The next morning, Benjamin turned over hoping to find Charles in his bed, but he wasn't there. Not wanting to face this reality, he slept in, and missed his meeting with Ara. By noon, he had washed up, but he did not feel the desire to leave his room.
Only when Sofia arrived to drag him out did he find himself in a part of the palace he had never been before. It was a large parlor. A long carpet ran from one end of the room to the other, with small rectangular tables spaced apart and large cushions scattered about, some resting against the walls. There were drinks and small plates of food on the tables.
Light music played as dancers, both male and female, moved through the room. They were dressed in outfits that accentuated every curve, adorned with gold sequins and long, beaded belts at the waist. Gold chokers, bangles, and anklets completed their attire.
Sitting at the center was Shirin. She wore a more elegant version of the dancers' outfits, leaning back on a cushion as she chatted with a man Benjamin did not recognize.
The stranger had an immense, bulky frame. Though he wore a high-collared, deep blue tunic, the muscles beneath the fabric were clearly visible. His hair was a light blond, so pale it was nearly white, grown into thick, heavy locks. With a lightly bearded face, light blue eyes, and long hair gathered into braids, he carried a rugged strength with elegance.
Sofia pointed out the Zephyrian prince. "That is Bjorn," she said, then gestured toward the Zephyrian princess. "And Liv is over there, sitting next to Ara."
In contrast to Ara's petite stature, Liv possessed a large frame with a lean and fit body. She was taller than all the women present. Her high-collared, sleeveless tunic showed off the slight muscle tone in her arms when she moved. She wore her light blonde hair down, except for a single small braid on the left.
Benjamin felt that all the royalty he had met—Charles, Sofia, Shirin, Zaid, Ara, and now Bjorn and Liv—were stunningly beautiful and radiated a natural charisma. He felt more out of place than ever. If it weren't for Sofia's arm hooked in his, he would have turned away and walked out. He noticed Charles wasn't present and wanted to ask, but decided to keep quiet.
Sofia tugged Benjamin along to sit with Ara and Liv. On the way, Benjamin bowed to Bjorn before joining the princesses. He politely greeted Liv, who returned a warm, bubbly greeting.
"Benjamin, are you alright?" Ara asked with concern.
"I'm sorry about this morning, I was tired and overslept," Benjamin apologized.
"No, there's nothing to be sorry about. I came to check in on you and the guards said you were still sleeping. I'm just glad you're well-rested now," Ara said with a warm smile.
Liv interrupted their conversation. "Benjamin, do you know how to dance?"
Benjamin shook his head.
"Shall I teach you?"
"Teach me!" Sofia chimed in.
Liv stretched her arms wide and shook her shoulders from side-to-side. "Come on, Doc! This is a one-time special lesson from your one and only, Princess of Zephyr, Liv Skarsgard."
Benjamin couldn't help but laugh.
"Leave Benjamin alone," Sofia said, tugging Liv toward the dance floor. "Ara join us!"
Ara just shook her head. "I'm waiting to be entertained by you two."
When Liv and Sofia joined the floor, the dancers gathered around them. They followed the movements, Sofia more in rhythm than Liv, laughing as they fumbled the steps.
Zaid entered the parlor and sat next to Benjamin and Ara, leaning back on a cushion. "I'm exhausted from training this morning," he said.
Watching Sofia and Liv dance, Zaid let out a laugh. "What are they doing?"
When Liv saw Zaid, she pulled him up to the dance floor. Zaid was a much better dancer than the others.
"So, shall we meet after this?" Benjamin asked Ara.
"Yes, there is quite a lot I want to talk to you about," Ara said, her eyes wide with sympathy. She placed a hand on his forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I just want to let you know that you can talk to me anytime, about anything."
"Thank you, Ara. That's very kind of you. I look forward to meeting with you later."
Charles entered the room, scanning for Benjamin. He noticed Benjamin turned toward Ara, and her hand on his arm. He quickly looked away from the scene. When he saw his sister and Liv dancing, Charles laughed and joined them, fumbling through the movements while Zaid tried to teach him.
When she saw Charles on the floor, Shirin left Bjorn mid-sentence to join the dancing. Her movements were alluring and enticing as she wrapped herself around Charles. Zaid quickly pulled Charles away and asked him to dance with him instead. Bjorn got up and joined in as well, though he was clueless and completely off-rhythm.
"The ball is tomorrow, isn't it?" Ara said. "I heard that Charles is getting engaged and they will announce it. Shirin is very much looking forward to it."
Benjamin didn't say anything.
"I'm glad it's Charles though," Ara continued.
Benjamin cleared his throat. "May I ask why?"
"I will tell you afterwards. But, are you going to attend the ball?"
"I haven't decided," Benjamin replied with a small grin.
"How come? You're already here. Might as well take advantage of the exotic food and drinks. You'll meet people of all sorts. But honestly, it's more of a jungle. It's as if all these nobles are on a hunt for their future wife or husband. It'll be interesting, is what I'm saying.
"The first part is always tame. That's when the Emperor and Empress, or the King and Queen, are there. They only stay for an hour or so. When they leave, the atmosphere completely changes."
