Day 19
Marry the Princess, they Said
Day 19.
The Prince was not in any immediate danger, which brought a huge wave of relief upon me. However, the chain of events that transpired was rather embarrassing.
I ran to where the Prince was, getting to him purely by instinct as I did not waste any time checking the crystal ball for directions. When I finally got to his side, I tackled him to the ground as he was running and immediately got into a protective stance, with the Prince safely cradled in my arms as I looked around for what to shield him from. Finding no immediate threat, I was puzzled. And then, it attacked us.
A small, white, curly-haired dog.
A loud laugh escaped from the Prince as he freed himself from my grasp and let the small beast attack me with its rough, wet tongue and barely sharp teeth.
Thank the heavens it was only a dog.
As soon as the Prince had composed himself (relatively; he could not look at me for a good while without bursting into giggling fits), he asked me how I found him and why I suddenly rushed here. Still extremely mortified, I tried to explain the events that transpired as clearly as I can. The Prince laughed heartily once more, the pleasant sound like music to my ears, as he said that he hardly found Fany (I later learned it is the name of the dog, which happens to be his) a danger to him.
I quickly try to return home as I have bothered the Prince enough at this point, but he insisted that I come inside so that I may be introduced to his parents in this world. I did not know what to do as I am not fluent in the language of this land, but he assured me that it would be all right. When I finally met them, I greeted them in the way I would Royalty (I did not know the customary way of greeting in this land): by getting down on one knee, bowing my head slightly, and my fist closed upon my heart in a form of salute. They were, needless to say, puzzled; but they nevertheless greeted me warmly as they freely let a stranger like me into their home.
They were very pleasant, warm, and welcoming people; very similar to the disposition the King and the Queen have towards their subjects. They engaged me in meaningful conversation (though the way we spoke to each other was, needless to say, in a broken mix of two languages), and even fed me a great feast! I was very surprised by their openness and kindness, almost thinking that the Prince might not have told them of his departure yet; however, the sad glimmer in their eyes told me the news had already been broken to them.
After the warm formalities, they pulled me aside to the common room and sat me down, explaining that they knew the fact that I had come from the world the Prince is originally from with the intent of bringing him back. They told me that they accepted the Prince's decision since they knew that this day would indeed come, and thanked me for my patience with the Prince, taking care of him all this time, and allowing him to make the decision on his own, instead of forcing him to come along. I was surprised; I had expected a more... violent or condescending or blaming reaction, along the lines of my taking away their son, but they had no hard feelings. They were sad and disappointed that the Prince is finally leaving, but they did not hold any contempt nor regret.
I, in turn, thanked them for raising the Prince in such a loving environment and treating them as their own son even if he is not. I promised them that I would take good care of the Prince and make sure that he is safe always, and if the Royal Sage Dongwan can arrange a way for us to communicate once in a while, I will definitely let them know. They once again thanked me profusely, and when everything was over, the Prince and I stood up to leave forever.
On the way out of the door, the Prince's foster mother grasped my arm. I was puzzled, thinking that she had something else to say, when she suddenly pulled me into a hug. It was an affectionate hug, and in that one moment, I almost felt like her son. The Prince was indeed very lucky to have encountered such loving foster parents. However, what she whispered into my ear made me gasp in surprise.
Thank you for loving our Sunho.
It seems the Prince told them of our relationship. I almost spilled tears at her kind words and understanding, but I managed to contain myself. We said our final goodbyes, with the Prince clinging onto them like they were his lifeline, and when we were all done there was not a dry eye to be seen anywhere. I could not help shedding some tears myself, since I could feel the grief and pain the Prince is feeling right at that moment, leaving the one home and family he had known almost all his life for a strange place.
And in that moment, I could not help but feel guilty once more. Is this really what the Prince wants?
However, as we walk home in silence, he reached for my hand and gave it a single, reassuring squeeze. He looked straight into my eyes, and gave me a small smile.
This is what I want, Choongjae.
My apprehensions have still not been completely washed away; but if the Prince trusts me enough that he would give up the only life he has known for me, then I will make sure that I do not break that trust.
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A/N: Nyehehehe, fooled you guys. ;D Don't worry, I've got this all under control. Y'all will see the Eeeeeevil Lord Minwoo in action soon enough. xD Next chapter coming up in a few hours~
A/N: Nyehehehe, fooled you guys. ;D Don't worry, I've got this all under control. Y'all will see the Eeeeeevil Lord Minwoo in action soon enough. xD Next chapter coming up in a few hours~
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