"Please, father, don't make me humiliate myself further."

King Therond scoffed. "You haven't been humiliated, this is just you pitying yourself."

"I think being forced into an unhappy marriage is humiliation enough. Especially for a Prince of a powerful kingdom."

"Careful, Joelin." His father warned the boy. Joelin just groaned. "I've raised you better than this."

"I know, father."

It was Therond's turn to groan. His children had a way of getting on his nerves like nobody else. "I've made arrangements for you to go hunting with King Maurin this evening. Get ready for that and have many good questions prepared. By the time you get back I want that blessing."

Joelin left without saying goodbye, despising what he had to do. He turned back around at the last second before he left the room though. "Can I bring people?"

"Fine, as long as it's not one of those servants that you're so fond of."

Now Bradlan was having a pretty decent day until his brother burst into his room. "Bradlan, I'm being forced to go hunting with King Maurin, please come with me."

"Why do you need me to go? Aren't you worried I'll screw up our relationship with Nauplia or something?"

"I don't want to go and it'll be less uncomfortable with your mindless chatter. But as for that second part I guess I'll have to ask Rod to come too."

Bradlan rolled his eyes, not showing how secretly touched at how his brother was comforted by his presence. "That would be a good idea. Aren't you supposed to be spending this time bonding with your future father-in-law though?"

"Father said that I could take someone who isn't a servant. I'll be taking two someone's of royalty, father can't complain."

That was good enough for Bradlan. "Alright, I'll come with. But you definitely need Rodier to come with too."

Joelin nodded, a grateful smile on his face. "Thank you, brother. Now be ready to go this evening."

"Wait, it's nearly the evening already."

"Yeah, so be ready in the next hour." Joelin bolted out the door before Bradlan had the chance to complain.

After he was a few steps away, he slowed back to his walking pace and didn't stop till he was in front of Rodier's door. He knocked and waited for a response, when he got none he cracked open the door and looked around the empty room. Frowning, he walked off towards the library, one of Rodier's frequented spots, to try and find him. Thankfully, he was there and reading a large book that Joelin had read a while back. "Hey, Rod." He greeted him as he sat down in the chair next to him. His brother hummed softly to acknowledge him. "Would you mind coming with me and King Maurin on a hunting trip this evening?" He hated how he found himself speaking so formally around his brother, but couldn't help it, the aura Rodier carried with him demanded it, and just using his nickname around him made Joelin slightly uncomfortable.

Rodier moved his eyes from the book, looking at his brother carefully. "Aren't you supposed to be asking for his blessing?" Joelin nodded. "Isn't that something that should be done one-on-one?" He wasn't asking, for he knew the answer, but was questioning Joelin's decisions, something that made anger bubble up in Joelin's gut but he forced it back down.

"Father allowed me to take some people with me."

"And you want me?" His tone was bored.

"I want Bradlan, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to go riding with just him and the King, so I figured you'd balance him out." Guess that anger found a way to slip out.

Rodier's eyebrows raised. "You want to take Bradlan out with the King?" After a few beats of silence he sighed. "Fine, I'll come, just let me get ready."

"Yes! Thank you." Joelin said before heading off to his room, needing to get ready himself.

As soon as he got to his room, he had Alland prepare his clothing while he wrote a few things to talk about down. He didn't have much time, but somehow managed to gather a few topics in his head and get on proper wear by the time he had to head out.

To say that their evening was uneventful would be a leap, but that depends on who you ask. Joelin was bored out of his mind the whole time, his mind jumping around to things like what poor soul Princess Aylissa was torturing, his father's plans, what Rahis was up to this time of day, and his little sister and mother. Bradlan wasn't having the best time either, but was talking King Maurin's assistant's ear off and seemed to be mildly enjoying himself even if the topics were less than decent. Thankfully for both brothers, it was Rodier who was entertaining the King, talking of matters neither brother found interesting but the King listened closely to. They managed to shoot a decently large boar, and before Joelin knew it, they were headed back towards the castle and he hadn't spoken a word to the King.

Riding up next to him, thankful that nobody was really talking as they were focused on riding even if they were going slow enough for talk, he started to speak. "I must congratulate you on your kill. That was an impressive shot."

King Maurin turned to him and laughed. "Aye, when you've been hunting as long as me, boy, you'll pick up a few things."

Joelin smiled, but he knew that him and his brothers let him have the easy shot. "Well I have much to learn." He stopped talking before realizing there was no natural way to bring this to the Princess.

"So how've things been going with my daughter?"

Joelin nearly sighed in relief, the King had done it for him. "She's a wonderful girl. She is very beautiful and seems to be incredibly smart."

"That she is. My daughter is a treasure greater than anything in the nine kingdoms."

"Yes, I often think of spending the rest of my life with her while I'm with her." He didn't add on the fact that this thinking was filled with hatred and often involved different ways to murder her, or perhaps himself just to get out of spending that time with her. "I do believe a marriage between us would be very beneficial and would make many people beyond happy." He tried to use his tone to imply he was talking about himself even though it couldn't have been more untrue. "I would appreciate your blessing more than anything." He risked looking from the King's fat face to his brothers. Rodier was looking away awkwardly while Bradlan was watching the interaction with a strange fascination on his face.

The King hummed as the thought of it. "Although I've been very clear that Prince Rodier would be a far better suitor than you for my daughter who greatly deserves to be Queen, I give you my blessing." Joelin smiled, feeling partly relieved and partly filled with dread at this lack of an obstacle. "As long as you agree to move to Nauplia after the wedding." The smile slipped from Joelin's face to be replaced with a look of confusion as he sensed both his brother's tense up at that. "I love my daughter dearly and wouldn't see her far from home. And since you're only the third in line you shouldn't be missed."

Joelin could feel Rodier's need to jump in and start negotiating, something he had a lot of talent in, but they both knew there was nothing he could do at this point, to jump into this supposedly private conversation would be considered rude. He still risked a glance at his eldest brother to see him subtlety shaking his head. "Is there any way for me to try and change these conditions? I am very attached to my home and family as well." Not to mention little girls would prepare themselves all their lives to be sent away while boys were expected to stay.

"Perhaps I could be convinced to only require you to live in Nauplia every other year, but only if I get grandkids, or at least a pregnancy, within the first year."

Joelin was in no way, shape, or form ready for kids, but he knew this is the best option. "Deal."

"Then you have my blessing."

Joelin looked to see Rodier looking at him with concern in his eyes, but he quickly looked away and urged his horse forward at a slightly faster pace, the rest of the horses easily matching it as the headed home.