6 To Be in the Service of the King

"Remember to breathe properly. Don't let your nervousness show. Pay attention to the floor, but don't look down. Kick and walk, kick and walk…" 

The queen's voice echoed from the side hall of the throne hall. The king turned to the side, along with Covey and Gannett. Both brothers were donned in their most expensive and well-maintained suits, as well as the king. When they saw the queen, she was also in her best dress. However, she was not the most enticing one to arrive.

Kanaru didn't have the build of a lady; neither did he have the well-sculpted body of a man. A gown tailored to his measurements didn't look bad on him, especially when the fabric hugged his body. The bodice had no back to support his wings, and the skirt part had two high slits to facilitate the legs. He also wore black tights to stay modest despite not wearing proper pants.

Moreover, his hair and his feathers were all glowing mildly. His golden eyes now sat on lids and cheeks reddened by rouges. His lips were also glossed, the pinkish color making his mouth appear smaller. The smooth long neck was obscured by short feathers, giving him a fur collar. As for his arms, they were embraced by golden chain links wrapping around them like snakes.

Their last memory of what Kanaru looked like would never superimpose on how he looked right now.

"…you're indeed prepared for this, Mother," Covey commented as he felt like it would be hard for Kanaru not to be accepted now. "Don't worry, Kanaru. You look stunning if seen by strangers."

"Thanks, I guess." Kanaru only pulled on his lips to smile. He couldn't even look in the eyes of his brothers, especially his father. Discomfort filled his entirety, but he couldn't do anything about it. This was his duty as the third son. 

If it wasn't him, who else would apply for the king's harem court? Would it be Covey who was too princely to be dominated or Gannett who was nothing but a soldier? After all, the harem court was more than a group of male and female concubines. They were servants more than anything.

He was the only one who had enough patience to serve someone else.

Knocks soon came to the doors, and the castle matron poked her head out from the main door. "Your Majesty! The ambassadors are here!"

"Take a deep breath, Kanaru." The queen made the last few touches before sitting on her throne. Kanaru went to stand on her side, while the brothers stayed on the side of the king. She also calmed down, not looking worried about the application. After all, she made sure Kanaru was irresistible to most males who cared too little about one's real gender.

"Your Majesties, the ambassadors of Middlemist have arrived!" The commander of the knights walked in with a pair of their elites. He was so used to only seeing two princes at the side because Kanaru was normally outside the castle. Right now, he couldn't hide the flinch Kanaru's appearance gave him. It was not even out of horror.

However, he needed to quickly stand to the side to make way for the ambassadors. He just hoped that Kanaru wouldn't fail since he looked like that. If ever the third prince did, he wouldn't say Kanaru didn't do his best or even spare an expense. After all, he couldn't stop looking at the third prince—just like the two other knights with him.

The ambassadors did arrive in their fancy clothing, standing as glimpses of the wealth of Middlemist. That was the country ruled by the unicorn race, ruled by King Fenris. There was no way his delegates would appear shabby. Even the knights in pure black, who walked in with the three ambassadors, looked nothing less than worthy of reverence. 

Kanaru wasn't looking when the people came. He was far from nervous, but he really didn't want to flirt with his eyes. His mother told him he should, but his dignity had its own safety net. Appearing like a harlot couldn't be a proper behavior of the king's concubine.

"Welcome to Burdett, ambassadors of Middlemist. Thank you for traveling far to visit us. Please, let me introduce my child to you." The king gestured to the third prince, his expression remaining neutral. "This is my third child, Kanaru Burdett."

At the mention of his name, Kanaru sighed inwardly and walked to the center of the throne stage. He extended one hand gracefully to the side, the other in front of his chest. There was a slight curtsy in his bow, and his feathers glowed a bit brighter as if they were his selling point. His eyes closed as he spoke, "Greetings to the ambassadors. I am Kanaru Burdett. I would like to be in the service of King Fenris."

"There won't be any problem with that."

"…?" Kanaru tore his eyes open and looked up to find the speaker. The voice was so familiar that he thought he heard it wrongly. However, when he looked up, Rodnir was indeed standing in the middle of the ambassadors. The two other older males were only staring at him with scrutinizing eyes.

Kanaru slowly stood straight and smiled. He should have spoken of his gratitude, but he just ended up staying quiet. Only a smile answered the words of the ambassador, especially when Rodnir was also smiling at him. It even seemed like they were talking to each other without words.

Then, Rodnir finally looked away from Kanaru and met the king's suspicious gaze. "King Burdett, your country rests too far from your neighbors. Instead of returning after a day's worth of travel, I would like to stay here for the night. I hope your abode could host us."

"Most certainly. Covey, make arrangements." King Burdett didn't have a reason or the power to refuse. Just from one look at this man, he could tell that the ambassador was a unicorn. Moreover, the man could speak for his entire entourage. His rank must be high enough to stand as their leader.

"Yes, Father." Covey bowed at the side and descended the steps before bowing at the guests next. "Please follow me to the waiting chamber. Do you have any preference for refreshments and snacks?"

The man on Rodnir's left side turned to the first prince. "Burdett is the farthest we've gone. Please serve us what you consider a must-taste in your region."

Rodnir's eyes only slid to gaze at the prince. "I would like Kanaru to accompany us as well. I must ask him a few things. Burdett seems to offer interesting sights that caught my attention. Would it be inconvenient for you to join us?"

"No, sir." Kanaru didn't walk casually, but not too stiffly as well. He just acted like he was wearing his normal prince clothes, behaving like a respectable prince. However, he had to stop glowing to conserve his energy. After all, passing out would be bad.