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prince!zayne

commissioned artwork by the lovely @akiisks ♡

synopsis: prince!zayne who is regarded as the highest scholar of the academy is praised and worshipped by renowned intellectuals, commoners, and royals alike. everyone, apparently—except for you. but when fate cruelly decides to bind the invisible string between the most relentless and exasperating man you have ever encountered to you, you find yourself longing for a person you cannot have.

#cosmoszyn ❄#prince!zayne #lads zayne #zayne love and deepspace #love and deepspace zayne #lnds #lnds zayne #zayne li #zayne x reader #zayne one shot #zayne fluff #l&ds zayne #love and deepspace #lads #doctor zayne #prince!zayne x reader #royalty au

The hearts melody

(lads!Li x princess!reader)

꧁ ༺♔ ༻ ꧂

Summary; a blurb of an idea I had.

Pairings; (lads!li x princess!reader)

(Note at the end)

꧁ ༺♔ ༻ ꧂

A piano softly sings out against the quiet walls of a lonely palace. Fingers softly tapping the keys to a soft melody, one that held emotions no one could understand. A longing for something more, a desire to feel something more than the loneliness that clings to the skin. Your fingers dance across the piano keys softly, while you hum along to the melody you made. You spent your days often within this room, not a suitor in sight. All due to the fact you had a curse, one that made you “unsightly” “disfigured”. A pair of elongated ears, how foolish those men are. Your ears are the least interesting thing that graces your very being. For instance, you’re playing the piano at this very moment. Classically trained, not to mention the fact that you are the princess of this kingdom. Who didn’t want to marry a princess? Well apparently everyone the king and queen, your parents, had summoned.

“Madam? It is about tea time, shall I bring it to this room?” Your maid says peaking into the room. You stop playing the piano abruptly, quiet for a moment. “I would like to have tea in the garden Evelyn. Fresh air should do me some good” Evelyn smiled softly, the old woman’s smile lines prominent. She has been your maid since you could remember. Always there to comfort you when your mother and father were gone. She was quite a wonderful woman, someone you held in high regard compared to others. She had taught you to be the woman you are today. “I’ll go gather the other maids, we’ll have your tea ready very soon! Shall I send another maid to accompany you down to the garden madam?” You thought for a moment, as you stood “no need, I shall enjoy the time alone on my walk. However i would enjoy some grapes with my tea, Evelyn.” The older woman nodded, her smile never faltering “I see, I shall make sure you have your grapes madam”. Once Evelyn had left, you looked to the piano you stood away from, just for a moment. This room was where Evelyn would teach you, how you miss the days when it was simply you and Evelyn. Little you had not a single care in the world, nor any responsibilities. You fixed your dress a small bit, adjusting it to be comfortable before you walked to the garden. You are quite excited to enjoy some grapes and tea while in the spring sunlight.

Your walk to the garden was filled with comfortable silence, you had passed the meeting hall, peaking in to see your mother and father. They spoke to who seemed to be other royalty from neighboring kingdoms. You hadn’t bothered to interrupt, you didn’t want to make the guest uncomfortable. When you finally did reach the garden, Evelyn was already there, setting the teaser up at the table near your favorite flowers. “Ah you’re here now! I have your grapes, I believe they’re Concord grapes this time” Evelyn explained while you took a tea. She poured your tea as you took a grape, popping it into your mouth it was sweet and crunchy. You hummed with content, “they’re quite delicious Evelyn, thank you for bringing me these!”

Your tea in the garden was going nicely, a soft breeze ruffling the leaves of the flowers. Sipping your floral tea, the sound of the guards at the entrance of the garden peaked your interest. “Sir you cannot enter the garden while the princess is-“ “I was sent by the king and queen. I will enter.” The man’s voice responded. You didn’t bother to turn your head in the direction of them. You knew it was another suitor who would immediately turn the other way once he sees your ears. However you were suprised to hear Evelyn’s voice. “Oh- sir do you need a seat? I’ll fetch a chair!” You looked away from the flowers to see a man standing there, a prince to be exact. His clothing fitted, hair neatly done as a small crown dawns his head. He didn’t have a look of shock, nor surprise, he simply looked at you with a look of adoration. Your brows furrowed “may I help you?” You half muttered. He smiled softly “I would like to court you, princess (name).”

Shock filled your bones, your cheeks heated up, this prince wanted to court you? You never had any real romance aside from the books Evelyn would sneak you. At a loss for words the prince gave a small chuckle, “you seem to be at a loss for words, is it too warm out? We could speak inside if you’d prefer” you could see he was teasing you, he sat down next to you once Evelyn brought the chair. You huffed “it is not too warm, I simply didn’t expect company today…” your eyes flicked away from him as your mind raced. Could he be simply teasing? Surely he couldn’t be serious- you felt something cool touch the tip of one of your elongated ears. You flinched away, looking in his direction with wide eyes. He flinch back, his own face shocked. “They’re real?” He mumbled, you furrowed your brows, “of course they’re real.. I know they’re unsightly-“ “-they’re beautiful” he interrupted you. You could hear Evelyn’s small gasp, despite the fact she tried to hide it with a small cough. The prince’s eyes flicked around as he studied at you. It seemed he didn’t show any signs of disgust or discomfort. You couldn’t held the worried look on your face as you felt unsure how to proceed. “Thank you.. I don’t believe anyone has ever said that before..” you responded. His eyes finally met yours, filled with an emotion you couldn’t place. “Well I hope to say it more often as it is the truth. Again, would you allow me to court you?”

You were silent for a moment, the eye contact you both held was something you had only read about. The feelings you felt bubbled as you looked for words. You swallowed lightly, the pink blush creeping on your cheeks clearly apparent. “I wouldn’t mind.. if you courted me..” you felt shy, unsure how to process this moment. However all you knew was the look in his eyes could be described as that of a child looking at the stars for the first time.

