THE KING AND THE PRINCE

Within a small, squared room, the only source of light was a small, flickering candle attached to a bedside table. Next to it was a wooden bed with flowery sheets, and next to the bed was a seated chair. On it sat a hunched over youth, his golden hair disheveled, appearance ragged and bloodied. His usually tanned skin had turned almost completely pale, and shadow cast on his face gave him the appearance of death itself.

Parsia’s hands were clutched together, pressed against his forehead, as he sat in silence. He only stared at the figure laid before him, covered with the flowery blanket, only her head exposed. Complexion pale, lips dried out, bags beneath her eyes and concave cheeks, appearance of someone who hasn’t eaten in weeks.

Parsia stayed in this position ever since he woke up, two hours ago. He refused medical help, food, water or visitors, remaining still like a statue. The doors to the room creaked suddenly, but he didn’t even turn to look who it was, nor did he flinch due to the sound. Lynne walked in, closing the doors behind him, and walked over to the bed and the chair, standing in silence.

He said nothing, but instead joined Parsia in heavy silence. With downcast expression, his gaze moved between the boy and the girl, so close yet life and death apart. His heart was heavy as lead, but he still couldn’t even fathom how heavy Parsia’s was, nor did he even wish to learn.

After about half an hour, he took two bottles of Heavenly Ale, putting one next to Parsia’s chair, after which he walked over to the other side of the bed and sat on a chair, beginning to slowly drink the ale. Only after another half an hour passed did Parsia pick up the bottle from the floor and opened it, taking a gulp without removing his gaze from Ayya.

“You didn’t change because you wanted to buy some sympathy points?” Parsia suddenly asked without even looking at him.

“A little bit.” Lynne said in a low tone, as if afraid to disturb the two before him.

“’s that so?” Parsia said, taking another gulp from the bottle. “The first time I saw her, I was ten. For most of my childhood, I never left the Palace. Every morning, I’d wake up knowing where the day would go and how the night would come. Then, one day, my father told me I’m allowed to visit nearby Gardens, but, truth be told, I wasn’t that excited about it. I liked staying inside the Palace. I liked learning various things. However, in the end, I decided to go.” he paused for a moment, taking another gulp.

“Wherever I went, people bowed humbly, greeted me properly and opened up the path. It was no different this time around either. Escorted by an entire squad of guards, it didn’t feel much different than my days at Palace. Then, I heard a jubilant scream. And then another. And then another. As I slowly walked toward it, I saw a girl slightly older than me ogling flowers and herbs in the Garden, screaming out their names as if the heavenly path opened before her.” a slight smile appeared on his face before he continued.

“I wouldn’t say that I was immediately taken in, but I was definitely curious. Were the herbs and flowers truly something to get so ecstatic about? There I was, ten year old kid who mostly spent his days in rundown routines, and there she was, a random Enchanter screaming out names of random things. After that, whenever I was allowed to go outside the Palace, I would always look for her. However, I never approached her, just stared from the distance.”

“One day, she apparently had had enough and ran right at me, calling me a pervert. The Guards around me immediately apprehended her, and I decided to bring her back into the Palace. We fought every day, and, for the first time in my life, I began feeling true joy. I was fourteen when I realized I had fallen in love with her. Since the day I realized it, until the day she accepted it, I proposed to her every day. Every single day without exception. Father, mother, brothers, everyone in the Palace constantly tried to persuade me to give up as she wasn’t fit for me, but I didn’t care. In my heart, I knew, I had to have her. When she finally said yes, I was so happy I didn’t know what to do with myself. So I hugged her so tightly I actually broke one of her ribs. In turn, she broke my nose.”

“…” Lynne said nothing, just sitting, drinking and listening.

“She was – no – she is everything to me.” Parsia’s body began shaking lightly as his already watery eyes gave out. “How do you move past this? How do you keep on living when your reason for living is forever gone?”

“…” Lynne stared fixedly at him.

“ANSWER ME!!!” Parsia shouted, finally rising his head and looking at Lynne.

“… I can’t.” Lynne said calmly. “No one can.”

“… you’re a lousy friend, you know that?”

“I know.”

“And a terrible King.”

“Indeed.”

“And even worse leader.”

“Yes.”

“… I know I can’t blame you,” Parsia said, chuckling as he wiped his eyes dry. “But I still do. Isn’t that insane?”

“…”

“I’ve only ever lost her,” Parsia said. “And I already feel as though I’m broken beyond repair. Yet, compared to everything you’ve lost…”

“… it’s different,” Lynne said, tilting his head sideways and resting it on his hand. “The entirety of your heart was occupied by her.”

