Optimistic

Chapter eight

Lucas takes a long deep breathe minutes later.

He looks back at the frightened soldiers. Well, he was also frightened. Who would believe it? That the prince became a beast but overlooked the blood lust.

He expected himself to be dead already. But after several minutes of expecting to see heaven, when he opened his eyes, he was still staring at the beautiful sky of Medgerpines.

Lucas still finds it unbelievable that something of such could happen. The prince was meant to lose his free will the moment he became the beast.

Those years till now, how he kept himself alive was by watching out for the prince's behavior.

He knew better than anyone that he must stay hidden the moment the prince shows signs of anger.

But who was the young girl that he kept so close to himself, the girl he came to see?

Lucas walks out with the other soldiers. The boy that spoke to the prince the other time was sitting in front of a hut as if anticipating someone.

Lucas walks to him. He needs to find out who the girl was and how she was able to make the prince gain control of himself for the few hours they've been together.

The boy stands and looks up at Lucas, with eyes soft and face pleading, "Is she alright?"

Lucas sighs, he knew he meant the girl, "She died!"

The boy explodes in sudden tears, "I warned her! I told her to stop saying it. I knew the witches would hear her," he sobs harder.

Lucas' head snaps back at the mention of his word, "What did you warn her about? What did the witches hear about her? And who is the girl?" He felt anxious to hear it all.

The boy wipe off the tears from his face but more replaces it and he gave up trying, "She's Belle. Her father is under a curse. He used to be part of the royalty of the town of Hiddleston. But Belle thinks she's the beast's bride. She had always thought so," the boy sobs harder and it breaks Luca's heart to watch him.

"But why did she think so?"

" She said a sorcerer told her she's the only one that can free the prince from the beast. She would be the one to take it away. And so, she has always anticipated the prince. I told her she should forget it especially when it was the prince that killed her brother."

Lucas closes his eyes and forces the tears back in. He had had to watch more die over the years. And he had watched the prince go ravaging mad because he couldn't stop the death of so many.

The pains he had to withstand? The agony can't be compare.

"But who are you?" The boy eventually succeeded in wiping off the tears from his face, "And who was that man? I've seen him here earlier."

Lucas knee before him, so he would be able to meet his eyes level, "You need to go home now. I need to get Belle's father and let him know what had happened," he smiles at the boy and smoothes his hair.

The boy nodded his head sadly and suddenly burst into another round of tears. He finally bow and walks away.

Then Lucas starts to think of what the boy had said. He had done stories circulating about the bride of the beast.

According to the story, the beast has a bride named Belle. And it's only Belle that can get married to the beast and lift off the curse.

And the witches must know about it already. That was why they came here earlier.

Gosh! What does this mean to the prince? Would he be able to overcome the curse? How would he even do that when his bride has just been killed.

Maybe Belle would have been alive if they had allowed the prince to leave immediately. Why did he have to follow the king's order of keeping the prince locked up?

The guilt eats Lucas so deep in his heart.

And the only way he knows he can amend this was to find the prince and get him to the palace safely.

No matter what, he's still the only prince, the heir to the throne.

Lucas turns back to the soldiers, "We are going after the prince," he announces and starts to walk back into the forest.

One of the men runs to Lucas, "Sire, I don't think that's what we should do."

Lucas stops to look at him, the sadness he felt earlier has transformed to a dark scowl, "What did you just say?" His voice was cold and deep.

"I mean he's a beast already. He can kill us if we show our face to him," he explains anxiously.

Lucas looks away, " I wonder what you will tell the king that precisely warned you never to let the prince walk out of his chamber," he says and walks away.

Others follow. Whether they like it or not, they had no choice.

After walking for some more minutes, they stop at the entrance of a thick forest.

A scream and ear-deafening howl were coming out of the forest. The soldiers shudder uncontrollably behind Lucas.

The guy walks to Lucas again, "See, will you risk our lives then? When it's not sure we can even rescue the prince and take him home. Why don't you see that we will get killed before we even get the chance to take him home," the guy says fearfully.

Lucas didn't respond, instead, he turn back and walk to one of the men, " You will be the prince for today. Get an outstanding attire same as the one the prince wore earlier, we are going to the palace," he said in a voice that didn't allow room for any conversation.

The guy, Ethan bow once before he rushes off to get what Lucas has sent him.

Lucas turn towards the forest again, the cries of sorrow had doubled. What astounds him was the quick switch between the two.

It was like these two creatures were wrestling in one body.

Lucas felt his heart melt, he felt sad too. If he was the one going through what the prince is going through, he might have killed himself.

All these years, Ryder had to force himself to stay alive. And just when he found someone that can lift the curse off his head, the witches suddenly show up and kill her.

Is there really a salvation for the prince?

Lucas doesn't even know the real story around the prince's birth.

Mere thinking about it now triggers him into wanting to know more.

And he swore mentally to do all he can to find a way to help the prince. He would assist him to way off the curse. And he would serve him for as long as he lives.