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“Don’t you find it strange?”
“Strange?”
“The royal gardens have the most beautiful flowers, the most beautiful roses, and tulips. Yet on the Crown Prince’s desk, there are only Baby’s Breaths mixed with Lavender. Commoner flowers.”
A soft chuckle as the maid quickly refreshed the vase in question with fresh flowers. “You must be new here. The Crown Prince specifically said he wanted only these flowers around him.”
“Why?”
“Because they remind him of his first love.”
In a field of wildflowers that sat on top of a hill, sat a little boy and a little girl. The little boy picked at a flower’s petals, letting them fall between his fingers. The little chant of Likes me likes me not repeating in his head. The little girl beside him concentrated on the tiny flower in her hands. He fixed the lopsided flower crown on top of his head before leaning over to look at the flower in her hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Making a present.” Her tongue stuck out slightly as she focused on looping the stem around carefully.
“A present? A present for who?”
“For you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re going to leave.” Her voice was quiet before she finally lifted her head to give him a sad smile. “You’re a noble, aren’t you? You’re only going to be here for the summer before you go back with your family to the Capital.”
He froze before he began to nervously pick at his brown pants. It was only a matter of time before she figured it out. Even if he put on his most plain clothes, she was as clever as she was pretty.
“How did you—“
“You have clean nails.” She said quietly before going back to the flower in her hands. “Trimmed. Clean without any dirt under them. But you also have some calluses which means you are training with a sword. So, at first, I thought you could be the son of a soldier and maybe you were training to be a knight like my brother but…”
“But?”
She lowered her hands before taking out a gold coin from her pocket and putting it on the palm of his hand. “You also dropped that when you were looking for your bronze coins to pay for our snacks. Only sons of noblemen carry coins like that. I’ve never even held one until now.”
A gold coin was a month’s worth of food for most families. To be carrying it around along with a bag of bronze and silver coins—of course, she’d figure it out.
“Are you mad at me?” He asked quietly as he looked down at the coin. Never had he felt the weight of a single coin feel so heavy.
“I was when I first found it..but then I realized that you must have really liked me enough to hide it. And that you must have really really liked me if you always bought my flowers so we can play silly games…”
“No! I really…I really liked playing with you! It was the most fun I’ve had ever and...Wait…You..you knew?”
“You started to smell like lavender.” She giggled and the light of the setting sun made her eyes glow like starlight. His breath caught at the back of his throat. She reminded him of a living star, bright and beautiful, gold and full of light.
She was the girl he had fallen a little in love with the moment he saw her. With her hands holding a basket full of baby’s breath and lavender, selling them for a few copper coins. He had quickly learned that it took her at least until mid-afternoon to sell most of her flowers. And if she didn’t sell all of them, she would have a sad look in her eyes. So, he had asked his guard to buy her day’s worth of flowers every day, early in the morning just so that he could have more time with the flower girl, just so he could see her smile all day.
“Ajax!” She would greet him with a bright smile as she excitedly ran towards him. And almost instantly he felt happier. For when she smiled, he smiled along with her.
A reaction that he was trained at a young age not to do. For showing your true feelings was like revealing your neck to an assassin. It wasn’t smart. It wasn’t safe. It wasn’t something that should happen. And yet with her, everything felt different. This summer was different, full of joy and laughter. Unburdened by the expectation and obligations that were placed on his shoulders, with her, he felt different.
He reached out and patted her head, ruffling it slightly before letting his hand fall to his side. “The nice knight bought all my flowers again! He must really be in love!”
“Oh? Why do you say that?”
“Don’t you know the meaning of the flowers I sell?”
“Lavender means purity and calmness while baby’s breath…is also purity…” He tried to recall the days he spent with his sisters who talked about the language of flowers but all he could recall was how red roses stood for passionate love and tulips stood for deep and perfect love. Peonies had something to deal with a happy marriage. “Innocence? Sincerity?”
She shook her head and laughed. “No, silly! Lavender stands for silent devotion and baby’s breath…Well…they are pure magic.” She said as she took his hand in hers and started walking through the market.
“Pure magic?”
Her golden eyes turned to look at him, a confused expression gracing her features. “You don’t know the story behind baby’s breath?”