꧁ ༺♔ ༻ ꧂

This was written on a whim while I was taking a small break from what I was doing earlier. I thought it was cute so I decided to post it, I’m working on the third part to from ink to heart(Xavier), as well as a follow up part to hot chocolate(zayne), I used this as a practice for tone? And other things, I’m trying to get the hang of writing good scenes and not rushing things. Any tips are also welcomed from fellow writers :> -🦈

prince!zayne is getting married.

normally you’d be happy about it.

finally, the prince is getting out of your hair after months of squabbling with a commoner like you! the crown will go to the rightful heir with a queen by his side, and finally, the pressure of getting along with him the night you realized you were soulmates vanished.

if anything, you’re ecstatic over the news.

you're nearing the end of your first-year at The Academy, the professor and elders alike are finally recognizing your wit and what you can bring to the table, and people have relied to you outside of your work for mundane tasks.

honestly, you should be over the moon when you first heard about it.

but you wish you hadn’t heard of his grandeur marriage on your birthday.

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ synopsis: prince zayne has a choice—whether to succumb to his desires or to his title.

prince zayne never believed in soulmates. from the day he was born to his upbringing, the royal family drilled one thing into the crevices of his brain: marry another royalty and expand the power his family already grasps.

he spent more time burying his nose in books, sweating at the castle grounds with a sword in hand, and memorizing social graces and etiquette with prince caleb growing up. and through it all, he received more red marks and scrutiny from the governess of the household rather than any idea of what a soulmate actually was.

prince zayne never believed in soulmates, more so because he didn't have the liberty to think about the concept in the first place.

so when he found himself falling into an old, dried-up well in their garden during the full moon when he was eight years old, with the gardener and apothecary's daughter, the same age as him, following him suit in an attempt to rescue him, he couldn't quite understand the feeling broiling in his stomach.

the memory has been hazy for him, all static and fuzzy as he tried to recall the distant past. he only remembers crying silently and examining the scrape on his knee helplessly, then the girl tumbling down next to him with a chipped tooth and a grin plastered on her face.

the next thing, he was no longer crying and was instead sitting closely with the girl, reading the encyclopedia that had engrossed him before he had tripped down the well.

he could faintly remember the smell of the girl, recalling it was a mix of jasmine and mint, mostly because of the number of jasmines blooming beside them.

he remembers the sparse clouds that littered the sky, the moon giving them a little light for their reading.

zayne ignores the clumsy fluttering of his stomach as he gently protests with the girl's knowledge. the girl would prove to be as unyielding, frowning when he would argue, and she would talk back like he wasn't royalty.

which was a first for him.

adults feared questioning him even about the most mundane and silly things. he could say that the sky is gray during a sunny day, and the grown-ups would just nod gently and agree.

so meeting someone as similar to him, whose interest was in understanding the complexities of the world, he was baffled.

soon, that silly fluttering in his stomach would soon rise to his chest, and he just couldn't seem to understand where the feeling was coming from.

much more when he suddenly heard a voice in his head that he was certain wasn't his.

the prince might be blindingly stubborn but i suppose he wouldn't be awfully lonely anymore if i joined him in his leisure...

the two of them whip their heads quickly towards each other that they ended up bumping their foreheads against one another, eliciting loud whines from both children. but before they can even argue and demand the other to apologize, he remembers the swarm of servants surrounding the opening of the well, frantic and panic-stricken.

since then, the memory has sat at the back of his mind whenever he was demanded to sit at important (his father's words, not his) meetings with various royalty about marriage. he would mindlessly trace the intricate patterns of the goblet at hand, not bothering to listen to whatever the older men had to say, his imagination floating him back to the old, dried-up well in their garden.

sure, prince zayne didn't mind playing the role of the linkon kingdom's prince and providing his presence to whatever the royal counselor told him to. but he draws the line at putting up a nauseating facade in the name of his father's overwhelming greed for power.

prince zayne and prince caleb didn't inherit the king's insatiable lust for the throne, oftentimes seeking each other for refuge whenever their father became unreasonable.

and yet right now, he couldn't find caleb anywhere.

as a matter of fact, zayne couldn't see anything past two meters within his radius, without his stupid eyeglasses. the family's modiste just had to strictly recommend that he take off his glasses for the night, lest he ruin his saintly outfit during his engagement gala.

it was no secret that his eyesight is the worst. you could wave out to him on a busy street, and he would, unintentionally, zoom past you until he would catch a whiff of your perfume.

but for some strange reason, when he catches an unbelievably clear sight of your glassy eyes underneath the pale moonlight, and your fists balled to the sides of your gown, zayne finds his heart shattering into a million pieces.

"i wish to know why i was invited since i am only a commoner. was i invited because of your grace and recognition that i am up to par with your prowess? or was i merely invited so you can rub salt to my wound that in this universe i could never be with my soulmate?" you demand.

with the thousand ways that zayne abided by the royal standards, it was safe to say that he was used to the vexations and pleasantries (or the lack thereof) of the royal family.

and as a royalty, he has learned that the world has always been cruel to those who yearn and with undying devotion in their hearts.

he barely picked up the rustling of the wisterias or the cicadas singing in the background. zayne could only listen to the wild thumping of his heart against his chest as he watched you compose yourself.

zayne thinks of multiple routes across the scenario unfolding in front of him. he could take your hand and apologize. he could tell the truth and ask you to elope. he could ask to remain a platonic relationship just to keep you at arm's length.

alas, he was still a prince.

