After Eight Years

8 years later..

Yes, the young prince Eric did come home to his country, Neire during the holidays ,he came home month after month ,discussed with his father and had fun . Now in college studying law, Alex was busy but then Eric turned into coming back once a year but Alex was too busy for them to meet and then during his last three years at Harvard, he left Neire with the promise that he would back in three years after his graduation from medical school.

Eric was going to be 23years when he graduated and the ceremony for the crowning of the crown prince was to take place when he was 26 and he promised to be back at least 3 years early to prepare and with that, he left and never returned.

Reality – 24years old Eric

3 months earlier

"Doctor Eric" a voice called out

"Doctor Eric…" another voice called out

Eric stopped in his tracks as two nurses ran to him and turned to face them

"its an emergency, you need to proceed to surgery immediately, it has already been authorized" a nurse said

"you have a letter from Neire" the other said and Eric sighed as he thought looking at the letter which was sealed with a royal red stamp

"this old fashioned man huh" he thought of his father then said

"go drop the letter in my desk drawer and remind me about it later" he instructed the nurse holding the letter and said to the other

"lead the way and get me doctor Kara, she is my assistant for this"

"okay sir" they chorused and they went about their ways

Present

"hey babe, you okay?" A woman in a lab coat who was also obviously a doctor inquired as she moved closer to him where he sat on his chair twirling in the doctor's station

He looked up when he heard her voice and managed a smile

"oh hey , Kara" he called out trying to hide his expression but she already noticed anyway

"is something wrong? You seem pale" she inquired now standing in front of him with a worried expression and leaned against the desk of the chair he was seated on

"its nothing, just some kind of headache" he lied through his teeth

She smiled amusingly as if she had just caught him lying " it is not that, is it? " she said and paused for a bit of emphasis but adding "I heard your patient ,Charles Woods passed away, I am so sorry"

He sighed knowing he had been caught grieving over a patient when doctors were supposed to be the strong ones

"I am sorry" he said apologizing for lying

"its fine baby, but we are together, you know. I want to be the one you turn to when you don't feel good and all. Doctors are also human after all ,So please don't hide from me. "she consoled him and he smiled right back at her before she pulled him to her and hugged him

"I am so sorry about the loss, may he rest in peace, I bet he would tell the angels about you" she said and Eric chuckled sadly

"yeah.." he replied then added "I love you, Kara" and pulled her tighter to himself

"I love you too, my lovely prince". She said with a smile

"want to go grab lunch?" he asked

"sure as long as you want to "

"of course ,I want to" he added with a slight chuckle and pulled away from her

She beamed "sometimes you act so princely"

"well I am one" he added with a smile

"right" she replied and they proceeded to leave the station to the hospital cafeteria

They left ,ate and was on their way back, each about to separate to check on their respective patients then return to other matters when a voice called out

"oh, Doctor Eric, I have been looking all over for you" the nurse who seemed to be holding some documents in her hand coming out of the doctor's station and headed towards them

"oh hey, Eva what is it?" Eric asked as soon as she was close enough

"you have a letter" the nurse said

"whoa, that's right" Eric said remembering the letter he got 3 months ago but couldn't open, the old man must be worried sick b7 now although I told him to call on phone instead of his old fashioned ways ,he just won't listen, Eric thought and collected the letter from the nurse who left immediately after

"from your father?" an amused Kara asked

"who else?" Eric added with a slight chuckle and turned the letter over to discover there was no royal stamp seal ,his face creased into a frown and Kara noticed

"what is it?" she asked

"this should always be sealed with a royal stamp seal but there is no royal stamp on this seal ,did the old man forget or did someone else send me this?" Eric said aloud and Kara noticing his slight discomfort jumped in to help

"how about we sit first so you can read through?" Kara advised and walked them towards a bench in the hallway where they sat

Eric opened the letter slowly and carefully as if it was a time bomb, he sighed when he saw who it was from, it was from Lukas, his aide who frequently contacted him on phone thrice a year or so, Eric wondered why he resorted to a letter though

And when Eric glanced through , only one sentence caught his eye, the letter might not have been a time bomb but the sentence was a real bomb

"UNFORTUNATELY, THE KING PASSED AWAY IN HIS SLEEP LAST NIGHT"

"this can't be true.." Eric said in disbelief

"what is it?" Kara asked but when she got no reply, she took the letter from him with no resistance from him at all

Eric wanted to say something but he choked on his words and could only make little sounds as tears rolled down his eyes massively

Kara didn't know what to say or do but she did the only things she thought she could and pulled him to her as he sobbed heavily and cried out

"noooooooooooooooo"

"I am so sorry" she kept repeating over and over with teary eyes but no one could hold Eric's pain at that moment