“I do not.” He gave her hand a small squeeze.
“Wow..who would have thought this country bumpkin knew something that the city boy didn’t know.”
“I called you that once! And you already hit me once for that!” He whined and she giggled brightly.
“Well..you deserved it!” She said brightly. “I suppose I’ll have to teach you about the love story between a god and a mortal. How he wanted to give her the world and all she asked for was stars that she could hold in her hands when he was high up in the skies. So, he created baby’s breath just for her. A symbol of his everlasting love for her.”
“Everlasting love,” Ajax whispered as he followed behind her, watching the bright laughter in her eyes as she looked over her shoulder to smile at him. I would give you that. A sky full of stars, if that’s what you wanted—If it made you smile…
“Is your name really Ajax?” Her hand reached out to fix one of the flowers in his hair. Did she think that he would give her a fake name because he didn’t trust her?
“It more like my nickname. Only my family calls me that…and you.”
She gasped softly. “Why would you give me such a precious name?”
“Because—I wanted to hear what it would sound like when you said it.” He admitted quietly before reaching out to touch her hair. “Because I consider you precious.” He brought the lock of hair he was holding to his lips and kissed it softly. Eyes peering up from through his lashes, he saw the slight blush on her cheeks and smiled. “How many reasons would you like?”
“Would you swear your name on it?”
He was surprised by her words. To swear by his name… made him wonder if she knew who he was. To swear by one’s name was not something that one did nonchalantly. This was a commitment, a vow, a promise that whatever he said would be unwavering and eternal. Unchanging through the test of time, only used when knights vowed to their masters, a husband to a wife, an emperor to his empire. And she wanted that from him.
“You want me to swear on my name that you are precious to me?”
She nodded slowly before she lowered her head. “I know it’s silly and…ahh never mind.”
“I will.” He said before lifting her chin up with the tips of his fingers and softly gazing down at the golden eyes he had grown so fond of. “I will because it is a fact that will not change. You are more than precious to me, firefly. If I cannot give you the stars like the god in your stories, then I shall give you my name. I swear on my name, Ajax, that you will always be precious to me.”
Her golden eyes sparkled as her lips grew into a bigger smile. “Then I will give you this to remind you of that promise!” She took his hand in hers and slipped a little flower ring on his finger.
“Was this..your goodbye present?”
“Mhmn..it will help remind you of me. It’s so you remember to come back to the little country bumpkin you called precious.” Linking her pinky with his quickly, she put it between their faces and smiled at him. “Promise me, Ajax. That this will not be the last time we play together again. That you will come back to find me. That we..will have fun together again.”
“I promise.”
And he tried to keep his promise. He really did but when got back to the capital, his older brother had chosen to abdicate the role of the Crown Prince. Saying that his younger brother was better suited for the role and that he would rather pursue his own dreams. So, he kept losing more time, time that he could have spent going back to the countryside to see a little firefly again. And by the time he was able to come back, his search was cut short.
He was told that the young flower girl that sold love stories with bright golden eyes had left the village with her family. That they had run away from a noble that was trying to marry his precious firefly. He was told that the nobleman had threatened the family and in order to protect their precious daughter, they left.
The prince could not blame her family for leaving. They were doing it to protect her. But he could blame an old man wanting a child as his bride. And while it was a shame that such an old family would come to an end so quickly, he was never known to be a kind prince. This man had taken what he had treasured, what he had found precious away. He had made it more difficult for him to keep his word to his flower girl who held the sun in her eyes.
She had turned from someone he saw a future with to someone that lived in his memory and it was that day when he learned what heartbreak felt like. To lose someone precious was a terrible thing. A helpless feeling of watching something he wanted, slip through his fingers, unable to grasp it, unable to save it, unable to do anything but watch it disappear. He stared down at the flower ring encased in resin with a small frown. He thought she could wait for him. He thought she would never leave. He thought he could have a chance to have that happy ending that princes had in fairytales.
“Not again!”
“Did you lose him again?”
“What do you mean did I lose him?! You were also on guard duty!” A knight ran a hand through his hair before pointing to the side. “He couldn’t have gotten far! Find him!”
Hiding under the hood of his cloak, blue eyes peaked over the wall he was hiding behind. His lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Finally…”
“Finally?”
