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The night of the 26th ball had just started and Luke was already bored out of his princely mind. It was another gala his father made him throw. Usually, Luke loved the galas. He’d dance until dawn with the most colorful people in the most colorful costumes. He loved meeting other royals from kingdoms far far away. Their different cultures always intrigued him, making him soak up their words like a sponge, always wanting more. His father, no matter how many balls they’d thrown, always had decked the ballroom with the most exquisite décor in all of the land. Chandeliers raining with diamonds lined the ceiling while the finest gold silks draped the walls. Only the finest foods were served at the palace. Luke could only name few but found all delicious. Every guest that had the honor in attending the great dances all walked away with awe in their eyes.
So, it was impossible to hate such a wonderful thing- at least that was Luke’s original mindset.
You see, until recently, he was thrilled with the idea of another extravagant event thrown at the palace. This was of course before his father decided that after the ball thrown in celebration of the Prince’s eighteenth birthday, a wife was necessary. Suddenly, balls were being thrown every weekend in order for Luke to find his Queen. This was his 26th ball. He was tired of them after the 1st.
-
It was after the 4th ball Luke began to question his father. He had begun to feel the hope drain from him. No Princess made Luke feel something.
“But father, I am blessed with the same grace that I would have being betroved with a wife! Why must you force love upon your son when he wants none?”
“Luke, you are already acquainted with the knowledge that every kingdom cannot grow strong without the ruling of one with a spouse. You and the kingdom are both well aware that my time here on God’s realm is coming to an end. You need to find a wife soon Luke, the kingdom depends on it.” And that was that. His father had ended with that same line every time he tried to defy him, and every time he had walked away without another word.
So, as to obey his father’s wish, he attended the balls his father threw for him in order to meet his “future wife”. He is polite. Kisses the hands of all the princesses he meets, dances with them while making light conversation. They are all amazing people in Luke’s opinion. All friendly and nice to talk to. Alas, none caught the full attention of the Prince.
-
During his 30th ball, Luke met his favorite princess he had met so far. She went by the name of Princess Cierrah Thee. She came from a small kingdom not far south from Luke’s own. She was alive with laughter and pure with kindness. Luke immediately gravitated toward her. That night, Luke was filled with hope that he might have finally met the one he would rule his kingdom with. But, when they were walking around in the garden and Cierrah leaned in for a kiss, Luke could only stand there frozen. He had no idea why he wasn’t leaning in as well. She was beautiful, smart, and all around extraordinary. But, to the Prince, it just didn’t seem right. Luke immediately began to cry and apologize to the Princess before him. What’s wrong with me? Luke couldn’t stop the tears falling from his face. He was upset because, once again, disappointing his father and for not knowing why he couldn’t find a Princess to love. He finally looked up at Princess Thee, scared that she would find him vile and monstrous. But, all she did was look at him with a smile. From there, she told him that it was ok and that she wasn’t upset with him. That maybe, he was looking in the wrong direction. That maybe, he should keep more of an open mind at the balls. And that maybe, he should look for more than just a princess.
“That’s up surd. I can’t marry a peasant woman, it’s against the rules.” He looked at her with even more confusion than he had felt before. All she did was smile once more and said with the most understanding eyes,
“Trust me.”
-
The night after his 36th ball, Luke’s father finally passed. It was a raining and it seemed as though the sun itself new of the death of the courageous king. As soon as Luke had awoken that day, he had a sick feeling in his stomach. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong until suddenly it hit him. The realization of his fathers’ death felt like an arrow had been driven right through his heart and then twisted by the Devil himself. As soon as the arrow hit, he ran to his father’s bedroom screaming his name. When he arrived at the doors, the guards immediately tried to stop him from entering. Luke barely noticed them as he shoved his way forward and through the doors.
Pain, that’s all he felt as he saw the sight in front of him. All of the sudden his knees felt weak, and he collapsed to the floor. Have you ever heard sadness in its most pure form? If you haven’t, it’s the sound of a boy. A boy on the floor, crying and screaming for his father to come back to him. The rest of the day, after Luke was able to gather up enough strength to stand, was spent curled up next to his father’s body, crying and holding his cold hand, apologizing for all the wrong he’d done and praying for him to return to Luke.
He never did.
-
Everyone in the kingdom knew that Luke wasn’t the same. All throughout his coronation, which should have been one of the happiest days of the newly crowned King’s life, was a somber moment for all. Luke stood there with a blank expression during the whole celebration. He was no longer the bright boy his people once knew. He was a boy, forced to become a man. A man who experienced far more in such a short period of time than anyone deserved in a lifetime.
-
The night of his 45th ball, Luke still remembers the Princess’s words that were said all those months ago. He’s not entirely sure what they mean, but he trusts her. Even after that strange night, he kept in touch and they soon became the closest of kin. She visited his kingdom often and she discussed the events that took place in her’s. The now Queen informed Luke that she was getting married to a man that she loved and who adored her. She says his name is King Payne and that she feels like when she’s with him, she’s floating on air.
