It was starting this week. After what felt like months of preparation, they would be arriving this Monday. I wasn't impatient waiting for it to begin, rather, quite the opposite. I was dreading their arrival. What in the world was I supposed to do with myself? How was anyone supposed to approach such an arbitrary competition meant to earn my hand? I was still dumbfounded that my father had agreed, and with very little of my input in mind at that.

On the other hand, I was eager for it to begin for a change of pace from my normal life. It would be an experience, that's for sure. If it meant Mr. Robinson and Mr. Clark would shut up about it, then send them today!

And at least it would be a distraction from him...

Much like the rest of my lessons, I was tuned out. I was seated to the side of my father's desk while the three men discussed business. It wasn't that I wasn't uninterested, more so I had been sitting here listening for long enough. We had been here all afternoon! After lunch my father had me sit in on his meeting this afternoon to observe and "take in the environment". I would be replacing my father in this situation someday. As heir to the kingdom, it was my job to.

We were working in my father's study, or the King's study. The room had hardwood floors and tall, unpainted wooden walls. Dark brown doors marked the entrance to the study that matched the looming walls lined with bookshelves, shelves, cabinets and drawers filled with historic objects and books. The historic room provoked a feeling of insignificance upon entering, and any inferior feelings were further amplified by the large and arched window framing my father at his desk behind him. The founder, the first Colton, had once sat behind the same desk my father currently sat behind, just like every king and queen before him.

I watched my father take notes while his associates spoke and discussed between them. I had been tuned out for long enough that I couldn't follow what they were talking about. Something about property. It was interesting to see my father so focused, as it was often him doing the speaking. He was kingly, that's for sure, with his broad shoulders, six foot something height, sharp masculine features, and the Colton jet-black hair. One would think he would be intimidating with his build and dark hair, but it was quite the opposite when his eyes looked up from his paper. They were a golden amber, like honey in the sunlight. They were the signature of his kindness, generosity, and considerate nature. He held such an authority about him in the least intimidating and most welcoming way possible. I wondered how I'd ever replace such a man.

The associates my father spoke with were Mr. Robinson and Mr. Clark. They weren't personally close to my father, but the three worked together frequently enough that I'd consider them a blossoming friendship. Well, to my father at least. The two gentlemen had been friendly rivals for years, often working together, until their businesses expanded enough to regard the input of the king himself. Mr. Robinson was a rather large property manager, owning, buying, and selling large sums of land throughout the kingdom for people and himself. Mr. Clark was a property developer of sorts, building and maintaining properties, many of which being the ones Mr. Robinson sold. The influence of their businesses had become so significant in the country that the king's input was sometimes required. Especially on projects that affected the country and its people. They had made a name for themselves, that's for sure.

They were also the brilliant idiots behind the upcoming Arranged, as they called it.

"Sonjay, where have you gone off to this time, hm?"

I barely acknowledged I was being spoken to. I had my attention focused on studying the two gentlemen: Mr. Robinson was a tall, well built, and square gentleman with blond hair and a light stubble, and Mr. Clark was a rather short, bland character with black hair and blue eyes. It wasn't until I glanced at my father again and realized he was looking at me that it clicked I was being spoken to. He was clearly addressing me and I pieced together the silence was meant for me to respond. I immediately sat up in my chair rather than leaning on the chair arm as I had been.

"Uh, nowhere?" I responded. "In my head?"

"But where in your head?" My father smirked. His voice was a comforting deep tone, a compliment to the confident, but welcoming aura he carried himself with.

I felt my cheeks burn lightly when the two businessmen smiled softly to themselves, clearly amused by the distracted nature of teenagers. Granted, I wasn't a teenager, I was twenty-two, but I was young regardless. I decided to embrace my mistake and shrugged.

"Thinking about the significance and expanse of your companies," I said somewhat truthfully, smiling and leaning forward on my knees, directed towards the men. "Admiring how you two worked your way from humble beginnings all the way to discussing matters with my father!" I gestured to him, who blushed instead of me. "Admirable." I whistled, grinning at my father. He knew what I was doing.

"You're still the master of taking attention away from yourself." He huffed, teasing. "Don't get too comfortable, though, you're not out of the loop yet."

"Yes, actually." Mr. Robinson spoke, readjusting himself in his seat to be more attentive. I felt a bit of nervousness climb to my chest when addressed me. "Regarding the Arranged. We need your input on something."

It took all of my being not to slouch, groan, roll my eyes or anything else that would hint towards my true feelings about the Arranged. I bitterly thought about how much I hated the name. Only my father would truly know how I felt about the whole situation, and only he needed to know about it. Regardless, I let Mr. Robinson speak, giving him my attention.

"They will be arriving Monday, which is only a weekend away now." He said. "I must know, how are you feeling? Excited? Nervous? Have you thought of any plans how you will approach it yet?"

I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye that my father's mood changed. He didn't deflate per say, but he wasn't thrilled about the question. I doubted the gentlemen would notice. I focused on Mr. Robinson again, even glancing to Mr. Clark to see his interest was mildly piqued, if not a bit annoyed himself. I couldn't answer honestly, as it wasn't what either of them (let alone my father) wanted to hear. So, I decided to tell the selective truth.