Startled, he jumped back and put a hand to his chest. He glared up at the annoyed expression the blonde knight was giving him. “Shit! Aether! You almost gave me a heart attack!”
“It would be retribution for the one you gave me after disappearing again.”
“You’re the captain of my knights and my oldest friend, did you really expect me to stay at that marriage meeting for that long?”
“You can’t avoid them forever, your highness.”
“And I thought I told you not to do all of that. I’m just Childe. I’m just your friend especially when we are not behind castle walls. You know it’s more of a security risk if people actually knew that I was the Crown Prince..roaming around the streets of the capital.”
“Then you shouldn’t roam around the capital by yourself or in disguise. You know the dangers.”
“But I am also capable of defending myself, Aether.”
“Did you not say that if others knew that you were the Crown Prince, that you would be in danger?”
“You’re a smartass, do you know that?”
“Such language is not becoming of the Crown Prince who ditches his potential bride to be. You know you could be missing out on meeting your future wife. The one you were destined to be with.”
“Tsk.” Folding his arms across his chest, he turned his head away. He met the woman he would want by his side years ago, in some small village outside of the summer palace. He had met the person he would be happy to call his empress. The girl who made him a flower ring and told him to come back as soon as he could. The girl that would sometimes visit his dreams, with her golden eyes that would sparkle with joy when he shared a few snacks with her. The girl whose hair would glow as she ran ahead of him, showing him her hometown. The little firefly he wanted back in his life. “You of all people cannot seriously be reprimanding me over ditching a few proposal dates.”
“Who else could if not me?” Aether said with a slight shrug.
“You avoid just as many proposals as I do.”
“Ah…But I am not the Crown Prince of this empire. How could I dare compare myself to your highness who will one day lead this nation and bring glory to us all? You have the blood of the lion in your veins. You are the little sun that will one day rise to—“
“Please…” He pinched the bridge of his nose, while his other hand was held out to stop Aether from continuing with the longwinded title and greeting. “You know—I might take you more seriously if you didn’t say it with the most monotone voice I have ever heard. It’s almost rude.”
Aether chuckled before shaking his head. “And yet my head is still on my shoulders.” He peaked over to the side and saw the other guards frantically looking in barrels and behind boxes for the missing Crown Prince. “They are all idiots aren’t they?”
“They were trained by you.”
“Watch it.”
“Did you just tell the Crown Prince to watch it?”
“I thought you said you wanted to drop all formalities and titles when you were out in public and disguise.”
“Such—You know I could deny your request for a vacation.”
“If you did I’d hand in my resignation since I refuse to work for a tyrant.”
“I am not…Wait...A resignation? You wouldn’t.”
“My little sister is coming to the capital. For her, I’d do anything, even abandon my duty to the crown. She is my pride and joy.”
“Ah, right the sister who would write letters that would make the cold and strict captain suddenly become kind for a day. I hear she is called an angel among the knights.”
“Please tell me who they are so I know who to give extra laps to.”
Childe laughed softly before shaking his head. “So, you are abandoning the post of the most honorable position for a knight to be a tour guide for your little sister.”
“Would you not do the same for Princess Tonia?”
“I think she’d prefer you over me.”
“I am not suited to marry into your family. I think I would rather die.”
“Aether…some of the things you say…could be considered treasonous.”
“Ahh, but you wouldn’t really accuse your only friend of being a traitor.” The grin on the blonde man’s lips made him grimace and frown.
“You’re really taking advantage of being my fr—Wait you’re not my only friend!”
“Did you hear that?”
“I think that was his highness!”
Childe cursed and glared at the laughing knight before walking past him.
“And where are you going?” Aether said with a laugh as he followed behind the taller man.
“Away. Out. I don’t know. Why can’t I just have a day to myself?”
“You know why.”
There was pity in his voice and Childe hated it. The moment he was announced as the Crown Prince, it was when his life as Ajax ended. It was when he became the Crown Prince Childe, and once he became emperor he would be Tartaglia the eleventh sun of this great empire. His life was not his own, rather it belonged to the crown.
It was his sacred mission, his purpose, his duty to give his everything to the empire. To strive to be better than an ordinary man, to be an example of nobility and power. It was to be a god among men. It was to be a crown that must be protected at all cost. It was a burden that weighed heavy on his shoulder.
