Prince of Lies

Chapter 35

Every day brought new pain to Haruto's exhausted body. Every day was spent in bed, dreading waking up the next morning.

Until one morning, Haruto woke up, and nothing was quite as painful. In fact, he felt almost back to normal, but still weak.

"I want to go on a ride today." Haruto whispered, startling Jace, "will you tell Hanan?"

"Of course. I'll go get them." Jace, flustered but overjoyed at this new development, walked across the hall towards Hanan and Eaan's room and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Hanan asked.

"Haruto wants to see you. He wants to go on a ride."

"A ride?" Hanan asked. "Is he feeling better?"

"I guess so." Jace shrugged. This was a good sign. Haruto's thirtieth birthday was soon, but he was feeling better.

The prophecy has to be wrong, then.

"I'll be there in a few minutes." Hanan said and shut the door. Jace didn't think anything of it, until he was readying the horses and saw Haruto and Hanan talking like conspirators as they walked towards the stables.

Hanan, Eaan and Jace had rebuilt the stables together. Their horses were comfortably cared for, even Rae's giant steed.

"You're sure of it?" Haruto whispered.

"Positive. Eaan and I decided together."

"I should hope so." Haruto said a bit, before coughing violently into his shoulder. His hands wavered on the crutches as they caught on an uneven part of the ground.

I wonder what that's about, Jace thought to himself.

Haruto coughed again. He still looked sickly, as always, but the fact he was outdoors made him smile as it usually did.

"I can't believe you'll be thirty in a week, Haruto." Hanan said, mounting Rebel as Jace helped Haruto onto Blaze. "You're old now."

"Yeah, I am." Haruto replied, absently, looking up at the sky. The skies were dark with the possibility of snow in the cold air.

"Where do you want to go?"

"The clearing with the cherry blossoms." Haruto said, turning Blaze in that direction and setting off at a meandering pace.

Rebel and Major followed behind.

I'm in no rush today, Haruto reminded himself. I just want to see them and then lie down.

Hanan and Jace chattered as they walked, but Haruto wasn't paying them much mind. He was taking in the spring sights around him to the point that he became dizzy and cross eyed.

Blaze turned to look behind him as Haruto swayed.

"Haruto?" Jace asked, seeing him sway out of the corner of his eye.

Hanan's mind flashed back to that fateful day, years ago, when they'd escaped to the ruins of Horin and Haruto had fallen off of his horse.

"I'm fine." Haruto insisted. "Let's keep going."

He leaned over, and laid his head on Blaze's soft mane. The horse paid him no heed and continued on, unbothered even as Haruto squeezed around his neck like a hug.

When they reached the clearing, Haruto rode to the middle of the circle of cherry blossom trees and had Blaze stop and let him down.

"Did you know cherry blossoms were one of mama's favorite flowers?" He asked Hanan as they came up beside him.