Isha

This insufferable prince.

I was on the verge of getting ready for bed after a lovely meeting with the prince and the King, when the vigorous vibrations of my phone catch my attention. There are 'few' messages from an unknown number.

A sigh leaves my mouth as I slip inside the warm comforter, turn off the bed-lamp and open my phone to see what Prince High Horse (the nickname suits him) has to say during bedtime.

Prince High Horse: Good evening, Miss Sen. This is Prince Calix Mercuro Sonata Liorsa Tiore. I will be using this number to keep in touch with you. It will be appreciated if you do not share this contact number with anyone else, because it will not only be considered as an act of sharing confidential information, but also, a possible punishment for the leak of personal information like that of my number.

The rolling of my eyes is justified. The way he always talks makes me believe then and there that royal princes are so very different from royal-romance movies or even historical dramas. At least they are gentlemen, unlike a certain someone.

The message isn't finished though at that. It continues in four more.

Prince High Horse: Now let us get done with the terms and conditions. I will list down a few. If you would like to add more, feel free to let me know what you have to say as well.

• The nature of this relationship is strictly that of business. Apart from posing as a loving couple in front of the citizens of Syncitia, we are nothing but acquaintances.

• Till the next Summer, please avoid going out on dates with anyone who is not me. The paparazzi may get out of control, now that you are under their radar.

• No one, not even your family or close friends, should have knowledge about our fake dating deal. The truth of our relationship being false, remains between you, me, His Majesty, Robert (father's secretary) and Audrey (my secretary). Queen Veronica and Crown Prince Carlos will also be informed about this plan.

• In public, during required circumstances to show physical affection, we will limit it to only hands holding, embracing and perhaps, if necessary, forehead or cheek kisses. Absolutely, NO lip kisses. Not even a peck. If people inquire, we will say that we aren't comfortable with sharing lip kisses in front of others.

Prince High Horse: After two days, we have a press conference to attend. Be prepared by eight in the morning. A ride from the Royal Palace will be sent to pick you up. We will announce about our relationship and clear the confusion that has generated in front of the press, that day.

Prince High Horse: And please, try to wear a decent dress and not a shirt that ridicules politics. If you do not have any such formal dresses, let me know, I will buy and deliver few dresses to your address.

Prince High Horse: It would also be appreciated if you could reduce your tendency of spitting profanities and speaking informally. This includes putting a pause to your clumsy behaviour as well.

Prince High Horse: Have a good night's sleep, Miss Sen.

Good night's sleep, my foot. I am sure Calix is over the moon now that he has successfully and completely ruined my sleep.

What am I going to do even?

Oh well, I do type back replies in my own way.

Miss Sen: I have read all the terms and conditions with utmost concentration, but I am deeply embarrassed to answer that I have absolutely no intention of changing my attitude for someone else. For your kind information, I have basic knowledge of formal attires and behavioural etiquettes. Today, I was simply surprised as it appears you guys have a tendency to announce a sudden meeting with royals and bringing them to their residence, without any prior information, I suppose.

Therefore, respectfully, shove that formality up your ass, however rude it may sound, Your Royal Highness. We don't want arguments to occur before we can even announce our relationship, right?

Miss Sen: Point to be noted, I am neither dying to kiss you nor to share your number with anyone. I hope to see you getting off your high horse, someday.

Miss Sen: Have a good night's sleep, and please let the bed bugs bite. ^⁠_⁠^

Now take that, Prince High Horse.

Currently, I am freaking out, as I pace about in this spacious lobby. Meanwhile Prince Calix, perfectly poised and calm like always, while being seated on one of the plush sofas, scrolls through his phone. How in the world is he not nervous when I am on the verge of pooping in my pants?

"Shouldn't we revise our lines or something? We do not even have a story, like how did we meet..." I ask the suited man on the sofa. Neither does he glance at me, nor reply.

I scoff with crossed arms and resume my pacing. I cannot believe I would have to put up with this arrogant rascal for almost a year.

"You do not have to say anything," Calix says after a good five minutes. He stands up from the sofa, and puts his phone inside his pant pocket. He walks towards me before stopping a few metres away. "For now, I will answer all the questions. We can discuss our backstory some days later, after tonight's date."

"Wait what? A date? When—how—come again?" being utterly baffled at the sudden drop of information, I fumble with words. I suppose it is the tendency of the royals and everyone working at Nirvana to drop bombs like this before few moments of it actually happening.

"The press conference will be over by seven-thirty, hopefully," Calix explains further, "Around eight, we can leave for dinner."

"Why do we have to go on a date, out of the blue? Also, you did not inform me."

Calix sighs, "It slipped out of my mind in the midst of several responsibilities. This date has been arranged to put up a show for the press. We are certain that the paparazzi will follow us to our first date. Of course, they will not be granted entry, but will be able to capture pictures of us from outside. It will be believable enough. It was His Majesty's idea."

"I see," I murmur, still recovering from the initial shock. It has been more than a year since I have been on a date. Even though this date has been conducted just for the sake of the public and doesn't mean anything to both me and Calix, it feels strange. And I can't help but abruptly think if Killian has a new girlfriend now.

"Ouch!" I groan when I feel a hard flick of fingers on my forehead. Of course, how can I forget that I am in the presence of the insufferable high horse.

His cold eyes gaze down onto mine as he says, "Overthinking is injurious to health. We need to make a move now."

With that being said, he proceeds to exit the lobby while I stand there, clutching onto my forehead while trying to figure out this odd prince named Calix.

I huff out. At least, today I am dressed in an elegant knee-length black dress which is formal to high horse's taste, I assume.

