{ Ehann: }
Chapter 20.
"Could you ask her is she's ready?"
Ehann asked one of the guards. Leaning on the opposite side of the princess's chamber, the prince had been waiting for a while- about 8-10 minutes he would guess.
"Of course prince." Responded one of the guards.
"Princess Aga-"
The guard had been interrupted; by the sudden swing of opened doors, there on the other side of the doors stood Agatha; smiling brightly with closed eyes.
"Did you wait long prince? I'm sorry, if I had known sooner i would have gotten out earlier." She said.
"Nono it's all good, I'd actually just gotten here." The prince lied.
For some reason, he didn't want her to feel sad.
As they walked together through the same long hallway as before, he felt stares from the ones that passed them.
Every stare felt more stronger as they reached the entrance of the castle. Wondering if it's something he's wearing again, he inspected his attire.
Nothing wrong in particular, so why the long stares? Then he looked at Agatha, and it seemed like she had the same idea.
Both staring at eatchother, they noticed something in particular.
They we're matching again.
Then they bursted out in laughter. Already being at the entrance of the castle, what else could they do? They we're right on time to leave for one of them to change clothing, so they just left as they we're.
Seeing that the carriage was already there, they both stared at eatchother- wondering who would go first.
"M'lady." The prince spoke.
Hinting that she should go first.
And Agatha laughed.
"Why thank you, kind gentleman." She smiled at him.
Then he entered lastly, sitting on the opposite side of her. The rest of the ride was calm and quiet, none said a word but in the end- it wasn't ever needed.
Just them being there with eatchother was enough communication for the both of them.
---------------------------------------------------
"Hey, prince?" Agatha spoke.
"Yes?"
"Do You like white flowers?" She asked.
Then the prince's eyes lightly widened, and his sight moved from the window -to the princess.
"Why do you ask?" He questioned her.
"I just see you looking at them quite often, and the field you showed me; there was also white flowers there too."
Agatha seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing.
"And.. and that painting you drew. With the boy in the middle of it." She finished.
"Well.. i do like white flowers, and about the painting-" The prince hesitated.
Would he really tell her about him? What would he even tell her? That he's a boy he met, and he couldn't help himself but to paint his beautiful face?
It didn't seem like a good idea.
"The boy in the painting, he's just someone in particular." He stated.
"Maybe I'll buy you some flowers when we arrive." Agatha smiled.
"I'd love that."
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"Do you know how this will go?" Asked the prince.
They had already arrived at their first town, where he would be making the announcements of such and such.
He'd already been used to this kind of environment, mostly because he'd always be the one to make the speeches or announce official statements.
He would walk on a stage and stand Infront of the microphone. With the Knights who would protect him from anything. And the guests that would stay slightly behind him.
Usually he'd do this alone, but since Agatha was with him, he needed to explain what was about to take hold.
In every town, he would say the same - but get different feedback from the people.
Stuff Along the lines of, "why can't you raise the profit?" Or "yes, that sounds reasonable." It's pretty overwhelming for a person who has no experience with such things.
Thus as why he worries she would get overwhelmed with the constant talking and responding.
"Could you please tell me how it could go?" The princess asked.
"I'm not quite familiar with this."
"Yes yes of course." The prince said. Clearing his throat.
"It could be overwhelming at first. But you'll get the hang of it as we go. We will walk on the stage Infront of us, and you will stay behind me, but only slightly.
The Knights will be behind you and me, to protect us from any angry crowd of possible threat. There will be a lot of talking, but it's easy once you get the hang of it." He smiled.
"Oh okay, I'm ready then." Agatha smiled back.
"Okay."
The prince lightly brought out his elbow towards her, signaling she should put her arm through it. And they walked on stage.
The prince announced himself first, then announced who the princess beside him was, as soon as he did, people started piling her with questions.
"Let's refrain from asking our guest any questions." The prince would say to and person who'd asked her a specific question. The rest of the time was calm and easy.
Agatha wouldn't let go of his arm through, fearing they would ask more and more.. peculiar questions if she did let go. Agatha slightly feared for her life at that moment.
The rest of the other towns were easier than the first. Both royalties feeling more at ease with the understanding people and children.
The prince would carry the children on his shoulder and play with them for a while before moving to the next town, and on and on.
Untill they arrived to that person -in -particulars town. Ehann and Agatha showed themselves in the stage as how they first did in the first town. One arm wrapped around the other.
The prince introduced everyone on stage with him even gave his knights some credit for holding out for so long.
The prince looked at the crowd while in his speech. And he sucked in his breath. Stuttering for a moment before talking again.
