“A dinner?” Happy said, with an expression of horror like some kind of prey to our hunt.

“Yeah!” Camilla said, linking arms with him. She pointed at herself, “Our parents won't be coming home tonight, so you can come.”

“But, I-I don't really think-”

Eva looped her arm under his other arm, and gently placed her free hand on his shoulder. Ugh, how could she be cuddling up to him already? I knew he'd be competition since she started talking of him years ago, but I didn't expect her to actually like him when she met him. “It'll be fun.”

The creep was clearly enjoying the attention two noble women were giving him. His whole face turned red and he kept turning his head to look at the both of them. “I don't even have anything to wear, I can't attend dinner with you.”

“Leo will let you borrow something, right Leo?” Camilla volunteered. I will what now?

“Well, if Happy doesn't want to come, then-”

“Great, so Leo, you take Happy and get him ready for dinner in an hour,” Camilla said, interupting and ignoring what I was going to say on purpose. The love-struck Eva rested her head on Happy's shoulder and looked up at him. I could practically see the hearts in her eyes.

I forced a smile, and ripped Happy from the clutches of Eva and Camilla. “Fine, let's get ready then. We'll see you in an hour," and walked him away.

How has my life come to this? Aiding my rival to win the heart of my love?

Happy dug his heels into the carpeting. “Prince Leo, you really don't have to, I shouldn't be eating dinner with you.”

Then don't come! I wanted to shout, but Eva would be so disappointed. She's been wanting to get closer to him for so long. But I don't want her to fall in love with this, this... He really does look terrified. I sighed and let go of his shoulders. “It's just a dinner, it's not a big deal.”

I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed onto my cleft hand without hesitation, and pulled me back. “But, I don't even know the proper etiquette.”

Oh? Hehehe, the opportunity of a lifetime has been granted to me! “Don't worry, I will teach you,” I replied with a genuine smile- one of malice, but genuine nonetheless. Eva will see what an improper fool he is, and her feelings of admiration will shrivel up and die! “Let's get you ready.”

I must've been snickering audibly at my brilliant plan, because on our way to my room, Happy asked if I was okay.

I fed him some bullshit rules that didn't make sense and labelled it 'proper etiquette', but he didn't question a thing. He paid close attention and hung onto every word, repeating what I said in a low whisper to himself as I was being dressed by my servant Daryl. Daryl, and the other servants in the room, seemed to be holding their tongues, allowing me to fill Happy's head up with embarrassing lies.

However, they didn't hold their tongues when it came to dressing Happy; multiple servants voiced their hesitation with putting him in my clothing. “Forgive me, your royal highness, but for what purpose would the farmer need to wear your clothing?” Happy closed in on himself, like a snail retreating to its shell.

“He will be attending dinner.” The bedroom staff gasped, and whispered amongst themselves. Ugh, I just know this is going to spread across the whole castle, I wonder if we'll be able to write it off as a silly rumor. “Daryl, he'll be wearing my light blue suit,” which was embellished with golden thread, but gathered dust in the dresser because I preferred warm colours for myself. And well, I assumed Happy wouldn't pull off such a delicate colour.

I hate being wrong. Though the suit was too big for his scrawny body, he still looked handsome because it illuminated his dark skin. Eva will definitely fall in love with him, even if his etiquette is appalling! This is dangerous, what should I do...?

I imagined a flower in my head, mentally pulling off petals one by one to decide if I should 'tell him not to come' or 'charm Eva before Happy charms her'. Maybe I should just confess my feelings before she has the chance to see him...

Somehow, worrying about the variables of Eva's affection ate up our remaining time before dinner. On our way, Happy was moving his mouth and looking up to recall all the material I gave him. Yet, just as we reached the open doors to the dining room, Happy grabbed onto the back of my blazer, face drained of colour from fear. “Leo, I've forgotten everything you taught me.”

Why is he so serious all the time... Damn, I feel bad now. I sighed, and threw my plans away. “Just watch and copy what I do.”

He released me as I stepped forward, but trembled on his way to the table. He intensely focused his gaze on me, and struggled to mimic my every move. Eva asked how his evening was, but Happy was so focused on properly placing the napkin on his lap, I don't think he could hear her, even when she repeated the question.

I leaned in and whispered to him, “Eva asked how your evening was.”

Immediately, his face turned red, and he yelled, “It was fine!” Oh Happy, the secondhand embarrassment is killing me. He lowered his voice to match our previous volume. “Ho-How was yours- your evening?” he struggled to say.

Eva was dolled up more than usual, with her coily hair pulled back into a slick bun, and eyes decorated with glitter. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach when the conversation moved forward without me. She didn't even bothering asking how my evening was out of politeness. Why him?

My focus shifted from the dinner to self-pity. The words flying from their mouths escaped me, instead I focused on the excitement in Eva's voice that was never afforded to me. By the time the second course was served, Happy lightly touched my hand. “Are you okay?”