"I'm anxious." I said, smiling as such. "It will certainly be a change of pace from my everyday life, but I'm not necessarily afraid of that. A good change, though! As for my plans... I'm not sure. I should at least meet them first, right?"

It was the right answer. My father relaxed, Mr. Clark seemed eased, and Mr. Robinson enjoyed it. He smiled at me.

"Of course, nobody expects you to know what to do immediately! It's not like any of us have done this sort of thing before! You'll figure it out as you go, as will we. But take it easy! I get it's like a competition, but at the end of the day your happiness is the goal! Remain true to that."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Please, call me Eric. You'll be seeing my daughter soon! We might be speaking a bit more often regarding her and your father's work." He winked.

I chuckled nervously. "Sure."

"With that, I think that was everything, Eric?" My father said, tapping his papers on the desk and setting them aside in a drawer of his desk. Eric nodded, as did Mr. Clark. "Perfect! A new record, might I say?" He joked.

I groaned and slouched in my chair, much to the amusement of the men. We began our meeting around noon, and it was almost three! Three hours of discussions... The four of us exchanged hands and said our goodbyes for the day. However, I would be seeing Mr. Clark and Eric again very soon, considering both of their daughters would be participating in the Arranged. Upon their leave, I had been about to follow when my father stopped me. Turning on my heel to face him, I suddenly felt tiny under his gaze. His stature and piercing eyes made me feel three feet smaller, despite our similar heights. The large desk he stood behind coupled with the arched window behind him, I understood why I had heard from some of the palace staff that they hated being in this room. My father was kingly, and it didn't take literally having the title.

But King Simon was my father, and I was never intimidated by him as a person, only his title. Once I saw the care in his eyes the room shrunk in intimidation. He was a king, but he was my father first.

"What's up? How did I mess up this time?" I asked him, smirking. Our titles would dissipate when it was just us, the two of us becoming more casual. Otherwise, it was expected of us (and by him) for us to treat each other appropriately.

"No," he chuckled. He gestured for me to have a seat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. I took one as he sat at his desk again. "It was a long discussion, one that didn't concern or involve you very much. I don't blame you for tuning in and out and being in your own head. I know the feeling; I attended meetings just like this with my father when I was prince." He smiled warmly.

"Yeah, it was pretty boring..." I admitted, returning the smile.

"Anyhow, the meeting isn't what I wanted to discuss with you. I wanted to ask you..." He hesitated, surprising me. He wasn't typically a hesitant person, usually being very confident. "About what you said to answer Eric's question. Was... Was there any truth to it?" He met my eyes.

"Mostly, yeah," I said with a nervous smile. "It wasn't the full truth, if I'm being honest, but what I said wasn't a lie either. I am anxious, but it is a good change, albeit a scary one at that. I'm looking for my spouse, Dad, it's a big pill to swallow. I'm excited, of course! But I'm also afraid. And worried. And stressed. And..." My head dipped to look at the floor, feeling ashamed of my next statement. "I'm the most worried that none of them will be him. I'm worried I won't be able to separate my feelings for the Arranged from my feelings for E-!"

He hushed me softly before I said too much. I lifted my head to meet his eyes, pursing my lips anxiously. It wasn't breaking news to my father that I was pansexual (it was why one man would be participating in the Arranged), and it sure as hell wasn't new to him that my heart was elsewhere, but it was an unspoken and unrequited love at that, and it had been for a long time now.

"You know what I'm going to say," my father said in a very gentle, understanding tone. I closed my eyes and sighed, nodding in response. "You need to move on. Your feelings aren't reciprocated by him. You haven't told him how you feel, but he's in a relationship with Blake and has been for a long time. It's time for you to do the same with the Arranged."

"It's going to be hard." I said, defeated. "I've met other women before at our palace events, and I tried to take an interest in them at the time, but they just aren't him. I can't stop comparing anyone I find remotely appealing to him! He's just... What I want."

My father's expression said everything I needed to know. He understood some of the feelings I was going through. My father was single despite having lost his wife—my mother—twenty-two years ago. As the king, dating with a schedule as busy as his was difficult, never mind the fact that he was the king. He had never remarried after his wife's death because of these facts, but more so because no one was her. He was understanding of my mental turmoil—it was something we've discussed before—and he was expecting such emotions from me days before the Arranged.

"Give it a shot, Sonjay." He said to me. I met his eyes. "You're right, it won't be easy. But just try. You might be surprised?"

I smiled weakly. "I know, and I'm going to. At the very least it could be a distraction from him. Maybe one of the six coming on Monday will be the one?"

"Exactly. Now go take a break! Maybe paint or something. You've earned it."

"Thank you, Dad."

I wished him well with the rest of his work today. We'd see each other again shortly at dinner around six. Until then, he made a good point. I had earned a break! Painting didn't sound half bad. I cursed my thoughts where they went next, rolling my eyes to myself, but ignored the rationality regardless. Maybe I could ask Eli to join me?