A Prince Who Only Meets Death As His End

chapter 7

The first day of the banquet went smoothly, the castle bustling with activity and laughter throughout the day. I yawned, signaling my mother that I was getting sleepy. She noticed instantly, giving me a warm smile before putting me to bed. Her soft humming lulled me into a peaceful sleep, and soon, the events of the day blurred together in my dreams.

When I woke, the sun was rising, and I found myself replaying the happenings of the banquet. Aaron had been present, and I couldn’t help but recall his smile. Every time I saw it, somewhere in my heart ached—a reminder of a promise I had once made but failed to keep.

He was the person I swore to protect, yet I couldn't even stand up for my own will. Just give me even the slightest hint. Can I really protect myself from pain this time?

"No," a voice seemed to echo in my thoughts, dark and unnerving.

"You can't trust them," it whispered, the words wrapping themselves around my mind like a heavy fog. "Although they may show you love, they will not hesitate to hurt you or take advantage of you."

The voice continued, "It's also funny how powerful your survival instincts are. You wouldn't do these things unless you wanted to avoid ending up like the past."

Who are you? You don't have the right to invalidate my feelings! I protested inwardly.

"Don't tell me you have some kind of affection towards them?" the voice taunted, growing more familiar with each word.

And then, I knew. It was her.

"Aliyah..."

I opened my eyes, blinking against the sudden brightness of the rising sun. Why did her absence continue to haunt me like this? She had murdered me, ended my life without remorse.

I didn’t understand anything anymore. Despite all the unbearable things she had done, I couldn't bring myself to despise her.

Why am I even thinking about this? It’s not like she’s going to bother me any more...

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and I looked up to see a servant standing there, smiling cheerfully.

"Good morning, Your Majesty! You woke up quite late today," she said, her voice bright and cheerful. "Did you have a delightful dream last night?"

I simply stared at her, my baby face revealing no emotion. But internally, I scoffed. Delightful? The word seemed absurd, considering the visions I had.

Before I could dwell on it further, Ara burst into the room with her usual liveliness.

“Dyrus!” she called, rushing towards me. There she goes again. Who knew this exasperating girl would end up becoming my smile keeper? She was always full of energy, and her joy was contagious, even to someone like me.

And then there was Haru—he did seem arrogant, but he had an acceptable personality. It was enough for me. At least he was better than Akio.

Ara looked at me with her big, curious eyes. "Are you even paying attention, Dyrus?" she said, her voice tinged with mild frustration.

I continued to stare at her, letting my baby self do the work of seeming clueless. Ah, I thought, realizing I had been lost in my thoughts once again.

Ara sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "We'll go now, but we’ll see you later, alright?"

Her smile was warm, and for a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to believe that maybe I could be happy here after all.

Hours passed, and I drifted in and out of sleep. When I had dozed off, the sun was still high in the sky, but now that I had awoken, it was already dark outside. Despite the late hour, I could still hear people gathered in the castle courtyard, their excitement evident even from inside my room.

How intriguing, I thought, listening to the sounds echoing from below.

"The fireworks display is starting soon! Your Majesty, can we please take Dyrus to the balcony?" I heard Ara plead from the hallway.

The past rushed back to me, and I remembered how I had always longed to see fireworks up close. In my previous life, we were forbidden from leaving the palace until we turned sixteen, and my room had been far from any balcony. The best I could do was catch glimpses of the bright colors through my window, but it was never enough to truly appreciate their beauty.

I never complained. I hate noisy things, anyway.

The door to my room opened once again, and Ara entered, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Dyrus, come on! You'll love this!" she said, practically bouncing with anticipation. Before I could protest, she and Haru each took one of my hands and led me towards the balcony.

When we stepped outside, the crisp night air greeted me, carrying with it the scent of flowers from the garden below. I looked up, my breath catching in my throat as I saw the night sky filled with stars.

Look, they're starting!

A loud boom echoed through the air, and suddenly, the sky was ablaze with color. The fireworks exploded in brilliant hues of red, blue, green, and gold, illuminating the entire courtyard below.

For a moment, I forgot everything—the past, the pain, the uncertainty of the future. All that mattered was the beauty of the lights above me and the warmth of Ara and Haru by my side.

Ara turned to me, her smile wide and genuine. "Isn't it amazing, Dyrus?" she asked, her eyes reflecting the colors of the fireworks.

I simply blinked, my expression remaining that of an infant. But in my mind, I was overwhelmed. It was amazing, but more than that, it was a moment of pure, untainted happiness—something I hadn't experienced in so long.

The fireworks continued, each one more spectacular than the last. I watched in awe, my heart feeling lighter with every burst of color. Maybe, just maybe, I could allow myself to feel this happiness, even if it was fleeting.

When the display ended, Ara let out a content sigh. "That was so beautiful," she said, turning to Haru. "Don't you think so too?"

Haru nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, it was," he agreed.

They both looked at me, waiting for a response that I couldn’t give. Instead, I just looked between them, my small hands clenching and unclenching.

Ara beamed, her eyes shining with joy. "I'm so glad you liked it, Dyrus!" she said, pulling me into a gentle hug.

I stiffened at the sudden contact, but slowly, I allowed myself to relax. It felt... comforting.

After a while, Haru cleared his throat, and Ara released me, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment. "Alright, let's get you back inside," Haru said, his tone gentle. "It's getting late, and we don't want you catching a cold."

I nodded internally, letting them lead me back inside. As we walked down the hallway, I couldn’t help but glance back at the balcony, the memory of the fireworks still fresh in my mind.

Maybe I'll be happy here after all.

---

Later that night, after Ara and Haru had left, I found myself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. The room was dark, but instead of feeling afraid, I felt... calm.

The voice from earlier was gone, replaced by the warmth of the memory of the fireworks and the laughter of those who cared about me.

"Aliyah..." I thought inwardly, the sound of her name reverberating in my mind. Her absence still haunted me, and I doubted it ever wouldn't. But for now, I had something else to hold onto—something that made the darkness a little less suffocating.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift off to sleep, the image of the fireworks still vivid in my mind. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to protect myself from pain this time.

Maybe I could learn to trust again, even if it was just a little.

And with that thought, I allowed myself to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep, the first I had experienced in what felt like an eternity.

To be continued...