Why Not Us

Tanner's POV

Tanner was in the midst of a meeting regarding the gala choir when he saw the Crown Prince walking on the pebbles in the drive making his way over to a sleek black car and getting in. He looked quite cheerful. Tanner didn't think there was an event for him to attend today so he chalked it up to be personal. He tried to pay attention but couldn't as his head was filled with thoughts of the prince. At the end, the head of the meeting motioned towards a cart by the door.

"Those are your uniforms for the first gala," She said, pointing to a cart, where there lay an array of dark green suits with gold accents and black pants. "They have been specially designed to match the theme of His Highness's suit, you all may go, your next vocal practice is tomorrow at ten," She said before leaving.

Tanner got up from his chair when he was excused and grabbed the uniform off the cart with his name. Once he was out the door he found the nearest stairwell and went up it to find his room from the new point. He immediately recognized a grand hallway to his right as the one he saw the Crown Prince in for the first time. Tanner decided to walk around and look at the hanging portraits of the current royal family and its past members.

He noticed an antique-looking chair but walked past it to go to his room. Tanner wanted to put his new uniform away and went back to look at the paintings. Once his door was open he went to his dresser and put it in the drawer with the other uniform he had gotten then went back to the heavy door to close it with a creak. Tanner traced his steps back to the portrait-filled hall and sat on a round pale yellow pedestal that was placed in the middle.

He looked up at the ceiling and noticed it was decorated with a painting of babies with angel wings. They were in a set of clouds; some had bows and arrows while others simply rested in the clouds. In the center of the flying angels was an old-looking crown painted which they were protecting.

Tanner now looked at the paintings around him. Some were of the older monarchs but most were of the current standing monarchs. There was one off the left with the current Queen Marrielle sitting on her throne with her wavy dark brown hair and icy blue eyes in a dark blue satin dress. On the right, it showed Queen Marrielle in a burgundy dress with her Duke Consort, Ludvig who stood in a matching sweater vest and with his flat blonde hair and hazel eyes that looked down at her with a smile on his face while she sat, but then there was the center portrait. It held a 14-year-old Bailey and 20-year-old Elliot standing with their hands on their respective parent's shoulders.

He couldn't help but notice Elliot the former Crown Prince, on the right side with his hand on his mother's while Bailey was with their father, as though Bailey was there as a backup and most likely not by choice. Tanner looked closer and noticed that out of all of them, Bailey's seemed the most forced, but it was masked quite well. It made him think about their lives and what their childhoods were like. Tanner may have felt pity for them.

Behind Tanner were multiple grand windows to match the hallway and they looked out upon the palace grounds and the road right behind the royal gates. When he checked his phone Tanner was shocked to see it was already five thirty, he turned and started walking but bumped into something or someone.

"Seems like your wish came true," Chuckled a familiar voice.

When Tanner looked up he saw the Crown Prince standing directly in front of him, Tanner stumbled back almost tripping on the red carpet beneath his feet but the prince grabbed his elbow to steady him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Tanner stammered

"It's okay, I'm the one that caught you by surprise," The prince continued, "Do you think you might want to meet up at ten for some tea tonight?" he asked.

Tanner thought for a moment surprised by such a sudden request coming from a prince but was quick to agree. They smiled warmly at each other, Tanner could feel warmth flowing up to his cheeks so he quickly excused himself for dinner.

When Tanner got to the last stair step he jumped off and quickly walked to the staff kitchen. Luckily for him, the wooden doors were already open indicating that there was no staff dinner, instead there was food laid out for them. Once he was done picking what he wanted from the array of foods he went back up the stairs to his room.