"Venti, go back to your room, now," Ningguang told from behind, making Venti flinch. He didn't want to go back in his room and act as nothing happened, he wanted to go to them and defend Beidou, she shouldn't be blamed at all, she was just another victim of this absurd rule. Even if he loves Xiao, he will side Beidou for this one. As he tries to walk near them, the girl stops her. "Don't get yourself too involved with this, leave the castle with Alatus, I will take care of everything."
And what? Ruin his reputation? Ruin his position just like what happened between the two of you? Venti would never do that, everyday Xiao would train, and he was sure Xiao worked so hard for this opportunity, so who are you to tell Venti to go and run away with Xiao?
He loves Xiao with all his heart—but he would never sacrifice such a position. This isn't a happy ending yet. And he knew it.
He didn't want to see Xiao anymore, he didn't want to see his face anymore, he wants to forget everything, or probably wake up from this dream. He knew he has to leave, or else things will only get worse.
He can't believe he was doing this, he thought that maybe, this was it, he would actually marry the person he loves, but of course—not to a prince like him.
The pain he was feeling right now was unimaginable, everything was too hard to maintain, he wanted to go back and hug Xiao, but he didn't want to see his face anymore. Venti wishes he never had the idea to ever steal wine in this castle, that way, he would've never met the prince, and he wouldn't feel this kind of heartache and betrayal.
-
"Beidou, your eye is bleeding, please let's stop this right now," Ningguang says, a worry in her voice. Beidou came with her to get her eyes checked. Her vision just exploded, not that it matters to her, at least now she had said all the things she's been keeping with her for many years.
It's all up to Xiao now.
"My son, I apologize for the interruption, but as I was saying— the throne or Venti-"
"Venti."
"I... Didn't expect this kind of answer, Alatus. You must be kidding."
"I am not. I truly respect you because you are my mother, but if you ever get in the way of me and Venti." His eyes glowed, then a sword suddenly appears in his hand, no one knows how, and there isn't any sign of him getting vision too.
"Oh don't scare me, prince Alatus." The same spear she once threatened the king with appeared in her hand, "one strike to your beloved, and he's all gone." Xiao gritted his teeth, as the sword from his hand disappears. "Don't you dare touch him!"
"Only if you stay in this castle until the told day you will meet the person you will truly love. And as for Venti, I do not know if he will stay sooner..."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Sara, go inform the butler about this. The freedom of this prince will be seized by me, no one could ever let him step out of this castle anymore." A girl suddenly appears from behind, guilt painting her face. "Y-yes my queen."
"Don't do this, don't you dare do this to me!"
"And why shouldn't I when you act like this? Alatus snap back to reality. You falling in love with a boy is just a phase, I expected so much from you, and I know you can fulfill it all."
"And I cannot fulfill it all while loving Venti?!"
"Certainly not. I have planned something else for you, my son. And it will make your life better, think about the castle, Alatus, how would you think you will reproduce another generation if you marry another man? Oh God, Aether's already dead, Yanfei's whereabouts are still unknown, Lumine refuses to be a princess, Beidou married a woman, you are the only hope Alatus. Think about Liyue."
"But I won't be too hard on you, I will let you keep that little girl, just don't make this castle into an orphan."
"And who says I was already dead."
A sudden voice calls, making the other two stunned. "Aether..."
"It's been a few years, Ei, do you still believe all of this is right?" The woman's face changed from shocked to anger real quick, her spear appeared on her hands once more. "Aether! You were alive all this time?!"
"Alive, and still gay."
He smirks as he draws out his iconic dull blade that was used to slay many creatures before, even if he dies now, everything will be worth it so— "Alatus! Go run away already, your boyfriend has already left the castle, and if you want to catch up, I'm giving all the luck to you."
Venti left? Was all that echoed inside of Xiao's mind, and he knew he has to go chase after him now. And so he run, but Ei wouldn't give up on him too quickly. "Guards! Don't let Alatus out of the castle!"
