Darian walked away from the gazebo. It wasn't long before chaos began. "Darian! You bastard!"
A roar of pure rage, Darian recognised the sound before he could react. Kayle grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall.
SLAM...
"What the hell did you do, mother? You bastard", he snarled with anger in his face, tightening his grip, lifting him from the ground.
Darian looked up. Looming over him was Kayle; his face wasn't that of a cardboard cutout, but it burned with rage, and his cool, perfect composure was absent from his face, which made Darian smirk, further angering Kayle.
"Why are you laughing, piece of shit!" he shouted without holding back.
Oh god, I can't stop laughing. Look at his bimbo face, the cardboard showing emotion? This guy only showed emotion if either Elaine scraped her knees or was surrounded by a trash reverse harem with people with less personality than him, now looking at him, raging like a thug, Darain thought to himself.
"What is this, Brother?" Darian wheezed slightly with the mocking grin on the corner of his mouth ." Is this how crown princes behave? I might not be respected, but I, too, share the same royal blood as you ".
"Shut up, Darian!" his eyes glared with anger. "I saw her face, she was crying! You.....You filthy piece of garbage. You ruin everything!"
"I see I see..... now" Darian's eyes stared at his red eyes. "Take your hands off me, Mama Boy! "His voice dropped to a dangerous calm. He didn't struggle; his face filled with amusement.
"DARIAN !!!...." Kayle's fist poised to strike Darian's face.
"Stop, Kayle !"
A sharp female voice interrupted the tension. Mireal was running towards them, her elegant dress rustling on the ground, as she hurried close. Her face became pale as she witnessed the scene.
"Stop it, this instance, Kayle," she commanded in horror, breathless.
Kayle didn't let Darian loose. He glanced at his mother with his vengeful eyes," But mother ! this bastard did something bad to you, aint he? I saw you crying. He insulted you, didn't he?"
"Enough! Stop disgracing yourself, Kayle," Mireal shouted, her voice cracking." He ..... He didn't say anything wrong."
"Mother, but—"
"Hey, brother, " Darian interrupted Kayle, who was still holding Darian towards the wall,
"Take a look around."
Kayle froze.
Darian continued, "People are looking. Or do you want your so-called 'perfect' reputation to be tarnished by a petty brawl?"
Kayle's eyes glanced around. Servants, gardeners, and a few petrol guards witnessed the scene; some were confused, others murmured to another what they were witnessing.
Kayle knew it wouldn't be great to continue the brawl anymore, so he let Darian loose slowly, reluctantly. Darian stretched his dress, ran his hands across his neck.
"Good boy, Kayle!" Darain said while straightening his lapel and dress. "Now say sorry!"
"What the fuck? You bastard—" Kayle snarled.
"Oh," Darian whispered to Kayle closely with a grin so close that only Kayle could hear, "look at your mother, Brother, look at the face she is making ".
Kayle looked. The Empress stood a few feet away, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes filled with shame and panic.
"And mind you," Darian continued, "Given your mother's origin in the rank of nobility.....she might be insulted in the noble circle if her son acted worse than the trash. Do you really want to drag her down, brother? Think Kayle, Think !"
It was a low blow. A dirty, calculated strike, but it was effective. Kayle's face filled with shame and anger, and he gritted his teeth. Darian could hear the sound of his teeth crackling. He looked at his mother's face and servants around him, and finally, he averted his gaze to Darian.
He swallowed his pride. It tasted bitter, but he let his anger down,
"Sorry," Kayle muttered, looking at the ground, "For My My... baseless sudden anger."
"Apology accepted! " Darian chirped.
Kayle, who was full of anger and shame, turned back at glanced at his mother's face and left.
Darian smirked at Kayle one last Time, then he turned to the frozen spectators."What are you all looking at?" Darian barked his voice heard across the area. "Do you all want to walk like headless corpses? If not, do your job properly! "
The servants and guards rushed to their duty and pretended that nothing had happened, and didn't see anything leaving Darian, Empress Mireal, and her trusted maid.
The empress stared at Darian, who was retreating. "Da..."
Before she could start, Darian interupted, "Please don't apologize, empress; it might be better if you don't say anything."
She stood there, unable to finish what she was about to say, while clenching her fist out of frustration and sadness.