seeing Loren again

NATE POV

"Loren sorock, your majesty!",loren yelled.

Before he mentioned his name, I already felt like it was loren, I felt a connection. And when I heard him mention his name, it made me smile behind my mask.

Look at him trembling, I curved a smile.

The palace was dead silent until the king laughed.

The courtiers also joined him to laugh, hypocrites as they are.

Loren really looked so different now, he's so handsome.

He looked like he went through vigorous training, after all eight years in unknown is not eight months. I know that he will not imagine his long time friend in a mask, I'll meet him first.

"You can stand",the king said

He stood up.

"Are you the loren sorock, I think you are?",the king asked with a stern look.

"Which loren sorock do you know of, your majesty",loren asked

Good,alright he found courage, he's no more stuttering.

"Did you join the war, three years ago with the late crown prince?".

"Yes, your majesty".

The king laughed, "face the courtiers".

He faced us and I saw him fully and clearly now, then his eyes met mine, I know he doesn't know me and he might just be wondering why a prince is wearing a mask.

He shifted his gaze.

"You can go back, we will be in touch soon",the king said.

Loren faced the king, knelt down and bowed.

As he was walking back to where he was standing, our eyes met again and it made my heart pound strangely.

After the meeting, everyone was dismissed including the unknown warriors.

I increased my pace so I could be able to meet loren but just at the perfect moment.

" Prince nate! ".

I heard someone call out my name from behind, the voice which I recognized, it was prince aris,the third prince who is now nineteen years old.

He was with prince karl who is also nineteen years old, prince timus and prince tasus who are fifteen years old,the same age as mine.

"Greetings,prince aris",I bowed slightly.

He laughed mockingly,"I didn't expect you to be in the court meeting today.

"well I was there and now am leaving",I said.

"Prince nate is the same age as I and prince timus,I've calculated correctly,twelve years of living with cold worm poison,it means this is your death year",prince tasus laughed.

"I wonder if  i should send you farewell gift",prince timus laughed mockingly.

" He already knows he will die,he doesn't need to be reminded,prince nate forgive your brothers",prince karl pretended to care.

" Hypocrite",I muttered as I glanced at prince Karl.

"And as for prince timus and tasus",I walked closer to them,"you're  royal concubines sons doesn't mean you're not a prince,yet you place yourself as prince karl and prince aris underlings,for what?if one of them becomes crown prince?.

Our father was a concubine's son but he's now the king".

I exhaled and shook my head," you can stay as underlings,no objections,whatever you desire.

when you're wanted,you'll be called and when you're useless you'll be tossed away,I was ready enjoying my day but you four were determined to ruin it",I shook my head again.

" Be careful prince nate,just because you have a mouth,doesn't mean you can say whatever you wish",prince karl looked at me sternly.

" Oh,but I can",I said flatly.

He looked at me and I could sense his anger," what a fool",I muttered in disgust.

He raised his hand to hit me and I just waited for him to do it but then.

" Prince nate".

I turned around and saw the person that called me," prince keystone",I bowed slightly.

Prince keystone who is now eighteen years old.

" Let's  stroll",he said.

" Sure,I replied.

"Wait for me",prince jers joined us.

"Court meetings are so boring",jers whined.

We walked together.

I looked straight but spoke to prince keystone," what?,did you see something about me?,did the heavens tell you anything?".

Prince keystone was born gifted,he could read fates, communicate with the heavens and read the stars but I've never wanted to read my fate.

"You don't want me to tell you anything about your faith but why do you ask and must we have to talk about fates and heavens when we meet?",prince keystone said flatly but he sounded angry.

"Forgive me,prince keystone".

"Forgiven,I never hold grudges,my head and mind are as clear as the sky".

He glanced at me,"So, your good friend,loren sorock has returned".

I looked at him, puzzled," how do you know that,only consort labyrinth,the late crown prince and prince jers know that he's an old friend"

He exhaled as he opened his hand fan to fan himself," prince nate,once I look at someone,I see past and their future,it even extends to recearnation,I see everything in a blink of an eye.

I was stunned,"this is new,when did it start?".

"Not exactly new,it started four years ago".

Immediately he said four years ago,I stopped walking.

Prince keystone and jers also stopped walking as I stopped.

"What's wrong",prince keystone asked  worriedly.

"Did you see the crown prince death",I looked at him as I felt pain in my heart and I prayed he will say no.

"Yes",he said and I felt that I was struck by an arrow.

I trembled,"wh..what..how could you!,you knew he was going to die but you didn't say anything!",I yelled in pain.

"The heavens said am not to interrupt the lives of mortals,what is meant to happen will happen,even though we manage to protect him from that poison,he will still die that same day,month and year,his fate was already sealed",prince keystone said calmly.

" We could have still tried!",I was getting furious but at the same time still calming myself down so I won't start bleeding from my nose or spew blood.

" Prince nate,even though we saved him,another life could have been taken,what if it was his daughter,princess kresna,what could you have done?",he asked calmly.

" Damn you and your heavens!,prince jers let's go",i walked away with prince jers,leaving prince keystone behind.

LOREN POV

The unknowns were taken to a building separated  from the golden horse warriors new entries.But we ate in the same place.The golden horse warriors were sons of nobles.

The girls stayed in a different place.It was four per room.

It was a stressful day,we haven't  rested since we came.

We were shown drawings of the royals and each of us have to be able to identify them before we were released.

It was night time,I sat down in front of my room with one of my leg up and my hand on the knee.

What bothered me was the painting of prince nate, He was with a mask.

I remember seeing a prince with a mask in the meeting,I felt a connection but I didn't know it was him.But then,I wonder why he's wearing a mask,is his face scarred,are they not treating him well like I thought they would.

Dibengi came out from the room and sat down with me,"what are you thinking about?".

I glanced at him,"it's nothing".

He looked at me,"so your friend is a masked prince?".

"Yes,and I saw him in the court".

" What!,and you didn't talk about it,I thought when you finally see him you'll disturb our ears",he said aloud.

"Dibengi  please lower your voice".

Vitskit came out too and yawned,"everyone is asleep,what are you both doing outside?," He sat with us.

Non came out,"what's wrong my younger ones?, can't sleep?,he sat down.

" Anyway,your prince turned out to be a masked prince,why is he wearing a mask",vitskit asked curiously.

I exhaled," I don't know,but my prince nate is still me prince nate.

"Ooooooooooooooh",they were in awe.

"My prince nate",vitskit teased.

I placed my hand on my forehead,"it's your fault, vitskit!,what I mean is,nate,I mean prince nate is still the nate I know,masked or not".

"We know,we know, we know",they teased.

I hate this people.

"Loren".

I heard a voice call me and We turned to the right as we saw someone with a guard.

The person came forward,his beautiful blonde hair dropped on his shoulder,he wore a white trouser and a robe,a black face mask and a very thick black cloak.

"Nate",I said softly as tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollable.

"