The immediate and fast snaps of cameras are enough to blind my eyes. I already have glasses. I do not want to weaken my poor eyesight even more. Loud whispers follow suit as soon as I enter, with my arm around Prince Calix's and a smile, as genuine as I could probably pose it as, plastered on my face. Today's conference is going to be broadcasted worldwide. This also means, my relatives and parents back in India will hear the sudden news. A heaviness shrouds my chest at the imagination of my parents' pained faces, for keeping them out of such a big occurrence. To make matters worse, we are not even in a real relationship but of course, I cannot reveal that.

These past few weeks, I had completely shut off my phone. Needless to say, I have not yet replied to the messages sent by people I personally know or simply by strangers on social media. I have been avoiding calls from my parents, even by requesting my sisters to inform them that I have been busy working on a project.

My parents' reaction will be aching, more than the feeling of shock. Why? Because, among us three sisters, I have always been the one to share everything and anything with my them. They were like my best friends, until I moved to Syncitia for my education, and the thought of constantly seeking out to them for life advice or perturbing them with my fair share of talks, soon invaded my thoughts. Well, I did not stop ranting to them about everything and anything until I graduated from school. After university, adulting got to me, and well, other important things of life circled my mind. Ma and Baba, have always been the coolest parents. When it was required to discipline us, we got told off and punished accordingly. But when we were helpless, at our lowest points or were clueless about something, they were the first people to embrace us with pure love and, listened to all our problems with utmost patience.

Perhaps that is why it hurts more to think how upset they will be to find out the relationship of one of their daughters through television, after keeping them in the dark for the past few weeks.

"The flashes and loud whispers will be hard to get used to at first, but do not worry. I will handle everything, so relax."

The soothing voice of Calix pulls me out of my unending spiral of thoughts. Suddenly, all the voices of reporters shouting out their questions, the brisk snaps of cameras, blinding flashes, all fade away in a blur when I focus my attention on the cold yet warm gaze of the prince beside me. There is no doubt that Calix does not smile frequently, but still he tries to put on a reassuring smile before separating himself from my hold and walking up to the podium. As rehearsed previously, I take my position beside him, on the elevated platform.

A shaky breath leaves my lips when I watch how the guards have to use all their force to prevent the reporters from rushing forward. At least barricades are putting a separation in between, but still, I have never been fond of an agitated crowd.

"Your Royal Highness!" "Prince Calix!"

Each and every news reporter from all over Syncitia, perhaps even from small neighbouring islands which fall under the rule of the country, is present here today. I bet every Syncitian is watching the live broadcast now. Hopefully, my sisters will not be tempted to murder me after watching the broadcast.

"For how long have you both been in a relationship?"

"Do you plan on continuing the relationship, despite knowing that Miss Isha Sen is a common citizen?"

"Is this a real relationship or something else?"

"Do the other members of the royal family know about such scandal?"

"If this isn't a scandal, then why have the Syncitians not received any concrete answer for the past few days?"

"What is His Majesty's opinion on this never-before-seen relationship between a commoner and a prince, in the royal history of Syncitia?"

"Who is the anonymous sender of the pictures and video?"

Calix puts up his palm to indicate he was going to explain everything in detail. He glances at me and I can only mouth a good luck. I cannot imagine staying so relaxed when you have hundreds of eyes on you. However, the slight tremble in Calix's clenched fists doesn't go unnoticed by me.

"Please calm down, dear Syncitians," Calix begins after a moment or two of silence, "I know all of you are in demand of answers when pictures of me and my girlfriend are causing a stir, even after two weeks. We are trying our best in tracking down the sender's location and once their identity is revealed, the Royal Palace will take responsibility in punishing them strictly, due to invasion of privacy and leaking of information of the first prince of Syncitia, and his partner."

Calix takes a moment to take a deep breath before continuing.

"Miss Isha Sen, and I have been in a happy and healthy relationship for the past few months. We were not ready to reveal our relationship to the public because of this exact stir in the media that we were afraid of."

Calix steps down from the podium and slides his palm into mine, intertwining our fingers together. A shot of sympathy and guilt runs through me when I feel how cold his touch has become, besides it quivering once in a while. I squeeze back warmly, without looking at him, but I do feel his indecipherable gaze on me.

Soon after, Calix turns his attention back to the awaiting press in front of him as he pulls up our interlocked hands, startling me in the process.

"Miss Isha Sen and I, Prince Calix Mercuro Sonata Liorsa Tiore are publicly announcing our relationship, and we hope to receive support from the Syncitians. It would be appreciated deeply if the constant hatred, and bothering attention Miss Isha Sen is receiving both on and off social media, is not carried on from now on. Else, the Royal Palace will be forced to take necessary actions."

With our hands clutched together, as if we were really a couple, Calix and I exit the place. Once we are out of sight of the press, he releases my hand and for some reason, I am already missing his warmth. Those butterflies I had been feeling back there were just because of Calix's Oscar-worthy acting. That's it. I need to stop watching and reading royal-romance movies and novels, honestly.

"That was impressive back there." I grasp on my empty wrist while following Calix.

He does not respond. I sigh, getting tired of his cold behaviour, but this is fake anyway.

After a good ten minutes, when I am preparing to take my purse to leave for our first date, Calix's unwavering voice breaks through. "Be ready in ten minutes. We need to leave soon."

"Alright, Your Royal Cold Hearted Shitness. Smiling once a day won't hurt anyone."

Before he can respond with a snarly comment, I enter the lobby and intentionally slam the door on his face.

His gorgeous looks are an unfortunate pair with his potty mouth and personality.