Aelius
Chapter 33
• • • •
"Order number 45!" A cook shouted, placing the plate at the pickup area for the waiters.
Aelius picked up the plate and quickly rushed through to the people around him, and calmly stopped at a table, he smiled at the people, and cheerfully placed the plate down. "For you my ladies"
"Thank you!" The two girls said in unison. " No, thank you" he responded back. Quickly leaving to get another order and serve it to another table.
He had just gotten a job at a restaurant not far from his town as a waiter, it's a very expensive place so the pay is high.
Although, he doesn't have to work at a job.
It's not because of some special duty he had to do, he helped his dad knock trees down almost everyday as a job, he just.. wanted a change in courses.
"Order number 49!" The chef called out. Aelius speed walked his way towards the the pick up, and grabbed the tray; quickly serving the plates of food to the table in the corner.
"Here you go ladies" he smiled, placing down the plates Infront of the people, a girl smiled back and scooted forward, catching his attention, he quickly opened up his tiny booklet and asked her- "Do you need anything else Madame?"
"Actually.." she muttered out, covering her mouth with her hands, Aelius looked at her curiously as she glanced around her table then signaled him to come closer.
He guessed she wanted to whisper something to him so he put his ear close to her, and instantly he felt a cold hand slightly touch his cheek and a voice then spoke very softly. "Do you have someone?"
Aelius backed up a bit and looked at her quizzically, he thought for a minute before answering her, of course he didn't have a girl, he couldn't move on from the prince.
If he didn't have this job he'd most likely be hidden in his bedroom and pouring out his sorrows in the bed that reminded him of the prince.
He looked at her again picking up the words he would tell her, then hesitantly said. "No, are you willing to change that?" He smiled at her smoothly.
The girl looked around the table flustered, then looked back and him and smiled back cheekily. Nodding her head and fidgeting with her spoon.
He smiled at her and looked back at the pick up area, the chef was coming out the kitchen and had two trays in his hand, so he swiftly wrote down in his booklet and gave her the piece of paper in a neatly folded way.
"Order number 50" the chef called on the radio.
The note he had given her had written down "Please meet me at 5pm at this restaurant"
He looked back at the girl and grinned happily before leaving the table and walking to the pickup area, continuing on with his work.
The girl left a tip before she left, and wrote on a napkin that she would be there, and for him not to bail on her.
He hid the napkin in his pocket and cleaned the table before leaving from his job. The sky was cloudy, but you could barely see the blue behind them; it was the perfect weather.
This was the weather when he and Ehann kissed, this was the weather when he had sneaked into the prince's room without anyone knowing, this was the weather when.. it ended as well.
He crumbled the napkin in his hand unintentionally just at the thought of it, he looked at the sky once more; then looked down at the ground in sorrow.
He almost felt tears start to form in his eyes, his eyesight became blurry, his hand started to shake, and he started picking up his pace.
He had to stop it, at least not Infront of so many people and make a crowd about it. Everyone separates eventually right? So there's no need to care much about it as he is now, maybe he's just overreacting about the situation.
The prince was his first true love, sure he's dated girls before. But he was special, and not just because he's a prince, even if he wasn't a prince he would bet a million gold's that he would still love him as much.
He doesn't care about their titles, or the fact that their both the same gender, or the fact that eventually he was going to wed with another princess.
He was his everything.
"I love you." Was the last words he told the prince, there's only 2 more weeks till his wedding, and to be completely honest with himself.
He doesn't think he can attend, it's too painful just to think about it so imagining how he'd react in the wedding is scary. Maybe he'd do something stupid like objecting the wedding and get beheaded by the king.
He wants the prince to live a good life and love his soon-to-be wife, forgetting that he himself ever existed.
It's for the better.
He's just an ordinary person, doing ordinary things, and living an ordinary life. What good would he do to the prince anyway? He'd just be a burden to him.
He'll just love him from afar like everyone else.
"Brother?" Toah spoke, and brought him back to his senses. "Oh, Toah, what... Where am i ?" He stuttered, hazily looking around his surroundings.
"You're.. Infront of our house?" Toah pointed at they're home a few steps ahead. "Oh"
Toah looked up at him quizzically, then his stare turned into a worried one, and his smile dropped. "Are you okay brother-.. ?" He asked him.
