Lucas was watering the flowers when he heard footsteps. "Xenia, is that you?" he turned but was surprised to see it was Chloe so he ignored her.
"Oh, you are not going to talk to me 'cos I am not her?" Chloe asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"What do you want, Chloe?" Lucas turned his attention to her.
"I want what's standing in front of me right now." She walked up to him and touched his chest in circles but Lucas grabbed her hand before she could go any further. He slightly pushed her away and continued with what he was doing.
"If you have nothing better to do here, you can leave."
"What don't you like me?"
"It's not that I don't like you."
"Then it's what? You are not interested in girls?"
Lucas stopped to look at her and asked, "What did you just say?"
"Well, Xenia and some of the maidens say that you are gay?" Lucas burst into laughter. "But I told them that you are not and that you and the Prince are just so close."
Lucas tried his best to stop laughing but when he tried to picture him and the prince doing crazy things like kissing, made him laugh harder. "Thanks for making me laugh, Chloe. It's getting late and I intend to finish this before it gets darker."
"I won't give up on you that easily." She left while Lucas glanced at her before going back to watering his flowers.
🗝️🗝️🗝️
Prince Edward and his guards with the foodstuffs they got from the Euphrates arrived safely in Havilla. The kingdom jubilates at the arrival of the prince. In every village and town the prince passed through, he made sure that enough food was given to each family and he gave them some money as well in case they needed to go to other kingdoms to get some things they'd need to survive.
The commoners were so happy that they started reigning blessings on the Prince. "Thank you so much, your highness." They all bowed their heads to the ground.
"Your happiness is my priority." The Prince answered with a smile.
A young girl walked up to him and gave him a beautiful bracelet that she made out of beads and yarn. "Give this to the girl you love."
The Prince watched as she wore it around his wrist. He was about to decline but seeing she made a lot of effort to make this, he kept quiet and pecked the girl on her cheek. He was happy that even though the kingdom was in darkness, he was able to light up the life of his people.
It was getting darker and the Prince had to ride to the palace before it gets even darker. Few hours of riding, they arrived at the palace. The maidens and guards were around to welcome them.
Lucas walked up to the Prince and hugged him. "I have missed you." He said.
"I know you do." The Prince smiled. "How is mother?"
"She is asleep."
"And father?"
"Same."
"Has his condition improved at all?"
"It's the same old story, your highness."
"You all should get some rest, we will deal with the rest tomorrow." The Prince told his guards. They bowed their heads and bode him goodnight.
"So how was it?" Lucas asked while they walked to the Prince's room.
"Well, it was a lot easier than I thought." Prince Edward took off his robe and entered the shower while Lucas stood beside the door.
"I didn't think you'd return so early."
"Me neither."
"So, were the gifts enough?"
The Prince was silent. He was thinking about the request Prince Zod was talking about. "They made a request."
"A request?"
The Prince got out of the bathroom, wore his night robe, and sat on his bed and Lucas joined him. "He didn't say what the request is though."
"Let me guess, this was Prince Zod's. idea."
The prince nodded. "He sounded so suspicious like I could tell that what they'd be requesting for will be something so bizarre but I just can't tell what it is."
"Well, we will sort that out tomorrow but right now, you need to rest, you've been through a lot already."
"You are leaving?" Prince Edward lay on his bed with his eyes on Lucas.
"Unless you want me to share your bed with you tonight." Lucas smiled and so did the Prince.
"It won't be a bad idea."
"With the rumors going around?"
The Prince sat up and looked at Lucas in confusion, "What rumors are you talking about?"
"Well, according to the maidens, they think there's a romantic relationship between us."
The Prince burst into laughter. "What?"
"You should have seen how hard I laughed when I heard it."
The Prince couldn't stop laughing. "Where did you hear this from?"
"Chloe told me that all the maidens think that except her."
"Chloe?" The prince laughed. "If it was someone else that told you that, I'd have believed it but Chloe, she is the queen of gossip."
"But then, there is this girl...um, she is a maiden and I think she's cool."
"You are in love with her?"
"Not really. I just think she is different, you know. She is beautiful, smart, shy..." Lucas smiled when he remembered the little moment he spent with her.
"I guess you have seen your bride. Just tell me when you are ready to tie the knot..." The Prince laid down on his bed again. "...I will get everything done."
Lucas knew the Prince was teasing him so he just laughed it off. "What about you? Aren't you gonna get married?"
The Prince grabbed his pillow and threw it at Lucas but Lucas was quick to catch it and when he tried to throw it at the Prince, the Prince looked at him and said, "Would you?"
Lucas smiled. "Yes." And he threw it at the Prince but the Prince dodge it. The Prince was about to throw it on him but when he turned, Lucas had already gone out of the room. "Good night and sweet dreams, your Highness. Think about your bride while you are at it."
The door shut and the Prince smiled. He was so glad to be back home.