He didn't say a word. Just smiled mischievously and leaned in slowly, his eyes flicking down to my lips.
My heart leaped into my throat.
Is he… is he going to kiss me again?
My eyes flew wide, then squeezed shut in panic. I clutched the arms of the chair tightly, frozen in place the moment I felt his lips barely graze mine.
But before the kiss could land—
"Your Highness!"
The door swung open with a loud creak, and in rushed my two handmaidens.
My eyes shot open, panic rushing through me. Without thinking, I shoved Aurelius back in alarm.
He stumbled a few steps and crashed into the study table behind him with a grunt.
He looked at me, stunned—and oddly pitiful. I gave him an awkward, apologetic smile and mouthed "Sorry."
But his gaze quickly shifted, narrowing dangerously as he turned to glare at the two intruders.
Ayna and Samira stood frozen in place, eyes wide in horror. As soon as they caught Aurelius's deadly expression, they both bowed low, their voices stumbling over each other.
"Apologies, Your Highness! We didn't realize… we should have knocked—we didn't know His Highness had returned. Please forgive us. This won't happen again! We'll leave you two alone now—"
They had already begun backing away, heads still lowered in deep embarrassment.
"Wait!" I called out quickly.
Both girls halted mid-step and lifted their heads slightly, not daring to make eye contact.
I stood from my chair, still avoiding Aurelius's gaze—which had only grown darker with every passing second.
"It's fine. You didn't walk in at the wrong time," I said, smoothing my dress as I stood straight. "Nothing happened. So, just say what you came for."
Ayna nervously clasped her hands, while Samira stepped forward to speak.
"Forgive us once again, Your Highness. We were instructed to inform you about tonight's royal family dinner… and to help you prepare."
I blinked. "Royal family dinner?"
Aurelius spoke up behind me, his voice calm but laced with amusement—he clearly hadn't missed the irony of the interruption.
"Every week, my father hosts a formal dinner. Only the royal family attends. It's tradition."
I turned to glance at him, then back at the girls.
"All right," I said with a polite nod. "You may go and prepare my bath now. Thank you."
"Right away, Your Highness," they said in unison and They both bowed again and exited quickly—probably still flustered by their near-disastrous timing.
Once they were gone, I turned around slowly, only to find Aurelius still watching me—arms crossed, brow raised, and lips curled into a faint smirk.
He didn't say anything.
But his eyes said everything.
I turned toward him and walked back to the chair, taking my seat beside him once more.
"What do you mean by 'us royals'?" I asked, frowning slightly. "I didn't know you had any relatives. You never mentioned them before."
He blinked in surprise, then slowly set down the wine glass he had been sipping from. A slow smile crept onto his lips.
"I'm surprised you didn't ask earlier," he said, tilting his head. "You really don't know much about my family, do you?"
I shook my head, curious.
He leaned back slightly and began explaining, "My father, King Theodore, has an elder brother and one younger sister. Each of them has children of their own. So yes, I have cousins—four of them. You'll meet everyone at dinner tonight." He paused, then added with a teasing smirk, "I won't list all their names now—you'll forget them anyway."
My eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Is your family really that big?" I asked innocently.
He chuckled, his voice warm. "Not enormous. But large enough to fill a room with chatter, arguments, and wine stains. You'll see soon enough." Then, he glanced out the window at the setting sun and said, "Now, go freshen up. It's getting dark, and we need to be on time."
Just as he said that, I noticed Ayna standing silently at the entrance of the bathing chamber, waiting for me. I stood up and gave him one last look before heading inside to get ready.
---
An hour later, after a long bath and a somewhat exhausting round of dressing, we were both finally ready and walking toward the grand dining hall in the main palace.
I wore an emerald green ball gown that shimmered with crystal embroidery and delicate pearls. The dress was heavy, the bodice snug and elegant, with a long train that dragged behind me. But I had worn dresses like this since childhood—uncomfortable beauty came naturally to me.
Aurelius, in contrast, had dressed in a simple white shirt, neatly buttoned, paired with fitted black pants and polished leather shoes. No royal cloak, no medals, no sign of formality. He looked every bit the rebellious prince who never cared for appearances.
As we approached the entrance of the hall, I realized this would be my very first time meeting the rest of Aurelius's family.
And I hadn't even realized how tightly I'd been gripping his hand until he leaned toward me.
"Relax, little rabbit," he whispered, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand. "No one's going to bite. As long as I'm with you, you have nothing to worry about. Just breathe and stay close."
