Those Who Love | Phan

One - Those Who Hope

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Hope: a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen.
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Being a prince wasn't like you read in the fairytale books.

Dan had been a prince since he was born, and because his parents were the King and Queen, he was admired a lot. Most people would think that this was the best thing in the world.

But Dan hated it.

He just wanted to be a normal person and have a normal life. Go to school, meet people, get married; but he couldn't do that, because everywhere he went he had to have at least one bodyguard with him. So that normal life he so desperately wanted? It couldn't happen.

He was gay. His parents knew, and they thankfully accepted him - yet they told him not to tell anybody until he falls in love. They claimed it could cause drama, and panic, which Dan found extremely unfair.

He could love who he wants.

So now he is here, standing in front of his mother who was stood in her and his fathers bedroom, combing her hair.

"Daniel, what's the matter honey?" She asked him cautiously. "You look nervous."

He replied with a dragged out sigh, "Mother, I want to be normal." He told her, looking up into her eyes.

His mother chuckled, "You are normal, Daniel." She placed her hairbrush on her dressing table, and turned back to look at him. "Why would you ever think you aren't?"

"Because I'm a prince..." He trailed off. "I can't go anywhere without bodyguards, and I just want to go to a school and to do things like a normal person would! I want to meet someone who likes me for me, I want to be free!" He bursted out feeling unable to keep it all in.

"You want to go to school?" She questioned sadly and so quietly that Dan wasn't sure she said anything, but he still nodded his head.

She looked down at the floor, "I thought you'd say something like this, me and your father had already talked about it."

"You have?" He questioned in disbelief.
She nodded, "We will talk about it, and talk to you later. We love you, and we only want the best for you."

"Thank you." Dan whispered as he pulled her into a hug. He loved his parents, he was glad he had them.

She smiled, "It's okay."

It was later on in the evening, and Dan and his parents were sat at the table or the 'Royal Gathering Table' as some people called it. But he didn't. It was the table he painted pictures on when he was younger, not a 'Royal Gathering Table'. He refused to call it that.

His father coughed, "So Daniel, I heard you wanted to go to school..." His father smiled awkwardly at him, "Well, of course you couldn't go to school here." Dan's heart dropped. "But your Auntie Eleanor, she lives quite far from here and well; maybe if we dyed your hair and sent you there... You could go to school, and not many people would recognise you. I mean, you don't come out of your room a lot. I'm sure you could survive without a bodyguard."

Dan's eyes lit up, "Are you serious? Really? That's amazing! Thank you so much!" He ran to hug his parents, not even skipping a beat.

"It's on the other side of the world Dan." His mother blurted out making Dan stop. "But you would still have holidays off school, and Skype and messaging and-"

"Mother, I-I cannot leave you. You and father mean everything to me." He stuttered.

They both looked at each other, "I know Daniel, but I cannot let you stay if you will be unhappy. We only want happiness for you, besides, we've already put in the application for the school." His mother said, placing her hand on his.