Years ago, the Doronian king had three powerhouses behind him.
The first was his wife, the Queen Consort, who was popular with the general population.
The second was his younger sister, who, despite producing an heir before he, gave him her full support.
And the third was his younger sister's husband, a Marquess belonging to the Os family. The Os family had a rich history of producing legendary generals and knights, and the Marquess was no exception. The Marquess, following his wife, also gave the King his full support.
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Born in a time of tranquility, Prince Lilith grew with love.
His mother, the Queen Consort, showered him with it every day, and his father, the King, smiled easier when with him. His aunt smiled whenever she saw him, and her husband, the Marquess, played swords with him whenever the Marquess could. And his cousin, his aunt's son who was five years older than him, Prince Rosen, was as happy as him whenever they were together.
That's why when there was talk about how Lilith's brown hair was uncanny for a Doronian royal (most royals had close to white hair) and about how the only thing royal about Lilith was his violet eyes, Lilith turned his cheek and continued being happy.
He stopped doing so when his mother and Rosen's parents were murdered—right before his eyes in his very own home. He would have also been killed had Rosen not save him by killing the murderer.
The trauma of that night caused Lilith to develop panic attacks in which he would freeze and shut down, henceforth vulnerable to any harm. No one knew of this except for Rosen, one of the few Lilith allowed close to him ever since that night.
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With the death of his three powerhouses, the King searched for new sources to secure his throne and to prevent a war of succession. He found that source in the Duke of Bearington whose power combined with his Duchess rivaled that of the previous three powerhouses combined.
The Duke agreed to support the King only if his eldest daughter Airee was betrothed to Prince Lilith—something four-year old Airee had begged her father to make happen.
And so we were.
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"His Majesty, the King, inquires about your well-being," was the first thing the seven-year-old prince said after we exchanged greetings.
Drawing on my training on etiquette and mannerism prior to regaining my past memories, I humbly answered, "Please tell his Majesty I am doing better, thanks to Lord Clafford and his doctors. And hopefully his Majesty is doing well himself, as well as his Highness, Prince Rosen, and your Highness as well."
Prince Lilith's vacant eyes stared at me before he gave a small nod. "Yes, thank you."
I stared at my hands awkwardly when silence settled around us.
His Majesty had obviously instructed Prince Lilith to visit me to make sure I was alive, but other than that…what else to chat about??
"…I was also told your younger sister fell ill," Prince Lilith spoke quietly. "I would visit her as well, but Lord Clafford advises against it, so I give you and her my apologies."
"Thank you for wanting to, your Highness…" I said sincerely before trailing off.
Seeing him behave and speak so maturely and vacantly at his age was heart-wrenching, especially since I was aware of the cause.
"Would you…want to stroll through the garden with us?" I blurted out before I lost my nerve.
His eyes flickered towards mine, wide with surprise. "…Huh?"
"I'll ask later to confirm whether Lord Clafford has a garden or not, but if he does…when Claire gets better…it would greatly please us if you walk with us, if you so wish, your Highness."
While the game didn't go into much detail about the Queen Consort, it did mention her love for her beautiful gardens, something she shared with her beloved son.
I wasn't the one to fill that void in his heart, but at least I could comfort its ragged edges.
All that remained was Prince Lilith's response. Would my request insult him, or—?
"…Alright," he finally answered.
I nodded in relief before smiling. "Thank you, your Highness…"
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Prince Lilith sat in his carriage and looked out towards Lord Clafford's medical facility. He recalled his betrothed's request and her smile when he agreed to it.
There was an odd tightening in his chest, and he hastily turned away from the window, clutching at his heart, waiting for the onslaught of a panic attack.
The other person in the carriage was immediately at his side, murmuring soothing words at him, telling him everything was fine.
Yet…he was able to think and move clearly?
"I'm…alright," he reassured his companion as he straightened.
…Perhaps this was a new kind of attack...?
Something just as frightening...yet more…warm…?