the glass of water Sir Minami brought him after his fourth cup of tea. His stomach was stuffed to the brim, so much so that he could barely have any more to drink, courtesy of the snacks that were spread out across the table between Rei, Nagisa and himself. After two chocolate muffins, eight of the mini sandwiches that were stacked on a large étagère, and a handful of macaroons, the negotiations were no longer the only factor that caused his nausea.

But amid the internal panic, he had learned something new about himself, something he hadn't had the privilege to discover prior to now: he was a major stress-eater.

Despite feeling like he would burst out of his trousers if he breathed in too deeply, Makoto reached over the table to grab another strawberry-flavoured macaroon. "They're taking pretty long, huh?" he said as he popped the treat into his mouth.

Rei whipped out his pocket watch. "It's been nine minutes and thirty, thirty-one seconds since Prince Haruka was called back in."

It felt much longer than that; it felt like a decade had passed since the maid came to inform them the King and Queen requested Haruka's presence, and a century since Makoto first set foot in this room. Waiting was always a drag, but especially when waiting on an answer this important; especially when he couldn't do anything but sit and devour luxurious delicacies like a ravenous animal. How much time did they need to tell Haruka yes or no?

"Do you think it'll be good news?" he asked for the hundredth time as he twiddled his thumbs.

"It could go either way," Nagisa said with a shrug, "Like I said earlier, some of the advisors were very friendly and seemed impressed by what Haru had to say, but Haru's dad looked like he was constantly on the verge of storming out of the room to come strangle you for daring to be born."

Nagisa meant it humorously, a remark to cut at the tension, so Makoto laughed awkwardly out of obligation. Beneath the faux amusement, though, he was quite ready to bolt out of the palace in case King Nanase truly lost his temper. All these nerves weren't good for his heart; he'd rather stand in front of a scalding furnace for a week without any breaks than having to wait one more minute.

A sigh left Makoto's lips as he wiped his fingers on a linen napkin and dabbed at the corners of this mouth. What had he gotten himself into?

At last, Haruka appeared in the doorway. One glance was enough to remind Makoto why he was here: for Haruka, he would wait an eternity and a half.

"Haru," Makoto called as he shot up in his chair, relieved to finally see him again, but Haruka's face was unreadable. "How did it-"

Without a word, Haruka sprinted over to him and jumped into Makoto's arms, wrapping his legs around his waist and holding onto his neck tightly. Having grown up with two little siblings prepared him for this moment, so despite being startled, he caught Haruka and clutched him against his chest.

"Haru, what-" he mumbled in surprise, but then Haruka's expression shifted. An enormous smile lifted his beautiful features, so bright and radiant it astonished Makoto even more than Haruka clamping onto him had. It wasn't the first time he saw Haruka smile genuinely and widely, but this was on a whole other level.

"They said yes!"

That was all Haruka said and it was more than enough. A smile equally as large stretched Makoto's cheeks, to the point his muscles began to ache, but he couldn't care about that.

"Haru!" he yelled as pure elation overflowed in his veins. It couldn't be contained inside of his body, so he spun them around as though they were back on the dancefloor, twirling in a clumsy waltz.

Haruka and he were going to be together. They were going to get married and live their lives by each other's side in this grand palace and every day was going to be filled with unending joy and affection. No more hunger, no more hardships, no more heartache, just Haruka.

When impending dizziness forced Makoto to a halt, Haruka grasped his cheeks and kissed him harshly yet oh so passionately. The sunroom and everyone in it vanished and all Makoto knew was Haruka, the weight of his body, the softness of his lips, the feelings he nurtured for him. Makoto was so happy he was nearly moved to tears and he wished this feeling, this moment could last forever.

Alas, they weren't alone and the world continued to turn. A small cough demolished their trance and they abruptly pulled away.

Haruka's parents were standing inside the doorway, accompanied by two men and a woman Makoto hadn't met before, but their appearances were enough to inform him who they were. He quickly put Haruka back on his feet and bowed deeply to them.

"Thank you so much for your approval, Your Majesties," he said, "I cannot express how grateful I am that-"

"Hold on. You haven't earned our approval yet," the king said and as Nagisa had described, the look in his piercing eyes was quite lethal.

