Lucas had glowered as Keir and Guinevere had walked into the dining hall together hand in hand. After Ahri, Lucas hadn't seen Keir be so intimate with anyone, not even with Finnian, who he had become quite close to recently. Even with what he had seen transpire between Keir and Ahri, Lucas could feel something different in Keir's interactions with this woman. There was a closeness between them that made Lucas feel like an outsider, and the feeling left him unsettled.

Throughout dinner, Guinevere had pulled him into the conversation, sharing stories about Keir in his younger days, which only made him glummer as the dinner progressed, though he tried his best to hide it by plastering strained smiles on his face and laughing flatly at humorous points in her tales. Keir had given him worried looks throughout the dinner, but Lucas ignored them, downing his wine quickly. 

Guin told him stories that made him realise that he didn't know that Keir. The young Keir, who used to be too skinny to control his horse, falling from the steed and landing face first in its own dung. He didn't know the Keir who cried when his fingers were pricked by rose thorns when the two were playing tag in the gardens. They were all Keirs that he didn't know, but that Guin knew. 

Lucas wanted to know everything about Keir, to possess him, to monopolise him. The feeling consumed him, making him feel sick. He hated himself for wanting these terrible things.

"Would you like to join us in the drawing room, Prince Lucas?" Guin asked, as the three of them stood from that table after finishing dinner, Lucas's food remaining largely untouched. "We will be enjoying some sweets made by our pastry chef, and he is quite talented. I remember when Keir first tried his berry tarts he actually cried in happiness. Cried. Streaming tears and everything. Oh, you should have seen it, Your Highness!" Guin laughed as Keir's cheeks flushed, the prince giving her a silencing look as Lucas managed to force out a laugh. 

'Your Highness,' Lucas thought bitterly to himself, as he dryly laughed internally. 'Distancing me from the two of you yet again. Keir is also a Prince of rank, yet you call him by his first name?'

Lucas knew that his thoughts were ridiculous, but he couldn't help his petty inner monologue from sparking as he watched the two of them silently argue with their eyes. 

"I'm sure it was a sight to see," Lucas said weakly, Guin giggling as she nodded, Keir sighing heavily. 

"It really was not," Keir replied, shaking his head. "My eyes merely itched because of the tartness of the dessert."

"Well, Prince Lucas, you must come join us to try our chef's tarts. You might also find your eyes itching because of the sweet," Guin teased, giving Keir another mischievous look as the prince threw his hands up in the air, muttering something about not being able to deal with the girl, before heading off to the drawing room alone, leaving Guin and Lucas in his wake. Turning to Lucas, Guin smiled heartily, gesturing her hand in Keir's direction gracefully. "The drawing room is this way, Your Highness."

"Just Lucas is fine," Lucas replied, Guin giving him an amused glance, but nodded anyway. 

"As you wish, Lucas," Guin said, Lucas's hopes that using first names would help ebb away the feeling of distance between him and the pair, but it did not - he still ached. 

The two were silent as they slowly, slowly walked down the long corridors of the mansion, Lucas having to shorten his long strides to match with Guin's pace, despite his desperation to go to where Keir was and away from the woman that he disliked next to him. Yes, he disliked her, for reasons that were petty and unwarranted, but he couldn't help the irritation that burst within him every time he saw her. She was a kind girl, that he knew, but he found himself wishing that she was a horrible witch so he wouldn't feel as guilty for hating her. 

'Keir deserves to be with someone like her. Someone kind, someone pure. Not someone like me,' Lucas thought to himself, his own words cutting him deeply. 

"What do you think of Keir, Lucas?" Guin suddenly asked, Lucas choking on his breath.

"Excuse me?" he replied, Guin's smile deepening as his eyes widened as he turned to her, shocked. 

"What do you think of him? As a friend, of course," Guin said, Lucas swallowing thickly. Guin merely innocently batted her eyelashes, the dark hair flitting up and down as her smile danced on her face. 

"I... well... he has been a great friend," Lucas stammered, coughing a little. Guin hummed slightly, her eyes not leaving his.

"He is indeed a great friend," Guin said, her steps seeming to slow down even more, almost to a dainty shuffle along the carpet. "If I may be so bold..." Guin started, pausing as if she were trying to figure out how to politely phrase her next question, though Guin was never usually one to shy away from the brutal, blunt questions.

"Y-Yes?" Lucas asked, Guin laughing lightly, her voice a chime in the dimly lit corridor. 

"Well, Keir has always been popular with guests that came to visit us in this mansion, but he has never fancied any of them before. It worries both my mother and I. We were both just wondering if he has found someone since he has been with you? Someone special, if you will." Guin's eyes were alight as she looked at the prince beside her, who shifted uncomfortably with every small step he took. 

"S-Special? How so?" Lucas asked, Guin nodding. 

"Someone he smiles with, who he can laugh beside. Someone he trusts, trusts enough to confide his deepest secrets to," Guin mused, placing her hand thoughtfully on her chin as she glanced at Lucas discreetly. 

"I... um..." Lucas started, throat closing up as the tips of his ears heated. 

"I know. I trust you," Keir's voice echoed in Lucas's mind, swallowing his saliva thickly. 

"I'm not sure if he..." Lucas continued, before more images flashed in his head. Keir smiling at him through thick lashes, the two laughing as they rode their horses through the thick forest, eating freshly grilled meat by the fire, the feel of Keir's hands in his as he cleaned them with shaking hands, the softness of the man's lips on his. 

