WHO MADE ME A PRINCE
chapter eighty four - princess.

THE ROYALS ARRIVED AT THE AUDIENCE HALL, and they sat in their respective thrones. The Duke entered without wasting a second, Jennette following behind him holding Ijekiel's hand.

"Your Majesty, I present to you. Princess Jennette de Alger Obelia." The Duke stepped aside.

Jennette slowly rose her head to face the same jeweled eyes which she was gifted with.

However the emperor's glare was enough to paralyze her and make her instantly keep her head down.

This was not what she had expected when she had dreamt of finally being reunited with her family. The way the emperor looked at her was not with affection or warmth, not the way he looked at the prince or princess, instead as if he was looking at something that annoyed him.

That cold glare of his, as if questioning her very existence.

"Sure, I can see from your eyes that you're of royal blood, then shall I perhaps gouge out those eyes?"

Jennette flinched from the harsh tone and words.

"Your Majesty! She is your daughter as we–" The Duke defended.

"Enough with this nonsense. What other proof do you have besides the eyes?"

"That..." The Duke began to think.

Meanwhile Claude glanced at his two children. Athanasia looked a bit pale, while Arius had a blank expression on his face.

"Father, perhaps we should first confirm with a magician whether the eyes are fabricated or not?" Arius suggested.

Claude seemed rather annoyed by the suggestion. He had no clue what was going on in his son's head. Regardless, he looked over at Athanasia, saw that she nodded in agreement and summoned Lucas immediately.

In less than a minute after Lucas's arrival, it was confirmed that Jennette definitely held royal blood and the eyes were real.

The expression on the Duke's face brightened as he looked at the emperor to hear his answer.

"If what the magician has stated is true and that girl is of royal blood. . ." Claude tested his chin on his right hand, "Then why are you telling me now?"

Claude's tone was fierce, cold, merciless. His eyes filled with rage. The emperor was mad. Mad at the Duke for what he had done. To have the audacity to approach his children and tell them about a possible other royal?

How dare he approach his children with such nonsense? How dare he speak of a topic which the emperor had already wanted him not to speak of again?

And to his children at that?

Arius and Athanasia could very well see their fathers mood. Athanasia seemed worried about the outcome of this audience, while Arius was wondering why his father was getting so angry.

"That's because it was in her mothers wish." The Duke spoke, as though he had prepared the lines.

"Before my cousin departed from this world, she made her final request that Princess Jennette enter the Palace when she turns of age, until then she was to reside with us." The Duke spoke as he was bowing. Ijekiel and Jennette had their heads low as well.

Claude continued glaring at them. Arius already knew the whole thing was a lie, and so did Athanasia. Penelope had no clue in the original story that she would die during childbirth.

She had expected Jennette to be her gateway to the Palace, but with the twist in fate she died after giving birth to said gateway.

Arius looked at his father. He hadn't told Claude about anything. Not his plans or what he'd discussed with Athanasia.

But he had expected Claude to allow Jennette's residence in the Palace with or without either of his children's consent or opinion.

Because right now Jennette is being revealed as Claude's daughter, surely Claude wouldn't be so cold hearted as to reject his own daughter.

Ah well, he did reject Athanasia in the original. Back then he didn't even know Jennette was just his niece and nothing else, yet he still rejected his daughter, is the opposite gonna happen now?

Arius looked at his fathers expressions to try to predict his next move. He looked at Jennette who looked paler than before. Pity washing over his eyes, he decided to talk to his father within the presence of a sound barrier between the royals only.

"Dad. . . she's our sister too. . ." Arius whispered as if sounding worried.

"Arius." Claude spoke, his voice firm and unusually serious.

"Athanasia. "

The two looked at their father, gulping down their saliva as they leaned ahead to see his expression while he spoke the next words.

"She. is. not. my. child." Claude spoke, every word with as much emphasis as he could put.

Arius and Athanasia blinked in surprise.

"But. . . she has jeweled eyes, daddy." Athanasia spoke up.

"That doesn't mean anything to me. I only have two children and that's you two. That one is not my child, I swear upon my blood." Claude spoke with yet another tone of absolute seriousness.

Arius looked over to Athanasia from behind their thrones. They only needed their eyes to communicate.

Daddy's being weird. Athanasia stared at Arius.

