After a week of preparation, the day finally came.
Even with everything arranged carefully, the mood around the visit was far from welcoming. The servants knew and the estate felt it. This was not a visit anyone truly wanted but one that had to happen.
The Prince's carriage arrived at the Silvaris estate without delay.
It passed through the large gates with its presence immediately drawing quiet attention. Servants stood lined up at the entrance with their heads lowered in respect, though their movements were a little stiff.
At the front stood Alon, the great butler of the estate.
As always, he looked calm and composed while showing no sign of the tension in the air. When the carriage stopped, he stepped forward and gave a deep bow as the Prince stepped down.
"Your Highness," Alon greeted in a steady voice. "Welcome to the Silvaris estate."
His tone was polite but there was no warmth in it, only duty.
Without wasting time, Alon turned slightly and guided the Prince inside. They did not head toward the main halls or the usual receiving rooms.
Instead, they walked toward the garden.
The path was quiet, surrounded by neatly trimmed bushes and blooming flowers. The soft sound of leaves moving in the wind and birds in the distance made the place feel peaceful at first glance but the calmness felt thin, like something placed on the surface to hide what lay underneath.
Soon, they reached the garden pavilion.
It stood in the middle of the garden, simple but elegant.
Light curtains moved gently with the breeze and a table had already been prepared inside. Everything looked perfect, arranged with care but it didn't feel comfortable.
The place was open, leaving no room for secrets yet distant enough to keep things from feeling too close.
Alon stopped just before entering and turned slightly to the Prince.
"His Grace will arrive shortly," he said. "If Your Highness needs anything, the staff will assist you."
He gave another bow before stepping back, keeping a respectful distance.
The Prince was left in the pavilion, surrounded by quiet and in that silence, the tension became harder to ignore.
"Hah… even after announcing my visit for a week, this is how they welcome me?" the Prince muttered under his breath as his lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "Well, it doesn't matter. Let's see what kind of bride you've chosen, Duke Silvaris."
Once Alon stepped away, the last bit of formality seemed to disappear with him.
The Prince exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair with gaze moving around the pavilion. His eyes searched the surroundings, expecting someone or anyone to appear but there was no one.
Just silence, making his expression darkened.
"Damn it…" he hissed quietly as his irritation rising fast. "He sends a butler to receive me?"
His jaw tightened and the calm mask from earlier was starting to crack.
"I am the Prince of this Empire. The sole heir…" His voice dropped lower, filled with restrained anger. "And this is how he treats me?"
The sound of wood scraping against stone broke the stillness as he pulled a chair back more forcefully than needed. The sharp noise echoed briefly in the open space.
Then he sat down heavily while leaning back with clear displeasure with one hand gripping the armrest as if holding back further anger.
After a moment, his foot began to tap against the ground, slow at first, then quicker. The sound of his shoe hitting the stone echoed faintly, over and over, filling the empty space where voices should have been.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, leaning back and forward in the chair, unable to stay still.
"Unbelievable…" he muttered under his breath.
His fingers drummed against the armrest now, matching the restless movement of his foot. His gaze swept the garden again, slower this time and more deliberate, as if expecting someone to suddenly appear just to end this waiting.
But still, nothing.
The calmness of the place began to feel suffocating. The soft rustling of leaves, the distant chirping of birds all sounded too peaceful like it was mocking his growing impatience.
His brows furrowed deeper.
Another sharp click of his tongue broke through as he tilted his head slightly.
"Are they testing me now?" he scoffed quietly, though there was no one to hear it.
His foot stopped for a brief second… then resumed, faster this time and more aggressive. The tension in his body became more obvious with each passing moment with his patience wearing thinner with every second of silence.
Still, no one came.
And that only made it worse.
Meanwhile, Draen was still in the bedchamber while completely ignoring everything happening outside.
He sat comfortably against the headboard while leaning back against the bed wall as if he had nowhere else to be. One arm was wrapped securely around Lewis from behind, holding him close and Lewis rested against his chest, almost tucked into him, with no space left in between.
Draen's hold wasn't loose.
It was firm and possessive, like he had no intention of letting go.
The room was quiet, filled with soft light from the half-open curtains. It felt warm, calm… almost intimate.
"Uh… Your Grace…" Lewis spoke softly, shifting slightly, though he didn't really move away. He tilted his head just enough to look back at Draen. "Isn't… today the day you said someone would visit?"
Draen didn't answer immediately.
Instead, his arm tightened around Lewis' waist, pulling him even closer until Lewis could feel the steady rise of his chest behind him.
"Hmm… is it?" Draen murmured lazily with his low voice near Lewis' ear. "I must've forgotten."
Lewis blinked, clearly unsure how to respond.
Before he could say anything, Draen leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against his forehead that made Lewis stiffened right away.
His eyes widened slightly while catching his breath for a moment before he quickly looked away as his ears are slowly turning red. His fingers moved instinctively, holding onto Draen's hand resting on his stomach, as if grounding himself.
"Did someone remind you?" Draen asked softly with his lips brushing near Lewis' neck this time which made Lewis swallowed.
"Mm… n-no…" he answered in a small voice.
Draen hummed in response, clearly unconvinced but he didn't press further.
Instead, he rested his chin lightly against Lewis' shoulder, tightening his hold just a little more as if satisfied simply having him there.
Unbeknownst to Lewis, an aura of hostility had already spread through the Silvaris estate that only Lewis remained unaware of.
Draen, however, was fully aware that the Prince's arrival meant trouble. Not because of politics alone but because Draen knew exactly why he had come.
He did not believe for a moment that the visit was meant for him.
After the information about Lewis had been leaked to the Imperial family by a traitor from the Silvaris Dukedom, Draen had drawn his conclusion quickly and without doubt. The Prince's interest was not in the Duke, nor in formalities of court.
It was in Lewis.
That realization settled heavily in Draen's mind, sharpening his already cold mood. Outside the bedchamber, he made no effort to hide his displeasure, though Lewis could not sense it at all.
Draen's hold on him remained firm, almost protective in a way that bordered on possessive, as if keeping him close was the only certainty he had left. He leaned back against the bed wall, eyes half-lidded but alert beneath the calm surface.
In his mind, there was no negotiation and no allowance for chance.
Whatever the Prince intended, whatever he had come for, Draen had already decided that Lewis would not be leaving the bedchamber today.
Whispering softly against Lewis' ear, Draen murmured, "Hmm, my bride..."
As he spoke, his hands began to explore the part of Lewis' body, gradually making their way down to Lewis' trousers. With a delicate touch, Draen rubbed the head of Lewis' shaft, which had yet to fully stiffen from the teasing stimulation.
"U-ugh, Your G-Grace, what are you doing early in the m-morning?"