As he was about to exit the room and enter the hallway, Charles was nearly run into by a young boy, no older than ten, who pushed his small self into the room, despite the brief growls of protest from the guards as the half-naked boy dodged between them. They had already learned there was no point in telling the young prince "no", since he listened to no one besides his father, who wasn't a very good father, in their opinions. It was true that Charles wasn't very good at being a father. Then again, he was only nineteen when the boy was born, hardly old enough to properly learn how to be a father, on top of studying and refining his skill set. But, he had managed and, although the boy was rowdy, he still listened to his father. Stepping back, he watched Liam crawl up on to the large bed and jump up and down, causing the old bed to creak gently each time. "Morning, Papa!" he cried, just about grinning ear-to-ear.
Charles returned the grin, though it seemed much more forced, and sat in an armchair that rested in the corner of the bedroom. "Good morning, William," he replied, continuing to watch the boy and, ever so slightly, envying the innocent excitement that seemed to just about radiate from him. In an instant, he had begun rattling off questions.
"Papa, today the girl is coming to day in't she? Isn't she? Is she pertty, Papa? Is she a princess? I bet she's real pertty then. Is she gonna live here with us? When's she coming Papa?" he said quickly, hardly taking a breath of air between each question. As if the sudden increase in the room's energy had affected him, Charles fidgeted for a bit and then stood up, walking toward the bed and picking Liam up in mid-bounce. Chuckling softly, he set the boy down on the floor and crouched before him to help minimize the difference in their heights. His bright, blue eyes met those of his son, who had inherited the trait. For a brief second, he glanced at the floor, not knowing how to reply. Then, as if the ground had given him advice, he looked up and met his son's gaze again.
"Yes, she will be coming today," he replied coolly, hoping his calm tone would rub off on the boy and calm him down before Ladislaus arrived. "She's a princess, from the other kingdom...and yes, she'll be living with us." He attempted to skirt over the other question, regarding how his bride-to-be looked. Frankly, he hadn't met her before. All he knew was she was a princess and, as part of that damned treaty, he was to marry her. "...I hope she's pretty," he finally said, giving another quick smile before standing up fully again. "Now, go finish getting dressed. She'll be here soon."