Chapter 823: 823 Nothing Changed

"Congratulations."

Aries flinched as soon as her brother's voice caressed her ears, looking back to see Davien approaching her. Aries was idling in the pavilion in the middle of the lake within the Royal Palace of Rikhill.

"I was looking for you all night," he said, stopping beside her with a smile on his face. "How can you sneak out of your own banquet like that?"

Aries chuckled with her lips closed, shaking her head. His eyes fell on the decanter in her hand.

"With an entire bottle of wine at that," he humored. "My sister, I'm worried. You don't hold your liquor well."

"Can you please stop sassing around?" she rolled her eyes playfully, setting them back on the white lotus floating on the still lake. "I snuck out because it was so loud. And also, because my brother, whose crown I stole, was the happiest of all."

"Are you expecting me to lock myself in the corner and cry myself to sleep?"

"You lost your title of the crown prince. You should be miserable."

"I cannot believe I am hearing this." Davien gasped while Aries laughed. "You should head back in. You drank over your limit."

"Today, I won and became the crown princess. I can drink as much as I want." Aries hugged the decanter playfully, looking at him with a mild glare.

"Well…" Davien raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "You're the crown princess now. So, what else can I say? I'm just your older brother now, so I can't order you around."

Aries frowned while assessing his playful countenance. A deep exhale slipped past her nostrils, looking away from him to the beautiful white lotus on the lake.

"Are you really alright with this, Davien?" she asked after a moment of silence, hearing him hum a questioning note as a reply. "That you're not the crown prince anymore; that I won against you."

She returned her gaze to him, watching him look back at her. "I thought you'd be sad for a bit, yet, you seemed much more energetic in the banquet."

Davien didn't answer immediately but stared at her. His soft expression warmed up even more when his subtle smile stretched slightly.

"Of course, I am a little disappointed at the result. Even though you were my opponent, losing is not a pleasant feeling," he admitted honestly. "However, that isn't enough reason to wallow in my chambers and cry myself to sleep. After all, I might've lost, but my sister had something to celebrate and be proud of. I want to be there for you and celebrate it together with her."

Aries kept silent, unable to say anything at his remarks. This was the brother she challenged; the person she had been clashing with since declaring her right to the throne. Davien was raised all his life to become a ruler, but she challenged it and stole it from him.

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She would understand if he was angry with her. However, Davien didn't change even after she declared her desire for the throne. Instead, Davien saw it as an opportunity. Still, she felt slightly guilty, but this guilt wasn't enough to force her to give up her ambition.

"You proved yourself and earned everything, Aime." Davien raised a hand, planting it on top of her head. "More than the slight bitterness in my heart, I am genuinely proud of you. I am certain Father and everyone feels the same way. Our land of Rikhill is entering a new era, and we're all hoping this change would make our beloved land even more proud."

"What if I make a mistake?" she blurted out quietly.

Davien cocked his head to the side. "Are you just thinking of that now?"

"I can't help it." Aries brushed his hand away from her head, looking away. "Declaring my right and challenging the crown prince was the easiest part. Winning wasn't easy, but at least, it never made me nervous."

"Haha. My little sister is cute." He chuckled before propping his arms against the railing of the pavilion, leaning forward slightly. "Having jitters only meant you care for the path you will take, and it's reassuring to care enough to fear mistakes. However, don't be afraid, Aime."

"No one is perfect in this world — nothing is." He looked back at her, smiling confidently. "Mistakes are inevitable and we cannot stop them. We can only learn from them. Isn't that the reason people say two heads are better than one? That's why there's a royal court and division of power, because the king can't run a country all on his own. He… or she needs people to support her."

"Will you support me, then?"

"Obviously." Davien laughed as if her question was more like a joke. "I lost the title of the crown prince, but my heart still screams for duty. Nothing changed."

Davien pushed himself away from the railing, reaching for the decanter in her arms. His action caused deep lines to appear in between her brows, but she allowed him to take the decanter from her embrace to the floor.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching him straighten his back.

He had this warm and bright smile plastered on his face, eyes swirling with pride and affection. He took a deep breath before going down to his knee, hand across his chest.

"While we're at it, I thought this would be the perfect chance to do this." Davien cleared his throat as his expression slowly turned solemn. "I, Leo Davien Heathcliffe, congratulate you on your victory. As your subject and a prince of the proud land of Rikhill, I pledge my loyalty, support, and my life to you, my Royal Highness. I will fight for you and protect you from harm until I cannot fight anymore."

Aries was rendered speechless, watching her brother take her hand and land a kiss on her knuckle as a gesture for a knight's oath. When he lifted his head, a welcoming and encouraging smile dominated his face.

"I believe in you, Your Royal Highness." He nodded mildly while holding her gaze. "Do not be afraid."

The worries and fear that were clouding her mind slowly disappeared, replaced by calmness. The side of her lips curled up, nodding back at him without saying anything.

How reassuring.

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