If a frown could pull a person's face off, Eliott's probably would have.

He had been frowning for the entirety of this stupid meeting, which would have been less of his fault had he not been the one who called it in the first place. Seated by the round table, surrounding him, were some of the most pompous men Elitott had ever laid eyes on in all his life. They also happened to be the advisers to his father's court and the only ones who could help him with his agenda for today.

"Imagine if those uncivilized heathens are to become like us," a placid voice reasoned, much to Eliott's dismay. It was none other than Frances Atwood, the main opposition of this whole proposition. The adviser's dark brown eyes flashed to him. "What His Grace failed to consider is what is bound to happen should they be granted equal reach as us. In a society where the only thing we have over them is this system we have built, giving them access to it will unravel it from the inside."

"We simply cannot allow it at this point in time," Linus Coppers, the adviser with a characteristic gap between his front teeth, added. He leaned forward, twining his long fingers over the table. His gaze hadn't swayed from Eliott's direction. "We are delighted for you to have brought this to our attention, Your Grace, but we will have to decline letting this edict move forward."

Eliott leveled his eyes at the adviser. "Is that really the reason or is it because you're protecting something else?" he prodded.

He didn't really mean anything by it, wasn't hoping for a telling reaction, either, but the adviser's features shifted ever so swiftly. It was too fast for Eliott to read more than a look of guilt. He was pretty sure there was something near the look of being caught in the act or pushed into a corner, but it was replaced by a flat look almost at an instant.

"What are you insinuating, Your Grace?" Adviser Coppers rested his elbows on the table and brought his twined hands beneath his chin. An amused smile now played on his lips. "I would love to know. You seem to have bright ideas swirling in that pretty head of yours."

It was a pleasant compliment to an outside listener, but after years of spending endless court meetings with these people, it was anything but. Eliott narrowed his eyes at the obvious veiled insult but didn't call the adviser out. It would just lead into circles with them pinning the blame on Eliott for reading too much into things.

So, as much as Eliott disliked it, he had to play their game. Even if that's the last thing he wanted to do and even if it was the last thing he was good at.

With a quick glance at Geoffer who stood by the room's twin doors, Eliott faced the advisers and returned Adviser Coppers' smile. "I meant nothing by it, Viscount," he said, knowing full well how much it irked Linus about having been reminded of his noble rank. "Maybe it was the Court thinking I was insinuating something by reading too much into my words. I was told it was never a good practice."

A wave of bristling passed across the advisers, all having a rank lower than a marquess. They might be members of the King's court but without having been granted a title of Duke, they're as powerless as a jar of worms. So Eliott couldn't quite understand why he was having a hard time convincing them when this was an opportunity to make the King notice their efforts and good works. Imagine campaigning for the benefit of a group of people who could help the Empire's economy and society flourish. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

But, alas, judging from the looks thrown at him by the quieter advisers, even them had reservations about his proposition. Knowing them, they probably have the same opinion about him and his place in this Empire.

Eliott pursed his lips, doing his best to staunch the growing insecurity in his gut. He belonged here, much more than they did. Unlike them, he was born into this role. He was to do better and he would.

This proposition was his way of doing just that. It's not just for the Empire's good but for the good of his people as well. Opening positive relationships with the elusive fae could bring more opportunities for learning and advancement. But before they could do that, they had to repair or at least, try to, the broken dynamics humans shared with the magical creatures first. And letting the fae have equal rights as any citizen of the Lezeris Empire would be the first step.

Why couldn't these geezers ever get that?

He glanced at Geoffer again, noting how the whispers of opposition and the subtle head-shaking multiplied the moment he played Linus's own card against him. Eliott, for one, felt like it's the best he had ever done in his numerous attempts to stand up against his father's court. Sir Geoffer had other ideas. The man had been flashing Eliott a stern look. Let it go, Geoffer's eyes seemed to be saying.

Of course, both of them knew Eliott would do the exact opposite.

But not today. Eliott sighed and leaned back against his chair. "Then, if we are not going to be on equal footing at this meeting, we must as well adjourn," he said. "You're dismissed."

Chairs had never scratched against the room's parquet this heartily as the advisers took their turns in ducking their heads at Eliott before filing out of the twin doors yanked open by two armored soldiers. Eliott watched them all go, all the while knowing it's proper etiquette to never go out of the room ahead of someone with the higher rank. With Eliott having the Crown Prince title, shouldn't he be the last to leave?

"Your Grace," Geoffer's voice floated above Eliott's head as he remained seated. His fingers played with the single ring on his left hand, the one bearing the seal of his office. So much for titles, though. He was as powerless in this fortress as the rest of them. "Your next engagement is coming soon. It's with the Duke of Lornesall."

Eliott rolled his eyes at the affairs manager and gave him a pointed look. Geoffer pursed his lips, disappointment and stress creeping into his soft features. His bushy eyebrows met in a crease. Both of them knew what Eliott meant by that.

The Prince wanted to be alone. To clear his head or break things, it's a lottery. The manager was actually better off not knowing.

So, Eliott stood up and trudged out of the room, the floor, and the palace, entirely. Unlike the time he was caught sneaking out, this time, no one was brave enough to stop him as he burst into the bridge and tackled the town of Rosewall.