8 The switch- part 1 - Prince Leo

In the middle of the calm woods, a strange gathering of people appeared out of nowhere.

They looked like a small army with combat training and gears that gave them the appearance of veteran fighters, mercenaries, or the personal guards of someone important.

And that wasn't just one, but two actually, prince Leo and his brother.

Prince Leo left the temporary camp that he and his brother gave orders to the guards to make it. He looked gloomy and strangely depressed after his small chat with his brother about love.

Despite being in the middle of nowhere, inside a territory that didn't belong to their flag, no one of the guards attempted to stop him.

They were slightly familiar with the temper of the younger prince, knowing best how he would react after chatting with his older brother.

And each time that happened, prince Leo would find himself easily to his horse rather than suited words to support his argument.

Running away from every encounter wasn't something new, and all the time he returned with no harm at all.

Prince Leo rode his horse and just needed a small kick to its side to make it run. He pushed further on the horse to make it run by a higher speed.

It was like both of them were in a race, one that prince Leo didn't intend to win but run away from it.

For him this was his only way since he was a child to deal with things he couldn't beat with his older brother, or his old man.

Despite hating that in himself, he knew this was the only way he had to vent out his frustration. It was much better than the fits of rage he once had when he was a kid.

It was something he worked so hard to avoid repeating, very determined not to repeat again even if he kept running like this for the rest of his life.

He was straggling in overthinking issues in his mind and that was his way to explore himself. Discovering new place was his thing to distract his mind from overthink about ideas that he wasn't able to handle or accept.

But this time the power of his thoughts was more than his ability to ignore it.

It was very cold at this late hour of the night at these woods, but his body felt otherwise.

His anger fueled his body and made him neglect anything else about the world at this moment of freedom.

He slowed down the horse at this moment. He couldn't help but recall the recent conversation with his stubborn brother again.

'A dreamy one! hmm! I cannot believe that Noah said that I am dreamy one!' Leo repeat this in pain.

He said too much to defend his point, yet nothing managed to seep even an inch passed his brother's thick skull.

'Believing in true love is not a dream or day dream for sure!

It's such a strong and everlasting bind created by fate and gods between two souls!

Feeling happy, passionate, and compassion isn't a crime but a gift! That's what love is all about!

That's what that cold hearted brother of mine should embrace and not reject!'

Prince Leo was talking to himself, acting like a crazy person.

And there was a memory of a past that glimpsed through his mind at this moment. It was about an old party that held a significant meaning for him.

This party was dedicated on the King's honor. But Prince Noah stole all the attention, even from the king himself.

Crown prince Noah was surrounded by women on all sides. He was standing there all alone. Prince Noah was 19 years-old and prince Leo was only 15 years-old.

The party was very loud and during the main dance, women were waiting in turn for prince Noah to dance with.

They were whispering and gesturing towards Prince Noah like he was the center of the universe.

Leo recalled what he felt back then from them. Ironically his older brother, prince Leo, wasn't interested in any of the silly and skinny beauties lining on his side.

Leo couldn't stand any of this and decided to leave. This time he couldn't just go out and climb over the back of his horse and let it gallop.

So he went out to the balcony and stood there all alone, meditating on the beauty of the big moon.

It was ridiculous to see the older prince and at the same time the crown prince so naïve. It was hard on the little brother to see the one he should look up to acting like this, playing games on the naïve girls like he was changing horses.

During Leo's stayed in this balcony, some girls came out to breathe some air and didn't see him.

He remembered how invisible he was especially living under the giant shadow of his big brother.

And it was a very big and dark shadow that no light could prevail amidst it.

They were mocking the unrealistic nature of the crown prince who could be manipulated by any woman.

Just gave anyone boobs and he would run to get her under his embrace; that was what they said back then.

Leo thought that his brother was just having some issues dealing with his age. He might be, or in fact was, a playboy. However he wasn't beyond redemption in Leo's eyes.

Since that day and Leo started to consider the messy life his brother was living. And when he gave more thought about it he managed to spot where the issue was.

His big brother didn't believe in true love. That was the only thing Leo could reach and decided to act upon it.

But how can Leo tell his older brother, Noah, that true love existed? According to royal rules the older brother should set the example for his younger one, not the opposite.

And when Leo tried to open a discussion with his brother about this matter, he was always facing a dead end with him.

'Poor Noah' Leo mumbled in helplessness and pain.

Finally Leo cleared his mind. He took a deep breath while thinking to himself in loud voice, "he needs to sort these things on his own, that big and dumb brother."

As the horse stopped, and the impulse Leo had from the stubbornness and the mean nature of his older brother were gone, he could finally feel the timid air around.

He glanced over the place his horse stopped at and was taken by the beauty of this place.

'This forest is totally different from those I used to see at home' Leo said.

while gazing up at the small running stream of water that kept twisting between the twigs and small trees just meters ahead.

Leo kept himself glancing at the area around while enjoying the charming nature of this forest.

The moon was full today, shining up with its silver light to illuminate pieces of the forest around. However Leo had the impression that this place would look more beautiful at the morning that now.

While he stood there enjoying the scenery around, it never crossed his mind that he would be hit by a meteor at the next moment.

That emotional meteor that could change his life and putting him with his own philosophy both at a challenging forking of his life.