Isha

"My my, what a scene for two people in a pretend relationship." Prince Carlos' voice makes me clench my eyes shut in sheer embarrassment.

Hurriedly, Calix gets up from over me. However, he doesn't forget to help me up as well. Before we know, we find ourselves scooting as far as we possibly can to clear the tensed atmosphere.

Audrey, Prince Calix's secretary and a lady in her early thirties, tries to avoid eye contact with either of us. She must have been flustered thinking we were having a personal moment perhaps, and that she has interrupted the romantic moment now. To prove my assumptions correct, Audrey bows her head numerous times with strings of apologies leaving her mouth.

"I deeply apologize, Your Royal Highness and Miss Sen. I wasn't thinking straight and entered the lobby before knocking or announcing my presence."

I open my mouth to clear the misunderstanding, and so does Calix, it seems. Nevertheless, Crown Prince Carlos, who has been eyeing me with the same amused glint in his eyes since our first encounter, beats us to it.

"You do not have to apologize Audrey," Carlos laughs airily, "I am sure Prince Calix and Miss Sen were caught up in a bit of...tangle. They have been getting in quite similar tangles, lately. Am I not correct, Miss Sen?"

He is asking me the question after mocking us—me. Right, I do not have to worry about Prince Calix; he is completely capable of defending himself from his brother.

Unfortunately, I only nod with a curt smile. I know better than to run my straightforward mouth and offend the Crown Prince of the country, I am residing in. I harbour absolutely no intentions of being fled from Syncitia, anytime soon.

Carlos laughs again, probably after sensing that something is wrong due to my lack of response. On the other hand, Calix's face has turned stiffer than usual.

"Please do not mind my petty joke," Carlos says with a chuckle, while walking towards me, "I have a rather unusual sense of humour."

"It seems so," and my unfiltered mouth runs off. I gulp, quickly covering my offended facial expression with a feigned smile, "I mean of course, not everyone has, uhm, a unique sense of humour. Haha."

The mirth increases more. Carlos is definitely teasing me, but the question is why. What would he gain by pulling my legs? It is not that I come from an influential background, am any aristocrat or even someone possessing enough wealth with whom he can freely joke around like a close acquaintance.

Whatever it is, I should stay cautious. This isn't any royal-romance movie, of course.

"Audrey was simply acting on my orders. The ride for your date is waiting outside," Carlos goes on to explain. I do find something strange. The Crown Prince didn't even spare one glance at his brother all this time, and the same goes for Prince Calix. I have heard rumours about the relationship between the two brothers being shaky, but I never paid much attention, mostly because I had no time to spend on other matters.

"I hope my presumption about both of you being caught accidentally in an unexpected position, was correct?"

"Oh yes, it was," I reply nonetheless.

Now that I remember, I haven't greeted the Crown Prince properly. This morning, I do remember reading that women curtsy as a small greeting. And I had bowed instead on our first encounter, which is done primarily by males. Explains why the suited guard Broody, had done a small neck bow, that day.

Before I can proceed to curtsy, Carlos takes me by surprise when he bends, holds my hand, and kisses on the upper surface. The flirtatious wink sends a jolt of emotions running through me, most of which include, shock, curiosity, and caution.

It's a formal greeting between aristocrats. You are being paranoid for no reason.

I remind myself. He is just being polite. The wink must have been my imagination, simply.

"I believe we didn't get the chance of having a proper meeting. Both of us were quite in a rush the other day."

"Ah yes." I wonder why I suddenly feel as if someone is staring right through my skull. "How have you been, Your Royal Highness?"

"Never been better, Miss Sen. I was wondering if you'd like to meet—"

"I am sorry to interrupt," Calix says out of nowhere, slipping his fingers through mine, momentarily.

Calm down you treacherous heart. Why must I remind you so many times, that we are not in a royal-romance movie or novel?

"We are in quite a hurry, Prince Carlos," Calix continues, his voice calm and stealthy, without an ounce of emotion evident, "You see, with all the announcements and our first date."

"First date?" A sarcastic chuckle leaves Carlos' mouth. "Oh dear brother, don't tell me you have been living in a delusional world because you haven't been in a relationship for some years. It is a fake relationship and date to put up a false play for the media, anyway."

Carlos' gaze finally meets Calix's. Long gone was the playful demeanour of the Crown Prince, and now it has been replaced with that of a forbearing mien. The two brothers' heated glares clash, as if engaged in a deadly battle.

Should I shift the mood of the atmosphere? Nah. I shouldn't, probably. Let the royals deal with their royalty stuff if I want to continue living in Syncitia. Especially when the matter involves the future ruler of Syncitia and the first prince of the country.

I try to scoot away but, Calix's intertwined fingers only tighten the grasp. Not forcefully or in any way that could hurt me. Rather as if, seeking for a reassuring defender.

My mind has been running to illusory places over and over again. There is no way Prince Calix will be lonely when he is surrounded by swarms of people, whether they be domestic-helpers, admirers, other aristocrats and such. I bet he had no trouble being popular and making large groups of friends, with him being the centre of attention.

"If you'll excuse us," Calix says monosyllabically, and sends me a glimpse. On the contrary, his gaze changes fleetingly before turning frozen, once again. His gaze differs from his deep yet soft voice when he speaks to me on a lighter tone, "Let us leave then, Miss Sen."

"Of course, Your Royal Highness," I oblige when Calix leads me out, our fingers entwined together. But none of us seem to complain, or talk about it.

"Miss Sen." Our steps come to a halt when Carlos abruptly calls for me.

The way I can recognize the overly-affectionate behaviour towards me, is almost ironic. It is as if he is deliberately trying to pursue me for some reason, inspite of knowing I and Calix need to maintain this relationship, be it fake, for the smooth-sailing of his coronation ceremony.

You are an interesting being, Prince Carlos and I am eager to unveil your true intentions surrounding me. Even if all this might just be a hunch.

"I am looking forward to seeing you around and having a proper chat with you someday, Miss Sen." He waves at me, bidding a goodbye.

I wave back, putting on the fakest smile, I possibly can muster. Why? Prince Carlos doesn't have a good first impression on me, especially when I can so clearly sense he is putting on an act to be overly kind and fond. Although this is only our second encounter.

When we are far away from the lobby and out of earshot, Calix sighs, rubbing his face with his empty hand. He realizes about our interlaced hands and releases them immediately, being flustered.

I already miss the warmth.

"Apologies for the unusual meeting back there," Calix begins awkwardly, "I am aware Miss Sen that you and I do not know one another properly and I would like to use this fake date as an opportunity to get to know you better."

Butterflies begin to dance—

"Of course, to avoid obstacles in our plan."

The butterflies die down soon. Carlos should have called me delusional instead of taunting Calix with the title, because of the way my mind keeps getting distracted by unnecessary thoughts.

"Yes you are correct, Your Royal Highness," I say, agreeing with the prince.

"Also..." Calix trails off, his eyes darting here and there, "I am not in the position to say this, but could I ask you to be more cautious around Prince Carlos?"

"And why is that?" I ask, even if I am going to be cautious around Carlos already. But still, I need to hear his brother's reason first.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Calix hesitates, "Just...trust me for the time being. It might be for your own good. Especially when both of us are already tangled up in this scandal."

I nod, following Calix out of Nirvana eventually.

Both the brothers are hiding something.

Interesting. Very interesting. Unfortunately, I cannot trust either of them fully, just yet.