That was like a slap in Makoto's face. He stood up straight and his face contorted with a frown. "But I thought that-"

"You will be allowed to stay here as Haruka's fiancé on trial-basis," the woman, Lady Amakata if he remembered it correctly, said. Her brown irises twinkled with kindness, but her voice sounded uncharacteristically firm. "During this time, you will have to prove yourself worthy of entering the Nanase family."

Prove himself? How on earth was he going to do that? He was a simple town boy and little more than that. Unless being able to detain a runaway goat was on the list of criteria, that was an impossible feat.

His questions showed on his face, because Lady Amakata continued, "You shall receive the same education His Highness received to eliminate the differences in intellect and behaviour between you and other nobles. If you pass this trial, you will gain the approval of Their Majesties and subsequently be introduced into our circles as His Highness' fiancé."

The nausea that had faded upon seeing Haruka's face flooded back to Makoto. Eliminating the differences in intellect and behaviour? Unless this trial-period lasted for eighteen more years, he doubted he could ever catch up to everything Haruka and his peers knew and possessed. But he couldn't say that or else he would portray himself as incompetent from the start. Instead, he asked, "Over how much time will this trial span?"

"The date is yet to be determined," Lady Amakata said, "but there will be enough time for you to get a fair chance at proving yourself. Once the date is set, we will disclose it with you long before it is due."

If Makoto had any shreds of confidence left, then they completely decayed now. He gnawed on his bottom lip as despair engulfed him from within. How was he ever going to pull this off?

"You are not obligated, of course," the king said with a wicked quirk of his mouth, "If you do not feel up to the challenge, then you are free to leave right this instant."

Makoto took a deep breath and pushed back his shoulders. If he didn't feel confident, he had to feign it. "I most certainly feel up to the challenge, Your Majesty," he said, trying his hardest to keep the tremble out of his voice, "For the privilege of your son's hand, I will withstand any trial or ordeal. It is my greatest honour that you will allow me into your palace and I feel extremely grateful for this opportunity you've granted me. I promise I shall not disappoint you."

"Good," the queen said, smirking slightly. "Your first lesson will be tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp. That is when the trial will officially commence. Make sure you are punctual and presentable."

"I will, Your Majesty. Thank you," Makoto said and he bowed again at their retreating forms.

When the door clicked shut and only Nagisa, Rei, and Haruka remained in the room with him, Makoto deflated. He slumped back into his chair and covered his face with his hands. What was he going to do?

"Makoto, are you alright?" Haruka said and he put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No," Makoto admitted, not looking up to meet Haruka's gaze.

"Don't fret it too much." Haruka pulled a chair over to his side and sat down as well. "You don't have to take this so seriously. This trial is nothing more than a way to test your resolve. Just be yourself and complete the tasks they set out for you and you'll pass with flying colours."

"But what if I can't fulfill their tasks? What if I'm too dumb or unrefined or sloppy or just plain stupid?" If the task they gave him was to carry five-hundred milk churns from one end of the castle to the other, or to run back home on his bare feet and back, perhaps then he could pass. Anything more than that was beyond his capabilities.

"How many times do I have to tell you you're not stupid?" Haruka pressed, a hint of diluted exasperation in his tone.

"You are gravely underestimating your own abilities and intelligence, Makoto," Rei said. "You have already overcome countless trials in your life, ones that true noblemen cannot even fathom."

"Yeah, and it's not like they're expecting you to be perfect," Nagisa chimed in with a shrug, snatching another cupcake from the tower, "We all have flaws, me included, and it's not like my parents disowned me because my handwriting is messy or because I drop a teacup every once in a while. You worry too much."

"Besides, isn't this what you've always wanted?" Haruka said, bidding him a kind smile, "Don't think of it as a trial because that is just a facade. What it really is, is education. With this, you'll be able to read books in no time. Your dream is this close to coming true, so don't doubt yourself now. You're smart and determined and you can do this."

At those sweet words, Makoto couldn't help but smile a little. Although he stumbled across all of them by mere coincidence, Makoto couldn't have wished for better, more supportive friends.

