Cecil was stunned, surprised, and filled with mixed fear.
The Crown Duke Prince pulled Cecil even closer. He took his hand and kissed it gently.
Cecil felt disgusted, but he did not show it. He only played along with him.
After the banquet was over, the Crown Duke Prince grabbed him and dragged him to his room. He threw Cecil onto the bed.
"I have waited for years — even until today. Now I can't hold myself back anymore," he said.
He tried to force himself on him, but suddenly the Royal Guard rushed in.
"Your Majesty, the Grand Duke is waiting for you with Her Highness."
The Crown Duke Prince became very angry, as he was in the middle of something.
He turned to Cecil. "Wait for me here. We are not done," he said, his voice mixed with anger and annoyance.
Then he walked out of the room, heading straight to the Grand Hall, leaving Cecil alone.
---
At the Grand Hall, the Grand Duke sat waiting. The Crown Duke Prince entered and bowed to greet him.
The Grand Duke nodded and greeted him back.
The Grand Duke was a mysterious man. People rarely saw him, either in public or private. He was known as the strongest duke, said to have lived for about a hundred years, but no one really knew who he was.
---
The Crown Duke Prince knelt slightly, his eyes lowered in respect, though a spark of impatience lingered in his gaze.
"You've kept me waiting, Grand Duke," he said, his voice calm but edged with urgency.
The Grand Duke studied him quietly, his expression unreadable. His eyes were sharp, like they could see everything hidden beneath the surface.
Then suddenly, the Queen stepped in.
"Please go easy on my son," she said. "I am at fault. I shouldn't have left him alone in the first place, only to keep you waiting. My apologies."
The Grand Duke's sharp eyes flicked to the Queen, then back to the Crown Duke Prince.
"You worry too much, Your Majesty," he said calmly, though there was a quiet edge to his voice. "A man must face the consequences of his own actions."
The Crown Duke Prince bowed slightly, his jaw tight. "I understand," he said, but inside, his mind was already racing back to Cecil, left alone in his room.
The Queen hesitated, looking between the two powerful men. She could feel the tension thick in the air, like a storm waiting to break.
Finally, the Grand Duke leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze softening just a little. "Very well. But remember… even the strongest men are tested by what they desire most."
The Crown Duke Prince's hand twitched, his mind already consumed with thoughts of Cecil. He nodded once, and without another word, he turned and left the hall.
---
In the Crown Duke Prince's chamber, Cecil hid himself under the bed, thinking, "What am I going to do? He will be here any second."
His mind raced with thoughts. "I have to get out of here. There is no way I'm sleeping with this monster."
Cecil's heart pounded in his chest. Every sound — the faint creak of the door, the rustle of the curtains — made him flinch.
He's coming… he's coming… Cecil thought, curling tighter under the bed. I have to get out. I can't stay here. Not for a second.
The chamber door opened slowly. Cecil held his breath, his body frozen. Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate, echoing across the floor.
No. No, no, no… he whispered to himself. I won't let him touch me. I have to escape… somehow.
The footsteps stopped. Cecil's chest ached as he tried to make himself as small as possible. Every muscle in his body screamed to run, but there was nowhere to go.
And then… a shadow fell across the bed.
He knows I'm here dammit.
Then the Crown Duke Prince grabbed his wrist, pulling him out from under the bed.
"Found you. You think you can hide?"
Cecil tried to pull away, but the Crown Duke Prince only tightened his grip.
His eyes darted to the open window.
I guess I have no choice but to jump out the window, he thought, panic rising in his chest.
---
Cecil's mind raced. He took a deep breath and leapt toward the open window, hoping the Crown Duke Prince wouldn't catch him in time.
The Crown Duke Prince's grip was lightning fast. He lunged, catching Cecil's arm mid-air.
"Not so fast," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Cecil kicked and struggled, but the Duke held him firmly. His chest heaved, fear and anger burning through him.
For a moment, everything froze — Cecil dangling at the edge of the window, the Duke holding him, and the wind whipping around them.
Cecil's thoughts were frantic. I have to get away… I can't let him win… not yet.
The Crown Duke Prince leaned closer, a cruel smile on his lips.
"You really think you can escape me?"
Cecil's eyes widened. Then, a sharp pain shot through his body. In an instant, he transformed into a fox.
With a burst of speed, he leapt out of the window, disappearing into the night.
He collapsed in the woods, breathing hard, his tiny body trembling.
"I'm free…" he whispered to himself.
Far away, in his chamber, the Grand Duke sat in silence. Then, a faint, sharp cry reached his ears. He smiled, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Finally… gotcha," he whispered.
To be continued...