Locked Legacies

Chapter XXVIII: Terrifying, dreaded honor

In spite of the comfort that it provided, Augustus tossed and turned in bed, the events of that evening depriving him of any type of mental quietness. What—or who— usually provided him ease was now the cause of more unraveling as he stared at the ceiling.

Amidst the delicate chatter and music, a young couple danced; a dashing prince glided his feet with a breathtaking girl, both flawlessly executing the sophisticated waltz with perfection. It was a beautiful moment for the many people whose eyes were caught by the two and commented in amazement. The heir of the Amica kingdom displayed many smooth movements with the woman he courted, distracting guests and hosts from questioning the whereabouts of the Exspidraco Crown Prince.

Though the ballroom was vast and the space seemed almost endless, there was a couple that didn't fit in. Much less graciously, Augustus and Faylinn moved to the sound of the beat in a room nearby, listening to the music from a close distance. Nonetheless, their choreography was much different; all that time spent in the tavern during the town visit paid off as the man finally understood the steps. It took him five minutes, but he finally grasped it and was able to mildly coordinate; needless to say, the girl's was much more polished. Yet, in the end, none of that really matter, for their shared wholehearted laughter was what they would remember the most. Especially for the next couple of days.

Even though one sometimes wishes to stop time and let the world remain like that forever, it can't be done. That was one of those moments; stolen glances, cackles mingled with joy, a heart rush whenever they touched, and the feeling of their feet leaving the ground. They were truly disconnected from the world; no war and no wounded brothers dared to cloud their minds. Yet, for a second, it was too magical.

There is no point in dwelling on past decisions; they have been made, and nothing can change that. It was inevitable, nonetheless, so Augustus wondered what he could have done differently. In hindsight, he realized that he could have avoided the situation, yet was also conscious that he was judging his past self too harshly; even if he had tried, he couldn't have stopped the magnetic attraction that drew him in. Like many times before, his senses and thoughts had been altered by their closeness; he had started leaning in instinctively.

"Just..." she interrupted, her hand up in the air as she shortly sighed, "Stop trying, Gus."

The man didn't oblige; he would never. After all, since the moment they had met, they had been breaking the rules. Clearly, he wasn't exactly obedient. "But I'm the future king!"

"That changes nothing... And you know that."

A desperate chuckle escaped the prince's lips, "I am going to free the dragons; if that doesn't make me infamous, nothing will—"

"For God's heart, Augustus, are you even listening to me?!" She finally shouted, making him swallow whatever words were about to follow his previous statement.

Many times he had heard her scream; playfully scolding him, faking indignation, among many others. But her words were now filled with sharp stones, and the use of his name was the strong current that carried them. A lump formed in his throat at the tone of voice; he was taken aback.

"This will never happen. It cannot happen," she avoided looking at him; both of their gazes were fixed on the wall or feet. "I have no knowledge of how you were raised on the top floor but, in the servant quarters, there are some things that you have to learn to live without. And this is one of them. You have to understand."

"Well," Augustus scoffed, "Do not worry about the lessons I have learned, because the universe has left more than clear that there are some things, some people, that get lost along the way."