Childhood (VI)

Arcane, Sora, and Julian.

A perfect friend group.

Just like their fathers.

The older generation could see themselves reflected in their sons—the same camaraderie, the same unbreakable bond. It was as if history was repeating itself, only this time, it was their boys who were inseparable.

Days passed, and the three continued to hang out together, their friendship growing deeper with each passing moment. From friends to best friends to soulmates—it was clear to anyone watching that nothing could break this bond.

Yet, not everyone was thrilled.

Duke Poirot, who had only Julian, started to feel the pangs of jealousy. His son was everything to him, and now Julian's attention seemed more focused on his friends than his own father.

On the other hand, the Salvini family couldn't help but feel the same unease. Sora, their precious youngest, the future of the family, was spending all his time with Julian and Arcane. Wasn't he supposed to be preparing for more important responsibilities?

Even the imperial family wasn't pleased. Arcane, their prince, had been neglecting his duties. His focus was constantly on his friends, and it was starting to show. They were frustrated, anger brewing over his lack of attention to his tasks as the future ruler.

But none of that mattered.

The boys were unstoppable. No matter what anyone thought or said, nothing could keep them apart. Arcane, Sora, and Julian found a way to be together, their friendship thriving despite the undercurrents of jealousy, frustration, and disappointment surrounding them.

Nothing could stop them from meeting each other.

Their father scolded them, so they ended up making secret teleportation necklaces to a secret base that no one knew. 

And so their fun continued but now that they have realized the problem of their fathers scolding they work together to remove the problem immediately.

Now they only come together in their free time.

And what they do together could be anything.

They would go on an adventure to find new bases around the empire. 

Sora was the one who found their current base. A cave on the mountain filled with lush trees and a fresh river flowing nearby.

It was also close to the Salvini estate should any problem arise. 

Some other time they would do snowball fights which sometimes ended up being turned into a 1v1v1 duel. 

Which also leads to them catching a cold. 

There was such an incident when Sora caught a cold and the other two were scolded by Duke Salvini but later it was found that both Arcane and Julian had also gotten a cold so they ended up sharing a room in the imperial palace until they got better. 

Sparring was a daily sport for them.

Fighting and learning new styles was so exciting and fun for them that they would do that for hours non stop. 

But misshapes would lead to a great team work of repairing things on their own without the adults finding out.

Other days which had rain and snowfall involved, being stuck inside.

But that didn't stop them either.

Indoor battle royal field.

They would always decide to make the most of it by creating a makeshift battlefield inside one of the grand halls. Using pillows, blankets, and anything they can find, they build forts and stage an epic "battle royale" with magic, wooden swords, and friendly competition. 

Or they would read in the library just relaxing and doing nothing in particular.

When they would train with magic it was always either a day of success or ruin. 

Julian, being the spellcaster of the group, would decide to try out a new spell.

Sora and Arcane always agree to help him test it, but the spell doesn't always go as planned—perhaps it turns them into small animals or creates a harmless magical mess like a rain of colorful sparks.

At first, they're a little freaked out, but soon, they realize it's the perfect opportunity to have some fun. They run around as animals (if that's what the spell did), explore places they couldn't as humans, and make the best out of the situation.

When the spell wears off, they collapse into laughter and decide to keep it as one of their favorite shared memories.

That would be Sora's favorite memories because they would always end up causing so much trouble but got away with every time. 

Arcane, Julian, and Sora.

The perfect trio—inseparable, or so it seemed. But even the closest of friends have their moments.

It all began during one of their usual training sessions. A playful sparring match quickly spiraled into something more serious. Arcane, being the prince, always had high expectations for himself and others. And today, he wasn't in the best of moods.

"Focus, Julian!" Arcane snapped as Julian dodged one of his attacks with a smirk. "You're always fooling around. Do you ever take anything seriously?"