"my apologies, my lady," zayne begins. "you must have mistaken my intentions."

and as the prince of the linkon kingdom, he must always put the royalty's interests first before his.

he watches you swallow thickly, nodding, "indeed," you croak, "i must have."

you stiffly curtsy to zayne one last time and with a shaky breath, you say, "i shall not take much of your time any further. thank you for the dance."

then, with restrained movements, he watches you turn your heel slowly.

the clouds disperse from the sky, revealing the full moon glistening in all its glory.

i will never have zayne, this i already know. i shall not wallow in my sadness around with something already delusional.

please, i ask you to stay. do not take any further steps. allow me to fiight for us.

you feel the airway in your throat constricting as you take a quarter step away from the prince with the full moon orbiting mockingly in the sky. hiding the sniffles from your repressed tears through the click-clack! of your heels against the polished marbled floors, echoing against the space. but before you can take another step further from your supposed soulmate, you feel a tight clasp around your wrist and the warmth of a body on your back.

you freeze.

"my dearest miss," zayne speaks so softly.

you dare not turn around.

"before we bid farewell, i am compelled to show you something," he continues.

you almost scoff at his words, realizing that he couldn't even apologize for his cold display of demeanor towards his soulmate earlier. but before you could even make a disgruntled sound, prince zayne was already tugging at your wrist and essentially dragging you through the hedge maze-esque of the castle's garden.

you know you have a choice.

to pull your hand away.

or to stop dead in your tracks.

or to demand answers from him.

instead, you let him.

you let him pull you away from the twisted reality of his noble life and your humble dreams. you decide that if this would be the last night of having your soulmate to yourself, you would at least let yourself indulge while he is still yours—bound by fate but severed by reality.

then, zayne stops.

you follow suit.

feigning irritation, you huff, "shall this be the time to dilly-dally when the king and his wife must be looking for you?"

he ignores your words, which only makes your annoyance come to life. with a scowl on your face, you take a step forward, ready to give him an earful, "hey—"

the moon is mocking you.

you were certain.

you catch a glimpse of its glimmering light, turning your head in that direction, you see it.

oh.

being the daughter of a humble gardener and apothecary, you were used to visiting houses of the townsfolk while one of your parents would do the task they were assigned to do.

but there were instances where your parents would visit the nobility together, bringing you along to their work.

and there was this faint instance that you recall being stuck in a well with a snobbish brat of your age, with the intent of rescuing him.

the memory never consumed your waking days, you couldn't even make out the events that transpired during that fateful evening.

until the sight of the well seemed to unlock a plethora of pictures in your head.

you stand there, frozen, with zayne's rugged palms still encircling your wrist.

your lips part but you could barely make a sound.

"i frequent this part of the castle when i feel rather lonesome. it was sort of a safe haven for me," he continues. "not even the king himself dare step into this space. you could say it's the only piece of land in this kingdom that has my name written on it," he dryly jokes.

you remain silent, watching the fireflies flickering beneath the tall grass and the various insects crawling on top of the growing vines covering the well.

zayne clears his throat awkwardly, "i only jest, of course. however, it is the truth when i said that this has become a space for prince zayne himself only."

you blink, forcibly pulling yourself out of the trance, "why?" you murmur.

"hm?"

you turn to him, "why?"

zayne cocks his head to the side in a pensive act, "why, you ask..."

it takes zayne exactly eight seconds to respond, "perhaps it's because when i am within this vicinity, i long for the moment when i tumbled down this well to be repeated again."

usually, you would shriek with laughter at him, pointing at him in an attempt to embarrass him further. you would try to voice out in between laughter how "the prince fell down the well foolishly," and how "the star pupil of The Academy ended up actually hitting himself in the head as a child."

but this time, you could only stay silent.

"i suppose you remember, then?" he mutters.

you swallow thickly, unsure how to answer him.

before your mind could even register a single word in your head, he gently pulls you to face him, and underneath the glow of the moonlight, you witness your supposed rival and undeniably your soulmate speaking to you through the mere glint in his eyes.

zayne looks at you with utter devotion and longing, with his lips wobbling in anticipation and his breath shaky, brows knitted together helplessly.

he traces his thumb against your skin, sacred and revered.

"i despise that i ended up this way," he whispers, pulling you closer until you are inches apart. "a royalty with no autonomy. an absolute fool of a status. even a nobleman would have more agency in his life than i do."

you press your palms against his chest flatly, "prince zayne, we cannot—"

"how dare this cruel universe subject me to profound sorrow by making me experience you?" he cuts you off shakily, "the heavens sing and the moon itself shines when i am with you. so tell me, is it such great sin for me to want to be with you?"

"the odds are against our favor—"

"it is blasphemous that i cannot love you!"

the axis of your world tilts.

"for me to say that you do not occupy my thoughts would be absurd..." zayne exhales shakily, "and i have spent all of my waking days trying to escape this madness."

he shakes his head, his touch delicate as if you could step away and he would let you.

"so please... i beg of you," zayne murmurs, gazing into you as if reading your entire soul, "what does it take for a lowly prince like me to sit beside your throne?"

the utter wreckage of his voice and his holy touch earns a tight clench of your chest, tears silently slipping out from the corners of your eyes. you no longer what day it is, or how long have passed since you two tiptoed away from the spotlight of the gala. you no longer remember the scrutinizing glares of the aristocrats, neither the dreams of becoming renowned in the medical field of linkon kingdom.

all your mind could scream at this exact moment was prince zayne in the palm of your hands.

and maybe, you could let yourself indulge just for once.

you beg the universe, just this once.

please.

give this to me.

"your majesty, i must—"

"zayne!"

the both of you whip your heads so hard to the direction of the voice bellowing that you almost bump each other clumsily again. you see at the other side of the garden the younger prince, caleb, sweaty and hair tousled as if he ran his fingers a million times through it in frustration.

"what are you doing, running off here at this ungodly hour?! the family is looking for you!" caleb yells, prompting zayne to pull away from you.

