Chapter Text
The morning sun had barely risen when a knock echoed on the guest chamber's door. Zee, still dressed in his night robe, raised a brow as Chakri entered with a courteous bow.
"Your Grace, His Royal Highness has requested your presence immediately."
Zee sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Isn't it far too early for breakfast, Your Highness?" he muttered under his breath as he hastily changed into his formal attire.
Soon, he was seated once again in the Crown Prince's private garden pavilion, the crisp morning breeze carrying the faint scent of jasmine.
Nunew greeted him with a warm smile, pouring him a cup of tea as if nothing was amiss. "Really? You should try this tea. It's excellent," Nunew deflected with a light chuckle, sliding the porcelain cup toward him.
Zee accepted it, taking a sip... then another, then a third, stealing subtle glances at the prince between each one. Finally, unable to hold back his curiosity, he set the cup down and asked bluntly, "All right, Your Highness, what is this truly about?"
Nunew laughed nervously, his fingers fidgeting before unfolding a piece of parchment and laying it neatly on the table. "I've come to realize... it's best if we formalize our agreement. A written contract for our alliance."
Zee blinked once, then leaned forward with a smirk tugging at his lips, bewildered. "A contract? You summoned me at dawn... for this?"
Nunew nodded with utmost seriousness, though the nervous twitch of his lips betrayed him. "Yes. It's... necessary."
Zee narrowed his eyes, playful suspicion dancing in them. "Tell me, Your Highness... this wouldn't happen to be because of what I said last night, would it?"
Nunew nearly choked on his tea. "No! Of course not-" he stammered, forcing an awkward laugh.
[Flashback: The Night Before]
"Your Highness, how could you be so careless?!" Chakri's exasperated voice echoed through the chamber.
Nunew sighed. "Calm down. Nothing happened."
"'Nothing happened,' you say, but for all we know, the Grand Duke may have meant every word he said-" Chakri continued to nag.
"It's fine-"
"No, it's not fine. And don't tell me you haven't even considered drafting a contract between you two."
"A contract? For what?" Nunew asked, genuinely confused.
Chakri groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "To protect yourself, Your Highness. This is politics, not a fairytale. Tomorrow morning. Draft it. Sign it. No excuses."
Nunew huffed in defeat. "Fine, fine. Tomorrow morning it is."
[End Flashback]
Back in the present, Nunew sipped his tea, trying to maintain his composure. "You don't have an issue with it, do you?" he asked cautiously.
Zee leaned back, folding his arms as a smirk curved his lips. "Not at all. But I am curious... what prompted this sudden commitment to formality?"
Averting his gaze, Nunew shrugged. "I simply thought... it's best we begin this arrangement founded on loyalty and clarity."
"Mm," Zee hummed thoughtfully, fingers drumming lightly against the table. "So then, what does this contract require of me?"
Nunew straightened, suddenly more confident. "To seal this agreement, you must provide something, a token, a pledge, that ensures your loyalty. Something meaningful."
Zee chuckled, a low, rich sound. "And if I say I can't?"
"Then..." Nunew narrowed his eyes but grinned faintly. "You would be breaching our negotiations before they even begin."
Zee laughed quietly, shaking his head in amusement. "Relax, Your Highness. I'm teasing. I can. I'll have my aide deliver something suitable by this evening."
Nunew exhaled, relieved. "Very well, Your Grace. Then kindly sign here." He slid the paper toward him, pointing to the line at the bottom.
Zee leaned over, plucked the quill, and with a dramatic flourish signed his name. "There. Consider our fates officially intertwined."
Their gazes met for a long moment, an unspoken understanding flickering beneath the teasing smiles.
As promised, later that afternoon, Zee's personal aide, Evan, arrived at the Crown Prince's chamber carrying a finely crafted velvet box, sealed with the insignia of the Western Kingdom. With a respectful bow, Evan presented it forward.
"Your Royal Highness," he began, carefully lifting the lid to reveal the contents within, "this is the pledge my lord has chosen."
Nestled inside was a pendant, elegant yet commanding, crafted in burnished gold, engraved with the crest of the Western Kingdom. A symbol of authority, legacy, and power.
