(alternate ending section)

“You must've had an interesting adventure up here?” He chuckled as he looked over the condition of the parcel and then began to open it.

The prince was at a loss for words. He could tell that oddly enough that hadn't been a real question, yet he felt the desire to answer it.

The tall prince reached over to the table and picked up a fork that had been buried underneath some papers. He plucked a portion of the contents of the parcel onto the metal and then lifted it up. It was a soft dough covered in milky sauce with some small bits of red berries mixed in. It looked messy and sticky, but it smelled good. Without a word, the prince lifted the fork and its contents to the prince who was supposed to be a servant's lips.

A lifetime of being raised as a prince has taught him to take food offered to him by his own servants, and on pure instinct, the prince opened his mouth and the sweet dough went inside. His own eyes lifted up nervously to meet the warm green ones as the fork was gently retrieved from his lips.

Oh. He's testing me since he doesn't recognize me. The prince wagered right away. He began to chew the sweet dough, picking out the flavors of bitter raspberry mixed with the sweet sauce. He swallowed it upon finishing. Then nervously relaxed his jaw so his lips parted open.

The prince narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. He turned and placed the parcel and fork in front of his spot, then returned to his seat. “Here.” He patted the seat next to him on the inside, between him and a teenager.

The prince's spine felt like goo all over again. M-me? Wait? He wants me to sit next to him? He took quiet steps over, behind the prince and then to his side. It took him a second to figure out how to slide into the spot so he wasn't too close to the prince.

“Hey, don't ignore this part.” The prince scolded the child across from him. The child whined but laughed and went to the exact area the prince had implied. After, he turned his head to the prince trying to be a servant, and propped his head on his hand. “Next to me, means next to me.” The prince frowned at him with a confused expression. With a laugh the teenager scooted his butt so the prince was forced to slide so close to the prince that their legs and hips were touching. “Are you familiar with any of this?” The prince asked with a pleased smile.

“Uh,” the prince leaned forward and glanced over the materials. It was a lot of words, but some were pages of just math problems. It all was simple work – clearly the prince was helping those younger than him study this late at night. But why? “Yes. I can help if you need?”

Lifting his chin, the prince eyed the teenager who had given the prince the resourceful boot scoot moments before. “See if you can help him with that math problem. He's been getting the wrong answer for several minutes.”

“I have not.”

“I told you: ten is not the answer.”

“Not your answer.”

The prince scoffed with a playful smile. “That isn't how math works.”

The prince looked between the two while they played about with their words, then reached over to look at the paper. “You're adding wrong.”

“Where?” the teen demanded in disgust.

“Here.” The prince pointed to a collection of numbers on the page that should add up to fourteen, but read eleven instead.

Several more minutes like this passed until a brass bell rang out in the room. The children all stretched and one by one, parted from the table. As they left, they went around to the table and either hugged or patted the prince before wishing him good night and leaving. In no time at all, it was just the two of them.

“So.” The prince started in the newfound silence. “Clearly you aren't a servant. And you're no one I recognize.”

He was so close, the prince could feel his warm breath on his shoulder through the itchy cotton. He nodded a bit, turning his head to look at him. “I'm the emissary.”

The prince's eyes went thin. “You were to meet with my brother. Not me. I'm too busy to hear some woes of a neighboring kingdom. If your pleas warrant further attention, my father will see to your needs. Otherwise, I have no place listening, nor in partaking of it.”

“Wa-wait, please.” The prince turned his body round to face him properly. “It's not to ask for aid or anything that I came.”

“Yet you insisted on seeing me?”

“Yes.”

“You realize my brother is far more capable in the affairs of state and succor.”

The prince thinned his lips. “The succor your brother offered was vile and ill intentioned.”

At that, the prince shut his eyes. “He attempted to harm you?”

Quiet, the prince tilted his head down. “Rather, he was outraged that before we had even spoken a word, I foolishly declared that he wasn't the prince I travelled here to see.”

He scoffed. “He doesn't take rejection when it's me in the contest.” He opened his eyes and studying the shorter prince. “So. You wanted to negotiate something with me? Plead something? I don't care to hear what you have to say.” He paused. “I am curious about your actions. They speak volumes louder than any words you could say. So I ask you.” He leaned close and asked in the prince's ear. “Why me?”

“You're the one – the one I have to meet.” He answered, lifting his head to look the prince in the eye stubbornly.

Once more the prince rested his chin on his hand, leaning away from the other's face. “I have no interest in fleeting emotions like love. I do enjoy seeing pleasure in others.” He nodded without removing his head from his hand. “Take these kids for instance – they're a mix of nobleborn and servant class – and yet I find joy in seeing their faces as they discover new things.”

“It's that kindness in you that I like.”

He scoffed. “Yet we've never met?”

“No. Not... introduced.”