One Cannot Be So Serious

"Your highness!" Lady Jade's voice came from a distance. "Are you alright?"

Eidan nodded.

"Hello? Is the spell still on? Why can't I hear anything?" Lord Rene came out from a bush, dusting himself from leaves and mold.

"Why were you in a bush?" She asked.

"I somehow got caught up in the explosion when his highness stabbed that tree."

"Ohh…" said Jade.

Eidan wanted to help Lord Rene but didn't say anything. Instead, he looked at the surroundings and asked Jade to release the barrier.

"Is it safe now?" she was still worried.

"Most of the threat has been eliminated, I need more soldiers now to investigate the whole forest and kill smaller curses." After saying that Eidan went to find his horse who ran away heaven knows where.

"He doesn't waste much time does he." She said to Lord Rene who was brushing the sticky leaves out of his hair.

"Unlike someone, I know." He retorted.

Jade gasped, "I don't talk much!"

"Not a matter that needs to be discussed." He ended the conversation.

As soon as the barrier lifted, the light shone down on the forest and illuminated the moldy areas. The mutated plants having no source of energy rusted away and cleared the grounds.

Prince Eidan commanded the army and searched for every last piece of mutation.

When they arrived back they found King Rudius awake but weak. The twins hurriedly got down from their horses and ran all the way to their father.

Eidan's heart stirred a familiar emotion inside him but he stayed on his horse watching them from a distance.

"This is humiliating!" The king of the North exclaimed in anger. He sat on a large bed with his head gripped in his hand. There was only Prince Eidan and the King of the North, Rudius in the chamber.

"It isn't, you were attacked suddenly and were not fully prepared, in this situation one has to make hard decisions." The prince honestly answered.

The king shook his head, "A lot of people have died…and it's my ignorance. I should have been stricter about the laws."

"Do the people not know the outcomes of breaking those laws?" Eidan asked concerned as he remembered not even the lord and lady knew.

"The truth was bent, I thought if they knew the truth it would only cause them to panic and increase their fear. In order not to make them afraid or to spread the fear among them, but maybe I should have been more strict with the laws…" He felt devastated.

"I failed to protect the people of my land..."

"You did what you could," Eidan forced himself to utter those words.

"But it was wrong to charge right into the forest with strength but not magic." Not letting go of his despair, the North King argued.

"It was wrong," Eidan stated, "but it was also right."

The king looked at the young prince with a strange expression. "You could have died! The only hope and light of this empire, If I were to be given the blame of your death because I was unable to make the right choice then-"

"We went in prepared because of your right decision and were able to deal with the curse." Eidan gave a reassuring nod. "If not for you, no one would have seen it coming."

Upon hearing Eidan's words, the king felt slightly embarrassed. "What an age, to be consoled by a young prince like this." His cheeks tinted pink from the remarks but surely he calmed down.

"Were my children of any use to you?" he asked taking a deep breath.

"Yes, they are strong." A small smile appeared on Eiden's face and his features softened.

"I see…," he sighed with a big relief, "I see…they are indeed my pride." King Rudius looked away from the young boy.

From the corner of his eyes, Eidan saw a few drops of tears leaving the man's eyes as he closed them silently.

After a while Eidan spoke, "I'm leaving a few soldiers behind, to help you with anything you need."

The North King sniffled shortly and said, "Muchly appreciated…" but then he abruptly looked at the boy and asked, "You're leaving?"

"I have to," Eidan only replied dryly.

"No." The king stood up and folded his arms.

"No?" poor boy Eidan… He really did forget to rest well.

....

Some more days and nights went by. Eidan was accompanied by the twins to take a tour around the lands. The mesmerizing landscapes and the regenerating forest was all in view. The lost souls were grieved over and buried.

However, while walking through the city, people offered Eidan fruits and many different types of food. He hesitated but generously accepted a few of them.

Watching the sunrise, Eidan stood still immersed in the brightening of the sky and the spread of colors on the horizon. He was finally able to hear the singing of cardinalis and gales while roaming in the forest.

"Your highness." Startled by the sudden call, Eidan grabbed his sword's hilt but soon relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Lady Jade," Eidan greeted her.

"My gosh! you were so engulfed by the mana I thought some fairy came to our land." She said in a joking way and gave him a big grin.

Blinking a few times, Eidan just replied, "It has always been like this at home."

"Hmm…does your highness love fairies?" she asked.

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "I have not met one so I do not know."

She sighed and put her right hand on her waist, "Come on humor me a bit, one cannot be so serious about fun things in life."

"In fact, I wanted to see a fairy once," The crown prince stated his desire and looked at Lady Jade.

"Oh really? You didn't get to see one but still wanted to meet one?" she asked curiously getting to know about the young boy.

The crown prince gave her a shy look and said, "But my Father said looking for a fairy is like searching for your destined one and that I'll have to travel across the realms to find one and then be able to say hello."

The speechless Lady stood there blinking for a few seconds and then let out a heartfelt chuckle, "The Empire's Head seems like a hopeless romantic to me."

"That he is...," Eiden's mumbled.

"Let's go shall we?" wiping away her happy tears Lady Jade started walking along with the crown prince.