Luke scanned the dance floor. He saw many familiar faces, some new, but mainly the same royals that always attended. Look for more than just a Princess. What does that mean? He looked out from his balcony again. Peasants weren’t allowed to attend any royal events he held at the palace, so how could he look for more than just a Princess when there was nothing but them?
Luke sighs and looks over to the empty seat beside him. Usually his father would sit there, joke with Luke and help with choose a Princess to talk to. A single tear escaped from Luke’s cheek. He was now truly alone. How was he suppose to rule? He was a King, but without a Queen, what was there of a kingdom? He thought about his father and his father’s dying wish. I need to do this- for him. It might not bring me happiness, but it is what is best for my people.
With that, Luke gets up and makes his way down the long marble staircase. He waves to the people he knows, the Princesses he’s talked to before. He reminds himself to fix his posture. He had always taken smaller steps to make himself invisible to the crowd. Compared to his father, he had never been much to look at. His father was strong and poised with a strength Luke has never possessed. Although it felt safe to shrink into the background, he had to remind himself that he could no longer do that. Be confident. You are a King. He held his head higher and put more of a purpose into his step. It’s a false confidence, but confidence none of the less.
As the guests start to notice his decent from the balcony, their mouths hang open in surprise. Since the death of his father, he didn’t socialize with the guests anymore. They could all tell that he was depressed. He hadn’t left his perch at any of the recent balls since his father’s passing. He stayed up there so much by himself they had actually began to call it his Lonely Balcony. He would greet his guests from his Lonely Balcony and take his seat, where he would stay for the rest of the evening. His servants always tried to convince him to dance like he used to all those many balls ago. He would just nod back to them and continue to watch- alone. Overtime, the once extravagant balls seemed to have become stale with a heartache so strong the room was almost drained of life itself.
But, something about this night had felt different though to the guests that attended. The air, instead of being now the usual stale blankness it had been, was now thick with what felt like sparks of magic. When they had walked through the door, the guests couldn’t exactly put a finger on what it was, this feeling that tonight brought, but it, was spectacular and full of life. And it only grew as the new King made his decent down the grand staircase; finally leaving the Lonely Balcony that had kept him company in mourning. They could see the look of hope in their King’s eyes, and now it was in theirs’.
Luke’s palms were getting sweaty, he can feel the eyes on him and it only makes him more wary. Maybe I shouldn’t have left the balcony, maybe I should go back. This wasn’t a good idea I- but Luke’s thoughts had been interrupted by the loud brush of the main doors opening.
In that moment, the guests finally realized what it was.
They all started to move slowly, making a path for the mysterious feeling that they had felt was here all along, waiting to come out and bring happiness.
Except it wasn’t a feeling
It was a boy.
Luke stood at the end of the newly paved human path. At the other end was a boy. Except, he wasn’t just a boy- he was light. He was everything Luke was missing in his life.
He was perfect.
When their eyes met, suddenly the whole room seemed to go from dreary black and white, to extraordinary, screaming color.
At first, both boys just stood there- frozen with a childlike wonder. Luke was the first to actually take a step. Then, the mysterious boy followed. Moving carefully with a bewilderment that matched Luke’s own. It was almost like a game. Each boy would take a step, and then the other would, until finally, they both ended up in the middle. The crowd of awestruck people seemed to just fade away. Everything did. Luke’s fears, worries, sadness, his loneliness, all seemed to slip away as his eyes locked with the boy in front of him.
When Luke stared into this boy’s eyes, Luke’s lonely heart became warm.
“Hello,” the boy said, still baffled by the exchange-taking place. Luke was star struck. The boy was beautiful. His light green eyes sparkled with a certain type of life Luke had never lived. His jet black hair shown under the beautiful chandeliers Luke had grown familiar to- but, God, nothing was as beautiful as the boy in front of him. He felt as if he had been waiting an eternity for this moment, except that he didn’t know that he had been waiting until now. But now that the wait was over, he couldn’t wait to begin.
Luke didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to mess this up. He still wasn’t completely sure what was going on. All he knew was that he had this feeling. This feeling that this boy was special, and he couldn’t let him go.
“Dance with me.” It was so rushed that Luke almost didn’t realize he was the one saying it. It’s the only thing that came to his mind. He didn’t even know him, but at that moment, he didn’t care. He just needed to be with him. He needed the boy.
The boy bowed his head in acceptance, and with a smirk that made Luke’s insides turn to goo said,” of course, anything for my King.”
A small blush crept up Luke’s breath as, without another word, he lead the mystery boy to the middle of the room. The people immediately parted and stood off to the side. They didn’t understand either, they just saw the King happy again, and that was good enough for them. Suddenly, Luke stops in his tracks and turns to the boy with a small smile.
“Pardon me, I believe I didn’t ask your name?” The boy in front of him, that beautiful boy, let out the most beautiful laugh and said with that same beautiful smirk one name that Luke would never forget. That one name belonged to the boy that would return life to his broken soul. That one name Luke would repeat on his wedding day. That one name that would make all of the pain he had faced all be worth it. That one name that he has been waiting to hear since he was eighteen. That same name he would call his husband and the father to his children and his other ruler that would stand beside him until the end.
That same name, although Luke didn’t know yet, was the name of the boy who would finally complete him.
That one name
was Michael.