Trapped In Hisstory

"Charles, are you all right?"

Chance froze and his eyes that were reddening because of crying widened when he heard someone was there. He knew the voice of the man who spoke very well. A voice that he could hear forever without ever getting tired of it.

Tears continuously formed in his eyes and as he raised his head, the Crown Prince's tears kept streaming down his face like a waterfall as he gazed into the turquoise eyes of the prince who was looking at him with a mix of worry and confusion in his gaze.

"What...what happened to you, Charles?" he asked, and he extended his hand for the Crown prince who was kneeling on the grounds of the palace, just a few steps outside the ballroom where the celebration was held.

His hands that were on his ears, covering it, slowly dropped. His face was in a mess and of all people, it had to be him, a Canopus Prince, to see it. "Caliber..." he cried as he reached for his extended hand.

Caliber gently pulled him up to stand and he cannot bear to see his Crown Prince crying. He wondered what had happened, but asking will only make Chance's mood worse. He will wait until the Crown Prince says the problem, on his own will.

The doors of the ballroom opened and the two of them did not notice it from afar. Alec was there, chasing after his master but then realized that his comfort was not needed when he saw the Second Prince of Canopus embracing the Crown Prince.

"You do not have to be beside him whenever our Prince is with him."1

He remembered the female aide's words clearly and went back inside to let the two of them alone. Alec knows that Caliber is the one that Chance needs for him to feel better. For that, he will let them be.

The doors closed again, with the Valorian Knight vanishing from the halls outside the ballroom.

Caliber raised his hand and placed it on the cheeks of the Crown Prince. His hand got wet from the tears that kept dropping from Chance's eyes. "Caliber, I--" Chance tried to tell him but a lump formed in his throat. "Father executed..." 

Caliber did not make him continue his words and pulled him to his chest. He felt the Crown Prince's emotions secondhand as it made him furious when he had an idea of what happened. 'Cadell, you bastard.' Caliber thought.

'How could you do this to your son's own birthday?' he thought and embraced Chance even tighter as one of his hands caressed the Crown Prince's back to comfort him. 'You are tormenting your son, King Cadell.'

Chance's hands that dropped earlier on his sides moved up and he put it on Caliber's back, returning his embrace. He was surprised to see Caliber in his celebration earlier but he was not able to show his shock as he was drowning with sorrow because of what happened to the male prostitutes.

"I missed you, Caliber." Chance said, his tears still kept flowing, but he was not crying it out anymore. He was tired.

Caliber's lips parted when he heard Chance say those four words. That was all he wanted to hear. "So do I, my prince," he responded. "The Goddess knows how much I missed you, Charles." he added. 

Just for two days. It was just two days yet he missed the Crown Prince so much. The face of the white-haired prince with sapphire eyes was all he could think of for the whole two days.

"Charles...what is it that you would like me to do?" he whispered, while embracing him. He knows at this point there is nothing he could do to bring his joy back on the day of his own celebration. Whatever it was he could do for him will not revive the men who died in front of him.

Suddenly, without putting much thought to it, Caliber spoke, "Charles, I can wage a war against Cadell just for you."

Chance pulled away and looked at him with widened eyes. "What are you saying? How could you say that when you are in Antares?" Chance exclaimed in disbelief, bewildered by the Canopus Prince's words.

"You think I am not serious when I say I will go to war with him?"

"That is not it, Caliber. If someone hears you, what do you think could happen?" Chance said, and he looked around to check.

Caliber grabbed him by the shoulders to stop looking at his sides. He made Chance look at him and showed the seriousness in his eyes. "If that happens, that person will report to the King and he will start a war. I am not afraid." he stated. "If it is a war he wants, I will give it to him."

Chance felt his heart skipped a beat, and he appreciated that he was saying that for him, but should not say such a thing, especially in the Kingdom he wants to have a war with. "That is right. If someone reported to him now, you will be beheaded before you could even inform your Canopus men to prepare for war. Do not be rash, Caliber!" he said.

Charles was right, Caliber thought. He was saying it without thinking. If someone hears it, not only him, but Charles will also get involved with the punishment.

Caliber rested his head on Chance's shoulder. While his hands were wrapped around the waist of the Crown Prince, "Just tell me when you get tired. I will take you out of Antares, and will go to war with them. Even if it cost me my life."

"Get me out of Antares with your life as a cost?" Chance repeated Caliber's words and let out a snort. "If you die, then the war was for nothing. It will not make me happy." he said.

"I...do not want you to die, Caliber." he slowly whispered into his ear, his head that was bent, resting on his shoulder. "Never."

"If it is what you wish," he said as he turned his head to the side, "Then it will be granted." he continued and placed a kiss on his neck.

Chance backed away, making Caliber removed his head. The Crown Prince covered his neck, flustered by the sudden kiss. "Wh-what do you think you are doing? What if someone sees us?" he asked.

Caliber smiled, "Do not worry, no one is around." he said to reassure Chance.

The two of them heard someone coughed, and they both turned around in panic, "Oh, do not mind me here. Carry on." a woman said.

Chance's eyes nervousness disappeared in an instance when he saw who it was, "Sherin!" he exclaimed.

"Sherin Aranea greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince." the female aide greeted while bowing and holding her sword in her hand and raising her other hand to the Crown Prince.

"I see you are here as well, Sherin." Chance said.

"And me." the other aid who have just arrived at their spot chimed in.

"And you, Niro."

"Niro Navarrus greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince." he greeted, doing the same thing that Sherin did to pay his respect to a royal member.

Caliber chuckled. "Of course, they are here. They stick to me like ticks."

"You could have used a better example." Niro complained.

Sherin approached the Crown Prince. "I overheard...the conversation between Your Highness and our Prince. I apologize."

Chance was surprised and waved his hands. "It is all right. It is my fault for not noticing you in there." he said. "And his fault for forgetting you were with him." he added while pointing at the Canopus prince.

"It is about time for the House of Stein to appear in the celebration." Niro reminded.

Caliber looked to see if Charles was ready to go back, worried that he was still not feeling better. But when he looked at him, he saw Charles smiling at him as if he knew what he was thinking.

Caliber held his hand, and they all walked to the door to go inside. Chance let go of the Canopus Prince's hands to prevent people from seeing it, causing misunderstandings and spreading rumors.

Chance first stepped inside and all people looked at him, trying to observe his face, his expression. But Chance acted as if nothing happened, as if he did not care about the execution that happened right in front of him. When in fact, he bawled his eyes out where nobody could see.

The sound of the staves hitting the ground was heard catching the attention of all nobles inside, "The Crown Prince elect! The Second Prince of Canopus, Caliber Stein, has arrived!" 

Caliber walked with his head up high as he approached the King of Antares, that was sitting on the throne. "Caliber Stein greets Your Majesty, the King."

"It has been a while since we last met, brother of the insolent little ruler." King Cadell greeted, making the Caliber and his aides flinch when their King was mentioned. "I believe I am not 'unseemly' anymore since I am in my own kingdom?" the King added.

Caliber did not answer as he was trying to bear with the attitude of the ruthless white panther.

"I am glad you came to the celebration. I initially planned to make my son stay in your Kingdom until he meets the King of Canopus, but such a disappointment that Charles failed to meet him even once." he said and Chance lowered his gaze when Cadell looked at him.

"The King of Canopus, His Majesty, Leonidas, has arrived!"

Leonidas joined Chance, Caliber, and the aides in the middle, stopping in front of the King with the Crown Prince, staring at him with widened eyes.

"That is not entirely correct, Cadell."