Side Story #7
“I won’t say much. As the crown prince of Shamier, you must respond to everything with maturity and dignity. You already know how to do this.”
“Yes, Father!”
“Go and observe Ruben carefully, and learn everything you can.”
“Yes, Papa!”
After hearing the advice from both of them in turn, Bayan bowed deeply and stepped back. Now it was time to say goodbye to Ruslan. Bayan briefly looked over Enrique, Anture, and Ruslan in turn, then turned and got into the carriage first. It seemed like he was trying to be considerate in his own way.
“Ruslan.”
Enrique quietly looked down at Ruslan standing before him. His pure silver hair and golden eyes symbolizing his superior status were exactly like Enrique’s, but his features were increasingly resembling Anture’s as days passed. Though Enrique’s shoulders had been heavy growing up as a prince of Shamier, this child’s shoulders, bearing the future of the great Ruben Empire, must be even heavier.
Enrique silently knelt down and opened his arms towards Ruslan. This time, Ruslan didn’t hesitate or fumble, but walked almost at a run straight into Enrique’s embrace. Enrique tightly hugged Ruslan’s body that had leapt into his arms. His eyes grew hot and his chest tightened.
“Take care of yourself, my child,” Enrique managed to say quietly.
“You take care too, Dad,” Ruslan whispered softly in his ear. “Dad.” That one word greatly shook Enrique’s heart. His throat tightened, and he couldn’t speak anymore. Enrique just held the child, pouring his feelings into stroking his head, kissing his white cheek, and patting his back.
Their embrace lasted for a long time. Neither of them dared to break the hug carelessly. They didn’t know when they would meet again after this moment passed. Sending a child far away was such a heartbreaking thing. Enrique mocked his past self who had planned to send away three children.
“I love you, Ruslan,” Enrique whispered in a slightly choked voice into Ruslan’s ear.
“…I’ll miss you, Dad,” Ruslan answered quietly. Only then did Enrique break the embrace and gaze silently at Ruslan’s face. After staring for a long time, as if not wanting to forget even a single hair of his eyebrow, Enrique finally stood up.
“I’ll put him in the carriage,” Anture said, lifting Ruslan up. He pressed his lips to Ruslan’s crown as he walked to the carriage. The two could be seen whispering quietly. Enrique didn’t try to eavesdrop.
Anture put Ruslan in the carriage. A servant closed the carriage door.
Enrique breathed deeply to suppress his burning eyes. He wanted to remain in the child’s memory as composed and strong.
After the long farewell, just as the knight at the front was about to depart, suddenly the door of Ruslan’s carriage burst open.
“Dad!” Ruslan shouted loudly as he ran towards Enrique. Without thinking, Enrique stretched out both arms and lifted the child running towards him.
“Dad,” Ruslan called again.
“Yes, my child.” Enrique finally couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into tears. Once started, the tears couldn’t be controlled. Hot tears thoroughly wet Ruslan’s cheeks and shoulders as Enrique held him tightly.
“Dad, I missed you. I love you too,” Ruslan whispered softly. His voice was slightly choked. Enrique’s heart ached as if it would break. Still so young… and he couldn’t be by his side. It was all Enrique’s own choice. He had done such a cruel thing to the child. He couldn’t forgive himself.
“I’m so proud of you… I’m sorry I can’t be by your side, my child,” Enrique whispered, holding Ruslan tightly. Small arms hugged Enrique back just as tightly. After a moment of hesitation, Ruslan lightly kissed Enrique’s cheek.
The two, who had been clinging to each other for a long time, finally separated. Enrique, his face wet with tears, personally put the child in the carriage. As the carriage door closed, Ruslan clung to the window, looking at Enrique and Anture alternately with reddened eyes. Soon the carriage began to move. Standing side by side, Enrique and Anture saw off the procession carrying the children as it moved away. And finally… when the procession was no longer visible, Enrique hid his face in Anture’s chest and wept silently.
In the end, Anture lifted Enrique in his arms. Kingly dignity and decorum were nonexistent in Enrique’s mind right now. His heart was torn to shreds only by guilt and regret towards Ruslan, and the longing that was already welling up.
“Enrique…” Anture called softly in a pained voice.
“I chose this, Anture. I chose to send the child away, even before the child was conceived. How arrogant I was then…” Enrique couldn’t continue speaking and tightly hugged Anture’s neck. Anture’s collar became soaked with Enrique’s tears.
Moved to the bedroom, Enrique cried for a long time in Anture’s arms. Anture silently held Enrique, patting and comforting him. He didn’t offer hasty words of consolation. He just shared the sorrow and comforted him.
When Enrique woke up after crying himself to sleep, the sun had already set. He was in a fairly calm state. As he woke up and his mind cleared, the reality hit him that he had shown tears in front of the entire palace as a king ruling a country. But he didn’t regret it.
“The children must be quite far away by now,” Enrique murmured, lying against Anture’s body. Anture gently pressed his lips to Enrique’s crown.
“If I had known you would be in so much pain, I would have prevented Ruslan from coming at all,” Anture said quietly. Enrique hit Anture’s arm lightly.
“How could you prevent him from coming when I might only see the child’s face a few more times in my life?”
“I’m just saying it because you’re having such a hard time,” Anture said, gently wiping Enrique’s eyes, dry and rough from crying.
“…It was a meeting worth the pain. Thank you, Anture,” Enrique said, holding Anture’s hand. This visit from Ruslan was an opportunity that Anture had barely managed to create after repeatedly requesting and being refused by the Ruben Emperor.
Anture smiled brightly.
“If you’re thankful, give me a kiss.”
At Anture’s request, Enrique willingly kissed him. The soft and gentle kiss warmly embraced Enrique’s heart, which had been torn and tattered. It felt like the wound that had been bleeding profusely was healing quickly.
“Since Bayan is going to Ruben anyway, how about letting him study there for a year or two?” Anture asked. Instead of immediately refusing, Enrique fell into thought for a moment.
The alliance between Ruben and Shamier was growing stronger by the day. Now, many nobles were sending their children to study in Ruben.
“Anyway, it will be decades before Bayan succeeds you. Letting him study in Ruben for a while and build brotherly love with Ruslan would be beneficial for both the country and the children,” Anture persuaded seriously, seeming to have been thinking about Bayan’s studies for a while.
Indeed, Anture’s words made sense. If Bayan studied in Ruben, the two brothers could spend time together, and it would also be good learning for Bayan.
“…Alright,” Enrique nodded, judging that there were no disadvantages other than not seeing Bayan for a while. Anture kissed Enrique’s cheek as if to say he had made a good decision.
“Since Bayan won’t be here, I think we could spend a few days at the villa, just the two of us,” Enrique said, gently stroking Anture’s black hair.
“Then, shall we make our third child there?” Anture asked with a smile in his eyes. Enrique snorted but didn’t deny it. They held each other tightly, savoring each other’s presence. The pain slowly faded, and the happiness of having each other in their arms began to fill their hearts.
Yes, perhaps there’s no such thing as a perfect happy ending in this world. Life cannot be without loss. That’s why we should cherish the happiness we have in our arms even more. Enrique held Anture tighter, deeply inhaling his scent.
“I love you, Enrique.”
“I love you, Anture.”
They whispered their love to each other, digesting the pain of loss and filling their hearts with the happiness in their arms.
End of The Dignity of an Omega Side Story.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
