As if a higher power had heard Prince Elior’s deepest desires, he truly did manage to see his fiancée. In a sense, he even got to do more than simply see her.
They had spoken. They had exchanged words. And while half of that interaction nearly sent him back to et his maker, the other half grounded him in a way he hadn’t felt in a long ti. It made him feel like a person whose life and loved ones weren’t actually being threatened with death by his own twin.
For a brief mont, he was just a man in love.
It was likely a mundane state for many. Perhaps even troubleso. So people would understandably prefer not to feel such emotions at all, because depending on how their love lives unfolded, the way they viewed the world could change drastically.
Like how the normally cautious Prince Elior, together with his equally cautious aide Rahil, ended up tucked obediently into a corner because the Prince had been bamboozled and eventually gave in.
The aide who was to bla for what had befallen them was trying to keep it together as his boss stared his way to dumbfoundedness.
However, Elior’s reaction was actually understandable. Because just when the Prince felt he was more than satisfied with the footage he planned on treasuring and securing forever, the Orcish Princess decided that with a beloved waiting for him, he couldn’t possibly be allowed to die.
Of course, she didn’t actually say it like that.
But her eyes and the way she could have swatted even microorganisms away from him—because he apparently looked too frail and malnourished (not)—said that she was thinking exactly that.
She pulled both n aside, steering them into a corner with surprising decisiveness, and declared it best for them to stay until the patient could be properly assessed.
Prince Elior instinctively wanted to stay. There was no use lying to himself about that.
He had already spent hours perched on a lookout earlier, and he could have remained hidden for much longer if needed. But despite the life-changing encounter, he knew better than to linger now. He had only managed to avoid notice thanks to his clothing, his hair, and the Princess’s imposing presence shielding him from scrutiny.
Staying longer would have ant inviting even more attention.
But unfortunately for him, the hidden lover lost the battle of logic the mont Kira pointed out that the incident had occurred in their booth.
Therefore, it was sothing that had to be handled properly.
According to the extrely serious Princess, she would allegedly be too troubled if he simply left without being examined.
Troubled.
That was the word she used.
Then she launched into it.
With passionate intensity, Princess Kira explained that letting him leave in such a condition could invite bad fate. Bad publicity. Rumors. Worse, potential future litigation if soone claid damages over an untreated injury.
"What if you, our dear custor, fainted again later?"
"What if in the process, soone accused us of negligence when we should’ve been of assistance?"
"Worse, what if this spiraled into a whole ss that tainted everything we had worked for?"
Her voice rose and fell dramatically as she painted a bleak picture of consequences.
But beneath all of that, her true concern was painfully obvious.
His nose had not quite stopped bleeding.
He looked pale.
And if he left now, if he collapsed sowhere else, then what if his love story with his beloved ended before it truly had a chance to begin?
That was unacceptable.
Not on her watch.
Prince Elior opened his mouth to protest.
Then closed it.
Rahil, on the other hand, very much wanted to flee.
He could feel the instinct clawing at him. The urge to disappear. To vanish into the crowd and pretend none of this was his problem.
But escape beca impossible the mont Princess Kira casually ntioned that if they decided to leave, she would have no choice but to provide docunts stating responsibility.
Rahil froze.
And one would think he froze because he couldn’t imagine being lawfully scorned.
If only that were his only concern. That would have been the better option.
So as strange as it probably was to everyone else, instead of bristling and internally arguing his innocence as he had been doing since earlier, Rahil didn’t actually fight it this ti.
At least, not this ti around.
Because in the grand sche of things, Rahil really had been guilty in a way.
A sworn aide and confidante who had promised to protect his master with his life had instead been saved at the cost of that sa master’s future, reputation, and health.
That was the truth of his relationship with Prince Elior.
And while Rahil had not directly caused the near-irreparable injuries, it was still because the Prince thought of saving him that he ended up looking like death was just knocking at his door.
It was undeniable that Elior ended up like this because he chose to save soone who had been raised as a disposable shield.
For a long while, Prince Eren genuinely believed they hadn’t survived.
And truthfully, they almost truly hadn’t.
If not for Prince Elior exhausting nearly all of his spiritual reserves just to drag them out of that hellhole, Rahil would have never opened his eyes again.
After that, they disappeared.
They hid.
They let the mad Prince believe they were dead while the others assud he just shirked his duties. It ruined his reputation, but it was safer that way.
However, even "safe" was subjective.
While they weren’t being actively pursued at that mont, they did end up with an even bigger problem.
It was then that Rahil watched as his responsible friend spiraled into a ntal pit he never thought Elior would be able to recover from after learning that his days were practically numbered.
They tried figuring out what was causing Elior pain, sothing that Eren likely did to him in exchange for freeing Rahil for the first ti. But no one could really figure out what was wrong.
It was then that they experienced a fate worse than physical death: the death of hope.
While Rahil could continue with his new identity as they were perceived as dead anyway, Prince Elior didn’t even have such a luxury. In the end, even his escape would eventually end in an early death.
What revenge? What return? He’d be lucky if he made it far enough to travel back. And with him being practically useless to them, why would he even receive help?
It was a tough pill to swallow. But in the end ca a dented sense of acceptance, and they simply looked into lengthening his remaining ti.
Eventually, they found that while House Vantari was best known for dical advances, they would be better off looking at what House Kyros was doing.
And why there?
Because they were determined to know what had allowed the infamous Duke to live longer, even when he was said to be terminally ill.
That had been the start of a surprisingly long adventure that frankly almost ended in disappointnt had it not been for an unexpected lifegiver they stumbled upon.
And as bullshit-sounding as it was, the Prince managed to pull away from the depths of despair not because of so miraculous elixir or a sudden change in luck.
No.
Because what pulled him out from the deepest depths of his own mind was suddenly wanting sothing. Soone.
He wanted to live so badly that he was moving mountains with his entire being.
So what about now?
Well, Rahil just couldn’t help but wonder if love was so insane that the person that guy wanted to live for would actually have sothing up her sleeve?
It wouldn’t hurt to try, right?
User Comments
0 comments from readers