The next day, Lucas woke up slowly, his body aching and his mind clouded by a heavy fog. For a moment, he lay still, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, disoriented and unsure of where he was. Memories from the previous night crept back into his mind, and he felt a dull ache in his chest as he recalled of getting pulled out of the sea but some unfamiliar man.
Lucas shifted slightly and noticed the room he was in was massive, the elegant decorations around him made him nervous, he could tell everything around him was expensive and he was not in some regular villager house.
As Lucas's eyes adjusted to the soft morning light filtering through the grand windows, he took in more of the opulent surroundings. The walls were adorned with delicate tapestries, and intricately carved furniture filled the space. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, sparkling with crystal prisms that caught the sunlight. A heavy quilt covered him, far softer than anything he'd ever known. He felt like he was in a dream, or perhaps a palace from one of the stories his mother used to tell him.
But reality grounded him quickly. The pain in his chest, the lingering taste of salt on his lips, and the foggy memory of nearly drowning reminded him he wasn't here by choice. He could still feel the hands pulling him from the icy water, steady arms supporting him as he fought to breathe.
Just then, the door opened quietly, and a young man with dark brown hair, caramel eyes dressed very nice walked in with another man following behind him with a tray.
"You're up." Prince Aric said as he walked up to him.
Lucas trying to process everything sat there like a deer in headlights trying to figure out who this man was, Prince Aric gently placed his hand on Lucas's forehead to check his temperature and let out a slight sigh.
"You're still burning up, Elenor will serve you medicine and once you eat and take it get some rest I'll talk to you in the evening." He told him.
As he was about to walk away Lucas suddenly grabbed onto his arm, "may I please ask where I'm at?"
"You're in the Eldoria Palace." He replied.
"please forgive me, Your Majesty, for my behavior," Lucas stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he quickly withdrew his hand. He couldn't believe he'd been so bold as to grab the prince, especially without thinking.
Prince Aric merely chuckled, a warm, reassuring sound that seemed to ease some of Lucas's tension. "Get some rest." He smiled as he walked away.
"No one is allowed in this room, don't let him leave also." He said to Elenor as he walked out of the room.
As the door closed softly behind Prince Aric, Lucas lay back, feeling both comforted and unnerved. The weight of his situation was slowly settling in, and it left him feeling helpless. He wasn't just in any mansion or estate—he was in a royal castle, with strict instructions to remain in this room. The reality of it made his head spin.
Elenor stepped closer, his expression gentle as he handed him a cup of warm tea. "This will help calm your nerves," he said softly. "And please don't worry about the prince's instructions. He just wants to make sure you're well taken care of."
Lucas accepted the tea gratefully, wrapping his hands around the cup and savoring its warmth. "Thank you," he murmured.
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At the Main palace in the king's resting room sits Queen Isabella, Oldest son prince Dorian and the youngest daughter princess Valeria and King Alexzander.
They all sat in silence until the door swung open and Prince Aric walked in, his usual cold demeanor dressed on his face. "You summoned me father." He said.
The king didn't spare any time and went to the point, "How dare you bring a low life Villager into my place!" He exclaimed.
"That low life villager is my suitor father, and his not in your place his under my wing." He replied bluntly.
"You must be out of your mind to think I'm going to let you have royal children with a lowly slave like him." The king added.
Gently Queen Isabella placed a hand over her husband's hand, "my lord please be more gentle with your words."
"I'm not asking for your permission Father, I've picked who I want to birth my kids." Aric.
"You're nothing but a good for nothing bastered, how dare you disobey fathers rules!" Dorian chimed in his hatred vivid.
"He has found his suitor, may it be a slave or noble all we want are kids from that suitor." Valeria added in too, "that slave could come in handy father, imagine how many heirs you would have if Aric does his job right."
Aric could feel his anger rising, he couldn't believe what they were saying about Lucas. At that moment he just wanted to shout at his whole family, "my suitor is not some baby making machine, I will also appreciate if you stopped calling him a slave."
"Is he not a slave." Valeria smirked, "watch your words my dear sister, I wouldn't want to lay a hand on my own blood."
The tension in the room thickened, with each family member caught in a silent standoff. Aric's jaw tightened as he looked from one face to another, his patience stretched thin. He felt both disgusted and disappointed by their narrow-mindedness.
King Alexander's eyes narrowed, his voice low but fierce. "Aric, I am your king and your father. You are my son, and as such, you owe it to this kingdom to honor its traditions. Bringing someone like that into our family… it's unacceptable. It's disgraceful."
Aric met his father's gaze head-on, defiant. "I'm well aware of my duties, Father. But my loyalty to this kingdom does not require me to sacrifice my happiness—or his dignity."
Queen Isabella glanced uneasily between her husband and her son, sensing the brewing storm. "Aric," she said softly, "surely, we can find a compromise. Perhaps we can welcome him as your consort but… perhaps a less official title?"
Aric's expression didn't waver. "I don't need a 'compromise' that reduces him to something less than who he is. Lucas is more than worthy of standing by my side, and I'll not have him disrespected."
Dorian scoffed, crossing his arms. "You've grown soft, Aric. To think you'd risk the kingdom's reputation for someone so beneath you." He sneered. "What will people say when they learn the mighty Prince Aric has taken a villager—a slave—as his consort?"
Aric's hands clenched into fists, and he took a step forward, his voice laced with quiet fury. "I would be careful with your words, brother. Lucas may not be born of noble blood, but he has more heart and honor than you could ever understand."
