Everyone present stood respectfully, including the formerly quiet Second Concubine Catalina and Ryu's second brother, Second Prince Jedrek.
King Tor didn't seem to have aged even a single day. Still, his youthful exuberance didn't stifle his commanding and oppressive aura.
His sons looked up to him in awe. In their eyes, he was the greatest man in existence. They didn't need to fake it, nor were these the teachings of their mothers, it was just how they felt. Being the son of the King was something they were proud of and their expressions reflected this. This said, Ryu showed no particular reaction.
The King continued to walk along the path laid for him, receiving the bows of everyone. With each step, another column of individuals would lower their heads. The coordinated dance of decorum had a slight, unblemished beauty to it that was hard to describe. Whatever flaws he might have, it was clear that Shuren Tor was born to be a ruler.
Soon, he had made his way to the head of the Imperial Court, receiving the slight bows of his Queen and two Concubines, along with his sons. It was at this moment that King Tor turned a sharp gaze toward his fourth son.
Leilani tried to subtly nudge her son. She knew that if it was only under her insistence that he showed due deference, it would leave a poor impression. She couldn't help but silently scold her son in her mind, even if this was his first public event, and he was only three years old, he had been schooled in matters of decorum since birth.
Unfortunately, Olivia and her sons wouldn't be themselves if they were to miss such an opportunity.
Amory scuttled over like a proud little soldier, his royal blue robes making him look quite dashing despite his young age. Much like his father, he had a strong head of brown hair and eyes, not to mention flawless bronzed skin. It was clear that he was well taken care of.
He leaned over and whispered into his fourth brother's ear. "Fourth brother, father is before you now."
In all fairness, his words really were soft. However, in a quiet hall specifically designed to project the voices of those who spoke at its head, such precautions were inconsequential. To Ryu, it was obvious that Amory hadn't planned this. The simple optics of him whispering to Ryu was enough to convey the necessary message. But, that didn't stop sycophant fools from relishing in the 'intelligence' of the First Prince as well as his 'kindness'.
"Oh." Ryu responded with an embarrassed smile. "Hello father."
Ryu's response caused black lines to form on his mother's delicate forehead even as some Ministers nearly fell from their seats. Did this young man forget everything he was taught? What had he been doing for the last three years?
First, he hadn't bowed. Then he called King Tor father instead of royal father. And, even after his mistake was pointed out, he still didn't bow.
It was one thing for First Prince Amory to call him father in what should have been a whisper, such a mistake could be forgiven. But to speak aloud in such a way was yet another breech of decorum.
King Tor didn't react much to Ryu's words, or rather, he didn't get the chance to because First Concubine Leilani had no choice but to take matters into her own hands. The miseducation of a Prince was never the fault of a father, but rather was always on the mother's shoulders. After all, a King had too many other matters to attend to. At the very least, she had to make it clear that Ryu's actions were innocent mistakes and not the occurrences of her teachings.
"Little Ryu, whenever you see your royal father in such a setting. You must bow, okay? It's okay to treat him as a normal father in private settings, but in public, he is a King."
Ryu tilted his head to side, displaying his confusion. "But… I can't see, mother."
The seemingly innocent words of the Prince caused those who sat on the fence about such matters of the royal family to feel dull aches in their hearts. However, those who were already against his existence to begin with sneered in their hearts. How stupid did this child have to be to take such words literally? Even if he was only three years old, it wasn't too much to expect a higher level of education in subtlety.
First Concubine Leilani did her best to remain calm and continued explaining with a smile. "This mother of yours only meant those words figuratively. Simply put, in the presence of your royal father, showing proper respect is important."
Ryu's small head nodded. "Ah, sorry royal father, but I can't bow to you out of respect."
Leilani had almost released a breath of relief, but the end she choked on that very breath, unable to believe what she was hearing.
The First Prince and his full-blooded younger brother, Cayden, almost couldn't hold back their laughter. Queen Tor remained completely silent, pulling her boys back from making fools of themselves all while Second Concubine Catalina had no particular reaction to the situation aside from a raised eyebrow. Her son, however, seemed to be trying to take a nap on his feet, using his mother's hand for support.
"Little Ryu…" First Concubine Leilani tried to teach her son once more, but this time, she was the one who was interrupted.
"And why is that?" Surprisingly, it was actually the King who spoke. His voice was filled with majesty and the smallest hint of curiosity. He really did want to know what this son of his would say.
"It's simple, really." Ryu explained unperturbed by his father's presence. "I'm blind. If I bowed, I have no way of knowing if I've done so in the proper direction. I could follow your voice, but if I miss by even a hair, and grace a Prince's bow to the wrong person, wouldn't that be more catastrophic than not bowing at all? Isn't my not bowing the highest form of respect I could give you, royal father?"
A pin drop of silence filled the hall, stunned expressions coloring the faces of those present. This was the first public ceremony the Fourth Prince had attended. It could be said that Imperial Doula Miriam and his mother were the only ones who interacted with him with any relative consistency. No one understood just what kind of Prince he was.
They had thought he was a fool… But did he just play them all? Was a three-year-old making his dissatisfaction with the Kingdom known in its Imperial Court of all places?