The massive doors creaked open slowly before us, and that's when the anxiety truly hit me.
My heart skipped a beat.
Inside, a long, grand dining table stretched across the marble floor, covered with golden cutlery and glimmering wine glasses. A dazzling chandelier hung above it, dripping with crystals and lit by a hundred flickering candles that bathed the room in a warm golden glow.
Everyone seated at the table turned to look at us.
Their gazes fell on me—curious, intrigued, perhaps even judging.
I froze for a second, my breath caught in my throat.
The hall was dimly lit, and from a distance, I couldn't make out every face clearly. But as Aurelius led me forward, I began to notice their features—sharpened by candlelight, dressed in fine silks and jewels, their posture dignified, almost cold.
A man who looked like another version of King Theodore sat at the far end—probably his brother. Beside him sat a poised woman with golden earrings and a sharp gaze. Another couple sat opposite them, the man quietly sipping wine, the woman whispering something in his ear while staring at me.
Then there were the younger ones—perhaps Aurelius's cousins. Some looked my age, others slightly older. One of them—a man with dark auburn hair and a faint smirk—leaned forward with interest as his eyes lingered on me.
I didn't know what emotion I saw in their faces—curiosity, suspicion, amusement?
But they all stared.
All of them.
I instinctively gripped Aurelius's hand tighter again.
He glanced at me and leaned down with a whisper.
"Welcome to my family."
"Your Majesty," I curtsied and greeted the king.
"Child, there's no need for that," the king smiled warmly. "Come, sit—both of you—and meet everyone here."
As he spoke, we walked toward two empty seats positioned farther away from the king and queen, likely to avoid drawing too much attention or discomfort.
As I sat down, I noticed two young girls sitting directly across from me, both smiling brightly.
"Oh my, sister-in-law, you're so pretty! Your silverish white hair is beautiful—can I touch it?" said the girl with blond hair and brown eyes, her voice cheerful and full of excitement.
"Lily!" the girl next to her nudged her arm, trying to stop her.
"Apologies, sister-in-law," she said more politely. "My sister is quite young and doesn't always realize what she's saying."
"Hey! I'm not that young. I'm almost eighteen, and I do know what I'm saying," Lily replied with an eye roll.
I smiled awkwardly. "It's alright…"
Aurelius cleared his throat, then said, "Amara, meet my two cousins—my aunt, Princess Tania's daughters, Yanika and Lilyana."
I turned to look at them again, giving them a polite nod. "Hello, my ladies. It's nice to meet you."
Lily puffed out her cheeks dramatically. "C'mon, sister-in-law, there's no need to call us ladies. You're the wife of our big brother—please, just call us by our names."
I blinked, then cleared my throat gently. "Ugh… alright, Lilyana…"
"Please, just Lily!" she cut in again, grinning. "I don't like that big name. Lily's my nickname!"
Yanika sighed and shook her head. "Sister-in-law, don't listen to her gibberish. And you haven't met everyone yet, right? Let me introduce you properly."
With that, Yanika stood up from her seat, smoothing down her dress, and began to introduce me to the rest of the royal family seated around the long table.
"This here is my mother, Princess Tania. Over there is my father, Duke Gerald Lannister, and…" she continued, introducing everyone around the table.
So in short, the king's elder brother, Count Samuel Alistar, has two sons—though I honestly couldn't remember their names. And his sister, Princess Tania Lannister, has two daughters: Yanika and Lilyana.
As I greeted them all, they smiled warmly.
"I see why my sister-in-law speaks so highly of you and arranged this marriage so quickly. You are indeed a beauty, Amara," said Princess Tania with a graceful smile.
"Thank you, Your Grace. It is my honor that Her Majesty chose me," I replied shyly, offering a small bow of my head.
"Hmm… do tell us about yourself, Amara. I heard you were also adopted, like Aurelius. Is it true?"
Everyone's gaze suddenly turned toward me. I blinked, unsure of what to say. "It is true, Your Grace."
"May I ask… who were your real parents? And where did you live before you became a princess?" she asked again, still smiling, though her curiosity made my nerves tense.
I felt that familiar unease creeping in. "I don't know, Your Grace. I don't have any memories from before I became a princess," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
She looked a little surprised. "Hmm… really? But weren't you around eight when you first met the King? Why don't you remember anything? Isn't that rather strange?"
This time, a lump formed in my throat. I felt truly uncomfortable. Because even I had no answers to those questions. Why couldn't I remember anything when I was already old enough to recall such things?
I bit my lower lip.
