Slowly and Painfully ー ✓

Chapter 7: The Broken Souls

The silence was deafening. It was unbearable to the ears somehow. The quiet space between us created an awkward air.

I didn't mean to hurt him like this. I never knew how deep he concealed his scars.

I was just doing my job. I had to expose the secret walls this kingdom was trying to cover up.

"I'm so sorry for asking you, Prince Jacque. It was very insensitive of me." I softly uttered as I dipped my head low after realizing I've crossed a very elusive part that he buried underneath the depths of his soul.

"No, don't be."

To my surprise, he simply looked up at me with a smile fixed upon his tear-streaked face.

"It's a nice feeling to admit these things to someone other than muted caricatures I illustrate whenever I'm lonely and have no one to talk to." He explained, trying to somehow ease the guiltiness I plastered, the sympathy I've shown.

I couldn't help but release a soft giggle. The prince seemed to be contented with my reaction.

"If I were to be completely honest with you, I think we've all changed. Ever since that incident, things weren't just the same anymore." Prince Jacque stated. Beyond his beautiful doe eyes was an existing hint of a lonesome boy longing for something.

The 'incident' is mentioned again. Just what happened? Why do they keep it so subtle?

I remembered the day I got to this place. Prince Jacque mentioned it to his eldest brother, Prince Eugene. Something about an incident that made Prince Jacque desperately apologize.

"About that incident. I'm really sorry for—"

"Let's not discuss personal matters here in a public area, dear brother."

Prince Jacque was guilty about that incident. Did he do something that made his brothers treat him coldly?

I then recalled the time when Prince Eugene called me to his office, the day he offered me to become his spy.

"You see, I've done many mistakes. And I regret those times. Especially on that very tragic night..." Prince Eugene confessed. "I couldn't do anything. I felt useless. And to think I'm the eldest, my brothers relying on me, it's laughable. I wasn't able to do anything for them."

I started to connect some of the information I gathered from the princes, like pieces of a big puzzle waiting to be solved.

Could the Heir be talking about the incident? What happened to his brothers?

I slightly furrowed my eyebrows as a thought flashed in my mind. The day Prince Vante told me something that I consider to be a clue during our conversation.

"Ever since that night, we've all... changed."

Prince Vante said the same thing as Prince Jacque. His statement also connected with Prince Eugene's. That's it, the incident happened at night.

And finally, what Prince Jacque recently told me can make me conclude that my deductions are correct.

"How can they when I'm the living breathing memory that haunts them of what happened that night?"

...

I have to know, and in Prince Jacque's words I hope can hear the answer.

"You can tell me, Your Highness. Tell me all your troubles, all of what makes your heart ache."

He held in a breath, preparing himself. I watched him patiently without missing every detail of his movements.

"Like I said, we've all changed. That one unfortunate event led us astray."