Trapped In Hisstory

He has finally arrived in the palace. As he stood outside the doors, he did not know what to feel. 'Should I feel happy that I can continue to know about Antares? Or should I be upset that I will get to see...King Cadell?' 

It might be both, he thought.

He never really cared if he sees the King of Antares, but he hopes he will not come across him as many times as he fears.

Alec looked at the Crown prince, and Chance nodded as a sign that he is ready. Alec turned to the men guarding the doors and nodded at them.

The two guards standing at both sides of the door raised their staffs and stomped it to the ground three times. 

"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived!" they announced.

The Crown prince and his knight stood outside for a while because the doors have not yet opened. The servants are probably rushing to the door and lining up, Chance thought.

After a while, the doors slowly opened and Chance saw the maids, the butlers, and other servants, all lined up at both sides of the entrance with Nicholas Wright in the middle. It was just the same as the first time he came to the palace; it seemed like at every return, this is what he will see.

"Blessings from the Goddess! Welcome back, Your Highness." the servants said in unison to welcome the Crown prince who has just returned from Canopus.

Chance let out a snort and was followed by the grimace appearing on his face, "It seems like it really is normal for all servants to line up when I arrive, huh." he muttered in a low voice.

He remembered the first time he entered the palace, this was exactly the same scenario as it did back then. All of the servants were there just to welcome him, and he was confused as to why they had to be all present just for him to enter the palace.

He had known nothing much at that time. Well, until now, there is still not much he knows, still just the basics. But now, it is time for him to learn about other things that might help him.

Chance nodded as a return for their welcome, but they still stayed in their position, bowing while having their arms raised. The Royal Head Butler clapped two times to get their attention and coughed, "You may all go back to your stations to finish your tasks." he said as an order for the servants.

"Yes, Sir Nicholas." they all said at the same time and bowed slightly before walking away to go to their spots.

Alec Valorian and Chance Howard took a few steps, approaching the Royal Head Butler and stopping right in front of him. "A blessed morning, Nicholas." Chance greeted while Alec just gave the butler a nod.

"I assume you have read my letter. That is good," he said, shaking his head up and down. The Royal Head Butler examined the Crown Prince from head to toe, "How was your stay in the Palace of Canopus, Your Highness?" Nicholas asked.

A simple question, yet not something he could answer with full honesty. The knight and the Crown Prince glanced at each other, remembering what had happened in Canopus. 'If I say I was almost poisoned or killed in a faraway place that even I do not know, this butler would surely flip.' he thought. 'And he would definitely tell the King about it.'

He gave the Royal Head Butler a reassuring smile, "My stay at the Canopus kingdom was great. All of them are really easy to get along with." he answered, grinning widely.

He bumped into a man who looked like a lion, met someone as beautiful as a midnight sky in the garden on the first night he was in Canopus and kissed him more than once, found out how ruthless King Cadell could be, accidentally went into the Canopus prince's chamber and slept with him, stayed in Canopus to wait and see the kingdom's king, became a servant of the Third Prince, met two aides of the Second Prince and became friends with them, got unknowingly jealous of the girl that Caliber is looking for, dreaming about fated scenarios, getting a forehead kiss from a lion, got abducted for an unknown reason, almost getting killed because of an insane maid, witnessing an Aranean in a pool of blood, realizing his feelings for Caliber and lastly...having the most perfect night with him.

"Definitely...definitely a great stay." he muttered after recalling everything that has happened.

Nicholas Wright noticed something in his expression change. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the Crown Prince carefully, doubting his reply, "Surely, you are not lying at me?" he asked.

Chance swallowed, surprised at his question, but he did not make it too obvious or else the Royal Head Butler will be suspicious, "Of course."

"Hmm, I see. Perfect, then." he responded. He put his hand inside the clothes near the chest and pulled out his pocket watch. He flipped the cover open to look at the time, "Go around for a bit, Your Highness. I shall go to His Majesty to inform him of your arrival." he said, and he closed the watch, putting it back to his pocket.

Chance looked at him with furrowed brow, "Why don't I just go there with you?" he asked.

Nicholas looked back at him along with a chuckle, "I cannot just bring you there without his permission and approval. Especially since...he is not in his best mood these recent days." he answered.

Chance just nodded to tell him that he understands.

"Now if you excuse me, I shall go to His Majesty." he said. He raised his hand and bowed his head, then turned around, walking away from where Chance and Alec were.

"Do you want to wander around upstairs in the meanwhile?" Alec asked.

Chance smiled and nodded and they both start to walk towards the staircase when suddenly, Chance paused. "Wait..." 

The Valorian knight looked at his master, who suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Is there something wrong?"

The Crown Prince's brows kept furrowing as he continued thinking about something he cannot remember. "Why do I feel like I am forgetting something?" he asked the Valorian knight.

"Did you forget something in Canopus? A thing or..?" he asked.

Chance waved his hand side by side, "No, no. That is not it, but I feel like I forgot..?" he responded and massaged the corner of his temples to continue remembering what it was.

Meanwhile;

In the garden of Canopus, a man was walking around while humming and skipping like a fool. He has been away for days, his body hurt because the hawk of Canopus pulled him away, like literally dragged him away, not an ounce of gentleness in his touch.

Niro Navarrus put him in a room inside a building for him to have a place to stay that night, temporarily. But somehow...the hawk made a mistake of not informing other knights, and so the man was locked inside.

"Gosh, was that aide trying to torture me? How cruel." he muttered and continued to hum as he walks.

He noticed servants about to pass by so he approached them, "Good morni--uhh afternoon? I am a knight from Antares, Tristan." he introduced himself but received an odd reaction from the servants.

The servants looked confused as they stare at him, "From Antares? What could you be doing here?" one of the servants asked.

"I serve a guest that is staying here in the palace. That is right, do you know where my master is staying at right now?" he asked with a smile.

"Your master?"

"Yes, my master. The Crown Prince of Antares, Charles," he responded, and the servants looked at each other with widened eyes.

A perplexed look replaced Tristan's smiling face, "Why do you seem surprised? Is there something wrong?"

"Oh dear Goddess, why are you still here, Sir Tristan?" one of the servants asked with a hand on her mouth.

Tristan looked at him dumbfounded. He blinked and stared at her, "What do you mean?"

Another servant approached him and gave him a pat on the back, "How come you are not aware? Your master along with his close knight has already left early this morning." the man said, and it left the knight in incredulity.

"They...left?" he asked again, as he could not believe it.

The servants looked at each other and shook their heads, pitying the knight. Each of them gave him a tap and carried on with their path, walking away and leaving him in the middle of the field alone.

"They...they...they left me?"

Alec approached his master and caressed his back, "If you do not remember it, then just let it go, Your Highness. Your head will just hurt." Alec Valorian said.

Chance nodded in agreement, "You may be right, never mind." he said. "Just as they say, if I forgot, then it must not be important." 

The two of them continued climbing the stairs, setting the thought aside.