"Why don’t we have dinner out? The restaurant over there looks inviting," Sylvian suggested, gesturing toward a brightly lit establishment.

"I think that’s a grand idea," Damian replied.

The driver pulled into the restaurant’s sweeping driveway, but the trio remained inside for a moment, maintaining the poise expected of their rank. Maurice and Sylvian’s personal bodyguard stepped out from the trailing car, moving in perfect synchronization to open the doors.

As the men exited, Damian paused, ducking his head slightly while resting one hand on the car’s frame. He extended his other hand to Eilika as he helped her navigate the heavy velvet of her gown out of the vehicle.

The restaurant’s security detail rushed forward, forming a protective corridor to ensure the Prince, the Duke, and the Duchess were escorted safely inside. They were led to a premier table beside a towering window, where a waiter immediately presented them with gold-embossed menus.

"Eilika shall choose the main course," Sylvian stated, leaning back with a charming smile.

She nodded, her eyes scanning the selections until they landed on a dish that promised a unique blend of local flavors.

"I believe we shall have the herb-crusted rack of lamb with the red wine reduction and fondant potatoes for the main course," Eilika stated, closing her menu.

Sylvian offered a delighted nod. "An excellent choice, Duchess. It pairs perfectly with the evening’s atmosphere." He turned his attention to the waiter. "To follow, we will have the dark chocolate soufflé with gold leaf. And bring us a bottle of vintage Bordeaux."

The waiter bowed and retreated after filling their glasses with crystal-clear water. Once he was out of earshot, Sylvian leaned in, shifting his full attention toward the couple.

"How was the honeymoon? The word around the palace was that you two even took young Roman along," he remarked, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Eilika suggested that we include Roman. It provided a much-needed change of scenery for him as well," Damian answered smoothly. He caught Sylvian’s inquisitive look and added with a dry edge, "And if you’re hoping for more intimate details, I’m afraid you’ll find the well is dry."

Eilika remained quiet, sipping her water as the two men slipped into easy conversation. Her gaze drifted away from the table and toward the tall window beside them. Beyond the glass, a crowd had begun to gather on the sidewalk, peering in with hushed excitement just to catch a glimpse of them. She felt that all the time, such attention could be suffocating.

’Damian is used to it. He doesn’t even care what people think of him or what they talk about him.’

The Duke’s attention shifted to her, his gaze following hers to the glass. "Eilika," he called her name softly.

"Huh?"

"What are you looking at?"

"The people... they have gathered outside," Eilika answered, her voice trailing off as she watched a few onlookers.

"Don’t mind them. They do this all the time," Sylvian replied with a casual wave of his hand, as if the crowd were nothing more than a mild weather pattern. "It’s the price of the bloodline, I’m afraid." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The waiter had just returned, steering a heavy mahogany food trolley laden with their aromatic main courses. He began to reach for the plates, but Damian’s voice stopped him mid-motion.

"Close the curtains," Damian commanded. "We need privacy."

The waiter hesitated for a fraction of a second before bowing low. "Of course, Your Grace."

He moved quickly to the tall windows, pulling the heavy, gold-tasseled velvet drapes shut. The table was plunged into a more intimate, candlelit warmth, the silver domes of the food covers gleaming under the chandelier.

Damian turned back to Eilika. "Better?"

"Hmm." She offered him a small, relieved smile.

The waiter served the main courses. Damian began cutting into the delicate meat, but his gaze kept flickering toward Eilika’s wine glass. He watched as she took a slow sip, his brow lifting slightly in a silent question. He wondered why she had suddenly agreed to the vintage wine when he knew she wasn’t particularly used to its potency.

They ate in a comfortable silence for a time. By the time the dark chocolate soufflé arrived, the atmosphere had lightened significantly. Eilika and Sylvian clearly enjoyed the dessert the most.

"Eilika, you really must come to the capital someday," Sylvian asserted, setting his spoon down and leaning forward with a warm, genuine smile. "The palace will welcome you with open arms. I know Father and Mother would be delighted to finally host my cousin’s wife properly."

Eilika paused, her spoon hovering over the last bit of chocolate. The invitation to the capital was tempting, and she looked at Damian.

"If you get married, we will definitely come," Damian answered.

"I am still young," Sylvian remarked, leaning back and resting his arm over the velvet of his chair. "Besides, I am hoping for falling in love, not simply being arranged to be wedded."

Damian shook his head slowly. "The King will make you marry soon," he remarked, his tone devoid of the romanticism Sylvian held onto. "Duty has a way of finding you, regardless of how fast you run from it."

Eilika watched the exchange, her hand resting near her wine glass. It made her wonder about their own arrangement.

"Why doesn’t Prince Sylvian try to go on dates?" Eilika suggested. "In the high-society parties, you can certainly find a woman of your choice."

"He has been doing exactly that for the past two years," Damian replied with a chuckle.

"Yet, I couldn’t find any of my likes," Sylvian answered, shrugging his shoulders. "On that note, Eilika, I never saw you at any of those parties. And I attended almost all of them."

"I refrained from going," Eilika replied simply, her fingers tracing the rim of her wine glass. "It was always too crowded, and I preferred to avoid that kind of spectacle."

"Oh. I must say, you would have been the choice of many if you had attended," Sylvian remarked, his eyes briefly flicking to the bold red of her gown before meeting her gaze. "You have a way of commanding a room without saying a word. Most women in the capital spend thousands of gold pieces trying to achieve that."

Eilika felt a strange beat in her heart because of the trauma she had undergone after going to one such party.