"looking for me?" zayne scoffs. "the world must be in flames for father to look for me for once."

caleb stomps over to him, "unfortunately, this is your engagement gala."

you were sure the moon was mocking you.

with the way the clouds begin to hover the satellite, casting shadows over the entire expanse of the garden, you were certain it was laughing at your expense.

and you certainly could laugh at yourself right now too.

there may be a string tied between you and zayne, but the universe feeds off of your agony.

and you remember, zayne is still a prince—one who abides more with societal norms and expectations rather than someone who is your soulmate.

a/n: ... first time posting in a while. kinda nervous . . . im so sorry it took this long to be released >< another part will be up before the entire fic release :) comments are very much appreciated !!

prince!zayne series

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⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ synopsis: you attend prince! zayne's engagement gala.

"never in a million years would i have imagined you to be here."

"i'm certain you would have my head if i didn't attend your brother's engagement gala."

prince caleb shoots you a quizzical look with his lips curling up into a smile, "that would be a farce, miss bartender, you of all people should know that."

you only nod at him in response, curtsying to him, "your highness."

"dearest lady of the elysium," caleb replies, the palm of his gloved hand resting atop his chest in greeting, "i never thought i'd see you adorned in the finest of jewelry and the most exquisite silks."

caleb stands across you, dressed in his all white suit, with gold embellishments and epaulettes on his shoulders. his infamous alexandrite brooch pinned in the middle of his chest, twinkling underneath the amber lights of the hall. the loud chatters of the crowd surrounding you two could engulf both your sounds away and yet caleb is unafraid to close the distance between you two for you to hear him perfectly.

"well, you have lord sylus and prince rafayel to thank for that. there's nothing like a good threat of unemployment that won't work," you reply, eliciting a chuckle from him.

"they have my grace, then. after all, you look quite lovely tonight," he says.

"oh prince caleb, if you're not too careful i'd assume you're flirting with a commoner like me. it won't be a pretty picture in the tabloids to have your face all over it."

for you to stand across a royalty so casually like this makes you shift your weight nervously. despite wearing the most luxurious piece you could ever own, thanks to rafayel insisting of funding your clothing, and finest jewelry sponsored by sylus, you can't help but feel little in your own skin. which is ironic—because your outfit was intended to make you feel small, at least physically. with the way simone gripped the strings of your corset earlier and planted her foot across the wall you were holding onto for dear life as she tightened the undergarment, you were set up to feel the tiniest you have ever been.

and yet, no matter how many layers of petticoat you drag or how expensive it all amounts, you can't help but feel that something is clawing at your throat. with the way the lights shine brightly across the expanse of the halls and the stench of various perfume lingering in the air, it feels you were waiting for the inevitable to come.

"to have my face beside such a beautiful one spread across town? i'd be more than honored to be a part of," caleb says with his warm smile gracing his features. you return the gesture, shaking your head, "even at your brother's engagement, you are insufferable."

he shrugs, "it's second nature at this point."

you exhale a laughter behind your hand, "that, i have to agree with."

"you were supposed to decline, y'know," caleb feigns a pout and you almost roll your eyes at his actions if it weren't for a voice in your head reminding you of your position.

"my apologies, then, your highness."

"never mind that. where is your company? you awfully seem lonely in such a lively evening."

"sylus is across the hall, discussing the upcoming auction with the auctioneer from the kingdom of chansia, especially with the recent development of the prince's wedding," the words feel foreign on your tongue, "while for rafayel, i could only surmise that he is perched along the other royalties because of thomas."

caleb tilts his head at your words, clasping his chin in deep thought, "hm, strange. i never came across with rafayel at the table earlier."

"perhaps you two didn't cross paths each other...?"

"i s'ppose so. anyhow, i should get going, miss bartender. i have quite the crowd to entertain before prince charming himself shows up."

you offer him a tight-lipped smile as he waves off, expecting he will just turn his back and jog off to the opposite direction. instead, caleb pulls you into a half-embrace, granting you the liberty of whiffing his strong musky perfume.

"take a look at the moon tonight, it'll be alright," he whispers briefly into your ear before pulling away with a raise of his brows and walks away.

you stand there, dumbfounded, certain that royalties and noblemen have captured the scene with their very own eyes especially with how they have fixated their stares at you the moment caleb walked up to you.

and yet, you find yourself uncaring of their scrutinizing gaze.

you could only follow the prince's words and turn to the tall windows of the hall, with its long velvet drapes pulled taut to the side.

there, you see it.

the full moon hanging in all its glory.

and as if it weren't enough, all lights abruptly turns off, leaving only the chandelier above the massive staircase lit.

you force yourself to turn to the sole light, gulping nervously. the whole room falls silent at the expected arrival of the prince. seconds ticked into minutes and you were getting antsier by each breath you take.

with impulse coursing on your veins, you take a step back to turn your heel and walk away from the scene.

but you're a little too late.

as soon as you pivot your feet across the tiled floor, the orchestra comes alive with what seems to be rachmanimoff's symphony no. 2, op. 27: III. adagio.

then, the royal family comes out one by one. first, it was the youngest prince, flashing his bright smile and confidence oozing in each stride. then, the king and queen of the kingdom of chansia, gently waving to the people with gentleness that was a stark difference to how the royal couple of linkon ran things. the couple were then followed by the king of linkon and his wife, their movements calculated in every way possible. while they grace the folk of warm smiles and reserved waves, you knew this was more of a political ploy than anything else.

and then... there he stands atop the wide staircase, adorn in a similar outfit with his younger brother, but with a bolder cape around his shoulders, and the gold embellishments of his coat are accompanied with white gems of pure starlight. sitting in the middle of his chest is the familiar refined snowflake brooch, twinkling under the brilliant chandelier.

you refuse to let his name fall from your lips.

and yet, you find it difficult to do so. not when he stands seemingly uninterested in the endeavor, eyes glazing over to the crowd in search of something.

