His laughter soon turned into gags. His hand flew to his throat as he began to cough and wheeze. It was like a hand was painfully squeezing his neck, cutting his flow of air. Soon enough, his face started to turn pink. The King had already lost his father and brother. This man wanted to take his sister too? Well, nobody messes with his family or his people. He didn't need to use his hands to perform magic. All he needed was his mind. In reality, the man wasn't being choked. Zedekiel was just manipulating his brain, making him think it was happening. But this wasn't enough. He wanted to see him bleed. He wanted to torture him in the worst way possible. "Don't do anything rash!" his mother said to him telepathically. "Don't forget we have two humans in our midst. They'll wander how a man can just suffocate and die on his own. I don't want to answer any questions Zedekiel. Lock him up first. We'll deal with him later. And Ron is injured. We need to take care of him. He's losing a lo
He quietly slipped into the Prince's room and closed the door. The sight that greeted him was breathtaking and it had him frozen in place...Prince Ron had woken up at some part of the night due to the pain in his arm and he couldn't go back to sleep so he decided to take a bath. The little Prince knew he most likely wouldn't find a servant to get him some hot water so he troubled his bodyguard, Leo, who's room was opposite Ron's.It was at times like this that Leo desperately wanted to quit his job. He had turned into a personal maid! Since when did an esteemed bodyguard of his calibre run to the kitchen to heat water for the Prince? This was completely degrading!Mind you, these all happened while the King was still searching. And so, the big gruff bodyguard was forced to get hot water for the little Prince. Ron was delighted and promised Leo a raise. He also gave a heartfelt speech, stating his undying love and respect for Leo and also declaring them as best friends for life. Afte
Ron's lungs burned for air and he grabbed Zedekiel's hand, exuding all his strength to free his neck but it was impossible. Zedekiel's hand was immovable. Like a mountain.The Prince screamed in his heart. 'It wasn't a dream!'Zedekiel was furious. He couldn't understand why the masked dancer's scent filled Ron's room. In fact, at that very moment, it was stronger than ever! And with Ron before him, with his nose right near Ron's neck, he knew... he definitely knew that Ron was the masked dancer but he didn't want to believe it.How? How could it be this annoying Prince? How did the Prince know their sacred dance? Just how?But deep down, deep deep down, the question King Zedekiel burned to ask, was, Why did Ron ask to dance with him?He could have asked for any other wish.Why dance? And with him?Zedekiel felt the neck in his hold go limp and he panicked. He quickly released Ron and Ron started to cough violently. He grabbed the sheets and covered his body tightly then scurried to t
But once the thought of harming Ron came to his mind, he remembered the masked dancer. His gentleness and graceful moves when dancing. He remembered when the Prince protecting his sister from the knife. He remembered the beautiful picture of the half naked Prince under the moonlight and the unmistakable tightening in his lower area. He couldn't bear to hurt the Prince. It was only after he had finished fixing the injury that he looked at Ron just to find Ron already staring at him. His heart shuddered. Those bright green eyes, that fair smooth skin, those bright red lips...He sharply averted his gaze. He couldn't understand what was happening. The King knew he needed to sort out his thoughts. That night, Ron didn't get an answer to his questions. After the wound was taken care of, Zedekiel gently placed him on the bed then left the room without a single word. Ron sighed, staring at the door. After what the Queen Mother had told him, he was sure that his family had done something v
Ron smiled brightly. From the corner of his eye, he could see that the King and Rose had already noticed their presence. He side hugged Prince Ludiciel with his good arm. "I am just fine. Can't you see?""I'm glad" Prince Ludiciel replied, not taking offence at being touched by Ron. He really liked the beautiful Prince and also felt comfortable around him. "I was worried when you didn't come out for breakfast. I would have paid you a visit earlier but I had to attend court matters and also see to that berry thief's case"Ron "!!!!"He had completely forgotten about the berries in chase for his love! Sweat dropped down his forehead. "T-The berry thief?" he stuttered. "I-Is there any progress?". He prayed in his heart that there was none. If Ludiciel should know he was the thief, he would never trust Ron again. Fortunately for Ron, Prince Ludiciel shook his head and sighed. "No. None of the guards saw his face so we can't draw his potrait. I have no idea what to do now. These days, I d
"Your highness! I've found you!" the servant said, quickly bowing. It was one of the Netheridge servants. Prince Ron frowned deeply. "You've what?"The servant excitedly repeated his words. "I've found you, your highness. I've won the game" Ron was very displeased. His own servants knew how to read his expressions but this Netheridge servant didn't so he'd have to teach him. The servant raised his head to find Prince Ron glaring at him and he paled. He started to sweat and panic. Was this the beautiful nice Prince he knew? This one looked so scary! Of course Prince Ron would look scary. He was furious. He felt like a wife whose husband was cheating on with another woman. And the woman was his own sister! "What did you say just now? You've found me? You've won the game?" The servant "!!!" His brain quickly deciphered the hidden message. He quickly turned around and continued to search quietly, as if he never saw the Prince at all. His acting skills were really commendable. To be