And he knew his duty well and he performed well but—
He thought about how he dreamt of her again. It didn’t happen as often as it did when he was a kid but when it did, it made him stumble. His mind was occupied by duty, obligations, and tasks that he rarely had dreams. And she was a great distraction, she would make him question if it was worth it, if the crown was worth not being able to be by her side.
It wasn’t even that he saw her very clearly either, he saw the back of a woman in a white dress. She was no longer his little country bumpkin, but a fairy moving through the flowers. Her golden hair moved gently with the wind as she brought a bouquet of baby’s breath and lavender to her nose. The soft expression was blocked by the blinding sunlight but he saw the curve of her pink lips as she smiled.
It was then he would wake up, staring up at the ceiling with a heavy feeling lingering in his chest. He longed for her. A girl that he could not find. A firefly that vanished from his life. A fairy that he wished would come to visit him again.
Childe turned his head and gave his friend a pitiful smile. “Then can I just have today? I mean you’ll be leaving for your vacation, it’d be nice to just be…Childe today. Would you be able to give me that as a farewell gift?”
Would his friend notice the tired gaze? Would his friend understand why he needed this? Would his friend just be his friend and not his guard for just one day?”
“You’re so dramatic. You are acting like I’m leaving you forever. It’s just a month-long vacation and it’s not like you won’t see me.”
“A month without my most trusted friend.”
“Stop. Don’t do that. It grosses me out when you use that tone with me. It makes me feel like a noble. Ugh. It makes me feel all slimy and it’s detestable.”
“You are the captain of the Crown Prince’s knights. You should be used to it by now, especially since once I ascend to the throne, you’ll be granted a title.”
“Maybe I should hand in my resignation. The idea of being a noble…What a pain in the ass.”
“If I…delay that then...Or give you an empty title that’ll let you live your life as you please…Would you do me this favor and turn a blind eye to all this and let me have a day?” Childe just smiled and put his arm over his friend’s shoulder.
“Consider it my gift to you.”
“Great. Now leave me alone.” Childe said as he pushed Aether to the side and walked away from him
“What? Why?!”
“If I am seen with the Captain of the Crown Prince’s Knights…do you really think I can stay hidden for very long? You’re quite famous, Aether.”
“You’re—Everyone knows your face!”
“That’s why I have the hood.”
“You’re an idiot. You’re…Fine I’ll stay away but know that if I sense you’re in danger, this little day trip ends.”
“You’re a good friend.”
“And you’re a pain in my ass.”
“Pretty girl, you look lost. Why don’t you just let me show you around?” A nobleman said as he chased after a young woman with blonde hair. “There’s a hotel just around the corner. I’m sure you’ve never been on a bed as soft as that one before. I can show you what it’s like to be with a man who has power.”
How annoying. She clicked her tongue before turning around, both hands on her waist. “Good sir, I already told you that I am not lost. I am simply wandering. It’s what a good traveler would do in a new city.” Her smile was tight before she took a step towards him. “And I would rather chop off my own legs than let you show me around.” She whispered low, her golden eyes darkening before she slammed her heel down on his foot.
“You little bit—”
“First off, I’m not little.” Her tone was cold before she dug and twisted her heel into his foot and felt a sick joy in the way he yelped out in pain. Her hands moved to push him away before she brushed both hands against the skirt of her dress. “And you should have really taken the hint when I was being nice.”
“You stupid commoner wench. Do you know who I am!? You little—” He raised his hand to slap her, her hand quickly moving to the dagger her brother had gifted her the last time he was home.
“You can’t be too careful in the capital. There are all sorts of idiots and bastards there. So, don’t be afraid to use this. If you make a mess, I’ll clean it up.”
“I don’t think it would be very good for your reputation, Aether. Also..it makes me assume you think I’ll always resort to violence. I can be a lady.”
“You’re my sister nothing else matters but you. I don’t care if you aren’t seen as a lady. I want you to be safe.”
“How bad can the capital really be? Are you just trying to scare me? I’m not some helpless damsel, you know?”
He scoffed. “I know you can defend yourself. I just don’t want you to be afraid to fight anyone just because of who I am in the capital. I’d rather forsake a title than let you get hurt.”