just then, the princess of chansia kingdom appears beside him in a large white and green ball gown, a faint smile spread across her lips. you could barely see it, but you could've sworn there was a hint of what seems like longing in her eyes.

she hooks her gloved hand across the older prince's arm and that's when it happens.

prince zayne locks eyes with you.

time seemingly stills. the air in the room shifts—from the warm space engulfing the hall to the cold breeze hanging in the atmosphere. the frost bites into your skin and if you didn't know any better, you'd think it was all his evol.

everything else didn't seem to matter except for this exact moment, just zayne standing across the room, staring at you with a lingering gaze.

you feel like everything is conquerable in each tick of the clock that he stares at you. your fingertips to your side and your mouth parts, itching to call at him.

and then you see the princess move her lips, seemingly out of concern.

after the fleeting gaze the prince has provided you, he turns to his fiancée to the side and nods.

the two of them slowly descend to the stairs and with the accompaniment of the live band and sophisticated claps from the crowd, tight smiles feature on their faces.

curses, you thought to yourself, fingernails clawing through your satin gloves. you wish nothing more than to tear your gaze away from the couple but something tells you that this is the last moment you will see zayne outside of the academy. and so, you can't help but stare at the scene with furrowed brows.

"my, she possesses a beauty so radiant that i cannot believe she graces my eyes."

you turn your head to the side, following the voice and see rafayel in his royal blue velvet coat and white ruffled top and trousers. he fists his chests, gathering the aquamarine gem in his brooch tightly.

"prince rafayel, you should be seated at the royalty's table," you whisper, watching the reflection in his eyes focus on the princess. he visibly gulps, as if his breathing catches in his throat, "i wouldn't dare."

you blink at him confusedly, "why not?"

"i-i cannot bring myself to be seated with—" he purses his lips and whips his head to the side in an act of frustration, "it's nothing of importance."

you didn't bother pressing forward with his answer. after all, with the way the corner of his eyes well up at the sight of the princess, you had all the answer you needed right in front of you.

and yet, it felt like you could not seem to shake off the icy feeling forming at your chest. you could only bring yourself to watch the scene through rafayel's glossy eyes while his teeth gnaws on the inside of his cheek.

the claps from the crowd grew relevantly louder as they fully descended into the floor, zayne's hand lifting the princess' in recognition of their marriage. the kings and queens of both kingdoms tilt their chins upward in acknowledgment of the soon-to-be spouses.

several other royalties raise their glasses in respect, realizing that not only is the kingdom of linkon showing no hesitance to form alliances, it also showed how they have little to no regard for old traditions of soulmates and love if it meant reclaiming more land and power.

you frown as you see zayne and the princess walk closer to the center of the hall, the white light of the room seemingly following them in their every move.

"careful, your lamentation might become permanent."

you follow the direction of the voice and see sylus in all his glory smirking at you in amusement.

"i am not lamenting," you retort, turning your stare back to the couple.

"i was referring to our royal friend over here, sweetie. but it seems someone took a stray wound."

"should you really be intolerable tonight, my lord?" you grimace, shaking your head.

"ah, then would you take my sincerest apologies in the form of a dance?"

you look at his outstretched hand incredulously and notice that the crowd has begun to follow the footsteps of zayne and his bride of waltzing in the middle of the hall.

"i shall accompany prince rafayel tonight—"

"you mean the prince that just scurried off just now?"

you turn your head behind you, only to find the space beside you previously occupied by a man with a shattered heart completely empty.

then, you watch the couple flowing into the music of the orchestra. zayne and the princess are in perfect sync, fluid movements capturing the two like they have rehearsed this all to perfection.

you hate to admit it, and you probably never will, but the ache settles in your chest before you can push it deep into the dark crevices of your mind.

the two of them seem to be the picture perfect couple, two powerhouse kingdoms banding together to become as one unstoppable force of a hurricane. if you were in their shoes, you'd think the same—damn to the tradition of soulmates and lovers. you'd rather secure safety and prosperity to millions of people than for your own selfish desires.

you notice how the nobles have begun to follow the movements of the couple, smoothly swaying to the song and merging into the crowd like puzzle pieces.

with a reluctant sigh, you turn to sylus and take his hand.

surprisingly, dancing with him was easier than you thought. you initially thought he would bug the living life out of you about how you stared a second too long at zayne and his future wife or the commiserating look you have to rafayel. sylus only guided you by the waist and hand around the floor and all you had to do was to keep yourself from stepping on his toes.

then, you find yourself in rafayel's arms for some odd reason. the longing regret that surrounded both your auras earlier are replaced into fits of laughter as you both waltzed with four left feet. he hums along to the sound of the orchestra, like he memorized every musical note of rachmanimoff's pieces. and you can't help the giggles falling from your lips as he exaggerates every tune while taking wide steps on the dance floor—his title as the prince of lemuria seemingly an excuse to act ridiculous in front of everyone else.

and right before the crescendo of the music, you find yourself liberated from rafayel's clutches and into your next partner's arms. but right after curtsying before him, you feel a freezing sensation course through your veins.

"hello."

your breathing hitches.

"prince zayne," you greet, barely curtsying to his presence. "apologies but i—"

"may i have this dance?"

you feel dozen pairs of eyes burning through the back of your skull, to the point it would be scandalous to even muster the word 'no.' and yet, you can't find the words to reply to him. it feels like you've become atlas, carrying the entire celestial sphere on your shoulder with the way zayne looks at you expectantly. his pure snowflake brooch glimmer underneath the amber lights and you find the same shine within his hazel eyes.

it was only until a person's dress grazes your back when you forcibly pull yourself back in reality. "it would be my deepest pleasure and honor, prince zayne," you say barely under your breath, curtsying to him, and taking his outstretched palm.

hesitation tingling on your fingertips as you press against his cold ones. nevertheless, zayne is still the most attentive man that you know, with the way he rests his hand on your hip and his grip slotted against yours, he glides the both of you into the tune.

