"My Runaway Prince..."

"Hidden..."

Hope:

"He's leaving tomorrow!" Chase said as he helped me get into a stylish white blazer with a sequined chinese collar, and rhinestones for buttons.

"It's not everyday I get to dress up a prince." Glen said, fixing the hem of my smooth dark blue satin trousers.

"I'm not a prince."

"You're married to one."

"Not if I don't make it to their going away party. He will leave me behind without me even telling him how I feel."

"Then hurry up! I have the carriage waiting for you, but I need to return it to my gym mate by midnight.'Cause they'll need it by then for the play his son is a part of." Brent came in dusting hay from his arm.

"I'm so nervous. What am I gonna say?"

"I love you, your hugeness." Sammy giggled from the sofa.

"It's highness!" Her mother corrected her.

"We have something we wanted to give you..." Faith said and I turned to look at Sandie holding out a crown made of intertwined flower buds, heart-shaped candies, and shiny glass beads. "It's missing a few candies." Faith announced, as I noticed Sandie chewing.

"It's perfect." I said as I bowed for my niece to put it on my head.

"Your mask." Chase presented me with an almost transparent mask with glitters and flower buds that matched my crown.

"You look perfect." Glen said as he inspected his creation.

"Not quite. You're missing one key ingredient." My father entered the room, holding a box.

He approached me, and set the box at my feet. Taking my slippers off one foot at a time, he placed the most intricately woven soft leather he created on my feet, the color was a light white and blue, giving the impression of it being transparent. It had flower buds intertwined on its heel.

"Oh daddy! Your best creation yet. Fit for a prince."

"No. Fit for the perfect son." And he hugged me, as I felt my heart soar.

"If I see Luke..."

"When you see Luke." Glen interrupted.

"He might want to take me away. How will we..."

"We'll manage. I have the food truck ready to operate any time. Brent has his extra classes. Chace's education was paid in full by Luke. And dad got promoted. We'll be fine Hope. We'll be fine." Faith divulged all that Luke has accomplished.

"It's time to set you free, my son. We have been too selfish to put all our problems on your shoulder for far too long. We love you. We appreciate you. We are grateful." My father said, carrying Sammy.

"We best get a move on. The party started an hour ago." Brent reminded me.

"Thank you. All of you." I hugged them all in turn, before putting my mask on... and running to find my prince. "I love you all. Wish me luck!"

♥️♥️♥️

Lucian:

"Are you ready to go home?" My father asked as we watched the party from the balcony. We had matching black suits, with white masks, and white roses pinned on our lapels.

"Tomorrow's trip will be a difficult one." I replied, my heart felt heavy.

"I never apologized for making you break off your relationship with Samantha. I didn't know she would hang herself as a result. You were too young back then. I thought I was doing the right thing for you."

"It's all in the past now father. I have come to terms with her passing. I don't think I'll ever be able to do the same though with mother's death."

"Nor will I. It has always been difficult for me to show my affection in public. Hence, you always thought I didn't care enough for either one of you. But you had no idea what it was like when your mother and I were alone. How I doted, smothered her with love and affection.

"The day she died, I found it extremely difficult to keep a straight face until I got to my room where I brokedown crying on the floor."

"Forgive me. I didn't know."

"I could not let the slightest sign of weakness show. I had you and the kingdom to think of."

"Is that how it's going to be for me too, once I take the reigns from you?"

"That's your decission. Your life. Your rule. I only hope you find happiness in your reign as King."

Just then we heard hoofs arriving. A guest, in a carriage adorned with fairy lights, intertwined wild flowers, and glass balls arrived... and I immediately recognized Brent in his uniformed coachman attire.

The love of my life leapt from the opened door just as Brent reminded him of their curfew.

"Remember... midnight." Brent's voice towered over the orchestra playing.

I saw Hope approach Brent as he hugged him and said the words I longed to hear...

"I am home. Luke is where I belong." After that he fled on his beautiful shoes to find me.

"Go! Find your love. Find your passion." My father patted my back, and my feet lead me away from him faster than I could thank him.