Chapter 18 - The Wish (3)
Ahron chuckles as he shakes his head, he couldn't really believe what he witnessed. It looks like a tiny show play by itself without having him pays the artist.
"Playing hidden heroes, are we?" Aevin still chuckles a little, Rydan growls at him, not in the mood dealing with his brother. At the moment, the two are looking at Aevin and Elleryn, smiling at each other and planning what they should do on the wedding night.
Somehow, Rydan could feel the little scratch on his heart lessen significantly, seeing her smile instead of that hurt expression from earlier do wonders to him.
He knows it's wrong.
"To think the Crown Prince would beg to help his future wife, I will keep this moment for all eternity," Ahron shakes his head again, in disbelief and amused at the same time.
It was purely coincidental when Aevin and Ahron stumbled upon the two famous soon to be couple, Rydan and Elleryn, until Rydan talks harshly at her and turns around. The moment his eyes meet the twins, he begins to beg the two of them to assure her that she shouldn't be worried about the wedding night and promising her something so she could at least be a little bit relieved about it. Aevin, surprised with the brother in front of him, suddenly nods and walks towards the Daughter of Qye, complying because he is too surprised to refuse.
Ahron chooses that time to mock Rydan and his sudden plea.
"To think you would follow mother's command immediately but still want to help her. You are contradicting yourself too much, brother," Ahron smiles towards him. Rydan's eyes widened immediately.
He heard the conversation of him and mother, talking about that matter and him agreeing to it. But how?
Ahron examines his nail, as if that is much more interesting than the look on Rydan's face. Inside he is pleased by Rydan's confused and surprised epression at the same time.
Rydan and Elleryn was purely coincidence, but Rydan and The Queen were only Ahron on that part. He couldn't believe that his own mother was actually capable of being angry towards Rydan. Ahron knows his mother would scold here and there, but angry? He never sees it in her eyes.
Being a Crown Prince, it gives Rydan privilege.
And Ahron is forbidden to seek that privilege.
His instinct told him to follow his mother and his brother at that moment, and he is pleased with the little show he happens to witness that morning.
"The moment I look at her face, I know that she is angry towards us, perhaps too common, you? Let's just say I am looking forward to it, I decided to follow you and mother, keeping my distance but heard everything clearly. You should see your face brother, stress doesn't look good on you," Ahron said, finally glancing towards him.
Rydan is livid at that second, but he is much more surprised than angry at Ahron next question.
"What is she to you?" Ahron said. His smile vanishes as his dark blue eyes turn calm but there's an emotion swirling inside that Rydan cannot put together.
What is she to him?
He knows he can't answer that question, and Aevin smirks at that time towards him.
Emitting a growl from Rydan.
"You should really be careful before you answer that," Ahron turns his head and stares at Elleryn from a distance, smiling towards the girl.
"The moment you start to care for her, everyone will turn against you, you know that, right?" Ahron's voice was soft, but his words were like a knife pushed down Rydan's throat. Ahron sounds like scolding Rydan at the moment as if Ahron is the older one and Rydan the younger one.
But what he said is right and Rydan cannot do anything about it.
So Rydan could only look down at the ground, think and contemplate once again.
What is she to him?
• • ⊱∘────·❅·────∘⊰ • •
Growing up, Ahron never realizes he doesn't have the privilege his brother happens to have, the fact being a twin used to be a shameful thing, or perhaps the different treatment that he received from his mother.
He comes to realize all the little things one by one, the murmurings of the servant, the talk of the other Royal Family, the glance that other Princes and Princesses from another Kingdom used to send his way.
He only then knows that his mother never treats him the same as Rydan.
That’s the twins, the one of them who is not desired!
They are useless!
We have to pray for the Crown Prince’s health and long life!
Or else this Kingdom will fall to the ground!
Blood will tarnish the Royal Family!
War will be the only way!
Sin will be our salvation, there will be a disaster!
The servant used to whisper from a good distance, he could hear them loud and clear, considering the Royal blood that runs through Ahron, his senses are much better than the average werewolf.
At first, he keeps trying to ignore it.
He tries but he can't, that day was the last one.
"It's for you, isn't it pretty?” the 10-year old Ahron said, to the girl in front of him.
She looks up and meets Ahron’s dark blue orbs, before gazing at peonies in his hand, and shove towards the eight years old.
She shakes her head no, refusing the prince.
"My mom said to stay away from you," the girl with green eyes said, looking away.
Ahron looks down, but then he moves towards her, closer than before.
"Why?" he asks, softly.
She looks at him through her lashes, biting her red lips.
"Mom said, twins only bring misfortune," she whispers, not really aware that she was shattering Ahron's heart into pieces.
She walks away, heading inside the castle, towards the Crown Prince’s birthday ceremonial, leaving Ahron in the garden alone.
Stunned and hurt.
He kept asking inside his mind, what exactly is wrong with having a twin, what makes him different from Rydan, what is she talking about?
The answer was simple.
Fear.
The citizen was scared.
Because, if in the future the Crown Prince dies suddenly, Ahron and Aevin will have to face each other until the other one dies on the other’s hand.
Blood will be smeared.
War will be the only way.
Sin will be the citizens’ only salvation.
In other words, it's chaos.
That is why, Rydan was being praised and cared for by many, the servant, the gardener, the guards, the general, the cooks.
The Queen.
Everyone.