There in the crowd, was Aelius- and he was in plain sight aswell. Aelius just stared at him, with the most loving eyes the prince has ever seen on a human being.
The prince tried to hold the eye contact, but he would fluster the more he did, so he would constantly look and look away.
Aelius would just giggle at the sight, which would just make the poor prince fluster all over. Then Aelius's sight changed from the prince, to the princess.
Who also, stared directly at him. Then his sight changed from a loving one, to a more neutral one. The prince glanced at the princess, and was left in confusion. Why were they looking at eatchother in such a non- expresant way?
Then Aelius looked at the prince again grinning as he did. This made the prince fully look away from him, and stare at another person.
It took everything in him to not look back at Aelius's smirk on his lips. Regardless, he did exactly what he didn't want to do.
Aelius was still smiling widely, this time it was him who looked away, slightly covering his face from the prince. And when he did look back, the prince winked at him, making Aelius fully cover his face from him.
Then came the children -and -prince greetings many kids came rushing to him. Some even climbing him.
Once he managed to take the kids off him, two more kids walked towards him. But this time, they looked familiar, and more polite.
They looked like, Aelius? Then he looked up, and there he stood infront of him.
"Hey." Aelius smiled at him.
"I see you met my siblings." He laughed.
"They're a beautiful bundle." The prince spoke.
"You can thank my parents for that."
Then they laughed together, one crossing his arms and one carrying two children.
"What's your names ?" The prince asked the children.
"Amelia." The girl said.
"And this is my brother, Toah. He's a very big fan of you." She commented.
"Aww well aren't you two cute."
"I have a feeling I'll be seeing you two a lot in the future." The prince smiled. Glancing at the boy Infront of him. Making Aelius blush a bit.
"Prince." A distant voice called him.
The prince turned around, spotting Agatha in the distance. Releasing the children from his grasp.
"I thought I lost you for good, whoo dear." She said, tired if her search.
"Oh and, this is?" Agatha spoke. Glancing at Aelius.
"Oh, i haven't introduced you to one another haven't i?" The prince calmly laughed.
"Princess Agatha, this is Aelius- a dear friend of mine." He told the princess.
Then the princess lightly wrapped they're arms together, making the prince look at her in shock, but quickly changing his attention to Aelius.
"Aelius, this is Princess Agatha, a guest to the kingdom." He finished.
"It's lovely to meet you, Princess."
Aelius popped his hand out of his crossed arms. Waiting to shake hands.
"I can say the same to you, Aelius."
Then she held her hand out aswell, with her free hand. Not letting go of the prince. Calmly smiling at him.
"I'll wait for you in the carriage, prince."
Then Agatha left leaving him, and the other alone.
Aelius got closer to the prince, then he looked around. And chose to grab the prince's hand. Making him follow behind him into a corner, not really seen from anyone else.
"So, the date." Aelius brought up. Getting closer to the prince.
"Date at 7?" The prince whispered.
The prince's breath hitched everytime Aelius got closer. There was a wall behind him, so he couldn't really move anywhere.
The prince looked anywhere but Aelius's eyes, fearing that if he did he might just do something very wrong.
He doesn't like men, but why is he willing to give this one a chance? What was so different with this one than the others he had seen?
He glanced at Aelius's lips. And it seemed like Aelius thought the same. Except his expression changed from a loving one, to a sad one.
Hitching closer and closer.
The prince and Aelius we're so close that they felt each others breath on one another.
Then Aelius got even closer.
Untill.
Aelius hugged him. Tightly.
"A.. hug?" The prince whispered.
"Of course. Would you expect more, prince?"
The prince didn't respond.
"I can give you more.
I can give you everything there is to give, i may not be as rich and as praised as you are. But i promise you, that if you accept me completely, i can give you a galaxy and more than what you could imagine. Prince."
"I-.." the prince could barely speak. At a loss for words.
Then Aelius released the prince from the hug.
" I'll wait for you at the field of flowers."
"How do you know I'll even come to the date?" Asked the prince.
"Oh i really hope you do, i won't force you in any way. You're so beautiful anyone would be dying to have a chance with you. But i have a gut feeling you will." Aelius smiled at him.
"I will go then, i expect you to be there Aelius. Or i will almost litterally murder you." the prince stated.
"Goodbye Aelius."
And then the prince left. Not looking back, fearing that if he does, he wouldn't be able to hold back in kissing the boy.
'He keeps calling me beautiful as if it's my damn name.' The prince thought.
'I should be pushing him away from me, but why do i like it?'
And then he entered the carriage. Drinking water the whole way back, wanting to calm down his nerves from the whole experience.
1945 words.
Damn. 🧍