"how is the academy?" he begins, "i have yet to visit again after the ceremony."

"everyone is doing okay back there. though, we must say that it has been conveniently easy and quiet without you there," you joke.

"does that bring you comfort?"

"it does. i have one less thing to worry about."

"hm." he turns his gaze away from you.

"what is it?" you ask with a frown.

"i just thought you'd be more amicable today."

you don't hide the scowl any further, tightening your grip against his, "what are you implying? i am quite cooperative tonight."

"the distaste on your face says otherwise," he says.

you scoff, "prince zayne, how about we do not do this tonight? not on your engagement gala."

he doesn't reply after that. nor does he make any effort to release you from his clutches. he takes unnecessarily long strides away from the crowd, controlling your every movement to glide further away from probing stares.

you hate to admit it, but you let him.

you let him traverse the two of you away from the nobles and royalty.

away from the princess.

away from the responsibility of signing into a marriage he was assigned to since birth.

soon enough, you find the two of you flowing underneath the gleaming moonlight, the faint sounds of the orchestra barely encapsulating your ears and was replaced by heels clicking against the marble floors. the wisteria trees seem to sway in sync to your movements, the cold breeze kissing your skin just right.

you hate to admit everything, but this may be the last time you'll have your soulmate all to yourself.

you vow to make the most out of it.

but you cannot help the question clawing at your throat. and so, with enough courage, you whisper, "mind if i ask the prince why i am here?"

he takes a second to respond, "i took you outside, if you haven't noticed."

"...do you take me for a fool, prince zayne?"

"...i'd rather not answer that."

you didn't fight the giggle falling from your lips and for that fleeting moment, zayne feels enraptured by it.

by the sound of your delight.

by you.

"i would appreciate it if the prince answers me honestly."

zayne twirls you in his hand in an attempt to distract you from the question.

but you remained silent and expecting.

the longer his solitude dragged on, the deeper your heart sunk.

"you are a valuable member of the society, of course," he replies, after what seems an eternity.

"what utter folly."

"excuse me?" zayne says, his steps hiccupping in surprise.

"please do not take me for a fool, your highness," you begin, while continuously swaying with him, "i have seen the faces of everyone in the room. all political bigwigs, as if to declare that the kingdom is not to be challenged. the noble and aristocrats from the far stretches of land to instigate further business ventures. i would understand if i was merely a plus one to the lord sylus himself or prince rafayel of lemuria. however, i do not see the political strategy of inviting a lone bartender to this."

you purse your lips in hesitation, staring at the satellite hung across the inky sky, "and yet you chose to personally write the letter of invitation yourself."

silence swallows you whole, it was unlike you to profess such emotions under the moonlight. nevertheless, you couldn't just let yourself deal with his mystery for the nights to come while he indulge himself in marrying a brilliant woman.

with each tick of the clock, you beg to the heavens for some clarity.

whether it would be closure that this chapter of your soulmate will come to a close or his simple answer that he treated you as a friend and academic rival all this time—you'd be content.

"you must have a chip on your shoulder."

you blink at him confusedly. suddenly, the words churned the gears in your head furiously.

"pardon me?"

"do you think i will not invite you to my proposal just because you are a classmate? you must have a chip on your shoulder to think so lowly of me," zayne declares.

with all the rage boiling inside you, you yank your body away from him and glare at him, "how dare you make it about yourself? i was simply asking of your intentions."

"and i answered honestly."

"you didn't answer anything!" you raise your voice, taking a step back, "your highness, i was merely asking out of curiosity because we have yet to discuss the elephant in the room for weeks now. and yet we've been waltzing around like it never happened."

zayne stares at you blankly, his lips pulled to a tight line.

the funny thing about the linkon season was that no matter the time, the cicadas will sing and the wind will howl in any given time. sparse clouds litter across the heavens, covering the moon and the stars twinkle brightly in the sky. the clouds cast shadows from the moon being the sole provider of light in the darkness with a few leaking from inside the castle.

the rustling of the wisterias flood out any other sound. you clench your fists tightly together, your lips wobbling in anticipation.

"my apologies, my lady," zayne begins. "you must have mistaken my intentions."

you swallow thickly, nodding, ignoring the pricks in your eyes and weight in your chest, "indeed," you croak, "i must have."

you curtsy to zayne one last time and with a shaky breath, you say, "i shall not take much of your time any further. thank you for the dance."

then, with restrained movements, you turn your heel slowly.

the clouds disperse from the sky, revealing the full moon glistening in all its glory.

i will never have zayne, this i already know. i shall not wallow in my sadness around with something already delusional.

please, i ask you to stay. do not take any further steps. allow me to fiight for us.

a/n: ... not proofread :p

prince!zayne series

thinking about prince!zayne who is regarded as the highest scholar of the academy, contributing miles and miles of favorable studies in the medical field of the kingdom despite being a mere student, insofar as mentors acknowledging his wisdom and graces.

except for you.

it was a known fact that when the two of you were placed in the same classroom together in the academy, debates would occur. the back and forth would last for hours, despite the protests from your fellow students. unfortunately for them, the mentors would find your arguments rather amusing and would even pose several questions to trigger even more dispute between the two of you.

however, for zayne, arguing with you felt too troublesome. your stubbornness allowed you to never concede nor recognize his opinions. while you, on the other hand, refuse to let him feel that he has the leverage over you.

due to the heated discussions being the talk of the academy, the news was delivered to the elder.

leading you to your current predicament.

"i demand that you sleep on the floor."

