A Royal Obligation
Chapter 47: It is What it is

Chapter 47: It is What it is

The door closed behind them with a definitive click, and the maids’ hurried footsteps faded down the hallway. The room was now empty, save for its two unwilling occupants.

Kaelix wasted no time. He immediately made a beeline for the farthest corner of the room, as if trying to escape the very presence of his assigned companion.

Eirik stood by the bed. He watched Kaelix for a moment, his expression unreadable. The air between them was thick with unspoken tension, a palpable reminder of the distance that separated their hearts and minds, even within the confines of this single room.

Eirik wished he were anywhere but there. He’ll do anything, just to be far away from the prickling discomfort of Kaelix’s presence.

The room was beautifully appointed, with elegant drapes hanging on the walls and a large four-poster bed dominating the center of the space, but all its charm seemed to fade in the face of the growing unease.

Eirik sighed deeply, the silence almost suffocating. Kaelix busied himself with inspecting the room, running his fingers over the polished wooden furniture, deliberately avoiding any acknowledgment of Eirik’s presence.

Kaelix, unable to bear it anymore, finally broke the silence with a pointed comment. "This is absurd," he muttered, his voice laced with disdain. "How are we expected to share a room? What were they thinking?"

Eirik’s patience, already worn thin, snapped. He turned to face Kaelix, and shot back with a touch of sarcasm, "Well, you could always take it up with your parents. I’m sure they’d be thrilled to hear how you’re being forced into such a terrible ordeal." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And maybe you could stop acting like a child while you’re at it."

Kaelix’s eyes flashed with anger. He whirled around to face Eirik, his voice cold. "I don’t need you to tell me how to handle my parents. Or how to act."

Eirik crossed his arms, unbothered by Kaelix’s rising temper. "Clearly, someone does."

The room crackled with the intensity of their exchange, each word only deepening the rift between them. Kaelix, now seething, was about to retort, but Eirik cut him off with a calm yet cutting remark. "If it’s so unbearable, Kaelix, maybe you should consider sleeping outside."

Kaelix clenched his fists, his frustration reaching a boiling point. "You think this is funny?" he snapped.

"Not particularly," Eirik replied, his tone even. "But it’s the reality we’re stuck with. If you can’t take it like the real man you claimed to be, then get out."

Kaelix’s face flushed with anger. "How dare you talk to me in that manner!"

Eirik rolled his eyes, waving Kaelix in a dismissive gesture, "Oh please..."

Kaelix, was so frustrated, not just with Eirik but with the entire situation. His parents’ orders, this ridiculous charade, none of it made any sense to him.

In an attempt to assert some control over the situation, Kaelix abruptly suggested, "We’ll divide the space." He marched over to the bed and began arranging a line of pillows down the middle, creating a clear boundary. "This is your side, and this is mine. No crossing over."

Eirik watched him with a mix of annoyance and amusement. "I couldn’t care less," he said, his voice tinged with exasperation. "If it keeps you happy, go ahead."

Kaelix’s face hardened, but he said nothing more. He busied himself, with his self-imposed task. Eirik, meanwhile, decided it was time to change out of his travel clothes. He turned to Kaelix, who was still fussing with the pillows. "Turn around," Eirik said, his tone more of a command than a request.

Kaelix froze, taken aback. "What?"

"I’m changing," Eirik replied, already starting to unbutton his tunic. "Unless you’d prefer to watch."

Kaelix, though clearly irritated, complied with an exasperated sigh, turning his back to Eirik.

The awkward silence that followed was filled with the rustling of clothes and the occasional clink of metal against wood. Kaelix could hear the faint sounds of Eirik moving about, the tension palpable even with his back turned.

Just as Eirik finished changing, a knock came at the door. The caretaker entered, a polite but somewhat detached expression on his face. "Excuse me, princes. I need to inform you that dinner preparations are underway, and we require your assistance."

Kaelix frowned, his irritation palpable. "Assistsnce... In... Cooking? What does that have to do with us?"

Eirik glanced at Kaelix, raising an eyebrow. He was equally perplexed. The caretaker cleared his throat and explained, "It’s part of the Queen and King’s order. They want both of you to participate in hunting for the meat that will be used for dinner. It’s a tradition meant to foster bonding."

Kaelix’s face darkened as he recalled the list his mother had given him, which included this very activity. He muttered under his breath, "Damn list."

Eirik’s curiosity was piqued. "What list?"

Kaelix shot him an annoyed look but didn’t elaborate. Instead, he focused on the caretaker, who was now handing them bows. Kaelix took the bow reluctantly, his frustration evident. "This is ridiculous," he muttered under his breath. "I don’t just understand the need for all this."

Eirik, however, crossed his arms, eyes narrowing, refused to take his. "Why do I need a bow? I’m here to participate, not to play Robin Hood."

The caretaker blinked, clearly taken aback. "To hunt, of course. I’m sorry Your Highness, but part of the task is to actually use the bow."

Eirik shook his head. "I thought participating meant being there with Kaelix, not necessarily pulling a bow. Isn’t that the point? To be together?"

The caretaker was momentarily speechless, struggling to find a rebuttal to Eirik’s logical argument. Kaelix, who had been silently seething, couldn’t believe his ears. "Are you being serious right now?" he asked incredulously.

Eirik met his gaze with a straight face. "Dead serious. I don’t see why I need to wield a bow to bond with you. After all, isn’t the point of this whole charade for us to spend time together? Whether I actually hunt or not seems secondary."

Kaelix opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again, his frustration mounting. It was just like the Valeidio’s prince to find a loophole, to twist the situation to his advantage. He didn’t know whether to be impressed or infuriated.

"I can’t belief this... This is ridiculous."

Eirik shrugged nonchalantly. "It is what it is. But If you think it’s a problem, then that’s on you. I’m doing what I was asked to do."

The caretaker watched the exchange in silence, sensing the growing tension between them, wisely chose not to press the issue further. "If you insist, Your Highnesses."