A Royal Obligation
Chapter 105: Shoo! Shoo!!

Chapter 105: Shoo! Shoo!!

Kaelix trailed behind, feeling more and more out of place with every step. He wasn’t part of their easy camaraderie, their inside jokes and long history. He was an outsider here, and the realization sat heavy in his chest.

He watched as Eirik was whisked away by his siblings, leaving him in the hallway like a forgotten accessory.

Julian, ever observant, noticed Kaelix’s quiet presence behind them and couldn’t resist. He turned on his heel and called out, "Hey, you don’t have to follow us. This is a family thing. The last I checked, you’re not related to us... by blood." His words dripped with condescension, his smile sharp.

Ella joined in with a light laugh. "Yeah, you should probably head to your own quarters, Kaelix. We’ll see you at dinner or something. Shoo shoo!"

Kaelix’s face remained impassive, though inside, their words stung.

Amarok, standing a few paces behind Kaelix, shifted uncomfortably at the exchange. His eyes darted between the Julian and Kaelix, his lips parting as though he wanted to say something, but then thinking better of it. He merely glanced down at the floor, trying not to draw attention to himself.

Theo raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his cool, detached gaze settling briefly on Kaelix before moving back to his siblings. It was a quiet assessment, neither approval nor disdain, just the indifference of someone who had seen many such social dynamics play out.

Theron smirked slightly, as if amused by Julian and Ella’s antics but kept his arms folded, watching the scene unfold with silent interest.

Lucian, the quieter of the twins, gave a soft chuckle at Julian’s remark. It was clear he was entertained by the situation.

Eirik, tried to intervene. "Stop it, you two. Be nice," he protested, but Julian and Ella had already made up their minds. Before Eirik could finish his sentence, Julian tugged him along, clearly ready to be done with the conversation.

"It’s okay, Eirik," Kaelix finally spoke up, his voice calm despite the knot forming in his chest. "Go ahead and spend some time with your family. It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other." He managed a small, polite smile, but the disappointment behind his eyes was unmistakable.

For a brief moment, Eirik hesitated, his expression conflicted. "No... I..."

"Come on, I need to rest. Show us our quarters," Julian interrupted, pulling Eirik with more insistence.

Eirik gave one last apologetic glance before allowing himself to be swept away, he had little choice but to follow his family, leaving Kaelix standing alone, watching their backs disappear down the long corridor.

As the echoes of their footsteps faded, Kaelix exhaled slowly, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. This was going to be harder than he had anticipated. Much harder.

"Well, that was awkward," a voice chimed in from behind. Kaelix turned to see Darren and Lysander approaching, both of them wearing amused expressions.

Darren whistled, giving a low, mocking tone. "Seems like someone’s not exactly winning over the in-laws."

Kaelix rolled his eyes, trying to brush off the sting. "What gave you that idea?" he replied, his tone dry but with a hint of bitterness.

"You need to work harder to gain their approval," Lysander teased, crossing his arms as he gave Kaelix a once-over. "If you don’t, it looks like they might just keep treating you like that poor kicked puppy back there."

Kaelix forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "I’m working on it."

Darren let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "All I can say is, you kind of deserve it."

Kaelix’s brows furrowed, and he turned to Darren with a quizzical expression. "Excuse me?"

Darren smirked, exchanging a look with Lysander. "After all, you treated Eirik the same way when he first arrived in Zephyros, didn’t you? Keeping him at arm’s length, giving him the cold shoulder. Now, it’s payback time."

Lysander nodded in agreement, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yeah, it’s almost poetic justice. You had your walls up, keeping him out. Now his family’s doing the same to you. Karma’s funny like that."

Kaelix’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t have a retort. They weren’t wrong. He had been distant with Eirik when the younger prince had first come to Zephyros. It wasn’t out of malice, but because he hadn’t known how to let someone like Eirik in. Now, he was on the receiving end of that same coldness.

"It’s not as simple as you think," Kaelix muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is more than just family dynamics. It’s... complicated."

"Isn’t it always?" Darren quipped, leaning casually against a marble pillar. "But complicated or not, you’re going to have to find a way to fix it. The Valeidios are close-knit, and if you can’t crack that, your life’s going to be hell."

Kaelix sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I know," he admitted. "But it’s hard when I’m always the outsider."

Lysander clapped a hand on Kaelix’s shoulder, a friendly but firm gesture. "Then stop being the outsider. You want to be part of Eirik’s life, right? That means being part of his family. You’re not going to win them over by standing on the sidelines."

"Exactly," Darren agreed, his teasing tone softening slightly. "Look, we’re just messing with you, but there’s truth in it. The more you stand back, the more they’ll push you away. You’ve got to show them you’re not just some prince from another kingdom trying to swoop in and marry their brother. You’ve got to show them you’re in this for real."

Kaelix nodded, understanding the weight of their words. He appreciated their bluntness, even if it stung a little.

Darren and Lysander weren’t wrong. If he wanted to make this work, he had to be willing to fight for it, It wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing worth having ever was.

Before Kaelix could respond, Drystan appeared, walking toward them with a casual stride all clean and fresh, his usual smirk plastered on his face. "So, what’s going on here?" he asked, glancing between the three men.

"We were just offering some friendly advice to our prince here," Darren replied, smirking as he gestured toward Kaelix.

"Ah, I see," Drystan said, raising an eyebrow. "And by ’friendly advice,’ you mean you were giving him a hard time."

"Of course," Lysander grinned. "What else are cousins for?"

Drystan chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "Well, they’re not wrong, Your Highness. You’ve got a tough road ahead if you’re trying to win over that lot." He gestured in the direction where the Valeidio siblings had disappeared. "But hey, I’ve seen you handle worse. Just don’t lose that famous prince Kaelix charm. You are stubborn, use it to your advantage."

Kaelix let out a humorless laugh. "Not sure stubbornness is going to do much in this situation."

"Maybe not," Drystan said, his tone light but sincere. "But persistently stubbornness might. You just have to outlast them. Eventually, they’ll get tired of pushing you away."

"Or they’ll accept you, if you prove you’re worth it," Lysander added with a wink.

Kaelix shook his head, but a small smile finally cracked through his frustration. "Thanks, I guess," he muttered. "I’ll figure it out."

"That’s the spirit," Darren said, clapping him on the back. "Now, how about we grab a drink before this reunion gets any more awkward? I’m sure we could all use one after that."

Kaelix smiled, grateful for their support, even if it came with a fair amount of teasing. "Yeah," he agreed. "I think I could use a drink."