Calix

I wince when Audrey presses the ice bag, harder than necessary, on my swollen left cheek. Lola for sure can throw some great punches that make you gasp for oxygen, and wish to never be in her bad books. Although I already am in her bad books. Or rather, worst book. I deserve it anyway after snatching away the light from Isha's life. However, the punch did hurt. I am only glad to have my teeth and gums intact.

"Audrey," I groan in protest at the second time she presses the ice bag hard, "If you could handle the bruise with more tenderness, it would be highly appreciated."

"Right. Apologies." Audrey sounds anything but sorry.

"Is something the matter?" I inquire, not being able to keep my curiosity to myself. After my return from Fleurina, my secretary's attitude has changed drastically from her usual bubbly, workaholic, nervous-wrecking persona to someone who is constantly on edge around. As if she has something to say, but is hesitating.

"Nothing, Your Royal Highness."

I sigh. "Speak Audrey."

"As I said—"

"It is an order from the Crown Prince, Audrey. Hence, speak." I despise using the power of my title and status, but when time calls, they do come off as an advantage to some extent.

Audrey huffs. Steps back, while I hold the ice bag against my swollen check and watch the woman biting her lower lip and contemplating. Finally, she opens her mouth. "Please forgive me for saying this, Your Royal Highness but...you are heartless."

Surprise coats my features. "Please elaborate."

"Meaning, Your Royal Highness," Audrey's stare pierces right through me, as for the first time, she holds her gaze without nervousness evident. Although there are some specks of anxiousness. "Miss Isha Sen. What you are doing to her, by keeping her in the dark and creating a misunderstood picture of yours in her mind, is very heartless of you. I know the circumstances are difficult and perhaps a possible relationship with the woman can never be possible. But as someone who is in a relationship with a man I am head over heels for, if my boyfriend did what you are doing to me, my soul will die. It wouldn't have mattered if you and Miss Sen had still been merely strangers in a false relationship. Even for just a week, both of you began dating after discovering your blossoming feelings.

Your Royal Highness, please be responsible, and that includes relationships that are meant to be mended, fears that are needed to be gotten over, and intentional misunderstandings that are necessary to be cleared. That is all and the rest is up to you, at the end of the day." Audrey bows, her face devoid of any emotion, "I will bring the medicines to cure your swell soon." And just like that, without glancing back, she exits from my bedchamber.

Nevertheless, even before I can take the time to think through her words and express a proper reaction, quite rudely the door is pushed open and in enters another person.

Prince Carlos. Former Crown Prince. Second Prince of Syncitia. My Half-Brother. The one whom I have not seen anywhere for almost a week is standing inside my bedchamber, his suit, shirt, tie, loosened and rumpled, hair messy, and eyes burning with rage. Moments after few guards arrive, gasping for breath and their faces red from tiredness while probably chasing my brother around. I motion them to leave and allow for Carlos to stay.

Not that he needs my permission.

"Carlos—ack!" A puff of air leaves me when brother dearest steps forward and places a punch on my unwounded cheek, which will surely swell as well. And with both swollen cheeks, I will appear no less than a red tomato.

What happened to the good, old, 'hi', 'hello', 'how are you, dear brother?'

"Stop," I breathe, clasping my fingers on his fist when it comes to hit me for the third time. Another hand of mine lifts in the air to punch his guts when I notice him still losing his calm, and acting like a rabid, wild animal. "For God's sake, stop it." I grunt struggling against his obvious force.

"You deserve to be beaten into a pulp." Carlos' raging, red eyes meet mine as he manages to knee at the corner of my waist, resulting in my grip on him to loosen. "I will not calm down unless and until I have drained out all blood from your body."

I bend my body back when he swings his arm, and I punch him in the jaws this time. Talking while fighting? Fine with me. "Is this about the change in positions?"

Carlos halts his attacks for a moment, breathing heavily as sweat trickles down his forehead and I would've almost thought that his anger has dissipated but it seems not the case. Not long after, my brother resumes throwing punches and kicks at me. "No, you dumbfuck! I could care less about that shitty Crown Prince title."