I would be if you weren't here. Before I could form a scowl in response, two butlers opened the dining room doors. Following them were my parents, with their coats shed off and hair tousled.

“There will be a tornado later tonight-” my father started, but stopped his sentence as his eyes landed on Happy. The silence was suffocating while we waited for his outburst. “What's this?”

The colour faded from Happy's face again. He immediately stood up and bowed deeply in my parents' direction. “I'm so sorry, your Grace. I-I know I shouldn't be here-”

“And yet you are.”

None of us dared to speak up. Instead, we stared at our feet like Happy, as if we were the ones who'd get reprimanded in this situation. I peeked at Happy, who was trembling so severely the chair shook against his legs. 

My father took a step closer, throwing his jacket at one of the butlers. “It seems you've forgotten your place.” A drop of sweat ran down Happy's face, and dropped from his nose. My father continued with his terrifyingly calm tone. “Get out of my face.”

Happy simply bowed a bit more, then hurried to the door. But just as he passed my parents on his way out, father grabbed his arm with a tight enough grip that Happy gasped.

“That suit...” he examined, looking up and down Happy's body. “Where did you get it?”

Happy shot me a look of terror and desperation.

I stood up so quickly my chair fell back, breaking the chilling silence with a thump. “Father, we just-”

“He's stolen your clothes.”

“No, he-”

Father shoved Happy into one of the servants by the door. “Be sure to burn the suit once he takes it off.”

“Father-” I desperately tried to get in.

“That's enough out of you, Leo!” I clamped my mouth shut. Father turned back to look at Happy. “Do not let this happen ever again.”

In the most defeated tone, Happy replied, “Yes, My Lord.”

The servants scrambled about, setting more seats at the table for my parents and removing the blemish that was Happy's. One servant fixed my chair, and sat me down. 

“Have you two even been studying, or just playing around with the gardener the whole day?” Father asked as he stuffed the corner of his napkin into the collar of his shirt.

As always, Camilla was too afraid to speak up. Had he paid attention to us at all, he'd know Camilla never shuts up about her passion for magic. Even at a young age, she'd never skip training or neglect her studies unless I coaxed her into it. She'd have every right to let the fire in her chest burn him down, but I was the one to clear my throat. “Yes, Eva has moved us onto a more advanced level of earth magic.”

Father took his glass full of alcohol, and poured it down his throat. “It's about time for you two to take your responsibilities seriously. You can't expect to rule Hirpus with the foolishness you've displayed tonight. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” Camilla and I responded in sync. Camilla looked up at me with a frown on her face.

If Happy weren't here... If he never left an impression on Eva and Camilla's hearts, tonight wouldn't've happened at all. 

Following dinner, I took my magic training to the vast plots of farm land. I squeezed moisture out of the Earth until it crumbled, and swirled the compost off the surface with air magic. In the end, I felt better. I felt powerful again.

The initial release of stress was enticing enough that I fit that kind of practice into my regular schedule. Every day without fail, well into the winter season, I practiced my magic out in the field on my off time, in addition to my regular training. Eva wasn't able to spend time with such a busy farmer boy, endlessly fixing what the elements had wrecked. In an instant, I gained back all I had lost.

-

As if the reckless destruction of the fields wasn't enough, the royal twins decided to start a snowball fight where I worked. Whilst the fire mages had evaporated all the snow around the palace grounds except for the fields, couldn't two water mages like them make snow elsewhere?

While I was flattening the mounds of dirt that had erected overnight, the twins had no reservations about throwing snowballs in my direction. Mom, give me strength.

I couldn't help myself from glaring in their direction occasionally as they built and tore down snow forts repeatedly, leaving snowbanks in their place before moving onto a new location closer to me. Eventually, they dropped the obvious ruse of their 'rogue' snowballs, and began to pelt me with them without restraint. “Come play with us, Happy!” Camilla said between giggles.

And piss off the King again? “No thank you, I have work to do.”

They didn't let up, though. Camilla threw light balls of fluffy snow, whereas Leo pummeled me rocks of ice. One of the ice balls hit my head, and I fell back into a snowbank.

Their reign of terror ended when I did not immediately get back up. “Are you okay?” Leo asked, but received no response.

“Oh my gods, Leo what did you do?” Camilla panicked. Their feet hurriedly approached, crunching on the loose snow surrounding me. “Is he bleeding?” Camilla asked, stretching her head to look over me.

I took them by surprise, grabbing their arms and pulling them down into the snow.

“Wh-”

“Shit!”

I dissolved into laughter as Leo spit out the snow that got into his mouth. “That wasn't funny.”

Camilla joined me in the laughter, which eventually spread to him as well. We laid in the snow laughing, innocently throwing loose snow at each other.

Mom, I miss home, but... I think I'm going to be okay.