******
Author's Note: From the previous chapter, in case you skipped it.
Outside the door, Calix and Felix took turns patrolling the hallway. They heard the muffled sounds and creaking of the bed, and they knew exactly what was happening inside. They were both panicked.
What if someone comes? What if she comes? They exchanged frantic, silent signals as they ran through excuses in their heads.
And then, without so much as a sound, from around the corner, staring straight at them with an unreadable expression, Shirin appeared.
******
Calix kept Shirin out of the hallway. Calix made an excuse that Charles had an upset stomach and would be embarrassed to see her. Holding back a laugh, Shirin nodded and left.
The next morning, Charles woke up to find Benjamin missing. Panicking, he asked Calix, who assured him that Felix was with Benjamin.
Meanwhile, the palace was buzzing with preparations for the ball. Staff rushed to ready the grand ballroom and the palace entrance, overseen by countless imperial guards. While the princes and princesses were equally busy finalizing outfits and guest lists, Charles spent the day pacing the hallway, doing everything he could to avoid Shirin.
He was disappointed with himself. The father of my child is out there, possibly in danger, and I am hiding like a coward, he thought. When did I sink this low?Will Benjamin even keep the baby?
Charles desperately wanted to convince him to, but he knew it wasn't his decision to make. It was Benjamin's body and Benjamin's life. All Charles could do was hold his hand and support him. Yet here I am, completely useless, just pacing.
If they did have a child, would the child have Benjamin's eyes? And where would they even live? Benjamin would hate moving into the palace. What were the alternatives?
And if Benjamin chose not to keep the baby, what would happen to them? Would Benjamin just cut him off completely? Charles couldn't let that happen. He had to make sure Benjamin knew he would support him, no matter what he decided.
Charles was spiraling so deep into his own thoughts that he was completely oblivious to the people standing right there in the hallway watching him. Sofia, Hana, and Lyra eventually went to speak to him. Calix stood nearby, feeling helpless as he watched his friend suffering.
"What are you doing, Charles?"" Sofia asked. "I can hear you pacing up and down the hallway."
"Your pacing is annoying," Hana added, stepping directly into his path.
"I've never seen you throw a tantrum. Get your head in the game and remember your duties for tonight." Hana had always spoken bluntly. "Whatever the problem is, tell us and we'll help you."
Calix spoke up. "I don't think that's a good idea." He knew Hana's temper and feared what she would do if she discovered the truth.
Charles just stood there, frozen.
"Kai just arrived," Lyra interrupted. "I am going to escort Sofia to get ready for the ball. Hana, stay with him."
As Lyra and Sofia left, Hana and Calix sat with Charles, trying to calm him down. He was unlike the confident commander he usually was.
Elsewhere, Bjorn sat in his room with his personal guards. "Request an urgent meeting with the Emperor," he ordered, his eyes narrowed. "Tell him it won't take long, but it's something he needs to know."
Bjorn was determined to stop the upcoming engagement at any cost.
In her dressing room, Princess Ara felt a similar anxiety. She hadn't seen Benjamin all day and wondered if he was even coming to the ball.
She was about to be busy with setting up the new research committee. In addition to interviewing and hiring committee members, she was responsible for drafting mission statements and writing up rules and policies for the new research division that would be led by the committee. This ball was likely her last chance to see him for a while.
In the palace courtyard, there were lines of people waiting to enter. Sons and daughters of high-ranking officials from Xenos, Isadora, and Zephyr arrived in high fashion with their guards. Overlapping conversations drifted through the crowded courtyard.
"I'm glad the ball was hosted here," a young viscount said, admiring the sweeping arches above them. "The imperial palace is just magnificent. Not to mention the people."
A lady beside him nodded in agreement. "My parents were thrilled for me to be here in the imperial capital. It's a good way to meet others from the Empire."
A few steps away, a hushed whisper broke out in another group. "I heard there's an Imperial engagement to be announced tonight."
"Who do you think it is?" The son of a general asked eagerly. "Zaid or Shirin?"
"Shirin, of course," another woman replied with confidence. "Her father looks upon her favorably."
"She has beauty, intelligence, and grace. She's perfect in almost every way," the young man sighed.
"Not to mention that she's an alpha," someone else chimed in.
A young man passing by scoffed. "That isn't true. Her father doesn't favor her. It's probably just because Shirin is actually interested in someone. Zaid isn't interested in anyone. It's such a shame."
"Who do you think Shirin prefers?" Another person asked.
"Bjorn," a heavily built Zephyrian declared loudly. "He has a rugged elegance about him. And he's Zephyrian. Isn't that a beneficial alliance for them?"
"I think it should be Charles," an Isadoran lady countered. "He is much like Shirin. He's handsome, intelligent, and charismatic."
"Oh, imagine their children," another woman swooned. "I can't imagine how perfect they will be."
A sharply dressed young woman from Xenos crossed her arms, looking offended by the entire debate. "It's truly unfortunate that Xenons are not even considered. Our kingdom is the Empire's true backbone. Without our sciences, this country would still be in a backward era."
"No, it's the Zephyrians," the Zephyrian man argued. "We protect the borders of the empire. Without us, who knows if an empire would even exist."
A young Xenon man rolled his eyes. "Truly, is that all Zephyrians can say? Brute strength is nothing in comparison to intellect."
"That's only what those without power say," another Zephyrian shot back.
"Both sides are wrong. It is Isadora," a calm voice interrupted. An Isadoran diplomat stepped between them. "We are a peaceful kingdom that allows the transfer of knowledge between everyone. Without us, we would be divided."
"Exactly," his companion added. "We are situated at the center of the Empire. A crossroads between three kingdoms."
A Zephyrian woman let out a loud, mocking laugh. "Isadora? Nonsense. You are the weakest of all four kingdoms."
And so, the heated debates and whispered gossip continued to fill the courtyard as the guests waited for the doors to open.
Inside, the anxiety only grew. Charles ordered Calix to watch the entrance for Benjamin. Most of the guests had already arrived, but Benjamin still hadn't signed in, and there was no word from him or Felix.