I snort despite warm blood running down my nose, "Lying to your elder brother, I see? Not very believable."

"Shut up." He scoffs wiping off the drops of blood from his bruised lips, his glare intensifying, "You are one to talk by being a coward and lying to Isha."

"Yes and?" I pretend to be nonchalant even though just the mention of Isha's name is enough to tear my heart apart, "It was a fake relationship. And was bound to come to an end someday."

Carlos chuckles darkly, grabbing my collar, his nose flaring, "Don't fucking think I am stupid, Calix. No one knows it better than me, how much you love her. And poor Isha fell for a stupid douchebag like you, unfortunately."

I gulp, clenching my fists, "Do not speak when you know nothing about our lives. About my life. What I am going through. What I have to go through. You know nothing, Carlos."

"I don't?" A broken laughter ripples through his chest, churning something foreign inside me, "Of course I don't, right? The one who lived in the limelight, how could he? How could he when he died a little everyday while trying his best to turn a blind eye to his abandoned elder brother, just to save him from the wrath of his psychotic mother. But you know what? I could not. Even though it took me time to break free from her manipulations, I could not turn a blind eye. So I stayed.

I stayed by being your enemy."

I know, Carlos. I know now. This conversation that I thought we will be having after Veronica's true colours were revealed did not happen in such a manner in my imagination. Us two brothers who lived years in animosity, or rather, one made himself believe it was animosity while the other pretended to fuel the feeling even more to save his brother, are finally in front of one another and facing our past demons. Bruised, bloodied, sweaty, rising heartbeats, heaving breaths, and the calming of raging emotions, accompany us. Soon, Carlos releases my collar, stepping back.

"I do not need reconciliation of our pasts. We are already too deep into this mess of hating game...and it will take time." Carlos pushes his hair back, his glare less intense than before, "However, Isha does not deserve the treatment you are giving her."

"I do not have any option!" I yell out in frustration, "I know I am a coward but what am I supposed to do? Father will destroy Isha's life, if he finds her the least bit associated to me."

"That is it then?" Carlos scoffs in disbelief. "In fear of our so-called father, you are giving up on the one person who made you believe in true love? The one person who made you see the light in your life? The one person who was there for you when no one was?"

"Carlos—"

"Heck, you are not alone, Calix! You have people in your life who genuinely respect, admire and love you. It is a thousand times better than the snake-like rich snobs who always used to butter me up."

No words leave my mouth for the first time in an argument against Carlos, for he is absolutely right. "I know. Still, I cannot risk Isha's life for me. Father can become a tyrant if he wishes so."

Carlos sighs, as if I am the dumbest person on Earth at the moment.

"Do you love Isha?" Carlos asks.

"I do." I reply without hesitancy.

"How much?"

"So much so that I am willing to sacrifice...our love, for her future happiness."

"And do you truly believe Isha will be happy without you?" Carlos blanks.

"I—" Reluctantly I shake my head, "No. But she will get over me soon."

"Fool. Love isn't so easy to forget and just move on. That is the most beautiful yet tragic part of being in love, whether unconditional or conditional." Carlos explains, his features visibly softening and I cannot help but furrow my brows in confusion.

"You are speaking as if you are in love."

Carlos stares at me without saying anything before declaring, "I was. Close to being in love. Unrequited love, unfortunately. She is—well, never mind."

I nod, not prodding further into his personal life even though the curiosity is eating me up because Carlos is definitely not the type of person to fall for someone.

"Point is, what is stopping you now? You know you love Isha and want to be with her."

I scrunch my eyebrows. Did he not get what I had mentioned about His Majesty before? "I said—"

The infamous devious smirk he is popular for, appears on his wounded, busted lips, as Carlos says, "Use your knowledge and status."

"Meaning?"

"Seriously, did falling in love make you hilariously stupid or something?"

I want to retort but I do not. I believe, it has.

"Anyway," Carlos exhales, calming himself down, "You are the present Crown Prince. What does Law Number 32 under the section of Syncitian Monarchical Rule, state?"