"This is no ordinary token, Your Highness," Evan explained, his tone formal but edged with solemnity. "It is my lord's family heirloom. Whoever bears this insignia shall be recognized, respected, and, if necessary, protected by every subject loyal to the Western Kingdom. Its significance is absolute."
Nunew was momentarily stunned. He had expected something modest, a ceremonial blade, perhaps, or a signet ring. But this... this far exceeded anything he could have imagined. For a duke...no, a Grand Duke, to part with his family's most sacred heirloom was nothing short of monumental.
Recovering his composure, Nunew gently lifted the box with both hands, cradling it as if it were made of glass. "I am... truly honored," he replied, his voice soft but steady. "Convey my deepest gratitude to His Grace. I shall safeguard this with the utmost respect."
Evan offered a small bow, "My lord was certain you would. This is now yours, Your Highness. May it serve as a shield when needed... and a reminder of the bond you now share."
Nunew's fingers brushed over the emblem as a quiet thought echoed in his mind:
This isn't just a symbol of protection... it's a declaration to the world.
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Nunew had known it was only a matter of time before the noble houses voiced their opposition to his courtship with Grand Duke Zee. What he hadn't anticipated was how quickly they would strike, only three days had passed, and already, he found himself summoned before the Noble Council. Again,
The Noble Court, the nobles in the court. Nunew sat composed, regal, but beneath his calm expression, a storm churned. "If only I could strangle each of them into silence," he mused inwardly. "It would save me so much effort."
But instead of acting on his dangerous imaginings, he kept his hands folded neatly, his gaze lowered, and waited.
"Your Majesty, this alliance is reckless!" one noble declared with a raised voice.
"He is the son of our greatest enemy," another cried with conviction.
And just as Nunew had expected, Duke Renald stepped forward, ever the performer.
"Your Majesty," Renald began, his voice tinged with feigned injury, "His Royal Highness saw fit to dissolve our engagement over a trivial misunderstanding, yet now seeks to consort with the son of a sworn rival. Where is the justice in this?"
Nunew resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead smiling mockingly to himself. So the performance begins...
Then his gaze lifted to meet his father's. The King's expression was unreadable, stern, unmoving but Nunew knew where the true battle lay. It wasn't merely the nobles he had to convince; it was the King himself, whose pride still bristled at the very thought of an alliance with the Western Kingdom.
Nunew rose, slow and poised, cutting through the voices like a blade.
"While I acknowledge your Lordships' concern," he began with a calm but deliberate tone, "I assure you that our intentions are sincere. Moreover, this courtship presents a rare opportunity, one that may very well lay the foundation for peace between our kingdoms."
Murmurs rippled across the chamber. Some nobles exchanged contemplative glances, while others remained rooted in disapproval.
"And how," came the gruff voice of Duke Evaris, patriarch of House Evaris, "are we to believe that the Grand Duke's intentions are honorable? How can we be certain this is not a carefully veiled political maneuver?"
"Indeed," Renald added, tone sharp. "Your Royal Highness claims to have chosen him over me for the sake of trust. But what trust can be drawn from the enemy's son?"
Unbothered, Nunew reached into the inner fold of his ceremonial coat and drew out a gleaming pendant, holding it up for all to see. Its intricate gold filigree and crest of the Western Kingdom caught the light like fire.
"This pendant," he said clearly,
A hush fell over the council.
"And what is so special about it?" Renald sneered, attempting to dismiss the gesture.
Before Nunew could respond, a new voice rang from the left of the hall.
"Perhaps Duke Renald is simply unaware of the customs beyond the borders, but that is a family heirloom." said a composed, assertive man stepping forward.
All heads turned. Nunew squinted slightly. The man's face was familiar, though the name escaped him for a moment.
"Baron Paytai Serin of the Southern Kingdom," announced the royal scribe.
Nunew's eyes widened slightly in recognition. Of course, Paytai Serin. In his past life, they had never been allies, nor enemies. Merely distant acquaintances, his kingdom rarely interfered in Eastern politics. Yet now, here he stood, cutting through the tension with calm clarity.
"Baron Paytai," Renald snapped indignantly, "Mind your place. You're speaking to a duke."
Paytai merely inclined his head with a quiet smile. "Forgive my boldness, Duke Renald, but I arrived here bearing a message from my lord. However, as this discussion continued without resolution, I could not ignore such ignorance."
