Sixteen years later, chaos engulfed the entire castle. The staff members were overwhelmed, unsure of where to begin. The looming coronation, just five hours away, left a multitude of unfinished tasks scattered throughout the hall. Suddenly, the doors swung open, and everyone in the vicinity immediately lowered their heads as the esteemed King of Blood, Adonis, made his entrance.
"What is the meaning of this sluggishness!? My grandson is about to ascend the throne, and yet you all fail to perform your duties efficiently! Get to work!" bellowed King Adonis.
"Yes, Your Highness!" the staff replied in unison, their voices filled with urgency.
Sighing deeply, "Can you believe it, Luna? Your son is finally going to be a king. He grew up so fast, just like the sakura we planted together..." A wistful smile played on Adonis's lips as he reminisced, his eyes betraying a hint of sorrow. With that, he made his way toward his grandson's room, the guards trailing closely behind him.
Upon arriving at Ryan's chambers, Adonis gently knocked on the door. Silence followed. "Ryan, may I come in?" the king inquired. A moment passed without a response. "Perhaps he fell asleep while preparing," one of the guards suggested. Opening the door, he was met with a scene of disarray and an open window, the curtains dancing in the wind. The guards exchanged concerned glances and took a step back.
Taking a deep breath, Adonis called out, his voice echoing throughout the entire kingdom, "RYAN!!!"
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30 minutes earlier...
Ryan sighed as he stared at the clock, dreading another day surrounded by idiots and overbearing guards breathing down his neck. "Well, maybe it wouldn't be so terrible if I sneaked out," he mused to himself, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He swiftly grabbed his jacket and approached the window, preparing for his daring escape. In his haste, he accidentally knocked over a stack of papers and scattered clothes across the room. Unbothered, he carefully opened the window, feeling the cool breeze beckoning him outside. With a determined leap, he landed gracefully on the railing below, skillfully navigating his way to the roof. From there, he confidently jumped down, landing with a soft thud and promptly brushing off any dirt from his clothes.
"If it isn't his Highness himself!" a voice called out, dripping with playful sarcasm. Ryan turned his head, a wide grin forming as he recognized his friend.
"Oh, give it a rest, Jack," he chuckled, slightly annoyed but secretly thrilled to have him there.
"Seriously, Ryan, what are you doing out here? Your grandfather will have a fit if he catches you with me outside! And especially today!"
Ryan waved off Jack's concern dismissively. "Nah, don't worry about it. He's all bark and no bite. Besides, I want to make the most of today while I still can," he replied confidently, seemingly unfazed by the potential consequences.
Jack rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He glanced at Ryan and added, "But seriously, it's been ages since we went horse riding."
"See! That's exactly what I've been waiting for!" Ryan exclaimed with genuine excitement, as they broke into a run towards the stables. Despite being a teenager, Ryan still had moments where he displayed childlike enthusiasm, especially when it involved his best friend Jack, who was training to become a knight. They had been inseparable since they were four years old, always looking out for each other like brothers.
.
"I won!" Jacob exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement as he celebrated his victory.
"Nu- uh not so fast, I won" Ryan interjected.
"You cheated!" Jack whined, feeling a sense of injustice.
"No one ever said I couldn't take a shortcut," Ryan argued, defending his actions.
"Oh, come on, Ryan! You know that's not fair!"
"Even if I did cheat, which I didn't, I still would have won, Jack."
"You're so unfair sometimes," Jack grumbled, feeling frustrated.
"Well, if we're talking about unfairness, I'm not the one who's getting married."
"Well, what can I say? I catch women's eyes!" Jack smirked, rubbing his nose with a finger.
"Yeah, yeah, sure, you're an eye candy... Hey isn't that your fiancée?" Ryan exclaimed, looking behind Jacob.
"What?! Where?!" Jacob exclaimed, his expression startled and filled with a mix of excitement and curiosity as he frantically turned around to spot his fiancée.
"I wouldn't be too shocked if we were in the city center, but here?" Ryan playfully nudged Jacob and took off running.
"You didn't—man, that wasn't cool!" Jack laughed and chased after Ryan, their feet pounding against the vibrant green grass.
When Jacob finally caught up, he jokingly threw punches at Ryan's arm. They laughed and chatted as they approached the castle.
"Hey, don't you think you'll get in trouble? I mean, you sneaked out without any guards or notice," Jacob said, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Ah, come on, I can handle myself. Plus, I've got you to protect me, Sir Jacob Marly." Ryan put on a serious expression, trying to hold back a smile.
"Of course, Your Highness, always by your side," Jacob replied, matching Ryan's serious face. After a moment of silence and locked gazes, they both burst into laughter.
.
.
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Ryan stepped into the grand castle, his heart pounding with anticipation. But his excitement was short-lived as his Nanny intercepted him with a scolding tone. "Your Highness!, how many times do I have to remind you to get ready? This day holds great importance!" Trying to stifle his laughter, his friend Jack failed to contain himself for long.
"Jacob!" Nanny's anger shifted to Jack, her eyes blazing with fury. "Yes?!" Jack replied, his laughter evaporating instantly, a visible fear in his eyes.
"What are you waiting for? Prepare yourself! Go!" Nanny commanded shooing him away, her voice laced with urgency.
"Absolutely! Right away!" Jack hurriedly scampered out of the hall, looking as if he had narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation.
Nanny's gaze returned to Ryan, who swiftly concealed his teasing smile, not wanting to provoke her any further. "Hurry up! We have no time to waste!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Ryan barely had a chance to blink before Nanny forcefully propelled him toward the dressing room, leaving him with no choice but to comply.