"I'm okay, just tired from the new job that's all" he smiled warmly, picking up Toah and carrying him home.
"If you say so" he whispered, closing his eyes and immediately falling into slumber on his shoulder.
Was he really just standing there for that long? To be completely honest, he didn't care where he would end up, it wasn't his first thought at all. But he guessed his instinct decided his home was the best place to go.
He opened the front door and immediately a whoosh of comfortness hit him like a windy day, he heard the delighted screams of his little siblings and the talking between his older siblings.
His parents were nowhere to be seen though, maybe they had plans of their own.
"Back from you're job?" Nia asked him from the dinning room. "Really a breeze if i do say so myself" he chimed gladly.
"But I'll have to go out again soon" he continued.
Nia looked at him questioningly, then smiled confidently. "Does my dear brother finally have a date ?"
"That, is none of you're business." He said though a laugh. Nia gasped dramatically and her eyes started shining brightly.
"Who is it??" She asked eagerly.
Aelius only rolled his eyes and hurriedly walked up the stairs into the long hallway filled with rooms. He closed his bedroom door and carefully picked out his best attire for the date.
He would go back to the restaurant in a few minutes, he still doesn't know where he would take the girl yet, so he decided to go as the wind decides.
She looked about his age, around 19-20. Very cute, kind hearted, calm collective, and responsible. He's only ever dated that type, only because he's the total opposite.
"Goodbye!" He called out before he left the home, he checked his pocket watch and sighed in relief. He was.. about right on time, not late but not early.
He looked up ahead and spotted the girl in front of the shop, she wore this beautiful light yellow dress that made her delightful eyes shine, and she held his hand purse in both her hands.
She constantly looked around the place, she seemed worried. Did she think he wasn't going to appear?
The woman spotted him and smiled warmly, she lifted her hand and lightly waved at him happily. He smiled and waved back, "Hello" he spoke.
"Hello" she said back.
"I believe i never took the beautiful lady's name ?" He asked, reaching for her hands and smoothly cupping them in his own, keeping straight eye contact with her. "Eliza" she whispered.
"Eliza?" He smiled sheepishly, "what a beautiful name." He pulled her arm into his and began to walk with her to anywhere away from the restaurant.
"And what's yours?" She asked.
"Aelius" Eliza leaned her head into his shoulder and smiled a bit, closing her eyes and sighed. "Lovely" she spoke.
"Where are you taking me?"
"A very special place."
"Is it really? I'm flattered."
"Only for the prettiest person"
....
"It's beautiful" Eliza gasped in surprise.
Aelius had taken her to a hill not far from town, the sun was setting behind some clouds, so what better time to take her than the sunset?
"Do you love it?" He asked her worriedly, she looked at him in shock, then giggled.
"Are you marbles?" She asked him, "who wouldn't love this?"
"I'm glad" he responded with a sigh, he wasn't sure if she would live the place seeing in in the nature. She didn't really seem like the type to enjoy it, she seemed more like the high exquisite type.
And he couldn't loose another one, his heart wouldn't take it.
Thankfully he was Correct.
He layed out a long blanket in the grass without her knowing, and tapped her shoulder.
"Would you like to sit Madame?"
"Of course" she looked at the blanket in delight. "How'd you know i like the color blue?" She questioned.
He'd actually never thought of that, he'd just grabbed a random one from a shop not far and brought it with him there before the date.
But he was glad he brought the one he did, "Just a hunch" he responded.
The two of them talked for hours nonstop, it was like the two of them clicked just like that. There was no need for awkwardness, they just started talking and giggling and laughing with eatchother.
The sun had already set, and the stars and the moon were out and bright. They didn't notice it at all to be completely honest. Until they sighed and looked around.
"Would you look at that" Eliza gasped. Clinging onto his hands at an instinct, "the moon shines so bright tonight!"
Aelius looked up and immediately his smile dropped, he looked down at the ground sadly.
Not that he didn't think the same as her, the moon shined very beautifully tonight. So much that it reminded him of Ehann, he felt his lips curve into a frown as he thought of him, and his heart started to hurt.