Meanwhile...The said Prince of Ashenmore just woke up to find himself in a very dark pit. The only light came from the hole above from which he fell into. He was terribly scared. The place smelled like damp soil and it was so cold he could feel it in his bones. To top it all, the poor Prince was hungry and his stomach was crying loudly. Suddenly, he heard someone scoff. "You humans are so weak. You've slept for two whole days. Do you know that?" Ron was frightened. The voice sounded sharp and crisp. "W-Who are you? Why can't I see you?" The Prince heard the snapping of fingers and the dark pit became illuminated by pearls. Countless pearls were inside the walls of the pit, emitting a silvery glow. With the light, came the figure of the person that talked. Ron was shocked to see a transparent looking man in white robes staring at him. The man looked quite young, like he was in his late twenties. His silver hair was gelled back and his eyes were violet, like the King's. But there w
The death of his brother and first son? Ron wondered. Could that be Zedekiel's father and brother? The ones Queen mother told him about?"I was not a traitor, Ron" Kayziel continued. "I never betrayed my own people. I only wanted peace but those filthy Ashenmores used me. They tricked me and successfully trapped my brother, his son, and all the guards that escorted them"His voice was now filled with so much anger and resentment that Ron couldn't help but shiver in fear. He unconsciously moved away from the Elf spirit. "We were supposed to be at peace. My brother trusted me to take care of all the proceedings. The King of Ashenmore, King Rafael, had signed on the treaty and taken an oath of peace between our species but little did I know that they would betray us"Ron was shocked. King Rafael? That was his great great great grandfather! The fiercest King Ashenmore ever had. He had heard so much about his great great great grandfather but he never heard anything about him having a war
The urgency in the guard's voice echoed through the halls as they burst into the room, their breaths heavy with adrenaline. As the guard's words pierced the air, the throne room was engulfed in a sudden eruption of emotion. Gasps and murmurs swept through the gathered courtiers like a gust of wind. The Officials rose from their seats, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of concern and urgency. Servants scurried to relay the news throughout the castle.Zedekiel’s younger self, seated upon the throne, stood swiftly, a mixture of emotions flickering across his face: worry, relief and determination. “Is he alive?” he asked as the guards gently laid Prince Kayziel’s body on the floor. The body was motionless, skin wet, matted with blood and dirt.The current Zedekiel watched quietly for he could remember everything that had happened concerning his betrayer of an uncle. If he had known everything his uncle had planned, he would have made sure he died right on the floor.The air hummed w
In the end, he sighed and stood up. “Fine. You’re right. You’re your own person. I have no right to dictate what you should and not do. I don’t want you to ever feel like that’s what I’m doing. You’re my baby brother Ral, and you mean the world to me so I’m just trying to protect you. I’m sorry if I came off as a dictator. You don’t have to come back with me. You can stay here and wait for him. I’ll figure out what to tell mum and dad.” Not expecting his headstrong brother to agree with him and even apologise, Ron was stunned. He stood up and gazed at his brother with a kind of look that was a mixture of shock and joy. “Really? You mean that?” “Of course.” Alaric nodded, smiling. “Would I ever lie to you?” Ron knew his brother always meant what he says and always kept his word so he broke into a large grin and engulfed his brother in a big hug. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you! Gosh brother you’re the best!” Zedekiel couldn’t help but smile at the entire scene. He was g
Older brother? Zedekiel was stunned. Alaric was Ron's older brother?Ron pouted cutely and turned his back to Alaric. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you.""Oh I'm not here to talk." Alaric said. He stomped forward and grabbed Ron by the back of his collar and yanked. "I'm here to drag your naughty ass back home."Alarmed, Ron scurried to his knees and stretched out his hands. "Maelda!"Maelda immediately responded, sending her vines out to Ron. He grabbed them and pulled himself back. "I'm not going home! Not now!"Alaric groaned still tugging on his collar. "Ugh, why do you have to be so stubborn?""Let go!" Ron shouted, holding on to the vines of the Mother Tree. "I'm not going home! Not until I see him!"Alaric huffed angrily; "Come on, Ral. We have to go back! Mum and dad are worried sick. You've been here since yesterday.""Go back and tell them to not worry." Ron said, hugging the tree tighter. "I'm fine, Alaric. I just need to see him."Zedekiel watched the entire exchange,
He gazed down at himself and realized he was in a ghost-like form, ethereal and weightless, allowing him to glide silently through the dimly lit space. It was at that moment his memories flooded back to him—Ron being taken, him trespassing into the Witches Coven and drinking Alaric's potion, a concoction meant to unveil his forgotten past. He gazed around once more, wondering, was this his past? When did this happen? Why was his room in such a mess?His ears caught a faint sound of crying. He immediately followed the sorrowful echoes and found himself floating before his bathroom. He raised a hand to turn the handle but his ghostlike form went through it. He then realised that he could not touch anything in his past. He was just meant to see what he had begged the Mother Tree to erase.On one hand, he was dreading what he would find in the bathroom and on the other, he was curious to know. He could rememberbhis Mother begging him to leave his past in the past and not try to remember.