He's worried we'll think he had another child he forgot about. Arius tried conveying telepathically.

The two siblings then once again looked ahead. Their father's expression remained unchanged.

At this rate, he wasn't going to take in Jennette.

"Dad, we believe you. But that being said, Jennette is still royalty. She could be our cousin!" Arius spoke, sounding oh so casual about it.

Athanasia flinched when he mentioned it so casually and then looked at the Duke, but realized the sound barrier was still active.

"Plus, I don't like the idea of letting her live with that man." Arius spoke in finality.

There was a prolonged silence in the hall. Arius decided it best to take the barrier off.

"Athanasia." Claude called out. The father-daughter duo shared a look. And Athanasia nodded at the end of the look. They somehow came to a silent agreement.

"Arius." Claude looked at his son next and Arius nodded without even trying to read his fathers eyes.

Claude sighed and looked at the brunette in front of him.

"Very well. The Alpheus duchy has taken care of a royal and raised her well. However, now she will live with us. You've done your duties well, Duke. You may be excused now. "

"Ah, thank you, your majesty. Regarding Princess Jennette, where will her residence be for the time being, since she's grown up with us, I believe it would be a bit hard on her to suddenly be surrounded by new faces. I would like to visit her occasionally." The Duke finally raised from his bow and the two behind him did the same.

Claude was about to say something when Athanasia spoke up before him. "The Emerald Palace."

Athanasia had a confused look on her face for a second, as if she blurted out her thoughts. But she immediately composed herself.

"Father, I would like to share my palace with her."

Claude took a while to decide but ended up allowing the princess to reside in Emerald Palace.

"T–Thank you, Your Highness." Jennette bowed.

Athanasia just smiled. The royals now stood up from their seats.

"Your Majesty, if princess Jennete is to reside in the Palace from now on, there's a lot more to discuss–"

"Enough." Claude glared at the Duke.

"Today is a special day. Don't ruin it any further. She'll be staying here tonight, sending all her things by morning. That is all for now. Now don't annoy me any further." Claude ordered before leaving the Audience room with his children following behind him.

Or at least he thought his children were following him.

Instead he turned around to see Arius standing behind him, while Athanasia had been standing beside Jennette talking to her and holding her hand as if indicating she was no longer going anywhere with the Alpheus and instead with the Royals.

Arius continued out of the Audience hall. Claude went out as well. As soon as they were out and away from the eyes of any nobles.

"Thank you dad. And I'm really sorry for making you do what we wanted. Are...you okay with this?" Arius asked, with his face down in a bit of guilt.

There was a short silence. And then Arius felt his father's hand over his head. "I'm fine with everything as long as you two are happy with it. But if she makes you uncomfortable or annoys you in any way, I'll take care of her."

Arius raised his head to see his father's expression. It was strange. He cared. Arius knew he cared and yet every time he did, Arius would feel so happy.

He would feel an emotion he couldn't describe.

When Claude acted like a father and talked to them like a father Arius just couldn't–he couldn't pretend like it was granted.

He couldn't pretend that Claude was obligated to act like a caring and loving father.

He couldn't act indifferent to all his fathers slight gestures of affection.

Because he knew there were ugly people out there, people who despite being parents treat their children like property or tools.

The world is unfair, you don't get to choose your parents.

Domestic violence was common, practically everywhere.

And knowing all that, seeing Claude being nice and fatherly would always make Arius feel so so very grateful.

Everything could've been so much worse for him.

Yet Claude never raised his voice with him, he never raised his hand on him and he never even scolded Arius.

Despite all Arius did, from his daily annoying sessions from childhood to secret outings.

Claude never once scolded him.

He'd always just show concern, worry or comment about his behaviour.

But never scold.

And at this moment. As Arius turned fifteen. And despite their being the revealing of a third royal Claude remains so firmly loyal to his children.

Arius felt so many emotions from that one head pat and so he decided to convey them to him. As a hug.

He squeezed Claude tight. He could never describe how thankful he was for everything he had right now. And he was sure it would last forever.

Claude didn't change even after seeing Jennette. He's still the same. He's still our dad.

Arius smiled to himself as he hugged Claude.

Claude returned the hug, and after a while of hugging, asked, "Back to the banquet hall? Or are you tired?"

"Banquet Hall."