Valeria sighed dramatically, looking up at the ceiling as though bored. "Honestly, I don't see what the fuss is about. If he's as loyal as you say, Aric, then he'll serve his purpose and give you heirs. The lineage remains intact, and everyone's happy."
Aric shook his head in disbelief, the words only fueling his anger. "He is not a tool to be used at your convenience, Valeria. He's a person—a person who deserves respect. And I won't let any of you treat him otherwise."
The king slammed his hand down on the armrest of his chair, his face flushed with anger. "Enough, Aric! I have been patient with you, but I won't tolerate this insolence any longer. Either you end this foolishness, or I will take matters into my own hands. Do you understand?"
Aric met his father's stare, defiance blazing in his eyes. "You can do as you wish, Father. But know this: I won't abandon him. And if you think I'll bow to your threats, you're mistaken."
The silence that followed was thick with tension. Finally, Queen Isabella stood, looking between her husband and her son, her expression conflicted. "Perhaps we should all take some time to calm down and think this through. This is not a matter to be decided in anger."
Aric looked at his mother, a hint of gratitude softening his expression. "Thank you, Mother. But my decision is final."
With that, he turned and walked toward the door, his head held high, determined not to let his family's disapproval sway him. As he reached the door, he paused and looked back at them, his gaze fierce and unwavering.
"Lucas is my choice. And nothing you say will change that."
Without waiting for a response, Aric left the room, the heavy doors closing behind him with a resounding thud, leaving his family in stunned silence.
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Later that evening at Aric's private residence in Lucas's guest room:
As Lucas sat by the mirror looking at himself he couldn't believe how his life had gone from griefing his mother's death to sitting in the King's place under the princes's care. Somehow he felt guilty for his mother's death, he knew if he had done more he could've saved her and he wouldn't be sitting in the place locked up in a room so massive that he couldn't comprehend.
Lucas ran his fingers over the ornate carvings on the vanity, his thoughts heavy and clouded. The lavish surroundings, the soft silks and rich fabrics, felt foreign and almost suffocating. Every comfort around him seemed like a reminder of all he'd lost, and his chest tightened with guilt. How could he be here, surrounded by luxury, when he couldn't even save the one person he'd loved most?
His mother's face flashed in his mind—her warm smile, the gentle way she'd reassured him even in her hardest days. He'd tried his best to care for her, but it hadn't been enough. Now, he was in this castle, away from everything familiar, while the ache of her absence lingered in his chest like an unhealed wound.
Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed the door opening.
He quickly wiped at his face, trying to compose himself as Prince Aric entered, his expression softening the moment he saw Lucas.
"May I come in?" Aric asked gently, as if sensing Lucas's fragility.
Lucas nodded, managing a faint smile. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Aric's brows furrowed at the sight of his puffy red eyes, "we're you crying?" He asked kneeling down next to him gently cupping his face with one hand, "did something happen while I was gone?" He asked his cousin usual cold demeanor fading away.
Lucas lowered his head shaking it, "nothing you're majesty." He replied.
"So why is it that you cry?" He asked.
"I want to go home my lord." He sniffled.
Aric's hand stayed gently on Lucas's face, his thumb brushing away a stray tear as he watched Lucas with an expression of deep empathy. "I understand," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know this isn't easy for you, being away from everything familiar. But… it's not safe for you to return just yet."
Lucas looked up at him, his eyes filled with sadness and confusion. "But I don't belong here, my lord. I'm just… a villager. A nobody. This world of palaces and royalty—it's not mine."
Aric's expression softened further, and he let his hand slip to rest on Lucas's shoulder, steady and reassuring. "Lucas, you're not just a nobody. I don't care where you come from or what title you hold. You have a strength in you that most people don't. And for reasons I can't fully explain yet, I can't bear the thought of you being anywhere but here, where I know you're safe."
Lucas's lip trembled, and he looked away, feeling a strange mixture of gratitude and despair. He couldn't believe the Prince that was comforting him was the same one that people used to call cruel and cold hearted.
"If I let you go back you will hurt yourself again and I don't want you to be in any pain." He added.
Lucas just melted into the warmth of his touch, the warmth he had only felt when his mother was still with him, Prince Aric gently carried him in his arms and led him to the bed. "Rest assured, everything will be fine once you wake up."
Lucas barely registered what was happening as Aric lifted him, the prince's strength both reassuring and gentle. He felt like he was floating, his mind lost between exhaustion and the odd comfort of being cared for in a way he hadn't felt in years. As Aric laid him down on the soft bed, Lucas's eyes grew heavy, and his breathing began to slow, though he kept his gaze on the prince.
"Why are you being so kind to me?" Lucas whispered, his voice barely audible as he looked up at Aric with a mix of vulnerability and curiosity.
Aric sat beside him, brushing a stray strand of hair from Lucas's forehead. "Because I see a light in you that's worth protecting. I know it's hard to believe right now, but your life has meaning, Lucas. More than you realize."
Lucas's eyes drifted shut, his body giving in to the exhaustion that had weighed him down for so long. As he sank into sleep, Aric stayed by his side, watching over him with a quiet intensity. The prince knew his own feelings were complicated, drawn to this young man who had come into his life so unexpectedly. Protecting Lucas felt less like a duty and more like a choice he'd made without fully understanding why.
TBC