"i refuse. i will never let your royal status get in the way of my nightly comfort and rest," you scoff, crossing your arms against your chest and looking away.

the elder proposed a research over exotic plants in pairs, but the catch is she would be the one to assign the partners and the plants involved.

and you knew in that moment that she schemed to have you by pair with him.

"i did not use my royal status to have you sleep on the floor," zayne argued.

"you demanded," you replied.

"demanded is rather different from commanding you to do so. i assume you'd know the difference since you've buried your nose in books all day."

you gasp at him in outrage, "you overbearing prince!"

he rolls his eyes at you before plopping down at the queen-sized mattress, "should you change your mind about sleeping on the floor, then i'd be more than glad to serve you your pillows and the curtain as your blanket," he replies in his usual flat tone, and yet you could tell the sarcasm lacing his tongue.

zayne fluffs the pillow behind him with his one hand as the other places his glasses on the bedside table.

"as if i'd let you hog the comforts of the bed!" you cry, tossing yourself over the bed and forcefully pulling the blanket away from him to drape it over yourself.

zayne clicks his tongue in annoyance, tugging the other end of the blanket to him, "you are such a nuisance," he comments.

"why, i am grateful to receive such high praise from the prince. i could say the same thing to you," you shoot back with a forceful grip on the cloth.

"strange, i have never received that compliment before from other people," zayne replies, continuing his strong grasp.

"well perhaps, you should talk to other people apart from your servants," you proclaim. and those are the last words that tumble out of your mouth before zayne vigorously heaves the blanket and you to his side, effectively bringing your body to his corner of the bed with a yelp.

a beat of silence engulfed the room.

your chest drapes over his lap while your left hand remains on the cushion beside his thigh, propping yourself up and the right resting on his knee. you could feel your cheeks heating up and your heart picking up its pace.

suddenly, a whirlwind of emotions surges in you. you hastily removed yourself from his body to apologize, because after all, he is still a prince. but before you could turn to him and profusely explain, perhaps even blame him, the gleam from the moon trickling through the sheer curtains of the floor to ceiling windows caught your attention.

it's the full moon.

shit.

you'd be hearing your soulmate's thoughts in no time.

"i could still feel her heartbeat against my skin."

"oh dear heavens this prince is going to behead me!"

you both slowly fixate your gaze to each other.

"fuck."

mweheheh anyone down for an academic rivals to lovers, slow burn, soulmates and fantasy/royalty au prince!zayne? >:))

prince! zayne series masterlist here

read part 1 here. part 2 of the prince!zayne drabble series.

prince!zayne absolutely abhors swordsmanship training. practicing with the cavalry captain, xavier, was one thing—but training with his younger half-brother, prince!caleb was worse. if he could find a way to escape it, despite orders from the higher-ups, he would do so, without hesitation.

zayne never found the reason for the training when his evol doesn’t require him to pick up a weapon, but being the next heir to the throne (and having petty bets against his younger brother, who is relatively more skilled than him), it entails him to carry a sword.

and so, he tries.

keyword: tries.

with bated breath, caleb awaits his older half-brother to strike his weapon at his chest, a lopsided grin gracing his features.

"come on, brother!" caleb taunts, "you have yet to graze me with your sword!"

"oh, silence, you madly infuriate me," zayne replies with a roll of his eyes, panting in between with sweat trickling down his back.

his younger brother only replies with a snicker and a step forward, urging zayne to hastily withdraw. clutching his sword in defense, zayne grits his teeth, mind traveling a hundred miles per hour, thinking of ways to pounce at his younger brother.

however, he sees something move in his peripheral vision. his eyes dart to the direction of the motion, and his defensive stance lowers.

across from the large oak tree that him and his brother were situated underneath its shade is the large stone building of the academy with floor-to-ceiling windows and vines creeping on the walls. at the topmost floor is a huge circular window, with the rows of bookshelves of the library in view.

and zayne sees you.

a book in one hand, your thumb in the other being nipped away, and a frown etching in your face. you pace back and forth in the library, the old floorboards squeaking against your steps, and the sunlight through the windows melting in your skin.

from a distance, zayne stares at you with wide eyes, trying to recall if you were the woman who constantly berates him in classes. he couldn't remember what exactly enamored him about you, which is rare, especially with his sharp memory. but for some reason, he couldn't point it out, he feels oddly drawn to you and your presence.

he further finds himself completely diverted to the thought of you that he forgets the predator preying on him.

with a sly grin, caleb leaps forward at his brother with his entire body, disarming their swords altogether with a loud clatter, effectively tackling zayne into the grassy field.

"caleb!" zayne nearly shouts in a nag, feeling caleb's whole weight crush him. but the younger prince doesn't care, as he is laughing with no regard for the academics in the building who could hear his guffaw.

"i never thought in a million years i would catch the prince zayne floored! literally!" caleb cackles, his fist hitting the ground beside his brother's head in amusement.

"ugh. you and your stupid puns," zayne complains, fruitlessly pushing all of his brother's mass away from him, "i demand you to get off me!"

"no way! did you see the look on your face?!" caleb beams, with spit spraying in zayne's face, to which he grimaces over, "you completely forgot the first thing father has taught us when faced with an enemy!" caleb continues, urging zayne to pull his head away from his boisterous brother.

"you insolent fool, you always give me terrible headaches," he grumbles under his breath. but before caleb could reply, the sliding of a window from the building catches their attention, followed by laughter.

"what absolute joy this sight brings me!"

zayne feels the rush of heat creep up to his cheeks as he sees you, a hand cupped around your mouth with a grin.

"prince zayne being tackled to the ground by his younger brother!" you yell from the building, your hands clutching to your sides as you laugh hysterically, "you're not just horrible at alchemy, but also at swordsmanship!"

zayne averts his gaze from you and turns to his brother with a glare and teeth grinding together, "remove yourself from me, this instant," is all he says before caleb pulls himself up with a snicker. his younger brother extends an arm to him apologetically, to which zayne scowls at but still accepts the gesture.