She bit the inside of her cheek before sighing. “I really didn’t want him to be right.” But before the man could even approach her, a hand grabbed the back of the man’s shirt and shoved him against the wall of a nearby alley.
Lumine’s eyes widened as she stared at the tall hooded figure. Her grip on the dagger tightened as she felt the menacing aura around the stranger. Dangerous. She thought as she felt a chill run down her back.
“If it isn’t the second son of Earl Welton.” A low voice said as he pressed the man’s face into the brick wall. “What do you think you’re doing dirtying the streets, you little creep?” He growled angrily as his nails gripped the man’s hair tightly in his hand.
“Who the hell—AH!”His head was slammed back into the wall and the hooded man sighed before lowering his head.
“Who the hell am I? If you knew—you would think twice before doing reprehensible acts to a woman on the streets of my capital.” He whispered so low that only the man in his hands was able to hear.
“My…Y-your h-highness?” The man stuttered before his eyes caught the cold blue gaze that stood out from under the hood.
“Bingo.” He quickly turned the man around before knocking the back of his knees to make him bend over. “Now apologize to her for being a piece of shit.”
“I-I am a noble! She is a c-commoner who didn’t know her place!”
“You are a criminal and she is the victim. Do you really want to start labeling shit?” The annoyed tone as he shoved the man’s head back down. “Apologize while I'm still patient.”
“He doesn’t have to.” The woman said cooly. “It’s not like apologizing to me will do anything, change anything. You can’t expect a rock to be a gem. Sometimes a rock is a rock. Hardheaded and dull. Who knew that such expensive education can be wasted like this. Tsk. What a shame. ”
The hooded man chuckled. Oh? Did she amuse him?
“My…The lady does not seem to have a lot of faith in the capital’s nobles or even care for your empty apologies.” He said with a forced grin as he turned his head to look at the scared expression on the other man’s face. “What will we do now, sir?”
“I heard in other countries when someone dishonors a woman, the hands that dare defile a woman’s body are cut off and their genitals are then removed and fed to dogs.” She said before crossing her arms and taking a step towards him. “What are the laws in the capital?”
“Well, he would have to go to court, defend himself. It would be quite a hassle before we get to the cutting off a man’s hands and genitals off but—if that is what you want…”
“Hmn.. well I have a limited amount of time here in the capital, I’d rather not waste it on someone like him. So, I suppose I’ll have mercy and grant him the chance to apologize.”
“What do you think, sir? Isn’t she an angel for granting you such a gift? For if someone like...I don’t know the emperor heard that some noble was sullying the streets with his disgusting antics—who knows what sort of…”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” The man fell to his knee and put his forehead against the floor. “I shouldn’t have tried to hit you. It was unchivalrous and not how a noble would act.”
“And?” She said with her arms crossed, her head tilted slightly to the side.
“A-and?” The man slowly looked up to see two pairs of eyes staring down at him. One blue, cold and cruel, empty of all emotions as his lips turned to a frown. The other, a pair of golden eyes that looked bored and almost annoyed at the situation.
“I apologize for putting my hand on the lady! For bothering the lady! For being so ungentlemanly! Please, accept my apology, my lady!”
An annoyed sigh before the blonde woman straightened up and waved a hand in the air. “I guess that’ll do.”
“If that pleases the lady…” The hooded man smiled slightly before he grabbed the back of the man’s shirt again and pulled him up. “Now run before I change my mind.”
“And the little pig ran with his tail between his leg.” The woman said with a scoff as she watched the man run and bump through the crowd.
“You really are not from the capital.” He said with a laugh as he peaked over from behind the hood, a flash of golden blonde hair that made his eyes widen slightly. Impossible. He was just being overly sensitive from the dream last night.
“Why? Is it because I didn’t scream and cry. I’m not scared of a noble. I’m not a child who had to leave their village, their home, their friends, because of a nobleman who had too big of a head.”
“You must find all nobles repulsive then.”
“Most. I think I can count on one hand the actually noble nobles. The good ones, the ones that I’ve met that are—human. Then again I guess really that bottles down to just one...A noble boy that I met when I was just a kid.”
