Chapter-5 (Declined Proposal)

The wedding ceremony was scheduled for the next day, but it took them a whole day to arrive at the Myrtle kingdom. They had a little less time to recover because it was now dinnertime and the sky had become darker. similar to how Josen's kingdom was getting ready for the upcoming nuptials. Myrtle Kingdom illuminated the entire realm with lights that could be seen from great distances. Every mouth dropped to the floor at the light emanating from the palace. As the entire hamlet chattered about the future alliance, Ezekiel was enthralled by the elegance he was surrounded by. The carriages halted as some guardsmen were standing at the only path that leads to the castle. One of the guardsmen approached the king's carriage and bowed respectfully before he took out a royal scroll.

"We are here to escort your majesty." The guardsmen spoke and rolled the scroll open.

"Dear Lord Alaric,

It is an honor to be able to tie a relationship in your kingdom.

We are delighted to be a part of your family from now on.

I am hopeful that this engagement will be fruitful.

Please accept our invitation to assist you to your destination.

Most humbly,

Larson Myrtle."

King Alaric nodded and joined the guardsmen on their journey. Sitting in quiet, Ezekiel continued thinking about something that no one knew about. He was youthful and charming when he first arrived in Myrtle Kingdom. His late father, King Timothy, and his eldest brother, King Alaric, accompanied him. He remembers the countryside and the castle being as beautiful as they are now, as well as the roads, the village, and the local markets. Since then, Ezekiel had been captivated by its beauty, but they weren't there for a scenic tour; rather, they were there to settle some conflicts between the two kingdoms. There had been rumors that was spread between the two kingdoms lighting fire between them, King Timothy went to meet As the person who circulated the rumors was captured, the situation was resolved within a day. Prince Ezekiel had never seen princess Savannah before, who had long hair and gorgeous eyes that every country desired they could have. When Ezekiel first saw her, he was astounded by both her beauty and how serene she seemed the entire time. Although Ezekiel's eyes were fixed on her face, he never attempted to speak because of how shy and composed he was. Following the resolution of the fight, both kingdoms made regular trips to one another, and over a short period of time, their relationship became closer. The friendship between Princess Savannah and Ezekiel was going well until an unexpected event occurred. Alaric's valor was praised by King Larson, who desired to marry him and Savannah. When Ezekiel learned that King Timothy had also agreed to this engagement, he was devastated yet unable to speak against his own father. And unlike Ezekiel, Alaric declined the proposal to Savannah and called off the engagement and King Timothy became enraged. Yet again, both kingdoms shunned one another. Years went by and the conflicts were once again settled, but the tension between those kingdoms persisted. Despite ceasing to pay them visits, King Larson fulfilled his promise to be there for them constantly. The Myrtle Kingdom remained there for support even after King Timothy passed away tragically and Alaric ascended to the throne. Alaric was asked to get married shortly because he was now the king. However, the former married princess Diona from another state, dashed King Larson's hopes. So, when the Myrtle kingdom again proposed marriage to the Josen kingdom, it came as a bit of a surprise. But they were overjoyed since Alaric had been keeping quiet about Ezekiel's tiny crush on Savannah ever since Ezekiel had asked him to.

"Nervous?" King Alaric remarked, jolting Ezekiel up from his slumber.

"Oh, no, I was just-"

"Alright, okay." As the guardsman brought them to the big hall, they both entered the castle.

As they entered the hall, their eyes were drawn to the beautiful floral arrangements and chandelier. King Larson stood at the very center of the hall to greet them with wide arms.

"It's good to see you again, King Alaric and Prince Ezekiel."

"We are also delighted to be here, King Larson." Alaric said.

Everything was joyful again, just how it used to be when the Josen family used to visit Myrtle Kingdom. Delicious royal fare was presented to the Josen brothers while they chatted about the wedding and its planning. King Larson recalled their father's frequent visits here for a drink as he focused on Alaric, who resembled his father. Meanwhile, Prince Ezekiel's eyes were constantly searching for one particular face during the supper. The face he had missed throughout the years was Savannah, his friend and now fiancée.

"The bride is in her chamber." King Larson spoke after observing Ezekiel's probing looks, the latter merely smiled. They spoke for a few more hours about King Larson's wishes for his daughter after dinner. Then, in a very humble tone, King Alaric asked his servant to get the trunk from the carriage.

"Please accept this, since we are now family." Alaric extended a box containing a neatly folded white gown and some jewelry. " The queen was intended to present this to the bride, but she was unable to do so due to her fragile health." He made a little smile.

King Larson graciously received the present as tears began to form in his eyes, he was moved by one strong statement and that all of his previous problems and bitterness had been permanently erased. The Josen brothers were led to their room after supper and conversation. King Larson assigned a personal servant to take care of their wants and everything else. Even though it was nearly midnight, the night went rather slowly. The Josen brothers changed into their sleep robes and proceeded to their respective beds in the same room. Throughout the night, King Alaric kept turning as though he was pondering. Ezekiel became aware of his brother's unease.

"I'm the groom, and you're the one who is still awake." According to Ezekiel.

"How do you keep your calm? It's nearly like the day I married." As he turned to face his brother, who was looking at the ceiling, Alaric murmured. "I can't believe it's been almost three years since my wedding. I'm curious what she's up to now. I feel bad for breaking her heart. "

"It's not like you could've done anything; we all know the queen, and given her health, it's best that she rests."

"You dare to speak ill of my queen?" In a lighthearted tone, King Alaric said. Their shared laughter allowed them to temporarily let go of their anxious emotions. In order to calm himself and get ready for his biggest day, Prince Ezekiel closed his eyes and attempted to relax. And Alaric pushed himself to fall asleep since he couldn't stop thinking about his queen.