"well, at least you got her attention. right, brother?" caleb says.

"i do not want her attention," zayne quickly replies.

caleb waves his hand at him dismissively with a smirk gracing his face, "right, and the sky is green."

needless to say, the interaction proved caleb's theory right and... there was a "keep silent" sign put up in the library the day after.

taglist: @sapphic-daze @sylusgirlie7 @baystrel @cynireththorne

please let me know if you want to be tagged in the next post! hope everyone enjoyed this drabble. likes, reblogs, and comments are always highly appreciated <3

prince! zayne series masterlist here

prince! zayne series here

the crisp autumn air cling to your skin with the wind blowing strands of your hair away from your face. you dip your fingers experimentally to the gush of the river across you, admiring the ripples from the boulders.

"didn't know that miss academic loved to spend her time at the freezing waterway." a voice spoke from behind you, urging you to retrieve your hand and look back to the owner.

"it's a surprise seeing you here," you say barely above a whisper, wiping your tear-stained cheeks with the back of your dry hand. you inhale the sight across you, prince!caleb adorned in his usual white coat and gold accents with the contrast of his black combat boots and sword sheathed to his side. he merely gives you a nod in acknowledgment before sitting on the bench and leaning behind the crawling vines from the walls of the academy. he pats the vacant space beside him and you obey.

"i never knew the academy would have the end of the river inside its premises," you say, heaving a sigh of comfort as you lean your back onto the cold metals of the seat. caleb chuckles, "it's sort of a secret gem."

you only nod in response, admiring the arches of the millennia-old tree trunks across you, sprawling above the wooden bridge. its flowers gently descending into the ground.

"do you not have classes today?" caleb breaks the silence, glancing at you by his side. you shook your head no, "supposedly, i should have."

he blinks at you, waiting patiently. "but?" he asks.

you chew the inside of your cheek, following your stare to the flowers drifting across the air. hesitantly, you whisper above heavy breaths, "it was cancelled because my debate opponent did not show up."

you fiddle with your fingertips, counting the lily pads floating atop the water. caleb stays silent.

"what are you doing here, prince caleb?" you question.

"i'm just droppin' by," he replies curtly. you furrow your brows at his sudden response, your lips downturned and fingertips slightly shivering—whether it was from the cold or from anxiety, you're unsure.

you heave a deep breath, "you knew he won't come, huh?"

after a beat of silence, he responds, "...yep."

you drop your gaze to your lap, picking at the ends of the ribbon of your uniform, tied snugly around your waist. you will your eyes to leer onto the intricate details of the fabric, ignoring the stinging from the corners of it. you notice caleb from your peripheral vision opening his mouth to say something until the crunch of dry leaves from heavy footsteps echoed through the enclosure.

caleb turns his head to the arched entrance, making eye-to-eye with the man of the hour.

"speak of the devil," he murmurs, standing up to his height. "i'll take my leave, sunshine. don't frown too much," caleb jests, earning a chuckle from you that sounded more like an exhale.

you refuse to watch caleb leave the vicinity, knowing you'd catch his older brother's attention. and right now, he was the last person you wanted to see.

you hear caleb mumble under his breath and pat his older sibling's shoulder twice. after a few seconds, you felt one less presence from the area and the temperature dropping.

a tall shadow casts over you as prince!zayne stands beside you reluctantly. you ignore him, fixated on the vibrant petals and leaves intertwining against each other. you thought you could disregard the royalty's occupancy forever, until he takes the vacant seat beside you, urging you to rise from it.

zayne calls your name softly.

"no," you grit.

"at least let me explain—"

you whip your head to his direction swiftly, frustration bubbling in your stomach and needles pricking the corners of your eyes, "you made me look like a fool!" you exclaim, swallowing the heavy lump on your throat, "an utter buffoon and a disgrace!"

it was the first time you saw zayne since last night.

his hair no longer disheveled but rather kept too pristine and combed to perfection. the bags under his eyes are slightly buried from layers of powder that you were unsure why he would put on make up at a random day. he adorns the opposite of caleb's valiant uniform—with his white satin button-down shirt tucked into his black pants, and the silver and topaz embellishments complimenting his ruffled collar and sleeves.

the sight alone would've made you hitch a breath, if it weren't for the exasperation you are feeling towards the man.

before you could stop yourself, words tumble out of your mouth, "you knew the elder does not take second chances and you left me there alone at the podium with no opponent so i could automatically get the high score! we waited fifteen minutes for your arrival, ten minutes extra compared to what the elder would've given because you're the prince! but you—!" you shake your head disapprovingly, grinding your teeth together as you dart your glare to the roots sprouting from the massive tree beside you.

you murmur something under your breath, something zayne does not catch.

"pardon?" zayne asks, fingertips itching to reach out to you and clasp in his hand.

you turn to him.

zayne feels like a thousand weight pressed on his shoulders with the way you glower at him.

"do you pity me?"

he blinks disbelievingly, heartbeat pausing at the sight of tears pricking your eyes. he opens his mouth to answer, but before he could process out the words, a lone tear trickles down your cheek.

"don't you ever disrespect me again in this field just because you think i'm incapable of handling you," you grumble under your breath before storming out of the area.

leaving zayne alone and helpless, failing his final chance of escaping the arranged marriage discussions by letting his soulmate slip through his fingers.

a/n: srry for being ia >< please let me know if you want to be tagged in the next post!

taglist: @sapphic-daze @sylusgirlie7 @baystrel @cynireththorne @hyori2 @vanaaa @stargirlygirl @seris-the-amious @hunterelys @yiddyyadda @mysticmiraculer @vynn30 @yourlocalcatscammer @dwuclvr