Someone special.

"And here's the drawing room," Guin chirped, opening the door as her voice cut through his mind like a blade. Stepping into the room, Lucas saw Keir perched by the bay window, the moonlight caressing his dark hair gently as he turned to them, bright blue eyes clear as the night sky. Suddenly, Lucas heard Guinevere gasp next to them, before groaning emphatically. "I completely forgot!"

"Guin?" Keir asked, as Guin groaned, hand reaching for the door. 

"I deeply apologise, but I remembered that I had to assist my mother with something this evening. Very important family business, you see. I shall leave you two here with these sweets," Guin said, voice in a rush as a servant appeared from behind her with a tray of sweets and tea in her hands. "Babette, just place them on the table there." The servant nodded, quickly doing as she was asked, before disappearing out the door again. 

"What-" Lucas started, as Guin grinned at him, curtseying quickly before closing the door. There was a click as a key slid into the lock, and another as the mechanism turned. Lucas felt himself pale as Keir swore to himself, the two princes alone in the room, the moon the only eyes on them in the night.

Guin whistled happily to herself as she swung her keys in her hand, passing them to a servant who bowed as the lady of the house smiled mischievously.

"Open the door in the early hours of the morning. Not before five, will you?" Guin said, the servant nodding, pocketing the keys in his waistcoat before bowing, Guin walking with a spring in her step.

'Good luck, my dear princes,' Guin thought to herself, looking up into the sky. 'Use the time that has been given to you, for you don't have much left.'

~~~

Lucas twisted the ornate doorknob, cursing as the door only seemed to rattle. It was indeed locked tight, and both princes could only guess when it would be opened to them again. 

"Window?" Lucas asked, Keir peering out of the bay window, which he had unlatched. Sighing, Keir shook his head.

"It's the third storey, and there is only stone below us," Keir replied, closing the window again as cold air seeped through, the wind making the fire in the corner of the room flicker as it tried to stay alight. "Guin isn't one to let things fall through easily."

"Fall through?" Lucas asked, Keir giving the other prince a tense smile.

"She's cunning. Too cunning. And... observant," Keir told him, Lucas gulping. She was indeed observant, her actions now confirming the suspicions that he hadn't paid any attention to. Her questions, her knowing smiles, her amused looks. She knew exactly what Lucas felt.

"She... asked me some things," Lucas said, slowly crossing the room towards Keir, who smiled, the melancholy expression making Lucas hurt. 

"What things exactly?" Keir asked, though only a question of formality, as he had a good idea of what Guin had asked the other prince. "Things about me?"

"Yes," Lucas whispered, as he stood beside the cushioned seating ledge by the bay window, Keir tucking his knees to his chest to make space for the prince at his feet. Lucas lowered himself onto the soft material, the window area big enough to fit both of them, but still small enough so they could only fit with Lucas's shoulder brushing Keir's shin. The moon disappeared behind some clouds, cloaking the two in only the light of the fireplace. Keir straightened his back, leaning forward so his arms rested on his bent knees. 

"Would you care to tell me what she asked?" Keir whispered, his breath fanning across Lucas's cheek. Keir's shin was warm against Lucas's arm, the prince finding himself leaning into the man's warmth as he turned to him.

"She asked me if you had someone... special, back at the palace," Lucas said, eyes searching Keir's as the man laughed with a light breath. 

"And how did you answer her?" Keir asked, shuffling a little, as he leaned further forward, one arm falling to the surface of the seat beneath him for balance. When Keir moved, Lucas moved, their bodies revolving around each other's, each movement inciting the other to do the same. 

"I, uh, said I wasn't sure," Lucas said, turning his torso to fully face Keir. His chest pressed against the man's knees, which seemed to tremble a little. Lucas's hand too rested on the chair, fingers brushing Keir's as the two looked at each other, a swirl of emotions like a whirlpool in their irises. Keir's hand creeped forward, touching the back of Lucas's hand carefully. Lucas too moved his fingers, linking them between Keir's own.

"I want to kiss you," Keir whispered, his lips shaking as he looked up at Lucas, who licked his lips nervously, heart thundering in his chest. 

"I also want to kiss you," Lucas replied, his fingers tightening around Keir's.

"But we can't," Keir said, eyes becoming watery despite his best efforts. A tear slipped down the side of his cheek, Lucas brushing it away. Unable to take his hand away, Lucas flattened his shaking palm on the side of Keir's face, the skin there soft, warm and supple. 

"I know," Lucas said softly, leaning forward, his forehead touching Keir's. Their breaths mingled as Keir's free hand found itself resting on Lucas's thigh, the touch there so soft but made Lucas's skin burn so hot. Both princes closed their eyes as they took in the feeling of each other, knowing they should pull back but not being able to.

"It's wrong," Keir said, earning another reply from Lucas.

"I know."

"We'll hurt Rose."

"I know."

"You're about to be married."

"I know."

"We can never be together."

Lucas opened his eyes then, only to find them staring deeply into Keir's light blue eyes, which glistened. 

"We can, tonight," Lucas whispered, lips hovering in front of Keir's, the fullness of their mouths brushing slightly. It was the lightest touch, barely there at all, yet it sent waves of emotion rushing through them.

"And tomorrow?" Keir whispered, his breath sweet.

"That's for tomorrow to decide." 

Lucas then pressed his lips against Keir's. And tonight, it felt right.