The crown prince

***Casper***

Walking in with the doctor, I couldn't help but admire the embodiment of beauty that laid before me. Her hair was the first to catch my attention, it was multi-colored, it cascaded down her shoulders like a mesmerizing blend of rainbow colors, her flawless skin shone brightly like a beacon, captivating my heart.

When other girls see me, they drool at the handsomeness the moon goddess has blessed me with, and I take great pride in it. But this woman feels nothing except disdain for me.

And how did she know I caused the accident? That's a question I will never get an answer to, because I'm not willing to admit I caused the accident— she was also to be blamed, it was her who ran into my vehicle.

"Excuse me?" she gasped in disbelief, as if she'd just been punched in the gut with my words. But I didn't care. She didn't show me any respect, and I wasn't willing to show her any. My initial admiration for her had quickly been replaced with hatred.

I added, with a lie, "And just so you know, you're not my type in any way." I needed her to feel inferior, to counter the way she'd looked down on me.

My words hung in the air, and her eyes widened in shock, her face pale. "The Crown Prince?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the weight of my title had left her breathless.

It was obvious that she had distinctly been taken aback with the staggering effect of my little announcement.

I walked out of the hospital room, slamming the door shut behind me. The doctor followed, a familiar smile spreading across his face.

"You like her, don't you?" the doctor asked, eyeing me with amusement.

My expression quickly turned cold. "No, I don't like her. She's arrogant."

The doctor chuckled. "Just calm down, ‘Crown Prince’ The whole thing will subside," he teased.

My jaw clenched. "I don't think so. First impressions go a long way, and this impression I have of her doesn't speak well of her character. Back in my kingdom, a woman is meant to be submissive to the authority of a man, regardless of who she is. But she... she's an arrogant, and ungrateful woman.”

Ironically, the last thing I wanted was to argue with the woman I had accidentally hit. I had hoped to have a meaningful conversation and apologize, but this woman... she just infuriated me. She seemed so proud, so haughty. Who did she think she was?

As I walked towards my car, my footsteps echoing on the hospital floor, I couldn't help but wonder: What made her think she was so special? Her hair? Her beauty? What gave her the right to look at me, to talk to me, in a condescending manner?

Since arriving in this kingdom, I'd seen many things that shocked me. Women here seemed to have too much freedom. They didn't submit to men— they had equal rights, sometimes too many rights were given to them. It was unheard of in the Greenwood Kingdom.

I can't wait to finish my studies, get my degree, and return home. Everyone back there would agree with me, and say it's obvious that insane things happen everywhere in this kingdom.

*********

I woke up, preparing for classes, when my friends knocked on the door. Two of my male friends entered, eager to share the latest gossip on campus, as I am always the last to hear of news flying around the campus.

"Casper, you won't believe the latest gist on campus," Roy announced.

"What is it?" I inquired, intrigued by their excitement.

"It's about that girl... remember her?" Lucius chimed in, eager to get to the gossip.

I wondered for a moment. "Which girl? The one from the nightclub? Or the one from class?"

Roy and Lucius laughed.

"You have too many of them, that you don't know the one we are referring to, anyway it's the one from that night,” but as Roy spoke, I didn't seem to remember who it was.

“The one who ran into your vehicle!" Lucius added with a gritted teeth, apparently frustrated by my inability to remember who they were referring to.

My expression changed. "Oh, that arrogant..." I started, my tone flat, but Roy interrupted me.

"No, no, she did something amazing!".

My curiosity piqued. "What did she do?"

Roy and Lucien exchanged glances before sharing the news. "Apparently, she got Lucien and his mate, Zara, expelled from school!"

I blinked in disbelief. "The pompous Lucien? The son of the alpha of SilverCrest pack?"

Roy laughed. "Yeah, that arrogant fool!"

Lucius continued, "Lucien was her ex-boyfriend who cheated on her. It's a long story, but basically, Lucien and Zara, who happens to be Bethany's bestfriend, were mates. Lucien and his friends made a bet to sleep with Bethany within six months, but she didn't agree. Lucien moved on with Zara, and Bethany caught them in the act."

I felt a pang of pity for Bethany. "It must be that night we hit her with our vehicle... wow."

Roy concluded, "Bethany eventually recorded another incident of their physical abuse, and took it to the school authorities who frown upon abuse, especially against women."

Roy and Lucius had always perceived Lucien to be a threat, especially among the girls. Lucien is always beating them, either in sciences or in sports, he is always ahead of them, so girls seem to be hovering around him, and he always spite them with it.

Of course, he knows I am superior to him when it comes to this kind of thing, but As for Roy and Lucius, they hated Lucien because they saw him as a competition, and so they believe that Bethany had done them good by getting him expelled.

As they basked in the euphoria of the good Bethany has indirectly done them, I couldn't help but admire Bethany's bravery. I remembered our encounter at the hospital and felt sorry for how she'd been treated by her ex-boyfriend. I wondered if that was why she'd acted strangely when we first met.

A pang of guilt hit me, and I considered apologizing to her, If our paths ever seems to cross again.