An hour to coronation.

BETROTHED TO THE CROWN PRINCE.

Chapter 4

Prince Ace Thompson

"Are you OK, brother?" Alexa, my seventeen years old little sister asks for the umpteenth time as she holds my hand. I just finished getting dressed for the coronation, and it should kick start in an hour or less.

"Yes, Alexa. I'm fine. Does it look like I'm not?" I reply to her, even though it's obvious that I'm not fine. How the hell am I supposed to be, when my brother is threatening me for no reason? How am I supposed to tell her that our brother doesn't want me to rule as the true heir, but wants himself to rule instead?

"I'm not convinced, Ace. But if you say that you're fine, then I won't question you again," She shrugs, and I nod my head.

"I can't wait to see you have the crown on your head as the future emperor of the Blue Knight kingdom. Oh my God, I'm so going to be happy," She squeaks excitedly, while I smile at her. I'm supposed to be happy too, but I don't feel too bright. Aside from having many things disturbing my thoughts, I'm also worried about Alex He's not happy about this, and I don't like it when he's sad.

"Hmm," I only hum and nod my head at what she said.

"Do you need anything? Like maybe water, wine, or anything. You look nervous," She says after she stares at me for a few seconds.

"You don't have to worry yourself, Alexa, I'm fine," I reply to her, and she slowly nods her head, having a look on her face that shows that she doesn't believe me. She's always quick to notice if anything is wrong with me, so I don't expect her to believe me so easily, anyway.

"Have you heard?" She asks and pauses to observe my reaction, and I pull a puzzled look, wondering what she's talking about.

"What is it, Alexa?" Curious, I ask her.

"Father mentioned that you will be getting engaged to princess Amy of Devontae kingdom," She releases the bombshell to me, and I freeze on the spot. Although I am thirty years old, turning thirty-one in a few months, but it never crossed my mind to have a woman in my life, since I was never ready for it.

"Huh?" I blink my eyes as if I didn't hear what she said, but I fucking did. I heard what she said.

"Come on, don't give me that look. It's not like you have someone in your life. This will do your life better," She rolls her eyes sarcastically at me. While growing up, Alexa has always been worried about me not having a woman in my life. She has been bothered, and has tried linking me up with a few of her friends, which never turned out well, since I was never really interested in any of them.

"Who is this princess?" Curious, I ask her.

"I don't really know her, but I heard that she's really beautiful and a warrior. I think she's going to be perfect for you," She shrugs, and I sigh briefly.

An awkward silence assumes the air, as many thoughts run through my mind. I don't want to be with any woman now. I don't want any woman in my life because of a reason I choose not to share. I hope father will understand later.

"Greetings, my prince. The emperor demands your presence in the royal hall for the coronation," Max's voice sounds from outside the room, and I bite my bottom lip.

"Come on, let's go," Alexa finally stands up from the bed, and walks over to the door, pulling it open for me.

"Thank you," I mutter as I stride out of the room, while she trails behind me.

Arriving at the royal hall a few minutes later, my mouth almost drop open in shock at the number of people that welcome me. The hall is already filled up with many people. Both from our kingdom, and other neighboring kingdoms that came to witness the coronation.

"Welcome the first prince of Blue Knight kingdom, Prince Ace Thompson," The prime minister announces as I walk down the aisle to the throne with Alexa walking beside me.

Father is already sitting on the throne, graced in black royal regalia, while having a smile on his face. His wife, Queen Ella, is sitting right beside him too, graced in a red royal regalia, while having her thick black hair falling freely down her shoulders, with some strands on her forehead. Her crown is sitting perfectly on her head. She has a deep frown on her face as usual, and I'm not bothered since I'm used to it. She never really liked me, and I never tried to force it knowing that it'll never work.

Sitting beside the emperor, is prince Alfred Thompson, my stepbrother, who is the same age as prince Alex.

After exchanging pleasantries with father and every other persons present, I finally walk over to sit on the empty seat kept for me.

"Greetings, everyone. As we all know why we are here today..." Father pauses and glances at me with a wide smile on his face, as his pair of green eyes pierce at me for a few seconds before he turns his gaze away.

"I am getting old by each day that passes by, and you would need a young blood to rule you when I finally pass away later... So, this brings us to finally crowning our prince, my first son, and the rightful heir to the throne of Blue Knight kingdom," He says, and pauses a bit.

"But before then, I would like to announce the engagement of prince Ace, to Princess Amy of Devontae kingdom in north Europe. My people, let's welcome princess Amy Bradford," Father finally says, extending his hand toward the door which suddenly rolls open, revealing the most gorgeous woman I have ever met all my life.

My mouth drop open in shock as I watch her walk elegantly and magnificently down the aisle. Her black long gown is adorned with shiny stones that soothes the eyes, her light skin is as smooth as silk, her blonde long hair is falling freely down her shoulders. I'm sure the ground she walks on, must be proud to have a taste of her beautiful feet, the air that touches her body must be lucky to have gotten a taste of such an elegant woman.

"Greetings, emperor," And when she finally greets father, I feel my heart stop beating for a few seconds, because even her voice is getting me hypnotized.

Finally raising her gaze to reveal her beautiful face, my mouth falls agape at the sight that welcomes me. The sparkles in her pair of blue eyes is everything to make a man worship her. She is the perfect definition of perfection, with this beauty. She's a princess indeed...