Shocking how that works really. But would he really remember the prince everytime he looks at the moon?
"Truly.. the moon shines brightly" he agreed.
He glanced at Eliza and stood silent in shock, the light of the moon reflected perfectly in her skin that made her glow in the night.
"Beautiful" he whispered, somehow enough for her to hear, "the moon?" She asked.
"You're beautiful" he speaked louder.
Eliza stared at him in the eye then looked away, and covered her smile with her free hand. "You exaggerate"
"No, you are truly a work of art, Eliza" he insisted.
"..Thank you, Aelius" she giggled, glancing at him once again timidly.
He stood up and held out a hand for her to stand, he picked up the blanket and took it in his hand.
"It's getting really late, I'll drop you off at you're home" he calmly spoke.
"If you insist."
----
A week has passed now, and Aelius hasn't made a move on Eliza, sure maybe they were close to kissing, or close to making it official.
But Aelius just couldn't do it.
It didn't feel right.
It just didn't.
Sure he felt something for her, but he just couldn't. He just couldn't move on from the prince, he's being selfish he knows that, but he just can't date anyone else from him.
Meanwhile the prince is happily getting ready for his marriage with the princess while he himself refuses to love anyone else.
He hates himself for it, constantly calling himself pathetic, because he is. There's a girl who loves him very dearly waiting for him to make a move while he's thinking of someone else, is wasn't fair to her. It just wasn't.
She's an amazing woman. He doesn't deserve her, or anyone else.
"Uh.. brother?" Nia called.
"Oh .. yes?"
"You're burning the soup."
Aelius looked down at the pot he kept stirring, and saw it starting to overflow in the stove. Quickly he picked it up by the handles and placed it In the table, attempting to blow the overflowing bubbles away.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked him with a worried expression.
"I'm just... Tired Nia."
"I won't ask anymore, but just know you can tell me anything" she sighed and walked away.
Aelius sat down defeatedly in the living room, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Contemplating his life decisions.
"Brother!" Toah squeaked in his ear, startling his soul out his body.
"Yes?"
"You've got a letter"
"A letter??" Aelius opened his eyes and immediately snatched the letter from his brothers hands.
There was no name, but at the bottom of the letter there was an 'E'. And there was no one else he knew with the letter E as their name and knew where he lived but the prince.
He fet his heart sink to his stomach and his eyes start to water.
What would he tell him? And before the day of his wedding? Did he call it off? But he would have known with all the gossiping ladies. Did he want him to attend as well??
He quickly stood up and entered his bedroom locking the door and sat on his chair.
Carefully he opened the letter and started to read-
"Hello Aelius,
I know it's really not the right time to write you a letter, but you're all my minds been thinking of. I know it's not proper seeing the circumstances.
And I'm sorry, I'm writing you this letter to tell you what i couldn't before, i don't know if you'll actually read this but, you, are the most amazing person I've ever met. Truly you've changed my life in just a year, you've made me more talkative, more acertive, more bold.
I wish we didn't live so far apart, i wish one of us could've been the different gender, so that we wouldn't be judged. I wish we weren't prince and a commoner. I wish it didn't have to end like this. I wish we could just run away, and live a simple life.
I wish we could.. just start from the beginning, and change this fate. I'll never forget you, Aelius.
You probably already know who is writing this letter, i think i made it obvious. I won't say my name due to who I am, but if you still don't know who i am.
You're and idiot, and i cannot believe i fell for you.
But..
I love you too.
-E"
Aelius tearly laughed at the last part of the letter, of course he knew who he was. He wasn't that stupid.
But to think that the prince didn't forget about him, made his hope last even for at least one more day.
He was the love of his life, and he can't move on. He decided he was going to stop the wedding, but he didn't know how. Maybe he could run away with the prince like how he had thought?
But where would they go? He couldn't bring that kind of danger to the prince, he deserved more than a cabin they would end up on, he's royalty for god's sake!
He deserves the world.
A world he can't provide.
Aelius stared down at the letter in sorrow, and started to cry. In the corner of the page he spotted a dried up tear, it wasn't his because it was already smudged into the letter before hand.