“… she wasn’t even supposed to be here,” Parsia said. “If only I never came here, if only I never listened and departed on the journey… heh, that’s the way of life, I suppose.” he took another gulp from the bottle. “Do you believe in afterlife?”

“No.” Lynne said plainly.

“You’re rather grim, aren’t you?” Parsia looked at him again.

“I’d rather hang on to what I have than what I lost.” Lynne said.

“… what is there for me to hang on to, then? You? Thalia? This Kingdom? My homeland?”

“… I don’t think people fall in love only once in their lives,” Lynne said as he played with the bottle. “Rather, I believe we fall many, many times.”

“You’re telling me to find someone else?”

“I’m telling you to hang onto the possibility,” Lynne said. “I’m not good at giving advice. I’m crude, blunt and don’t take people’s feelings into consideration. However, I’ll still give it to you, because you’re my friend. She’s dead,” Lynne said. “You’re alive. I can’t fathom how hard it will be for you, but, sooner or later, you’ll move on.”

“… would you think the same if Thalia died?” Parsia asked.

“… probably not,” Lynne said honestly, smiling. “But, I know I wouldn’t give up. Thalia isn’t the first woman I’ve ever loved, and, however much I want it to be so, she may not be the last.”

“Aah, if only she was here to hear you. She’d probably beat you to a pulp.” Parsia said, taking another gulp.

“How about I introduce you to Thalia’s Master? She’s quite a woman, you know. Fell in love with her the moment I saw her.”

“… dude, too soon.” Parsia growled lowly.

“There’s no time like present to indulge in the compassion of mature women,” Lynne said, his eyes sparkling. “They await, so you have to live up to it!”

“… stop trying to push your fantasies over onto me. At least wait until we’re not next to the love of my life…”

“I don’t like this part of you.” Lynne said.

“Which part?”

“Quaint, timid part.” Parsia frowned as he looked across the bed. “You can’t take the words I said and brush it off casually.”

“… why not? I know you have no ill intent behind them,” Parsia said. “What’s the point of getting angry with you now?”

“… words are quite a weapon,” Lynne said. “But, instead of either blocking them or taking them on, you just deflect them. They don’t disappear, you know?”

“Whether I get angry with you or not won’t change a damn thing, so stop fucking with me already.” Parsia said angrily. “If you’ve got nothing else to say, get out and leave us alone.”

“… no thanks.” Lynne said, smiling suddenly. “In here, I at least know you won’t attack me.”

“… shameless bastard.”

“Aah, it’s been a while since I was called that,” Lynne sighed nostalgically. “I miss those days.”

“… what’s the situation outside anyway? How the hell did you win?”

“Your attention is directed where it needs to be,” Lynne said dismissively. “Take your time. We’ll wait.”

“… you really don’t know how to distract a person, do you? Or you simply don’t want to? Which is actually far worse.”

“Why would I distract you?” Lynne said. “This is probably the last time I’ll see that expression on your face. I gotta savor it.”

“… I won’t burst out, you know? No matter how much you pester me. It’s not who I am.”

“Oh? Is that what I was doing?” Lynne smiled wryly. “No worries. Do it your way.”

“… can I ask you something?”

“No.”

“How can you be so cheerful?” Parsia asked seriously. “Despite the hell that occurred outside.”

“Hmm… I guess it’s exactly because of that hell,” Lynne said after a short thought. “And, rather than cheerful, I believe I’m more bittersweet actually.”

“Ugh…”

“Don’t ‘ugh’ me! I’m being honest here!”

“… if that’s your honesty, then lie. For the love of god, just lie…”

“… I burn it away,” Lynne said. “And lock it up. Because, just like you, people need someone to blame. I can’t let them blame our enemies. So, I may as well turn their eyes toward me.” he then chuckled happily. “There. How far can that lie take me?”

“… eh, good enough.” Parsia said. Short silence followed as both gulped down the last of the two bottles. “Wait for me.”

“Always.”

“… dude…”

“What? Am I not good enough? I’m pretty sure Thalia would let you become my concubine. Just say the magic words.”

“Fuck off.”

“There they are.” Lynne said, laughing, as he got up and began walking towards the doors. “Take your time,” he said as he opened the doors. “We’ll wait.”

“…”

Lynne left, leaving behind Parsia who hunched over again, eyes focused on the listless body before him. All sound from the outside was blocked, as was all light, leaving the small, barely lit squared room in absolute silence, where only slow, almost non-existent heartbeats echoed out once in a while.