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It didn’t take physically leaving to fleee a marriage. Prince Kelden vanished the moment his betrothal to Prince Hordar was mentioned.
Not in his body - not yet, at any rate. But in his mind, he was already long gone by the time the announcement was finished being read.
There had been tales - tales he’d grown up on , tales every child of Veldar had grown up on.
And now, he was expected to ignore them all, and accept a state marriage to Hordar, because others had agreed it should be so.
At his betrothal ball, he was introduced to a kind young man, Reldan. Handsome, gently funny, everything he would have wanted in a marriage partner had he been given the opportunity to choose.
As they danced, Kelden began to wish more and more for what in reality could never be. Everything about Reldan was perfect for him, down to his costume that reminded Kelden of the cows he would sometimes slip away to watch graze when things got too much or too lonely for him.
A small laugh of amusement slipped from him, causing Reldan to look at him oddly.
“What’s so funny, your Highness??” he asked curiously.
“It’s nothing,” Kelden said, blushing.
“Tell me,” Rekdab asked gently.
So gently that, despite himself, Kelden found himself answering. “It’s just that… you remind me of the cows. Your costume does. It’s a good thing,” he stammered, trying to stop sounding like a complete idiot.
Not that it would be allowed to matter in the end - the marriage contract had been signed and he would become Hordar’s consort soon enough, will he, nil he.
Still, he found himself wanting to make a good impression on this man just the same.
“Oh?? How is it a good thing??” Reldan asked curiously.
And much to his amazement, he found himself telling the story of the cows and how he found them soothing to watch.
“You’ll find it silly, no doubt,” Kelden said as he finished, bracing himself for the ridicule that was bound to come.
“Actually, I don’t',” Reldan said. “I look forward to watching them with you in the years to come.”
“How can that be??”
Reldan pulled him into a quiet alcove and removed his mask. Kelden gasped as the face of his fiance came into view.
“Yes, I came to the ball in disguise. I wanted to see what you would think of me when you didn’t know who I was. I’m glad I found out.”
“You are??” Kelden was having trouble believing what his ears were telling him he was hearing.
“I am,” Reldan said, slipping his mask back on. “Let’s go back to the ball before anyone misses us.”
Kelden followed him, much happier in his heart, and fully present in the room and in his life once more.
Turned out, fleeing his marriage-to-be wasn’t necessary after all.