Once the blond stepped foot into the dining room everyone turned to face him, immediately. In turn, he almost froze and furrowed his eyebrows. “Stop staring at me,” the prince, not one to be social, spat out before walking over to the empty seat next to his mother.

Not even a second after, the knight approached behind his prince and scooted his chair in towards the table, following the proper manners. As a reward, Fayt swatted at the brunet and gave him a soft glare. “You’re not a butler, nor do I want your hands anywhere near me.”

In response, Axel grinned, curtly bowed and backed away. “As you wish, my prince.” The added purr at the end of his sentence sent a shiver up the prince’s spine, noticeable to his sisters across the table who giggled at the spectacle.

Lifting a pale hand to her mouth, Iris coughed softly and smiled towards her children. “Eat up, little ones. We have the announcement for Fayt’s birthday to make and to have everyone start getting ready for his coronation next year.”

A mother could hope, couldn’t she? She wasn’t getting any younger and her health was deteriorating. A successor was needed to be ready soon in case her health would take any turns for the worse.

The crown would go straight to the first male who passed their trials, or if there were none, to whichever daughter was eldest. Soon after the coronation, each new queen needed to find a husband to help rule. The past 300 years were going smoothly with only female rulers, and their husbands in the background but with the prince’s coming of age, and the queen’s declining health, nearby nations were getting antsy for action. Most wished for the prince’s death for a way to seize the crown.

All four children dropped their heads in silence, thinking of Fayt’s fate.

Suddenly, Nala cut the silence and reached back in for some food, the others giving her a frown as she stuffed her face. “What? If you guys don’t eat fast it’ll all be mine.” She grinned, mouth full of food.

“Absolutely disgusting,” her brother scoffed, reaching in for some food as well. Although he didn’t feel hungry, with everything on his mind, he knew that if he didn’t at least eat something, he’d regret it later.

Looking up towards her elder sister shoveling food into her mouth, Rina reached her small arms out and pushed a cup of water closer towards Nala in attempts to make sure she didn’t choke.

Aria, the eldest, smiled at her sisters before tilting her head at her brother. It worried her how slow he ate along with how little. However, she couldn’t blame him. “Little brother, I’m sure everything will be fine. I believe in you.” Then she turned her head towards Axel and his crossed arms; at his own petal marking.

“And Axel…” Rising from her seat, she bowed towards the knight in a sign of respect, and perhaps desperation. “I leave him in your hands. Please watch over my little brother.”

To that, Fayt’s whole body turned a pretty shade of pink. His sister had already realized who his partner was.

‘Partner doesn’t mean anything...nothing at all.’ Fayt shook his head and wished for his suddenly racing heart to slow down.

In return, the knight bowed back in reassurance. “I will protect him with my everything.”

Little did they know they would be faced with their first trial sooner than they thought.