GOODBYES

Soren could barely sleep the whole time and by the time dawn approached he was wide awake as some of the guards even dozed off.

Soren did not wait for his bath to be readied by Gerald, he was actually pretty thankful that he had turned up the previous night when he was with Molken.

Soren showered as early as the time that the sky was beginning to develop a shade of orange in the horizon.

The sooner that Soren was done showering, he had himself dressed in his underwear garments as he waited to put on his dress for the day which was of purple velvet.

Soren began to pack most of his things and he sat himself on his bed for a while.

Soren stared at the family potrait that hang on the wall in front of his bed, it was around three years youmger than he was and it contained the contents of his blossoming in puberty.

Soren sighed until he heard the doors of his bedroom open.

"I see you are already almost done dressimg yourself your highness." Gerald said as he moved towards the windows that the young prince had forgotten to open.

"Aaaah, the early morning breeze your Highness." Gerald said as he stretched his arms dramatically to show that he was inhaling before he exhaled the breath and turned around to face the Prince.

"Sure, i understand I am soon to leave." Soren said in a faint and sad note.

"I have always wanted to go to Scoln sometime, you can at least cheer yourself for me your Highness." Gerald said.

"I wish I could Gerald, it is not that easy for me." Soren said.

"I understand that you are going to get married to the prince that hardly smiles, in a family where I am sure they are simply keeping you for pride.

But Your Highness, try and also be patient with time, when you keep this sulky you will become ugly." Gerald said.

"Oh, my charm and beauty that is too good to be human has cost me all this, I just had a simple wish to be happy but it seems my fate is torturing me." Soren said.

"It will all be fine your Highness, at least you are goimg with me." Gerald said before he was interrupted when the King came in.

"Your Majesty." Gerald said as he bowed down his head and let the king pass by.

"It is fine Gerald." The King said as he moved towards Soren who tried to fake an everything is fine face but was having minimal success.

"I'll leave you to a private conversation outside Your Majesty." Gerald said.

"So be it.' The king said and immediately, Gerald withdrew from the bedroom and closed the doors as he stood in front of them with the guards.

They had been hired to keep watch of the entrance after the incident that had happened in the night to keep a record of whoever left and entered.

"Father." Soren said at last with a smile that his father either bought because he believed or he did not want to add salt to the wounds of his son's heart.

"Oh Soren, you have really grown up so much." The king said as he sat down beside his son.

"Yes father." Soren replied keeping a smirk on his face trying to show that his mood was not that bitter.

"I understand son, as you grow up, life starts to feel a little lonely." The king said.

"Yes, me too, sometimes I feel lonely." Soren said to affirm his father's words.

"That is why it is best you have the right person by your side." The King added.

"Yes father." Soren said as he bowed down his head, trying to pick up the courage to ask something.

"Father, do you think that Conelm really loves me?" Soren finally asked the question that he wanted to ask and somehow he felt the first weight lifted off his chest.

"Soren, I cannot try to explain the heart of another person, if someone really loves you, you will know through what they shall do." The King said.

"I lack the experience of being like I am expected to be, the perfect submissive consort." Soren said.

"My dear son, Freedom comes with a price, you do not have to change where you cannot but rather they need to tolerate you for who you are." The King said.

"It is fine father, I guess i better get ready to leave, I shall miss you all dearly." Soren said as he hugged his father tightly.

"Be strong my dear, the gods shall listen and grant your every prayer." The king said as he caressed the head of his son.

The palace was busy as it had always been and Soren had been permitted to take with him some few jewels and clothes while he left the majority of things behind.

Gerald as predicted was to esscort Soren to Scoln and continue his service as a valet to Soren.

As the masses of the palace servants and the members of the imperial Royal Family of Endra stood at the entrance of Emerald palace, they watched as the young Soren approached a grand golden carriage.

One of the horsemen of the carriage walked towarfs Soren and bowed his head.

"Your Royal Majesty, this way please." The man said as he led the way to the door of the magnificent carriage and opened it.

Soren slowly walked in and the moment he was inside, he was lost admiring the internal decor of the vehicle.

He marvelled largely at the crystals that adorned the ceiling and the seats were soft and covered in gold thread and mink fabric.

Soren looked outside the window lost in wonder, he could admit that the comfort the carriage offered was not awful in any way.

Suddenly, he felt someone else entering the carriage and he shifted his gaze from the window to the entrance of the carriage.

He locked his sight with that of Conelm Alexander, his future husband settling in beside him on the same seat.

Expecting others to come in, Soren was shocked when the carriage door was locked and the carriage suddenly started to move around the central fountain.

The carriage was being esscorted by a couple of carriages and horsemen and at once, the atmosphere felt tense.

Soren had his gaze fixed at the small back window of the carriage where he saw his beautiful home suddenly disappear out of sight.

Soren turned around to settle his hand on his seat but suddenly, he touched something muscular and warm that he looked to see what it was.

It was at that very same time that Conelm turned his eyes to look at what rested on his hand and surprisingly, the two palms were on the verge of interlocking.

Soren could feel his face flushing red and he knew he looked like a tomato at that very moment.

Soren hurriedly pulled his hand away and then he shifted his gaze out of the window as he watched the houses in his home pass by.

"Sorry." They both said at that same time that they were shocked and moved.

Soren heard a surprisingly sharp ting in his body that sent electricity down his spine.

He heard it, his voice, it was very nice and very captivating.

"I am sorry about everything that has happened to you." Conelm said in a calm and sincere tone that Soren doubted he heard very well and he turned around to look at him.

At that very instant, their eyes met once again but Conelm had the courage to continue despite being unable to interprete the language of his future consort's blue eyes.

"I am sorry that you have to leave them behind for my sake but I assure you, I will make sure that nothing wrong happens to you.

I am not sure that you love me as much as I love you but I just wish that you would know I love you very much and I ask you give me a chance to prove it to you." Conelm said.

Soren felt bewildered by his words, it was instantly that his sorrow had vanished and had been replaced by a feeling Soren could not describe.

"I understand it all." Soren spoke softly as the words suddenly slipped out of his mouth as they continued their journey.

Soren felt a warmth surround the entire carriage and somehow, his heart had become so peaceful and calm at that very moment that he started to doze because of the sleep inadequacy throughout the night.

Conelm was admiring the beautiful scenery, turned out Endra was not that bad as they would soon approach the Northern border.

The Prince charming felt a weight on his shoulder all of a sudden that it attracted his attention to see what it was.

His eyes rested on a slumbering Soren who looked every inch an angel.

He was so calm, so peaceful, so cute even when he slept that captivated by this sight, Conelm could not help but smile and feel relaxed as well.

The carriage simply continued and in an instant, everything awkward between the two of them had changed.

Were the gods at work then, was that a genesis of a calm and stromg passion for the two, it was evident that bliss would come as a maybe, all they had to do was wait.

And the journey of a young couple had officially began at that very hour.