He felt his heart skip a beat. It can’t be her. These things don’t just happen. He was afraid to turn his head, to see if it was her. Because if it wasn’t her, if it wasn’t the girl that he yearned for, the disappointment would be too much. Did he miss her to the point where he would begin hallucinating her? This was dangerous for a Crown Prince.
“I feel bad for him.”
“Why? Why would you feel bad for a noble boy from your childhood?”
“Because I made him promise something that I ended up making almost impossible. ” She said quietly and moved to stand beside him. It was then he caught a glimpse of gold and his heart raced. His head slowly lifting, half scared and half excited to know if he could have this sort of hope. “I made him swear on his name over a flower ring...And maybe I did it because I really liked the silly little nickname that he always called me. How he always made me feel special and— So, maybe it’s just one finger and the only noble that I could ever possibly like would always call me…”
And finally, he saw a girl with blonde hair held back by a ribbon standing beside him. Watching the crowds move from their spot in the alley. A small dimple on her cheek before she turned and he felt his breath catch at the back of his throat. Golden eyes that looked like starlight, shining brightly as they looked up at him.
He moved his hand to pinch his arm, and when he felt the sharp pain, he couldn’t help but smile. This wasn’t a dream. She was really here. Her brows knitted in confusion as she stopped mid-sentence.
“—Firefly.” He breathed out, his lips turning up into a smile before he reached out and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “I finally found you. I finally…This is some sort of dream, isn’t it? A miracle?” He felt like a fool but he couldn’t stop smiling. Not when she was right there in front of him. Not when her golden eyes slowly lit up as she recognized him.
She didn’t forget him. Just like he didn’t forget her.
Her eyes widened, a silent gasp escaping her pink lips. “Ajax?” She whispered his name and it was confirmation enough that it was her. His firefly. His starlight. His dream girl.
He quickly lifted her up and spun her around. “Ajax!” She laughed and began hitting his shoulder.
“Firefly!” He said with a bright laugh before finally stopping and holding her close. “I can’t believe it’s you.” He pressed his forehead to her shoulder and shook his head. “This feels too…”
“You’ve grown so tall!” She said with a sniff and he lifted his head to see her wiping at her golden eyes with the back of her hand.
“Why are you crying?” He asked worriedly before putting both of his hands on her cheeks and wiping at them. Wait. Does that mean that bastard had the audacity to touch his firefly? He should have gutted him when he had the chance. “Did that man hurt you anywhere? I should have just—“
“No! “She said grabbing at his wrist with a tearful smile. “I’m just really happy to see you. I’m really happy that you’re…That you remembered me. I’m just really happy right now.”
“Of course I remembered you. How could I not? You’re my firefly. The one I promised to come back to. I’ve missed you so much, Lumine.”
Her smile grew brightly and he swore he felt like he could finally breathe. As if the weight of the crown was no longer heavy when he was with her. As she slowly brought her hand up to lightly touch his face, he leaned into her hand, enjoying the warmth that spread throughout his body as he did. It had been years since they last saw each other and how easily they came together, perfectly in sync just like when they were kids. They only had one summer together, and yet she felt more like home than the castle he grew up in. He felt more alive with her than with any other lady he had ever met. He felt—happy.
“Who would have thought that I would meet you here..a part of me was hoping..praying as I came that I could catch a glimpse. Just a glimpse of a boy…no a man with ginger hair and bright blue eyes. Even if you had someone else by your side—“
“Impossible.” He said with a slight shake of his head, her words made him snap out of his daze and he took the hand from his cheek and laced his fingers through hers. “You…It was you. It would always be you that I would want by my side. No one else could…”
“We aren’t kids anymore, Ajax.”
“It doesn’t matter. For me…there was no one else.” Ocean blue eyes that softened as he pressed his lips to her knuckles. “Was there anyone else for you?”
She was silent for a moment as he looked at her through his lashes before slowly shaking her head. “Do you know that I made a promise that day too? That…flower ring that I gave you…was so I can stake my claim on you before any other girl can. Praying that the little flower ring made out of baby’s breath would be enough to bring you back to me when the time came.”
“You gave me the stars.” He breathed and then slowly moved to wrap his arms around her. Embracing her, he buried his face into the top of her head and slowly breathed in. “I’m sorry it took me so long to return back to you.”
