[Honey]

He dawdled longer than he meant to in his rooms. The opportunity for a fresh change of clothes, and even just the barest of washes was too much to waste, though, the maid did not agree. Already she’d heard rumors circulating about the previous evening, both he staying in the Prince’s chambers as well as the blood covered sheets offered evidence to anyone who wished to know. Badly the boy wished that he could halt the rumors where they stood, but he knew it would be best to ignore them. React too harshly and one would merely receive responses claiming it was all a lie. This seemed to be under discussion among the women as well. While he brought his latest fabric and patchwork to the lady’s gathering, he could hear them whispering amongst themselves of the gossip, unknown of his nearby presence. Some spoke of him being needy due to ‘peculiarities’, which was why he insisted on staying the evening, and some spoke of the appearance of blood on the sheets. Many were disproved in their assumptions he was not pure when wed to the Prince, but others still held their beliefs and adapted to say the Prince was too rough that day. Still, the most common topic amongst them all was the possibility of the him being pregnant. It was unanimous in this that it would be terrible if it were true, all knowing that the birth of the child would put yet another soul between theirs and the throne if anything were to happen to the eldest brother, heaven forbid. When the topic progressively fell into the joke that he did not arrive because he was so frazzled and worried of his future he could not take it anymore. Walking out from behind the tree to take his seat, the laughter instantly dulled to complete silence. Nothing more was said the entire afternoon