"Baron Paytai is right," Nunew interjected. "This is Grand Duke Zee's family heirloom. This heirloom is not merely symbolic, a family heirloom passed down through generations. In the Western Kingdom, to bear this is to command the protection and allegiance of their people. It is not gifted lightly. . A pledge of protection. It ensures not only my safety but a gesture of good faith between our two kingdoms."
The room fell into contemplative silence. The pendant glittered softly in Nunew's hand, its presence louder than any argument.
Nunew looked across the sea of nobles, his voice steady and resolute:
"I did not choose this path lightly. But I chose it wisely. And if peace can be secured through strength and sincerity, then I will walk that path without regret."
"It is still not enough, Your Majesty. Who is to say that Grand Duke Zee will honor this heirloom? What guarantee do we have that he will not simply betray us the moment it suits him?"
The voice of the Evaris patriarch echoed through the hall, sharp and insistent. Several nobles immediately murmured their agreement, their voices rising one after another, fueling the chaos within the noble court. The hall began to buzz with heated opposition, growing louder with each protest.
Yet the King remained silent, seated on his throne with an unreadable expression. Not a single word had passed his lips. Nunew shifted his gaze toward his father, wondering What is he thinking? Why isn't he saying anything? A sense of unease coiled within him.
Then, unexpectedly, a calm but cutting voice sliced through the cacophony.
"Apologies, Duke Evaris, but I do not make a habit of betraying people I care about like Duke Renald."
The room froze. All eyes turned, and so did Nunew, so fast, he nearly strained his neck. His wide eyes landed on Grand Duke Zee, who now stood boldly at the center of attention.
Renald surged forward, rage contorting his face.
"You dare insult me, Grand Duke?" he growled.
But Zee didn't even spare him a glance. He continued his stride forward, undeterred, addressing the King directly with steady confidence.
"Your Majesty, the heirloom I entrusted to His Highness does not come alone. It bears with it the legal entitlement to half of my personal assets."
Gasps erupted like thunder across the chamber.
Nunew's eyes widened in sheer disbelief as he turned to face Zee. Half of his assets? His heart stammered. Why would anyone hand that over so easily? Has he gone mad?
The nobles began whispering frantically.
"Half of his entire estate? Is he out of his mind?"
"Surely not. That's beyond symbolic. It's political suicide."
Even the previously vocal House of Evaris fell into stunned silence.
Yet the King, ever still, remained composed and quiet. His gaze flickered between his son and the Grand Duke, deep in unreadable contemplation.
Then, just when the tension might have ebbed, Zee struck again, this time with words so bold they silenced the very breath in the room.
"And if that is still not enough..." he said with a calm, unwavering voice, "Then perhaps... a marriage would suffice. I will take His Highness as my spouse."
A wave of gasps swept through the court like a sudden gust of wind. Nunew nearly choked on thin air.
"What?!" he blurted aloud before he could compose himself. He quickly stepped down from his platform and marched up to Zee, grabbing his arm and pulling him close, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"Duke Zee, are you serious right now?"
Zee leaned slightly down, meeting Nunew's frantic eyes with an utterly unbothered expression.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" he replied plainly, as if his proposal was no more significant than offering tea.
Nunew's lips parted to say something, anything, but no words came out.
Then, the silence was broken by the one voice that had remained absent until now: the King.
"That will not be necessary," he declared at last, his voice carrying over the crowd like a gavel strike.
"We are... grateful for your proposal and the gravity of your offerings, Grand Duke."
Zee straightened and gave a respectful nod, but before the moment passed, he added, "Still, Your Majesty, I must insist. I do not take courtship lightly. If I am to pursue His Highness, I do so with the intention of protection and permanence."
At that, the King's eyes narrowed slightly not with fury, but in contemplation. He suddenly noticed something subtle: the way Zee had addressed Nunew.
"His Highness." Not "His Royal Highness." A quiet liberty. A closeness.
It did not go unnoticed.
The hall remained hushed, the air charged with something unspoken.
Nunew, still gripping Zee's sleeve, released a slow, steady breath, his heart pounding. Whether from the chaos, the audacity of Zee's offer, or the strange flutter it left in his chest, he wasn't sure.
But one thing was certain: this courtship had just shaken the entire political sphere of the kingdom.