And they were right. He shouldn't get down in the dumps yet just because the situation was getting more complicated. He claimed he would fight for the privilege of standing next to Haruka, so he couldn't cower for one minor setback.

The hand on his shoulder disappeared and grasped onto his instead. When he turned his head, he was immediately captivated by Haruka's eyes like a swimmer getting absorbed by the shimmering ocean.

"And if it does get tough, then you won't be alone. I'll be with you no matter what."

The burden of worry weighing down his chest hadn't disintegrated yet, but it did shrink considerably. Makoto didn't know what lied ahead, but with Haruka there, he was bound to conquer it all.

"Me too," Nagisa said, his magenta irises twinkling with warmth, "Maybe not in person, but I'll think about you every day and I'll send you lots of letters. And maybe, with our newly-formed alliance and all, I can come over to visit now and then."

"Of course, I will keep you in my thoughts as well and I look forward to receiving a letter from you," Rei said as he corrected his spectacles on his nose. "That is, assuming you will write to me once you are able to."

"Of course," Makoto said and the rock in his gut grew lighter. "We'll definitely keep in contact. Thank you guys so much, for everything."

"Don't even mention it!" Nagisa said with a cheeky grin, "I know just the way you can repay us!"

"They don't need to repay us because they aren't indebted to us. If anything, we're the ones who are indebted to them!" Rei objected.

"We helped each other, so we're even," Haruka said and Makoto nodded in agreement.

"That being said, Nagisa and I did discuss this matter and we would like to ask you if you would do us the honour of being our groomsmen," Rei said. "Please do not feel obligated to agree-"

"I'd love to!" Makoto interrupted with a gasp and the last remnants of dread were replaced with excitement. "If you're both okay with us having such an important role in your wedding."

"Without you, we wouldn't even be getting married, so I can't think of anyone who would be more fit for the parts. Besides, it's good for our alliance, don't you think?" Nagisa winked.

"It is," Haruka said with a snort, "I would gladly be either of your groomsmen."

"Great! So we were thinking you could be mine and Makoto could be Rei's. You know, with the 'social hierarchy' and all," Nagisa said, making quotation marks in the air with his fingers.

"I'd love to be your groomsman, Rei," Makoto beamed, "Thank you for asking me, I'm already looking forward to it."

"We are, too." A tiny smile curled Rei's lips. "There is still an abundance of things that need to be arranged, though, so we will fill you in on the details later. We wanted to make sure to ask you in person, before we go back to Sano. After dinner, we shall head to bed so we can leave at dawn tomorrow morning and get back to the palace at night."

"Before then, there's one favour I would like to ask of you. All of you," Makoto said.

"And that is?" Rei asked, and Nagisa and Haruka's inquisitive gazes were pointed at him.

Makoto shuffled his feet under the table. "Can you help me write a letter to my family? I want to tell them about everything, about the conversation with Haruka's parents and me being allowed to stay on trial-basis and… that they don't have to start packing yet any time soon."

Haruka lightly squeezed his hand. "I didn't dare to broach the subject today, but I promise that once you've gained my parents' trust, I'll do my best that something will be arranged if they want to move to Iwatobi."

That brought a sliver of comfort to Makoto's overworked brain. "Thanks, Haru." He caressed Haruka's knuckles with his thumb.

"We'll make sure to deliver the letter the instant we arrive in Sano," Rei said, "I'll go get some paper and a quill."

With the help of his friends, Makoto crafted a detailed yet loving note to his family. It marked the end of a chapter: he wrote his old life goodbye and when he awoke in the morning, a whole new life awaited him.

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A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

The next chapter is going to be a challenge as well, though for different reasons than this one was. I'm going to try my best to get it out as soon as I can, but in case I don't get it out before the end of the year, I want to wish you all happy holidays!

In the meanwhile you can find me on Twitter and Tumblr atDatHeetJoella for more MakoHaru content between updates and posts. You can also send me a message on Curious Cat if you'd like.

Thanks again for reading, I hope to see you again at the next update and for now, I wish you a wonderful day!