Title: Another Rose

Characters: Haruka Sakurada, Alvin R. Rose, Angelica W. Rose

Pairings: [Alvin R. Rose/Haruka Sakurada]

Summary: Just as Princess Angelica is about to return to her own country, it is revealed that she and Haruka are engaged in an arranged marriage! Now, with Haruka joining her in her country for a week, the pair must attempt to get along for a change. But aside that task, Haruka starts to feel something towards the pampered princess' older brother... (Alvin and Angelica are not OCs, they are side characters that appear only in the manga. Hopefully, you don't need to know much about them to understand this story, as they don't appear very much in canon anyway.)

I hope I haven't left you waiting long... I wanted to write more for this chapter, but ended finding myself very busy all of a sudden, so I thought I'll post it anyway since it'll all be the same content in either case. I think consistent short chapters are better than long chapters that take ages to update, but that's just my opinion. (These chapters look a lot longer when I'm typing them on my phone...)

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Joukamachi no Dandelion / Castletown Dandelion or any of it's charcters. I would argue that I at least own part of Alvin and Angelica's personalities as there is very little canon of them, and that I do own the actual storyline of this fanfic alone itself.

The drive to the castle was dominated by an awkward silence.

Haruka was... mostly used to the limo that drove them there, and the driver- chaffeur was nothing new, so that part wasn't any bother.

However, as it was only the three of them and the chaffeur in the car, no conversation came up in the entire hour-long drive.

Despite all the effort they'd gone through to get he and Angelica together, the two teenagers sat stubbornly apart, refusing to meet each other's gaze, let alone talk.

Their limo was escorted by six others: five for protection and one for their bags (they only had three suitcases, for pity's sake!). The escort limos largely blocked out any views there could've been - which seemed to consist of mainly brownish buildings and plain grass fields.

It was cloudy. Haruka felt his spirits droop further when he realised the probability of the weather being dark and cloudy again tomorrow was 98%.

The purple-haired boy let out a heavy sigh, resting his cheek in his hand as he stared out the window.

He looked a bit bored, but more lonely. Lonely and lost... She remembered feeling like that when it had been her, travelling alone in an unknown country to live with a family she didn't think she'd met. Despite his numerous cruel jibes towards her, she couldn't help but feel sympathetic for his situation.

"...The countryside is beautiful, isn't it?" she said hesitantly.

"Um, yeah. I guess so," came the half-hearted reply.

Fuming silently, Angelica reminded herself that part of his 'situation' insluded her being stuck with him for who-knows-how-long, and most of her sympathy evaporated.

The front doors opened to reveal two long lines of servants, who bowed in ceremonious synchrony. "Welcome home your majesty."

King Roland did not acknowledge them as he strode along the red carpet. At the end of the line, a familiar-looking woman in a simple dress laid a hand on his arm and led him out of sight.

At once the servants dispersed towards them, some moving to deal with the limos and others coming straight toward the two younger royalty.

"Would you like some water, your highness?"

"Or some tea?"

"A scone?"

"Shall I prepare a bath for you?"

"Would you prefer to be changed into your indoor wear now?"

Before Haruka had even comprehended that his coat had been taken off him, Angelica was holding a biscuit and a cup of tea, with maids taking off her formal shoes for her.

"Um..."

Angelica daintily sipped her teacup and raised her eyebrows at his expression of confusion.

"Ange!"

They looked up to see first prince Alvin coming towards them, looking mildly surprised.

Angelica looked delighted. "Onii-sama!" she exclaimed, setting her tidbits on a tray and moving into her indoor slippers. The servants seemed astonished that she had done this little herself, and Haruka wondered with a sinking heart if her still-unbearable dependency would deteriorate further into however bad it originally was now that she would once again have people waiting on her hand and foot.

The light-haired princess exchanged a hug with her brother. Their eyes shone as they pulled away - clearly the two were closer than they implied.

Angelica clapped his hands behind hers. "Can we have that picnic now, onii-sama? We didn't get the chance before I left home."

Alvin chuckled. "What, now? I expect you're tired, Ange, how was your flight?"

"Comfortable enough," she assured him, "But you're spot-on as always, onii-sama. I'm dreadfully tired."

She touched her hands to chest, eyelids fluttering sleepily. It was unconscious action. Alvin smiled softly at her and beckoned the servants to leave with the trays and outdoor wear.

He patted her head gently - the same way Akane did - and in doing so locked eyes with Haruka. The violet-haired boy suddenly felt very self-conscious, and his gaze wavered with the uncomfortable sensation of feeling scrutinized.

Alvin stepped away from his sister with easy grace, and had soon taken the few steps needed to place himself in front of the younger prince. They clasped hands briskly, with all the meaning of two people going through the motions of formality.

"Prince Alvin," Haruka greeted blankly, after a few tense seconds of silence.

The western prince stared evenly back. The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk. "Haruka," he greeted in a pleasant tone, eyes sparkling with malicious mirth.

Haruka swore he felt a nerve snap.

Alvin held his eyes, smirk still firmly in place, daring him to protest against his deliberate omission of his title.

'Like brother like sister,' he fumed.

Four seconds passed - his chance was gone. Alvin spun 'round and took Angelica's hand in his the way a prince would for a princess.

"I hear the maids have prepared a bath for you. Mother bought more lavender soaps while you were gone."

"Oh, that sounds lovely! A proper bath is just what I need after staying in that cramped commoners' house. Not that it was all that bad, mind you..."

Their formal-toned, sugary-sounding, meaningless chatter continued as they left the entrance hall and disappeared from sight, leaving Haruka standing at the door alone.