"Dad! Don't be stingy and explain it to me!"
Elias pouted as he hung onto Claude's robes. The emperor stayed silent as he smirked down at his son which only riled Elias up.
Athanasia watched as they duo. She could not help but think that this world was so different from the novel she had read.
There was one thing she did not want to admit. It was that Claude was very handsome.
He was the type that could attract women without sweating and Athanasia could see why they would want Claude.
In the spin off that she had read, Diana really loved Claude and Claude loved her as well... but.
Athanasia's eyes moved over to Elias who was crossed arms and filled air into his cheeks. Claude had a gentle smile as he tussled Elias's hair.
Elias, a character that did not appear in 'Lovely Princess', looked like one of those expensive porcelain made dolls back in earth. The crown prince shared Claude's features but his character was a little... very wild.
Athanasia spaced out as she took in the way Claude's and Elias's eyes twinkled in content against the sun. It was like they were in their own world and paradise.
Were her eyes the same as them?
It was then when something caught her eyes. It was lotus.
Was it blue?
No, the petals were transparent so it looked blue since the lake was blue.
She had the sudden desire to have one.
Athanasia reached over and little by little she was getting closer.
"Huh?"
She heard Elias but it was the least of her concern. She was almost there.
"Stop! What are you doing?!"
Athanasia flinched and her hand slipped the edge of the boat. Her small body submerged into the water. She struggled up for air but the dress was too heavy for her to move.
When she broke out to the surface, she took a gasp of air. Panic sprung up as she tried to get hold of the boat but her hands kept slipping.
"Hel- Help!"
"Athanasia!"
Elias called out. He stretched out his hand to reach for her.
It happened fast. She had seen the disinterest in Claude's cold eyes as he watched her struggle as something curled up around her ankle and pulled her into the lake.
"Athanasia!"
She heard Elias.
Feeling herself go deeper and deeper before a force pulled her up. The water that didn't leave her suddenly left her lungs as she coughed it out and gasped for air.
"Princess!"
She heard Lillian and felt her wrap her arms around her.
"Princess are you alright?!"
Athanasia was still trying to wrap her head about what had just happened as she clung onto air.
"Felix."
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Teach Athanasia how to swim. It would be a shame if an emperor's daughter drowned to death in a mere lake."
Claude turned and Athanasia took a glimpse.
It looked like Elias was being carried by Claude. There was no sound and she could not see him since Claude's body covered his body.
She could not make out what Lillian was saying. Shivering as tears just never stopped falling, she watched as Claude's figure went smaller and smaller. Her sight blurred and when she felt like Claude was far enough, she out a wail.
She did not remember what happened after that.
***
The moment their eyes had met, they both thought.
'Ah, he is the one.'
It was a brief eye contact but it was all it took to feel connected.
They met at the hallway of the academy in Arlanta Kingdom and both of them had set their foot on the land for different reasons.
Ezekiel had arrived to Arlanta for the sake of getting some space and Elias was sent to Arlanta to broaden his knowledge but in reality, he was sent to Arlanta because he was eyesore.
Ezekiel heard of Elias from his father. A prince that led the previous emperor, Chrysanthos, to die and harbored the current Emperor's, Claude's, anger.
Ezekiel could not understand the world why the prince was hated.
Elias was the epitome of kindness and beauty. He was shy but always helped others even if it was hard for himself,
He held other people above himself.
Ezekiel, at first, was drawn in by it. He had never seen someone be as selfless as Elias. It made Ezekiel stay around the prince.
And time went on. Elias and Ezekiel would share meaningful smiles, smiles that were only for each other and no one else.
Their cheeks would be tinted red and their hearts would skip a beat the moment they saw each other. A smile would naturally bloom when their eyes met.
They both knew. Their hearts were complete. They were made for each other.
Ezekiel was the one who had taken Elias's hand and confessed.
"Would allow me to stand by your side and call me yours?"
Ezekiel would never forget Elias's expression. That face... it was the expression Elias had whenever he was about to cry but would not allow a tear out. It left Ezekiel dumbfounded. He did not confess to see such as expression.
Why was it directed at him?
"Am I... Am I worth it? To be able to call you mine?"
It was then when Ezekiel realized. Elias did not put people above himself because he wanted to or because he cared. It was because Elias did not see himself to be worth of being above someone. Even if it took a toll on his body to help people, Elias thought it was natural to destroy his body.
Ezekiel felt like he was suffocating.
How could he not notice that his prince was so hurt?
His nose stung and his eyes felt wet as he got on his knee. He spoke with the most sincerest voice he could muster even though it was shaky.
"Worth being called yours? There is nothing for you to be worth anything. It is me... am I worth it? Yours?"
Elias smiled weakly.
"I've already got my heart stolen by you... and I don't mind staying stolen."
At the light joke, Ezekiel chuckled along with Elias.
Ezekiel stood up and Elias wrapped his arms around the silver head teen.
A peck was shared and then another but this time it was longer. A kiss that made their heart burst in hot passion.
They finally became one.
Content lasted until the year, when there was only six months left to finish their studies and return to Obelia.
***
Ezekiel woke up. He had been having dreams ever since he saw the crowned prince. He felt like he was having the same dream over and over again but he could never remember the contents the moment he woke up.
Only vivid images would pop up but no explanation to what was happening in his dreams.
He felt stuck and lost.
Was it because the prince was so mesmerizing that he kept dreaming?
Ezekiel was not sure but every time he thought about the prince he felt like weeping and yearned for him. Because of that, he had asked his father if he was able to receive an audience.
His father reacted strictly and forbade him to get any closer to the prince.
'Then how do I sort with this suffocation lingering in my heart...'
***