"It states," I take a moment to recollect the specific law before speaking, "The power of Crown Prince in Syncitia is much more than what the aristocrats and citizens are aware of. Therefore, His Majesty the King, shall not make any decision unless he has the written approval from the Crown Prince..." I trail off with a gasp as the realisation falls upon me, and Carlos smiles knowingly.

"How did I miss such a crucial law when I have memorized the constitution of Syncitia like the back of my hands?" I groan clenching my hair in my fists, "I could have stopped everything."

I could've. I should've. And Isha wouldn't have been hurt by me.

"I need to speak to Father." As if the fear I had always felt for King Richard or perhaps, the fear that I was taught to feel for him, dissolved into thin air, replacing the whirlwind inside me with a newfound strength, authority and power. Anger, self-loathing, fierce furiousness. My rage sprang to life and thrummed through my arteries and veins. The anger that I have for my foolish, coward self and the one buried for my father, all combined and mixed up is now ready to burst out through the roofs.

As Carlos turns around to leave my bedchamber, his softening features plastered, my words stop him. "Carlos, do you wish to become the Crown Prince, once again?"

He does not face me entirely, his voice sombre. "So, do you. In fact, it was your rightful position, snatched away wrongfully."

"What if I say, I have a proposal?" The right proposal, which hopefully, Carlos would accept.

He does not respond but does not move either. Hence, I continue, "After Father steps down from the throne, let us become the kings of Syncitia. Together."

"What do you..." he frowns, glancing at me, "That is not possible."

"It is." I answer with firmness. "It is, if we...work hand-in-hand. As...brothers."

Carlos clenches his jaw to prevent the smile from appearing on his lips, but I do find a hint of it. He is happy.

"Very well then." Carlos clears his throat. "Only since I am competent as well."

"You are." I smile seeing Carlos' mouth slightly parting at my genuine and least expected response. But then again, we have both silently agreed upon fixing our brotherly bond that we had once lost in the threat and manipulation of Veronica, on him.

"A-Anyway, I have work to attend to," flushing in deep embarrassment, my brother quickly leaves the room, resulting in a flutter of laughs from me. Isha was right, after all. Carlos never hated me, nor did I.

Well now, it is time to confront the so-called father of mine and finally break free from the chains he had put on me since the day I was born.

And you know what? I do exactly that. I receive insults and yells and even a slap, but I express my power with confidence. After all, it was he who had snatched the title of Crown Prince and had forced it on me, all without my knowledge. It was only right of me to present him a thank you gift, as his son, and reunite with the love of my life. The corrupt royal arranged marriages he is so proud, shall see no more light. Not in Syncitia.

As I head out of His Majesty's office with the biggest shit-eating grin I have ever grinned in my entire life, the employees and guards in the corridor of Nirvana throw me curious and surprised glances due to the loud screams of frustration coming from the supposedly composed and mature King's office. With pride, elegance, happiness and no more fear, I walk with freedom through these halls which once were a source of suffocation and anxiety to me. When I catch Audrey's gaze, she looks at me with surprise at first before realisation dawns, and my secretary sends a grin that conveys the message, 'I am proud of you, Your Royal Highness.'

I know, Audrey. I know. I am proud of myself, too.

A laugh bursts through me as the chilling yet comforting evening breeze hits me when I step down the stairs of Nirvana. I loosen my tie, black coat, and hand it over to a startled guard. I even unpin my Crown Prince badge. I want to feel free and live in the moment. In fact, I perhaps know how the Disney princesses feel when they suddenly start singing and dancing when they are closer to their goal, finish achieving something, or are finally free.

"Hello Disney Prince," I halt when Carlos' mocking voice appears behind me, "Going to the one I think you are?"

I grin wide. "You bet I am."

Carlos smugly smiles. "I wish you luck then. Also, a warning for the future. Break Isha's heart again, and next time I won't sit back patiently and give you the advice of a love guru. I will take the opportunity."

I smile back competitively. "That won't be necessary. I promise."

"Off you go then, Romeo," he taunts, but with a playful tease. Playful Carlos is back, I see.

And off I go. To Isha. Right where I belong.