Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

"Hmmm… so you desire to live like a commoner?" Lucas asked her, his voice calm but laced with curiosity as he leaned lightly against the edge of the wine cabinet.

"Why not?" Princess Nyx replied almost instantly, her eyes steady on his. She gave a faint, humorless smile. "You have no idea the kind of pressure that comes with being a royal child."

Lucas tilted his head slightly. "You also have a lot of advantages and privileges being a royal child," he countered, his tone neither mocking nor dismissive, simply stating the fact.

"Yeah, that's true…" she conceded with a soft nod, "but every single privilege and advantage is controlled. We barely do things out of free will."

Her voice carried a mixture of frustration and resignation. She spoke like someone who had long since grown used to wearing a crown of invisible chains.

Lucas didn't interrupt. He simply stood there, the faint amber light from the lamp behind her catching in his eyes as he studied her expression. Finally, he nodded slowly, the gesture deliberate. "I understand. Being a royal child of such a powerful kingdom… a lot is expected from you. You're not free to do as you please."

Nyx leaned back against the chair, one arm resting lazily along the armrest while the other still gripped the bottle of wine. She swirled it absentmindedly, watching the liquid move before speaking again.

"You know," she said with a faint scoff, "it's a different story if I was a boy. Darius… he's fucking lucky. A prince has the luxury to do as he pleases sometimes. It's not the same for a princess."

Her words were sharper now, more charged. "That's why most princesses are stupid cunts," she went on without hesitation, "imposing their power on people they can control. That's all they can do, petty flexes to feel important. Thankfully…" she smirked slightly, lifting the bottle to her lips again, "I'm not a stupid cunt."

She took another long gulp from the bottle, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand in a motion far from the polished grace expected of her in public.

Lucas could tell now, this wasn't just idle conversation. She was opening a door she rarely left ajar. Her shoulders had loosened, her voice had shifted, and her words carried an edge of pain wrapped in casual defiance. She was comfortable enough to speak freely with him, but the bitterness in her tone betrayed years of restraint, unspoken frustrations, and a longing for a kind of life she had only tasted in fleeting moments.

In truth, Lucas pitied her.

Not in a condescending way, but in that quiet, heavy way where you recognize someone's cage even when it's made of gold. He could see that behind her confident smirk and sharp tongue was a young woman who had spent her entire life performing for an audience she didn't choose.

He stepped forward slowly, his gaze locked on hers, and reached out as if to take the bottle of wine from her hand.

But Nyx tightened her grip instantly, her fingers curling around the neck of the bottle like she was guarding a precious treasure.

"Not happening," she said, her voice soft but firm. Without breaking eye contact, she tipped the bottle back again, the amber-red liquid flowing past her lips in a smooth, steady gulp.

Lucas frowned faintly, his voice carrying a note of concern. "You should be careful… you don't want to get drunk."

She let out a low, amused chuckle at his words, lowering the bottle just enough to speak. "Drunk? Please… I've drunk stronger stuff than this during state banquets. I know my limits."

He was about to argue, but before he could, she pushed herself up from the chair and stepped toward him. The scent of her perfume, subtle and floral, mingled with the faint tang of the wine as she closed the distance. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of defiance and playful challenge.

"Open your mouth," she said, tilting her head slightly.

Lucas raised an eyebrow but didn't move at first. She gave him that same bold, knowing look that dared him to refuse. Slowly, he parted his lips, curious to see where she was going with this.

Nyx smirked in satisfaction, lifting the bottle high enough to angle it over his mouth. The cool stream of wine poured smoothly past his lips, the strong taste instantly filling his senses.

When she pulled the bottle back, she let out a soft laugh, one that was less restrained now, freer, as though the wine was loosening not just her tongue but the walls she kept around herself. She took another sip for herself, longer this time, before lowering the bottle with a satisfied exhale.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed now, her steps just a shade less measured. Lucas could tell, she was getting tipsy. But instead of resisting it, she seemed to welcome it, as if the gentle blur at the edges of her thoughts was exactly what she wanted tonight.

And she was loving every moment of it.

"How about you live a commoner's life for the rest of the day?" Lucas said casually, leaning against the table as he watched her drink.

Princess Nyx froze for a second, the rim of the bottle just touching her lips, before she pulled it away and stared at him like he'd just suggested they go out and start a riot.

Then she burst into laughter, loud, unrestrained, almost musical. "You can't be serious," she said between chuckles. "Me? Out there? As if it's that simple. I'm the princess, Xavier. People recognise me. I can't just waltz into the streets without half the kingdom whispering about it."

Lucas smirked, unbothered by her dismissal. "Trust me, nobody will recognise you in casual wear."

Her brows lifted slightly, amused by his confidence.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice like he was letting her in on some great secret. "The people in the common areas barely see you, Nyx. And when they do, it's always with the parade of guards, the fanfare, the expensive silks, the jewellery that can probably pay for half the city. You're a spectacle when you're out there. Strip all that away, and you're just another pretty face in the crowd."

Nyx tilted her head, studying him. There was a flicker of thought in her expression, hesitation mixed with intrigue. "Hmm…" she murmured, dragging out the sound as if she didn't want to admit he had a point. "You make it sound too easy."

"Because it is."

She swirled the wine in the bottle absentmindedly, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she was testing the idea in her mind. "Where would we even go?" she asked at last.

Lucas' grin widened, a mischievous spark lighting in his eyes. "We could go to a pub and merry away… have a drink or two with people who won't bow or stare like you're made of glass."

Nyx raised an eyebrow. "A pub?"

"Yes," Lucas said with a mock-serious nod, "and from there… we act on our intrusive thoughts."

Her lips curled into a slow, uncertain smile, but her eyes betrayed her curiosity.