Forbidden Love; Its The Best Kind (Link x Reader)

|| Chapter 52 || Adrian II

King Adrian I; what a horrible man to be related to. He was no more than a heartless and cruel ruler who's only concern was that a shiny crown was put upon his head and a good-looking young woman placed on his lap.

First it had been Queen Jela, then Queen Naomi, after them was Queen Antonia and Trena. There were even many rumors about secret mistresses, too. Each woman was picked for her looks and willingness to obey. That's what pleased Adrian I.

Between the four former queens, the monarch was given seven daughters in whom gained little of his interest. In the end, it didn't matter who they were either. When their mothers were kicked off the throne, they were thrown out as well, disappearing as quickly as they came.

Queen Roxy became Adrian's fifth wife which, not to the people's shock, was beautiful yet fell under the category of an complete idiot. Being a mere puppet of the King was her only use in the end, however, as long as she held the benefits of being his named mistress, she had no need to complain just like all the others before her.

Barely even a year into their marriage, Roxy had given birth to Adrian's eldest son (years later she'd birth another) which made many think the woman was one of his secret mistresses he had when married to Trena. What farther proved that theory was how quickly Adrian had suddenly rid of the current wife and instantly marry Roxy as if he had it all planned from the beginning.

Whatever Roxy and Adrian I's story was, the kingdom of Amadahy finally had a stable heir. A healthy young prince who was named after his father and inherited most of his mother's stunning looks, from her silk-like, ash blond hair to her shimmering amber eyes.

One would think the King and Queen would take great care into tending to their son, but they quickly proved themselves as far from the parental type, in fact, the Prince was mainly raised by nannies and castle staff.

Usually any attention that did come from his father was negative. Angry lectures would turn into beatings as he vowed to let the younger Adrian know who was to be feared and who was to obey. At times, he would even threaten to kick the boy out the same way he did to his unnamed sisters. As time went on, it wasn't that bad of an idea in young Adrian's eyes.

When the he turned sixteen, his father took things into his own hands like with everything else and had his son married to a gorgeous redheaded girl named Edelina who just happened to be the younger sister of Trena.

Like all the other women who stepped foot into the world of royalty, Edelina valued diamonds more than the words 'I love you' that came from her husband's mouth. At some point within their first year of marriage, Prince Adrian had given up on the concept of love. It was something, then, far from his reach.

Hope for a happy life had long crashed for him. In his eyes, there was nothing to have or hold onto, that was, until he found that book.

Behind the shelves deep within the library, an old, falling apart book laid. When digging through it, Prince Adrian found his far-off hope. The more he found on the kingdom, the more he began to plan it out. If he were to find it, he could find his ticket out of his cruel life.

Perhaps it was a fairy tale; Anicetus. Maybe it was a mistake to run away within the night, leaving behind a wife, father, and mother who cared not a spec for him. Maybe he was better off staying with his secret longing to become King quickly. Now that possibility was even farther from his grasp.

He would've given up on it all if he hadn't been brought to his destination. He would've never went home and simply waited for death in those woods. Aeshia offered him a place to stay, showing him a kindness no one else had given him for years, if not ever.

The people in the new kingdom where strange. They treated him as one of them like the books claimed they would. He made friends for once who liked him for him, and no longer did he have to fear his father. He was safe in Anicetus. So much so that he forgot about Amadahy within only a few weeks of his stay.

"My Aeshia, the language you speak here is difficult. I can't understand it when spoken, only when written out before me and deciphered after hours of work. It just goes to show the complexity of your people," Adrian exclaimed earning a chuckle from the Queen who walked alongside him through the castle gardens.

"You have only been here for three weeks, Adrian. Learning a new language takes time is all. You'll get a hang of it with patience."

"If you believe I will, then surely I will. Your word is golden, my Queen. Golden!"

Aeshia smiled, however, from behind the two, Aatto rolled his eyes. Such flattery was getting quite annoying. It could just be the guard, but it felt as if the prince was trying too hard. It took everything inside himself not to inform the other male that Aeshia cared not for endless flirting and gifts; he was only making a fool of himself.

"Well, I am glad you are liking it here in Anicetus so much. It is far different from Amadahy, yes?"

"Oh, of course. Back there the King cares little about his people. They suffer!"

"Yes, the whole royal family there is nothing but selfish. They only care for the gold and money," Aatto commented," it doesn't matter to them that they're people starve."

"If only they were as perfect as the royal here," Adrian gestured to Aeshia who looked the other way with a distant nod.

"I have done plenty wrong. No one is perfect, after all," she stopped at the outside door, bowing her head to the males," this is where I must stop. I am meeting with the guards to see how the latest patrol went. If you'll excuse me, Adrian, Aatto."

"I will see you later, my Queen," Adrian took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it before leaving the way they came.

"...Yes, see you then."

Aatto stayed silent until the Prince was gone," he has taken a liking to you."

"That is hard to miss," Aeshia sighed tiredly," there are flowers and a poem at my door every morning to prove it."

"I could inform him you are not interested if you wish for me to, Your Highness."

"I'll tell him myself, but thank you, Aatto," she sent him a soft smile," I'll go down myself. You may have the rest of the day off."

"But-"

"-It is fine. It doesn't take long to check. I'll be back inside the castle shortly."

"...Of course. Good day, my Queen."

She bowed her head to him, watching as he left before placing her hand on the stone door. Within seconds, it had glowed a golden shade before returning to normal. Glancing over her shoulder, Aeshia disappeared behind it.

Before it shut completely, with just a crack left, it was stopped by a foot, opening quietly once more.