\\ bad emotions \\
There was a flash of light beyond the horizon that lasted half a second. But the blow would last eternity.
His head hung and he held the railing as though it were life-support. His fingers were white and aching, but he didn't let go. If he did, he would break.
The pain in his chest was sharp, stinging over and over again each time he recalled a detail: the blue of her eyes, the way she always thought of others, the yllumin she had learned to plant for his sake.
He squeezed his eyes shut in hopes of ceasing the slideshow. But it only intensified them. He groaned, shoving off the rail with enough force that he stumbled backward. He ran his fingers through his hair, regret sickening his stomach.
And yet, he knew he couldn't keep her. He had seen the longing — the pain and loss that was so intimate to him — and he knew he had to let her go. He couldn't love someone who was not his.
His head told him to go back inside, to forget his feelings for a moment and be Prince Rune Eslyr of Eternity. He had a duty to inform his father of the maiden's departure — and then to abdicate the throne. But his heart grounded him, refusing to let him move. Rune Eslyr wanted to stare unseeingly and wallow in the bad emotions bubbling in him.
A moment later, he felt a presence behind him. He dared a glance and found a pair of yellow eyes glowering at him. With a tired sigh, the Prince straightened, attempting normalcy by clasping his hands behind his back. "You desire an audience with me?"
"Where is she, asshat?" the alimae snarled, sounding more feral than he ever had.
"So you noticed." Prince Rune didn't recognize his own voice.
Jack revealed his teeth. "Listen, mate, I ain't even goin' to bring up the fact that you lost me my job. I just wanna know where in Acaign you sent the Earthlin'."
"Home." The Prince swallowed. "I sent her home."
Growling, he charged at Prince Rune and seized his collar. He shook the Prince as he said, "Liar. Where'd you send 'er? She weren't good 'nough for you, Your Royal Splinter?"
Pain crashed over him, but he didn't protest. This — both the physical and emotional pain — was the least he deserved.
"You sen' 'er off so some other planet could deal with her because you're a goddamned coward." Jack spit in his face.
Their argument alerted the royal guards. They surrounded the pair, struggling to untangle Jack from the Prince.
Jack fought against them, growling, "Let me go. Let me tear 'im to shreds. Bring back bean sprout, you rotten compost."
"What is going on here?" a voice, full of authority, demanded.
The commotion immediately quieted.
Eika marched onto the balcony, hands on her hips. One of her eyes trained on the bedraggled Prince, the other on a panting Jack.
"He—" Jack shoved a finger in Prince Rune's direction — "sent bean sprout away. Probably off to slave away for some foreign circuit. Because this asshat thinks he's above everyone, spoiled brat."
"Please watch your tongue, Jack." Eika had said it politely, but it carried a poisonous bite that sent shivers up Prince Rune's spine.
"Yeah, Jack," called another voice, oddly pleased. "That sort of language could land you a stint in jail."
Jack rounded on the gardener, the guards straining to contain him. "Get off it, flower boy. Or are ya so self-absorbed that you've failed to realize that Belline is gone?"
The two glared at each other. But then they trained those glares on the Prince.
Eika stood before Prince Rune and said, "I think we have all noticed her absence. Let His Highness explain what is happening before we jump to conclusions. You will," her voice rose to speak over Jack's protests, "let him explain. Please, Your Highness."
Prince Rune found it easier to look at Eika's open expression than the furious face of the alimae. Working to control his voice, he said, "I have sent the maiden home, back to Earth. As I am sure you have heard her insist, it is where she belongs. It was her wish to return, and so I granted it."
He could have sworn something cracked, and he assumed it to be his heart.
"Liar," Jack clipped again, pushing against the guards. It was seven to one, and still he managed to move all of them.
"Perhaps," Eika coaxed, "you can divulge your motivations for granting her request."
"Because." Now he found it impossible to look at anyone, and he stared fixedly at the ground. "Because I love her."
The silence was suffocating, and the Prince heard ringing in his ears. No one moved, no one so much as breathed.
"Then," Jack said, "why didn't you let her say goodbye?"
"It was another desire of hers. She said it would be too hard to say goodbye." The Prince whispered the final word.
"Thank you, Your Highness. Come, let's go back inside." Eika encouraged everyone into the castle.
Prince Rune glanced sidelong. "Why didn't you go with them?"
Kit frowned. "Forgive my forwardness, Your Highness. But I — I didn't expect you to confess — to even be capable of—"
"I thought the same."
The gardener dipped into a bow. "For such selfless actions, I renew my pledge of loyalty to the crown."
The Prince clapped Kit on the shoulder, saying, "Don't."
.
Supper had never been so tense.
By the way his father continued to glance in his direction, Prince Rune knew he had learned of the maiden's departure. Prince Rune also knew his father would just send him pity, and he already hadn't an appetite.
"Son," King Hadeth murmured, folding his hands.
He closed his eyes. "Please, Father."
"May I say one thing?" When his son said nothing, he continued, "My son, I am so proud of you."
The Prince slammed his hands on the table, making his father and the servants jump. He rose from his seat, feeling tall and lanky and cheated. "Abolish the Competition."
"What? Son, I can't—"
"Abolish. The. Competition," Prince Rune said through clenched teeth, glaring. Before his father could say anything, he stormed from the dining hall.
He could hear Eika plead, "Let him be. Let him grieve, Your Majesty."
Anger coursed through his veins, hot and solid. He was angry at Eternity — at the monarchy — for establishing the Bride Competition and Groom Matching in the first place. Angry at the maiden for abandoning him. But most of all, angry at himself for letting yet another someone-special slip from his grasp.
It was his fault. Again.
Without ceremony, he leaped onto Ryzel's back, frightening the herd. He dug his heels into the tsulin's hinds, and together they took off, the world a blur around them.
They stopped at the southern edge, at the mouth of the Crystal Caves. Prince Rune slid off Ryzel and sat down forcefully on a rock. Then, he released eight blooms' worth of hurt and pain and blame with a great yell that collapsed into a sob that wracked his body and left him aching, ill, and empty.
a/n: i know this last line in this chapter is super duper sad, but omg i honestly love it so much! it strikes me as so poignant
thank you for all your support throughout this story! continue to comment, vote, add to your libraries, etc. it means the world to me.
as always,
hugs :3