Julian's grin faded, and his stomach tightened at Arcane's harsh tone. "What's your problem, Arcane? Not everything is about duty. We're just training!"

Sora, sensing the tension, stepped between them. "Guys, relax. We're here to have fun, not argue."

But Arcane wasn't letting it go. "That's the issue! You two treat everything like a game. I'm the only one who has real responsibilities, and I can't afford to waste time like this!"

Julian's temper flared. "Oh, we get it. You're the almighty prince with all the burdens of the world. Maybe if you stopped acting like you're better than us, we wouldn't have this problem."

Sora felt a knot in his stomach. He hated watching his friends fight, but Julian's words seemed to push Arcane further.

"Maybe you're right," Arcane said coldly.

Those words cut through the air like a blade. The silence that followed was suffocating. Sora looked between the two, feeling helpless as he saw the pain in both their eyes.

Without another word, Arcane stormed off, leaving Julian and Sora standing there in the awkward, suffocating silence. Julian clenched his fists, guilt already gnawing at him. His words had hurt more than he intended.

For days, the trio avoided each other. The lively, unbreakable bond between them seemed shattered. And it was Sora who suffered most, torn between his two best friends, watching as the rift widened.

After days of tense silence, Sora couldn't take it anymore. He gathered both Arcane and Julian in the training yard, determined to fix things where they had first broken.

"We're fixing this," Sora said firmly, standing tall in front of them. "Whether you like it or not."

Arcane crossed his arms, his face unreadable, while Julian fidgeted, eyes filled with guilt but still holding a trace of frustration.

Sora sighed deeply. "You're both being ridiculous. I'm tired of watching my best friends fight like this. Do you even remember why we became friends in the first place? We're stronger together, not apart."

Julian dropped his gaze, Sora's words hitting home. "I didn't mean what I said. I was just... angry. You're not acting like you're better than us, Arcane. It's just... you put so much pressure on yourself."

Arcane's stance softened, but the tension in his shoulders remained. "I do take things seriously. But I have to, Julian. You don't understand the weight on my shoulders. I'm sorry if I was hard on you, but I need you to understand that I don't have the luxury of slacking off."

Sora, sensing the breakthrough, nodded. "We all have things we deal with. Julian, you're the one who keeps us laughing, and we need that. Arcane, you keep us grounded. But we can't let this keep coming between us."

Julian rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know. I didn't realize how much you were carrying, Arcane. I guess I just felt like... you didn't need us."

Arcane's expression softened completely now. "I need you both. More than I've ever said."

The tension finally broke as the three stood quietly, letting the weight of the past few days melt away. Sora cracked a small smile, finally breaking the silence. "You know, this is all Julian's fault. If he didn't mess around so much, we could've been having an epic grudge match right now."

Julian groaned, but his lips twitched into a smile. "Yeah, blame the guy who actually makes life fun."

Arcane chuckled softly. "Thanks, Sora. For not letting us tear each other apart."

Sora smiled back. "That's what friends are for."

With the tension gone and a sense of understanding between them, the trio was back to their old selves. They knew more fights would come—because that's what real friends do. But in the end, they knew that no matter what happened, they would always have each other's backs.

They loved each other more than anything and their fights and funs is the reasons they are soulmates till now.

Sora always felt that without those two he could not do anything.

Not after finding out what friendship is.

Because Arcane and Julian were Sora's first friends. And he will do anything for them.

Arcane and Julian also felt the same.

They loved Sora more than anything because he was their safe place.

He understood them and he always had a clear view of things. He would guide them whenever they needed to.

And soon, Sora, Arcane, and Julian—the trio—began to be known around the kingdom as the Golden Bond. Their teamwork, loyalty, and unwavering friendship became the talk of the court, a rare and powerful alliance that mirrored the strength of their fathers.

Wherever they went, people whispered of their potential, calling them the future protectors of the kingdom, bound not just by duty, but by a bond stronger than blood.

That was the story of Golden Bond.