"Well, a friend of mine is attending. Have you heard of Dr. Wren Baek? He's also from Xenos, but has practiced in several kingdoms."
"Did you say Baek?" Ara asked.
"Yes."
"I'm aware of the Baek family. They ran one of the largest private businesses exclusive to Zephyr, specifically catering to the military. Pharmaceuticals, weaponry, military intelligence, mining. All under one umbrella. Is he related to them?"
"I'm not sure. I just know he's a well-educated doctor, but he works at various local clinics in Aster. His father was from Xenos and his mother, Zephyr. We bonded over our mixed-heritage and our work."
"You two do have a lot in common. Well, will you introduce me to him tomorrow?" Ara asked, intrigued.
"Only if I do end up attending the ball. I was even thinking I should—"
"Should what?" Liv asked, returning from the floor, interrupting their conversation.
Go home... Benjamin thought, unable to finish his sentence in the presence of others. The rest of the group sat around Benjamin and Ara, making him feel self-conscious by being at the center.
"I'll drag him to the ball, don't worry," Liv teased and winked at Ara.
"No need, Liv," Charles broke in. "I will be the one who drags him there."
"No way, it'll be me. I'm the most charming! No dragging needed," Sofia exclaimed, batting her eyes.
Zaid joined in the banter. "Everyone, leave the poor doctor alone. If he doesn't want to come, we'll just take the party to his room."
"I'll bring the drinks," Ara said, following up on Zaid's suggestion. "Sofia and Liv can bring in some dancers."
Everyone laughed. Bjorn and Shirin watched, confused by the fuss. Benjamin smiled and nodded, equally confused. When he had first arrived at the palace, and when he had entered the palace, he had felt out of place. But, they had welcomed him with open arms, despite their royal stature and his modest background.
It was the first time in years he was among peers and had connections that he felt would be lasting. But, whenever his eyes landed on Charles, a tight ache squeezed his chest, forcing him to turn away and lose himself in the nearest conversation.
"Shirin, may I speak with you privately?" Bjorn asked.
Bjorn had one mission. Before he left for the capital, his parents, King Bo Skarsgard and Queen Ingrid Skarsgard of Zephyr, had made their expectations perfectly clear. He had to win Shirin's favor. There were already rumors that the Emperor had a match in mind for her, but even if that were true, it was Bjorn's mission to make sure she chose him instead.
"Naturally, the Isadorans covet Shirin's hand," King Bo said."We Zephyrians command the military, and the Xenons possess their sciences. But what does Isadora offer? Knowledge? The Aethernium? Those are weak bargaining chips. Knowledge, once shared, loses all its power and poses no threat."
The King scoffed. "And Prince Zaid? He's nothing but a soft-hearted omega. I'm certain the Emperor has never seriously considered him for the throne."
His mother had been just as adamant. "That is why you, our firstborn, must win her hand, Bjorn. Shirin is a sensible girl. She will recognize the sheer power Zephyr brings to Arcadia and to the Empire. It's far more than Isadora could ever offer."
Queen Ingrid walked up to her son. "You are far more capable and worthy of the crown than Prince Charles. You were born to rule. You will be the Emperor who leads Andromedus into an unmatched era of power and strength."
Bjorn agreed with every word. No matter what it took, he would win Shirin's hand. When Shirin agreed to talk with him privately, he led her away from the group. But, Shirin already knew exactly what he was going to say.
"Shirin, I know there are rumors about the Emperor's plans for your future," Bjorn began. "But I want to ask you to give me a chance to prove myself. We Zephyrians have loyally served the Empire for generations. Our military strength protects the borders. Whenever aid is needed, we deploy our men without hesitation. That reliable strength runs in my blood. I will be a devoted husband to you, and a strong leader for the people of Andromedus. I will help lead us to a brighter future—"
"Bjorn, the engagement is already set," Shirin interrupted. She looked at the pleading man without an ounce of pity. "I will be betrothed to Charles in three months' time. It will be officially announced tomorrow at the ball."
"Charles?" Bjorn shook his head in disbelief. They both looked over to where Charles was sitting with the others, laughing and conversing easily. "What is it that you see in that man? Isadora does not offer anything to the Empire—"
"Bjorn, enough," Shirin said, shutting him down. "If this is all you wanted to talk about, we should head back."
"Charles has always been too flawless. Too pristine and polished," Bjorn sneered. "Those are the ones you have to watch out for, Shirin."
"Really?" she asked. "What might you have on him?"
"Give me some time. I'm sure he has a flaw somewhere. I'll show you that he's not worthy of you," Bjorn said coldly.
Shirin simply smiled and nodded her head, acknowledging his words merely to end the conversation. There was no point in arguing with a man who had more muscle than sense. He was handsome, certainly, but raw power meant nothing in this world if you lacked the intellect to wield it.
Besides, she highly doubted Bjorn would find anything on Charles anyway. Her own men had been keeping a close eye on him for a while, and he was spotless. The only area her men weren't allowed to enter was his private hallway.