This only made his cry harder, he loved the prince deeply. And for it just to end like that, felt wrong.
He placed the letter away and wobbly walked to his bed, and fell into slumber. He can't do anything about it. Nothing.
----
"Wake up Aelius!!!" Nia banged on the door.
"I wish not be spoken to." He called out.
"For Crist sake it's the prince's wedding day! You can't miss it?!" She hollered.
"... I'll be there, don't worry "
He was infact.. not going to be there. He couldn't, maybe he is a loser for not going, but he would just start bawling his eyes out.
And why would he want the prince to look at him like that? All weak, and .. pathetic.
He'd rather not waste anyone's time.
".. We're leaving without you! But we'll leave you're suit in the bathing room if you change you mind!" Nia shouted, before slamming the doors to the entrance.
Aelius rolled over on his back and sighed depressingly, he could feel the eye bags under his eyes sink back, so he closed his eyes in hopes to make it better. He didn't sleep at all at night, he tried, but everytime he almost fell asleep his mind immediately started thinking of the prince's wedding.
He'd already accepted the fact he wasn't going, and that the prince would never love him the same. And that the prince deserves better than himself. But only staying in his bedroom wasn't going to help him with anything.
So he stood up and walked towards the bathing room, he looked at himself in the mirror and smiled lightly, the eye bags weren't that bad, infact hardly noticeable. He glanced at the shower and sighed, it would be for the better if he showered.
After he was done, his eyes immediately looked at the suit his family left him, and he gasped in awe. It was fascinating, truly amazing. Pearly white with gold splattered in the shoulders.
Maybe, just maybe.
He .. could, give the prince the world he deserves. It might not be enough but, he could try just.. one more time.
His heart started beating faster and his breath felt quicker. How would he even get there? It's too far away for him to get there in time.
His mind thought of a million things, hoping his family left him some type of ride so that he could go. But sadly there was none outside, so he did the first thing his mind thought of.
To run.
To run as fast as he can to the wedding, he couldn't loose him for the second time in his life, he learned his lesson, he can't give up. Even if he felt like fainting, even if he felt like stopping for a breather. He can't stop running, not for a second.
He loves him, it's amusing how his town was stupidly empty. Which only made him run faster, so fast he felt himself loose his balance that only made him run faster fearing he would fall.
He could feel his hair not slicked back like how'd he'd done it, but as long as he made it in time it was okay to him. His legs felt heavy, he was practically sprinting his way there. 'Breathe in and out in.. and out.' He thought to himself.
'As long as you don't die you're way there you're fine' he thought more. What if the prince is already married? And he's just running for nothing? What if the priest already started talking?
What if the prince is telling his vows and telling her how.. just how amazing she is to walk into his life? What if he's already putting the ring in her finger? He could hardly feel his own hands anymore, but he was almost there. He had to keep running, he can't stop even to think.
He felt tears, fall down from his eyes. He felt his lips curve into a frown. He felt his heart, slowly start to shatter inside of him.
It started to snow.
Beautiful white snow.
Was falling to the ground, the snow was dancing in the wind.
He didn't feel cold though, not a bit, but he could see his hard breathing Infront of him like a little cloud that disappeared in seconds.
He could see the wood doors to the wedding, and the two guards that stayed Infront of them as well.
"Stop running!" a guard shouted at him, picking up his spear as he did. But he didn't listen, all he could think of was what was inside of the place.
"Did you not hear him? Stop right now!" The other guard warned.
Even if he did try to stop, he wouldn't stop in time, he couldn't feel his legs so stopping as they said would make him collapse to the cold ground. And why not do that inside the place instead?
The two guards held their spears Infront of the door trying to stop him from slamming the doors open. But that didn't stop him either. He heard the priest start talking from a distance, he ran faster attempting to hear him.
"Does anyone wish to object this wedding?" He shouted inside, Aelius looked around the guards covering the door, then spotted a small space under the spears that led to the door.
So he slided his way to the door, and slammed the door open, standing immediately as he felt all the eyes on him. In a flick of a finger, he spotted the prince in front of him, holding the princesses hand with an unreadable expression.
His breath hitched at the sight, and he closed his eyes.
"..I OBJECT!"