Olivia Sparks

Sui Estate

Maxen found himself back at the Sui's Estate for the second time in a week, standing before the tall double oak doors of the Audience Room at the right wing of the mansion.

His thick brows knitted, irked that he had to wait by the threshold like an outsider in his own home.

Ha! He sneered in his thoughts when his past haunted him in broad daylight.

The last time he stood before these doors that were intricately hand-carved with a pattern of the country's national flower, the Jasmine, was when that cursed woman died and dragged him and his friends through the mud.

Snapping out from his daymare, he fished his phone out from his suit pocket and a slow grin painted his face. One word from a special someone was enough to put his worries to rest.

Olivia: Home

His fingers danced over the phone screen sending her a reply.

Maxen: See you later.

It was already a few minutes and not a shadow could be seen in the hallway. Running out of patience, he looked over his shoulders where Jack stood behind him.

He scoffed when Jack smiled and nodded at him as if telling him to stretch his patience and someone would come out soon.

Dipping his hands in his pockets, Maxen faced the door again and let his thoughts wander. Looking back, he knew that things were never normal in his life. He grew up with a never-ending list of protocols he had to follow and one of which was to know the significance of the Audience Room. 

He knew serious business was about to go down when the King and Queen demanded his audience at the Audience Room.

The doors opened and out came Secretary Abbott, holding it open for Maxen. "The King is ready for your audience, Your Highness."

Maxen followed suit and smirked at her mother, who was trying her best to hide the smile on her face.

"Ahem," Secretary Abbott cleared his throat and was about to announce Maxen's arrival; however, Queen Isla dismissed the guy.

Swatting her hands in the air, she said, "What nonsense. Save it, Abbott. You don't have to announce my son. You may leave us." 

She placed her teacup back on the porcelain saucer, her grace always to perfection that one may say she was born to be the queen. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, her knees kissed each other. And the way she bowed was as if she was a swan dancing in the lake. 

Everybody talked about how she was born to be the queen, yet nobody talked about what she had to endure to reach that level of perfection.

Once the secretary left, King Alistair, with his hands clipped behind his back, inhaled as much air as he needed. He would be talking nonstop that afternoon, and he didn't want to run out of breath. However, much to King Alistair's chagrin, his lips quivered at the sight of his queen and son mirroring each other's cheeky faces as if the little prince had done nothing grave that day.

Reading his body language, a charming and mischievous smile flashed across Queen Isla's face. "Darling," Queen Isla reached out to King Alistair, her hand suspended in the air that the ruby engagement ring on her finger glimmered as the sunlight hit its brilliance, subtly reminding the king that earlier he kissed that very ring as he promised her that he would take it easy on Maxen.

Integrity. What's a man who could not keep his word? 

Accepting her hand, King Alistair sat beside Queen Isla which was against the protocol but who cares.

Across the king and queen sat Maxen, who cracked his neck left and right. He didn't like the feeling of a grown up man sitting in front of his parents as if he was a rebellious teenager. However, his sulking was cut short when King Alistair's voice echoed in the walls of the room.

"Are you serious?" the king wanted to confirm. Of all the things that they need to address that afternoon, Queen Isla whispered, asking him to start with the topic which was the least of his concerns.

"First order of business. It's as important as the rest," Queen Isla kept her answer vague. Queen Isla tilted her head, elbowing the king's side, and silently urged him to speak.

"The queen, your mother, wanted to let you know to practice," the king paused and gritted his teeth. "You should practice safe s.e.x. You are 32. I should not be talking about this topic with you, unfortunately this morning, for the first time in your philandering life, no protection was found in Ms. Lin's room and I was informed that no NDA was signed." 

The king slumped in his seat and gave Maxen an incredulous look. How could his son be that sloppy?

"You know the protocol, Maxen." The queen cleared her throat as if uttering a word would burn her tongue. She didn't want to talk about it because she knew her son. Those were the rules he lived by for as long as she could remember and hearing the details of her son's tryst solidified that Maxen had gone crazy over a lady.

"There's no need for those. I would if I wanted to, but I don't, so there's no use for it really. I can't believe we're talking about this stuff...in the Audience Room, of all places."

"Those rules were set to safeguard the royal family's name. You sign the NDA and you use a protection. We don't want accidents to happen and we don't want to tarnish our name." King Alistair crossed his leg, his clear blue eyes dilated as it pierced through Maxen's equal stare.

"And as we had agreed over the phone this morning, you're going on a tour... for a month…with the royal fleet."

Maxen let the king's words sink in and stayed silent. He rolled his tongue on his teeth when everything made sense to him. Of course, the king picked the fleet, for there was no way for him to escape in the middle of the ocean. Incensed, he stood up and headed for the door.

"We're not done talking yet, Maxen." 

The king's low yet imperious voice halted Maxen in his step. He faced his parents one more time. His shoulders dropped, and so was his spirit.

"Just send the details over a letter, Father. After all, that's all I need to do. Receive a letter and follow what's written on it."

"You would not be needing one because you're leaving tonight."