“You smell like lavender.” She said as she buried her face into his shirt.
“It always reminded me of you and...I couldn’t…and wouldn’t ever want to forget you.”
Moving slowly, he touched her face and lifted her chin. “I have to tell you something before…It’s too late. Something that might make you hate me.”
“Is it the fact that you’re the Crown Prince?”
His jaw dropped, his eyes widened and she laughed.
“How did you know? What…how do you always know?”
“I guessed?” She lifted a hand to her lips as a giggle bubbled out of her. Her golden eyes curving into half-moons and she shook her head, amused by the panicked and incredulous expression on his face. “That’s a lie. When I went back to the village, I heard that the Crown Prince was very angry and destroyed the noble house that was once there. The girls then told me that he was a handsome prince with blue eyes and ginger hair and…” She laughed. “I was not a fool to think that prince came to play with me…I didn’t know the Crown Prince Childe soon to be Tartaglia the Eleventh. I knew Ajax. The boy that would run around the village with me and play in the meadows. The one that I placed a badly made flower crown on. I didn’t love the crown prince. I loved a boy that swore on his name and whom I gave a flower ring to.”
He took her hand and pulled her towards him. “You loved me?”
“Did you not love me?”
“I don’t think I ever stopped.”
“It’s been years, Ajax. You don’t have to pretend or say things that you think a prince should say. Not with me. Never with me. This isn’t a fairytale. This won’t be easy. I won’t be easy.” She whispers. “It will hurt you…It will make life difficult for you to want something…someone… I am not…I don’t want to be a burden.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s been years. You will always my first love. The one that I saw a future with. The one that I can see on my arm as I conquer the world or at least take care of this empire. It didn’t matter if you were a noblewoman or a commoner. I knew that the one by my side would always be you. And I have been searching for you so that I could tell you this. That I love you, Firefly. That you are my first, my last, and my always.”
He lowered his head slowly, his lips so close to hers. A dream that he thought would never come true finally in his hands. “Can I kiss you, Lumine?”
“Who am I to deny the prince of what he desires?”
“You are his flower girl. You are his firefly. You are his princess. You are his—“
She lifted herself onto her toes to press her lips to his quickly before turning away. Her cheeks red as her eyes avoided him. “You talk too much.”
He chuckled before he grabbed her chin gently and moved so that he could kiss her lips again. “Then I suppose you’ll have to keep me quiet.”
“Lumine?”
They turned around to see a blonde man looking at the two of them, his eyes widening, his jaw tight with anger as he quickly ran towards them.
“Aether?”
Childe’s eyes widened before wondering if his luck had just run out and if this was some cruel joke that the gods were playing. “Firefly…how do you..know that knight?”
“That knight?” Lumine turned her head to look at the paling prince before turning to look at her angry brother who had one hand on his blade. “Oh….Wow….This is really awkward.”
“Firefly…Please don’t tell me that you’re…Aether’s…little…sister?”
“Okay.”
“Okay? I was mistaken?”
“No. You weren’t well..technically we’re twins. He’s older than me by a..few minutes..”
“That doesn’t…”
“Your highness.”
The smile that Aether gave him made his blood run cold. He had never feared for his life until the moment that Aether looked at him with those empty eyes. “Please take your hands off my sister.”
“Aether… This is a Funny story. Uhm…This is Lumine.”
“Yes... I know. That’s my sister.”
“Yeah... This is Lumine…my Firefly….the one…”
“No.”
“Aether!”
“No.”
“Aether, I’m not a bad guy! No! Actually, I am a great guy! I am the Crown Prince of this empire.”
“Still, No.”
“Aether!”
“I told you this wasn’t going to be easy.” She said with a slight giggle and Childe looked over at the blonde woman who looked too pleased and too amused to even try to help him.
“Well, you’re worth it. I will always find a way to keep you by my side.”
“Unless you’re dead.”
“Aether, threatening the Crown Prince is literally treason!”
"I'm threatening my friend whose hands are still on my little sister."
Who said that getting a happy ending was easy? Childe thought with a scoff before he looked back down and saw the laughing woman beside him. Oh, but she would always be worth it. She would always be the one he would want. She would be worth every battle, every sacrifice, everything.