Aurelius, noticing my unease, stepped in without hesitation. "Aunt Tania, please. I don't think it's right to press someone about their personal matters. Let's not dwell on the past and simply enjoy our meal."
Princess Tania chuckled softly. "Alright, my dear nephew. Already protecting your wife, huh?" She raised a teasing brow at him.
Aurelius rolled his eyes and gave a small smirk. "Doesn't Duke Lannister do the same for you, Your Grace?"
"Look at you—why are you dragging me into this?" Duke Lannister chimed in, shaking his head with a half-smile.
"Ugh…" The king suddenly coughed, cutting off the light banter.
"If you're all done bickering," he said, voice serious, "then I have some urgent matters to discuss tonight."
Everyone immediately turned their attention toward the king.
"What is it, uncle? What matters?" asked the man whose name I suddenly remembered—Darien, the Count's second son. "Is it our neighboring kingdom striking again?"
The king looked at him and calmly replied, "That is not the case, Darien." Then he turned his head, scanning the faces around the table. "Do you all remember that we have a ball tomorrow, in celebration of Aurelius's marriage?"
Everyone nodded.
"Then tomorrow," the king continued, "I have decided to announce Aurelius as the Crown Prince of the empire."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
The Alistar Empire had never appointed a Crown Prince because the king and queen never had children of their own. And even though Aurelius was adopted, many nobles and court officials never supported the idea of him becoming heir to the throne. In fact, just last year, nearly every councilman had opposed it.
Everyone had anticipated that if the king ever stepped down from his duties, the crown would pass to one of the Count's two sons—since they had royal blood.
But the queen loved Aurelius deeply. She had raised him as her own, and she wanted him to become the next king. She had discussed it with her husband, and he agreed. Not only because of her wishes, but because he too saw Aurelius as his rightful heir. He had raised him, taught him, trusted him. It would be unjust, he believed, if the boy he called "son" was passed over simply because his blood wasn't royal.
That's why he chose today to announce it.
"Father…" Aurelius spoke, brows furrowed.
"I know what you want to say, son," the king interrupted gently, "but you are still my son. And I am the king. So I will appoint my son as my successor."
Then his gaze turned sharp, directed toward his brother. "And I believe Count Samuel doesn't have any objection, do you, brother?"
His voice was calm, but the edge in his words sounded like a warning.
Count Samuel forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He didn't reply to the king. Instead, he turned his head toward Aurelius and said, "Theodore is right, Aurelius. You deserve the throne—as his son. So what if it's only in name? You have every right. Congratulations."
His words were polite, but the tone felt mocking. Aurelius noticed it too.
"Thank you, Uncle. Then I hope this news isn't making you feel too gloomy," he shot back, without an ounce of guilt.
The air shifted slightly in the room. Tense. Cold.
Is it always like this between them? I wondered, unable to find words.
For a moment, the two men simply stared at each other. The tension hung heavy, and no one dared to speak—until finally, it was Darien, Count Samuel's second son, who broke the silence.
"Oh, come on, brother," Darien said, chuckling as he leaned back in his chair. "Why are you glaring like that? It's almost as if you're implying that we aren't happy about your coronation." His voice was light, but something about the way he spoke made my skin prickle.
"Don't worry, brother," he continued, turning to Aurelius with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "We're thrilled for you. And did I congratulate you on your marriage already?"
Then his gaze flickered toward me.
I didn't know what exactly was in his eyes—something unreadable, something sharp that made me feel instantly uncomfortable. I quickly looked away, trying not to show it.
"I say," Darien went on smoothly, "congratulations to you, and to your very pretty wife. Congratulations, sister-in-law." He raised his wine glass in a toast.
"Come now, let us toast to my brother's marriage… and to his upcoming coronation." His smile widened.
There was a brief, strange silence as everyone stared at each other for a moment—then slowly, they followed his lead and lifted their glasses.
"To Alistar's future," they all said in unison.
"To Alistar's future," I echoed with the others, even as something inside me remained unsettled.
The servants returned and began serving the dishes, and soon everyone started to eat, the tension melting into clinks of silverware and soft murmurs of conversation.
I tried to focus on my food, but I felt it again—a gaze. Unshifting. Quiet.
I looked up quickly, and my eyes met Darien's.
He was staring at me with a mischievous smile. And the moment our eyes locked, he looked away and resumed eating, as if nothing had happened.
But something in that smile lingered. Something silent.
A strange unease crawled beneath my skin.
Was it just my imagination?
I shook my head and tried to convince myself it was.
Maybe it was just me.