To say Zedekiel was shocked from the information was an understatement. He was completely flabbergasted. He couldn't even bear to see Ron hurt in any way. How could he kill him with his own hands? What the hell was Alaric talking about?"You coward." Alaric grumbled, adding a few more ingredients to his pot. "I've been so mad about it for years now. I even had half the mind to curse you in an endless limbo of emotional torture. For you to find true love but never have it but then, you helped me with Talon so I decided not to interfere with your fate. Besides, cursing you would be like cursing Ron since his fate is intertwined with yours and I can't do that to him.""You talk like you knew him." Zedekiel said, still confused. He didn't understand a single thing. "What exactly are you trying to tell me? I can never hurt Ron. I love him.""Yet you ended his life with your own hands." Alaric said, adding his final ingredient to the pot. A drop of water from the lake of memories. The green
In the middle of the room sat a large black pot with thin white smoke emanating from it. The crow on Alaric's shoulder flew to it's small black cage while Alaric went to the pot, adding a few sprinkles of what seemed to be seeds. "So, how exactly am I supposed to help you?" He asked."I want you to find him." Zedekiel stated. "We have a feeling he might be at the Echoing Isle but we need you to confirm it."Alaric hummed, thinking about Zedekiel's request as he stirred the bubbling liquid in the pot. "By him, you mean your human lover right?" He didn't wait for Zedekiel to answer and continued; "I don't know why you're going through all this trouble for one tiny powerless human. I mean, you're the King of the Elves. An extremely powerful creature. Why not be with someone on your level? Someone worthy of you."Zedekiel's eyes blazed with fury especially after hearing the last sentence. The intensity of his anger seemed to fill the room with an electric charge. His jaw clenched tightly,
As Zedekiel dared to step further into the village, a booming voice reverberated through the forest, causing the very trees to tremble."Who dares to trespass into the witches' coven?"In response to the commanding voice, the witches emerged one by one, encircling the Elf Brothers with an ominous presence that sent chills down Ludiciel's spine.Zedekiel on the other hand, kept walking. As if he didn't see or hear anything."Hey! I'm talking to you!" The witch who had spoken earlier shouted at Zedekiel. "Stop! Come back here!""Brother don't leave me!" Prince Ludiciel exclaimed, running after Zedekiel."I said stop!" The witch shouted once more but it fell on deaf ears for Zedekiel just kept on walking. Furious, she commanded her fellow witches. "Stop him!"They sprung to action, wands in hands as they all moved to attack Zedekiel at the same time.Zedekiel, already seething with pent-up anger, unleashed a torrent of raw power that surged forth like a tidal wave, crashing into the witc
"Haven't you noticed? She's in love with him." Zedekiel said. "I think it all started the day he saved her during the feast but let's talk about this some other time. We have to find Ron."He was going crazy just by not having Ron by his side. In a way, he felt Mariel was right. It was due to his incompetence that Prince Ron was taken by Fredrick. He didn't protect him like he promised to. His heart hurt at the thought of what Prince Ron might be going through. Especially after the things Fredrick said to him the first time. If Frederick dared to hurt Ron in any way, he would give him the worst kind of death imaginable."What are we going to do?" Prince Ludiciel asked. "I have men combing through every inch of this Kingdom and the neighbouring ones. Should we wait for their feedback?"Zedekiel shook his head immediately. He was restless. "I can't wait that long. It has already been a day. If he was anywhere close, we would have found him by now. Fredrick knows that so he wouldn't keep
Memories flooded his mind like a torrential downpour, each one a bittersweet reminder of the happiness he had once known. He missed their conversations, filled with laughter and whispered confessions. He missed their kisses and intimate moments and he longed to see Zedekiel's smile, a radiant beacon of joy that never failed to brighten his darkest days. He missed Zedekiel with an ache that seemed to penetrate his very soul. Being away from him hurt so much that he wanted to cry. Tears brimmed in his eyes, threatening to fall but he bit his lip, sniffling, trying to hold them back. With each passing moment, the ache of separation grew more unbearable, and Prince Ron found himself yearning with every fiber of his being to be reunited with his beloved who had captured his heart completely. He never knew he could miss Zedekiel so much. It was at that moment that he realised the depth of his feelings for Zedekiel. He wished he had answered quickly back at the bridge. He wished he had po