Being an intergalactic traveler was the most exciting thing ever for young Balder, who was sick and tired of being seen by everyone as the Little Prince, always perfectly protected by his powerful father. He wanted to be more than that. He wanted to be a famous explorer, the most feared pirate, anything but what he was.
"Are you daydreaming about being an intergalactic traveler again?" Rosemond said with a gentle smile on her face.
A smile that felt incredibly patronizing to Balder because he knew that even though she was his best friend, his constant companion, she never believed in him. She never thought he could do it.
He was determined to prove her wrong, to prove everyone wrong.
"And what if I am?" Balder snapped more harshly than he intended. "Can't I be what I have always dreamed of being?"
"I didn't mean to..." Rosemond started to say but was interrupted by another one of Balder's passionate speeches.
"Can't you people understand that the world is like a magical theater where fairytales and realities intertwine to create something so beautiful that it defies definition?" Balder said reproachingly as his eyes looked at the stars through the glass dome, that he insisted on having in his room. "All of you are so ignorant, cooped up in your own little worlds and not caring about anyone or anything else."
Rosemond took a step back upon hearing that. She wasn't the most sensitive princess, which happens when one grows up in that environment where everything is instantly provided for you without you having to do anything. However, Rosemond always tried to be nice to Balder, the prince of the neighboring planet. Had she failed him so miserably?
A tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it. That little traitor dared reflect the pain on the inside, making Rosemond furious at herself.
"Rose, I am sorry. I didn't mean that," Balder said, immediately backtracking upon noticing his words had caused so much pain to his friend. "It's just that you have never shown any interest in the outside world, and you can't possibly understand how it feels when you want to see so much more and are eternally trapped on this one boring planet. There is nothing here to keep my attention, nothing to explore, nothing to do."
"You know that I am sensitive, that the air in any other planetary system would irrevocably damage my lungs. Even if I wanted to travel with you, to explore the new worlds, I can't," Rose said with sadness in her voice that Balder heard for the first time. "And I never thought this planet was boring because I had you with me, and that was more than enough for me."
"Rose..." Balder started to say, but she spun around and ran from the room, not wanting him to see her cry.
His Rose was always too sensitive, too delicate, both physically and emotionally, which was one of the reasons he always treated her with care. It was why he pampered her more than anyone else. However, this time, Balder wanted to be selfish. This time, he wanted to indulge himself, and her narrow-minded thinking was clashing with his daydreams.
Still, he didn't want to make her cry. That was never his intention. Yet, he couldn't think of anything he could say that would make it any better for her.
Although both were royalty from the two planets circling the twin stars, they were very different. He wasn't even sure if they would have been friends if it weren't for their close proximity and the fact that none of the other monarchies in their planetary system had any royals their age.
"I have to see what's out there," Balder said out loud, more determined than ever.
Knowing his parents would never allow it, Balder snuck through the window, climbing down the building's complex structure with the ease of someone who had done so many times before. However, this time, Balder wasn't going out to have fun. He was determined to fulfill his lifelong dream. Thus, he headed for the spaceport, his holographic identification at the ready because no matter what, no one could refuse royalty if they wanted to confiscate their spaceship.
The problem was that they were bound to inform his parents, but he would hopefully be long gone before they could do anything to stop him.
"Hello, there, citizen," Balder said awkwardly, as he had never before addressed a member of the public. "I am afraid I will have to commandeer your ship. Be kind enough to transfer all the authorization codes and complete control of the vessel to me."
He hoped that would make it hard for his parents to do anything but try to follow him with another spacecraft, which should give him enough time to escape. It was a crazy plan that could go wrong in many ways, but he was determined to go through with it, having come this far.
Confused but terrified when Balder's augmented eye flashed his holographic royal designation, the poor citizen obliged without asking any additional questions. However, the moment he noticed that the transfer had been completed, Balder started running towards the said ship as fast as he could, hoping that once inside, he would be protected from the parental worry of the royals.
His blond hair waved in the wind as his lungs gasped for air, but he didn't stop. If he stopped now, there was a chance he would never see the light of day. So even though his tight polymeric suit with many advanced gadgets on it wasn't the most suited attire for running, he continued to do so with the passion of someone who had a dream.
Once inside, Balder let out a sigh of relief as he put his training in different virtual reality settings to use. His parents thought he was playing games, but he was getting ready for his chance to be free.
He called up the holographic screen with his augmented eye, the only part of himself he allowed to be artificially enhanced, and started the engine.
Luckily, the commands were the same as in the simulators. Balder wasn't sure if they would be identical but was glad his training wasn't done in vain.
"In the name of Her Majesty, Marigold Audrey de Bracy Albertson, return the vehicle to its original docking bay immediately," an automatic voice said as soon as Balder released the docking clamps.
"Nope, can't do that," Balder muttered under his breath as he doubled his efforts to accelerate as soon as possible, even though the ship was still not out of its rest mode. "Come on, come on, wake up!"
"Balder Marcus de Bracy Albertson, you get back here this minute!" Marigold's voice screamed from the communication system mere seconds later.
"Sorry Mom, but I can't do that. I have a date with the universe," Balder said as the ship finally completely awoke, ready to receive his commands. "Love you, but I am out of here!"
As he shouted his final words to his mother, to his planet, Balder put the ship into the vertical ascent. Then, as soon as he was out of Sanderas atmosphere, he engaged the hyperdrive, and soon enough, he left his planetary system behind for the first time in his life.
Being in space for the first time felt like magic, something he never thought he would experience. So, to fully enjoy the experience, Balder engaged the transparent mode, making the bottom of the ship see-through to the point that he felt like he was flying through space, free at last.
He was no longer the Little Prince, looked down on by everyone, nor was he a royal who had to follow all the senseless rules. Finally, he was able to just be himself. Something he had never experienced before.
It was unclear to him who he actually was. He had never even pondered that question before he set off on this crazy adventure.
"Computer, set course for the nearest planetary system," Balder said, switching the ship to autonomous mode now that they were out of reach of his planet and any possibility of his parents rerouting the spacecraft.
"Course set for planetary system Delta 8," the computer's mechanical voice said.
Something felt off.
It was as if Balder got everything he wanted, yet he didn't feel as happy as he hoped. Something was missing.
"Computer, activate human adjustability mode," Balder said, not wanting to think and needing some company for comfort.
"Adjustability mode activated," the computer said, using the most soothing human voice Balder had ever heard. "Female, serious, motherly."
"Nah, switch to something more fun," Balder said as a pang of guilt ran through his heart.
"Female, kind, gentle," the computer said, making the necessary adjustments in its tone.
"That's better," Balder said, not wanting to admit that it reminded him of his Rose, that everything would have been so much better if she was there with him.
And with that bitter-sweet feeling of accomplishment, his intergalactic adventures started.