Once Upon A Time [BxB]

Chapter Fourteen: True Love

I tapped my finger on the dining table, biting my lip as I waited for Father. Father called me again after the royal ball and demanded to have a talk; one on one. He must have seen me with Adrien.

"Calm down, your highness," Mr. Adams said, putting a gloved hand on my shoulder. "The king let you look for him these past few days. Perhaps this talk is a good thing."

I sighed, "Father is very unpredictable. It's just... my arms are shaking. I've never been this nervous."

Mr. Adams frowned, "I wish I could comfort you with words, your highness, but all we can do is wait and hope that his majesty has good intentions."

The door flew open, just like it did when Father announced my coronation and wedding. I took a shaky breath and hid my fidgety hands under the table. Straightening my back, I tried my best to turn my frown into a straight line—neutral and simple unlike the thoughts that were swarming my mind.

"Christopher," Father nodded. "I'm glad you could make it."

I nodded back, "Likewise."

"I... have realized something a few days ago," he started.

I gulped and squeezed my hands in a tight lock.

"This boy, Adrien. He spoke to me at the ball before he left," Father said, making my eyebrows raise. "He made me notice that making you marry someone you did not love was not fair to you. That you have many duties, and you deserve to choose a person to share those responsibilities with."

Mr. Adams' face did not change, but I could tell by the way his breath hitched that he was as nervous and surprised as I was.

"What I am saying is that Adrien truly cares about you to the point where he would convince a king to be with you," Father explained. "So I will let him."

My eyes widened.

"Father, are you saying...?"

"Adrien has my blessing," Father ended, his lips turning upwards.

I beamed and immediately turned to Mr. Adams. His grin wasn't as big as mine; probably because he didn't want to anger the king, but the thumbs up behind his back was not subtle.

"However," Father continued.

My head snapped to him, my smile faltering.

"We were not given Adrien's last name, so for all we know, Adrien might be in a completely different kingdom," Father frowned.

His last name.

God damn it!

I didn't ask his last name! If only there was another way to verify who he was.

Wait.

"The shoe," I mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Father asked.

"Adrien left a glass shoe when he left," I explained. "He must have the other one. We must search for the glass shoe."

Father smiled, "Of course. Show the generals the glass shoe. Let them know that you are welcome to come along."

I grinned, "Thank you, Father."

"You're welcome, my son."

After the meeting, I ran to my bedroom to get the glass shoe. It was hidden in a safe in my closet just in case. I threw the safe open and gently took out the shoe. Even though it had a rough few nights—getting tossed around and falling on the ground multiple times—it was scratchless and in pristine condition.

I ran out of my room and went into the battlegrounds. Every soldier stopped in their tracks when I invaded their space. My eyes darted around, looking for a general.

"Where is General Adkins?" I demanded.

"General Adkins is in her office, your highness," one of the soldiers answered, pointing towards another hall.

"Thank you, sir," I said before running into the hall.

I panted when I arrived in front of General Adkins' office. She was one of the most respected generals in the army; for good reason too. She always succeeded in her missions, and was a tough yet kind mentor. When I was younger, General Adkins was the one who taught me basic self defense.

I knocked on her door with my left hand. The glass shoe was in my right hand and shoved near my chest as a makeshift cushion.

"Come in," General Adkins responded.

I opened the door and stepped up to her desk. Adkins' dark eyes looked up at me and her face lit up. Her black hair was in a tight ponytail and her reading glasses were perched on her nose.

"Christopher," she smiled. "How are you doing? A little birdie told me a boy caught your eye."

I chuckled as my face warmed, "Yes. I came to talk to you about him, actually."

Adkins raised one of her eyebrows in amusement, "Really? Do tell me."

"This boy; his name is Adrien. I want to have his hand in marriage. He was at the royal ball. However, I did not catch his last name or the house he lives in," I frowned. I presented the glass shoe on the desk. "I only have this glass shoe, and I was thinking of finding the other one."

General Adkins nodded as I spoke. When I finished speaking, she carefully examined the shoe.

"I will organize a search. It would be best if each general took a party and searched different parts of the kingdom," she replied. "If it is alright with you, I will show the others this shoe."

I nodded, "If that is what it takes to find him, do what you will."

Adkins smiled, "Also, try not to speak about this—call it an anonymous test instead. If others find out about it, many replicas will be made, and that's assuming it doesn't have them already."

"Do not worry; I will be included in the search. There may be others that look like him, but no one is as kind and unique."

Adkins laughed, "This Adrien boy must have you wrapped around his finger, huh?"

"What do you mean?" I blinked, tilting my head.

She didn't answer me, and instead shook her head with a chuckle. I raised one of my eyebrows at her while she took her sweet time to calm down.

"Seriously Adkins, what do you mean?"