章 48: The Royal Breakfast

"H-how come? Where did she go?" She ran toward the torture bed and saw the melted cuffs and the iron board above it. She placed her fingers over it only to retrieve it back immediately, hissing in pain.

Cecilia glanced back at the door that had the dark hand prints on where the lock was supposed to be. The metal lock was melted and no longer in existence.

"Shit!"

Cecilia pulled the door open, clutching the voodoo in one of her hands as she ran through the dungeon corridors furiously and frantically searching for the white head.

The sharp clicks of the polished black leather shoes over the fancy tiled floor and the calm movements of the prince who had suddenly returned after all these years had the maids and the servants who worked on his way stop and ogle at him, whispering of his arrival and his handsomeness. But the intimidating cold look that he passed over a maid and a servant had the rest of them get back to their work.

Though he did so, it still could not stop them from trying to get a glimpse of his sight secretly.

The white and gold suit he had on had been abandoned in favor of a sleek black shirt, which enhanced his regal appearance by perfectly draping over his torso. The rich shine of the fabric lent a touch of elegance, capturing the light as he walked.

The precise fit of the shirt highlighted his well-defined body and showed off his broad muscled shoulders, and his choice of tight slacks showcased his long, powerful legs, molding his form with precision.

As the prince strode towards the dining hall, his confident demeanor and impeccable sense of style left a lasting impression. His black silk shirt and well-fitted slacks showcased his royal charm, while his strong muscled legs added an air of power and authority to his presence.

Delbert tailed behind his master as usual shooing the servants and maids who had stopped their work and were busy mouthwatering at his master.

"He's back more with now being more irresistible with his body more fit and muscled and had grown a number of inches tall than he already was," said one of the maids who once had laid their eyes on the crown prince before he had left.

"You've seen him before?" Asked one of the maids who had never got a chance to catch a glimpse of the crown prince but only heard of him with her eyes, never leaving the prince till she could see no more of him.

"Seen?" Chuckled the other maid as she continued to do her work. "Huh! I've served the prince personally if you did not know," she lied as she didn't care to glance at the young maids who were eager to listen more from her and envied that she did so. The girls gasped in shock, finding it hard to believe.

"You did?" The question came from behind having the girls turn around only to nearly have a heart attack.

"Get back to work! All of you!"

The maids and servants who stood by dashed out to continue their work as they didn't wish to not only lose their tongue for loud mouthing but also for gossiping around about the crown prince badly, and so did the maid who lied, tried to escape back to her work but felt the burning gaze of the senior maid on her.

"Not so fast, Pythia. You'll have to come with me." Said the senior maid as she got back on her feet, walking in haste down the staircases that led them down toward the kitchen.

At the dining hall, upon the presence of Prince Adrien who stepped into the hall, followed by his male aide, the room fell silent with the King, his mistresses, and the princes and princesses who glanced at him all at once. Even the servants who were serving had their movement pause.

"I thought it was just a rumor, spreading," Adrien heard someone amongst the crowd present at the table speak, but he could not pinpoint who it exactly belonged to. Not to say that he was the least concerned about it.

Giving no extra glances at anyone, he walked straight toward the table and saw his place occupied by someone who was none other than his step-brother, Nicolas, the second prince.

Adrien's male aide, Delbert, stood close by, his loyal presence unwavering.

As Adrien reached the table, he locked eyes with Nicolas, his gaze icy and commanding.

A light chuckle left his lips as he looked at Nicolas, "I see you've taken an interest in my seat, my dear brother," Adrien said with a cool, measured tone, his voice carrying an underlying authority that demanded attention.

Nicolas's smile faltered slightly as he registered Adrien's presence. He rose from the seat, a hint of annoyance flickering across his features, quickly masked by a forced pleasantness.

"My apologies, dear brother," Nicolas replied, his voice laced with false warmth. "Never knew one would return to their den once left. We would have prepared a grand party if you could have sent us an awareness."

There was a slight sarcasm that had some of them smirk at his remark.

Ignoring Nicolas's attempt to provoke him, Adrien walked to the right of the king's side and sat on the seat that was empty remaining with an expression that was hard to read.

He could have, have him stand up from his chair and have him move aside and walke away but he didn't mind Nicolas seated in his very place, for it would seem like a child's play.

The rest of the family was watching the interaction with avid curiosity, and there was an evident feeling of tension in the room.

The king, who was seated at the head of the table, tried to defuse the situation by interjecting in a polite manner. "Welcome back, Adrien. It is good to have you returning even though we were not aware of your comeback. What Nicloas said was right. But it isn't late though. We could still have it done."

"Are we having a ball, your majesty?" came the excited voice from the far corner of the table.

Adrien was sure it was the ever-childish Xylia, who had not changed one bit from the time he had left.

"Shush, Lia!" whisper yelled Iolanthe leaning toward her sister overly excited when the topic of the ball was brought out.

Adrasteia stifled the laugh that threatened to break her image of a perfect princess. She glanced over at Aiden, her brother who seemed unbothered about the situation and was solely focused on the plate that was filled with food. A little mere of frown lines drawn up on his fourteen-year-old self.

"What's the matter, Aiden?"

No response came.

She had seen the little boy not once reacting to his brother's presence. It seemed as if he cared no more about his brother like the younger self of his

When a maid came to serve the crown prince, similar to the rest of the royal members, Delbert who stood a little away from his master scrunched his face seeing the maid unfolding the serviette to spread it over Adrien's lap.

He tapped his fingers on his side as he observed the moves of the skittish maid. He grew irked and concerned about her moves, for Adrien was no man to tolerate when it came to anything related to the maids and servants. He always preferred the best, or he'd rather appreciate being unattended by anyone other than him.

Adrien's attention was drawn to the conversation of his stepsisters, but his mind kept returning to the absence of the relentless and crafty person who always managed to find a way to meddle in his affairs. He wondered where she was for she...

The dining hall's opulent doors suddenly opened, letting the sound of high heels clicking against polished tiles reverberate across the space. Everyone present looked in the direction of the voice's origin as the abrupt interruption caught their attention.

"Oh my! Is that Adrien?" the exclamation filled with surprise and excitement.

Now, there she is.