"Eyes on me, my queen," Aether says before threatening her life with his sword. "It is so wrong of you to ever come back." Ei slashes forward which he gladly dodged. "Do not underestimate me Ei, you don't know who I have become after all these years."
The woman chuckles, striking her spear from top to the bottom, but of course, Aether dodges it. "No matter how much you've changed, you are still the coward prince who chose to disappear like dust, leaving his lover alone to suffer agony. Why didn't you do this to me years ago? Why didn't you fight for yourself and the king of dragonspine? Because you are a coward."
Aether couldn't help but groan at this, but immediately laughs it off. "Let's not bring up the past, eh? This has nothing to do with Albedo."
"Oh? Are you certain about that?" She says innocently, taking a pause, and Aether takes this chance to strike her on her head, but unfortunately, she uses her spear to cover the sharp end of his blade. "Do you know how much the king has suffered? Did you know how much he grieved over your stupid idea to fake your death? You were probably too sad when you found out he married another woman, which I truly don't understand... You're the one who left him and the queen of dragonspine only showed him the strength of love, not like you."
Aether paused. Trembling as he drops his sword on the ground. "Stop talking about Albedo."
"What a weak prince you are. Look at you, trembling, be glad that you are a part of the royal family—and that I cannot do anything to hurt you."
"Stop acting so strong Ei, because we all know you are weak. Because if you were strong in the first place... Why couldn't you save her?"
This opened the stitched wound in Ei's heart, and this was the moment she realize that, she can never get over the death of Yae. "You do not know my story!" She strikes her spear so much, so fast, and even a prince like Aether struggles to dodge, suddenly, a man came in from the window to carry Aether outside.
The castle was too high. They're gonna fall and die.
"Kazuha?!"
"I'm here to save you, my prince."
"Save me, we're gonna die!"
"Mmm." The man holds onto something, what even is he holding on to, the window? How!? "I am skilled at this, trust yourself to me." And so he parkours his way down from a window to another window. Pretty impressive if you think about it.
He's... Very different from Albedo. He's more knowledgeable about the wilderness, unlike the king... Who's more gentle, and kind, they're just so different from each other...
When they reach the ground again, the man proudly smiles at him, "I saved your life, I think I deserve a kiss." Aether pushed his face away, "no."
-
"Venti! Please let's talk this out. I'm going to marry you no matter what, I swear Venti, we promise to stay with each other forever, right?"
"There's no point if all will despise the both of us."
"I don't care, Barbatos! I love you, and I don't care about that damn insensitive rule by my mother, you're the one I want to be with, so please..." He begs, he's really sincere about this. If he loses Venti now then what's living for? "You know what happens if we go against the castle. One of us dies, Xiao, I want you to live a great life and—I never loved you. I'm sorry. But I was only going along because I liked the idea of falling in love, but... No matter how hard I try, I can't bring myself to love you."
The prince was left speechless. His heart started to ache as Venti's words kept coming out of his mouth. "What a beautiful accident we are, beautiful... Yet forbidden, eh?" He chuckles. But Xiao can't understand why he dared to laugh right now.
He couldn't help but let out tears which left his eyes wet. "Don't ever cry my precious prince, because, in the end, you are way too high for me to reach." Xiao looks up to him only to see him smile. "Til we meet again." Will we ever meet again?
Xiao wanted to run after him and ask him if all of this was just a lie to make him think he actually never loved him and that he's only doing this so Xiao also gives up—but his body stops him, as if theres a heavy weight thats being put through his feet. He really didn't want it all to end, but this is the ending that was given to them by fate.
Suddenly, Xiao was being pulled by the guards back to the castle, and he can only watch Venti getting farther. He can only watch as the future he wanted for himself fades to dust.
-
Omg I finally had the confidence to write this chapter. I am very excited to write the next onesss 😎😎😎