'1066379-08142014'

"Once upon a time, there was a prince and an aristocrat."

A beam of light pierced the stage, illuminating a man in his early 20's. He stood tall in a black tailcoat, a crisp white cravat at his neck, and a pocket watch glinting under the light mark of his princely status. Beside him, a young woman, graceful and poised, wore a dark green corset that hugged her form and a flowing velvet gown the color of Bordeaux wine. A sapphire necklace rested at her throat, a testament to her aristocratic lineage.

"They were bound by a love so deep it defied the bounds of courtly tradition."

The prince and the aristocrat embraced, their faces glowing with happiness and the tenderness of a secret romance.

"Their love was unspoken, yet an undeniable flicker of light in an otherwise rigid world. "

---

"But even the purest love cannot escape the weight of a crown. The Queen decreed the prince would marry the duke's daughter-a political union, not one of love."

Kneeling before her, the prince pleaded, "But, Mother, my heart belongs to another-"

"Watch your mouth!" she snapped, her gaze unyielding. "A prince's heart is a luxury. Your duty is to the throne, not to your whims."

"But I love Celeste!" he cried. "I would sacrifice anything, even my title, to be with her."

The Queen's tone hardened like winter frost. "You speak of love as if it outweighs the destiny you were born to carry. If you love her, then love her in silence. Your heart belongs to the people."

When the prince, in desperation, threatened his own life, the Queen froze, her voice turning icy. "Do not speak such foolishness. Your death would dishonor Celeste, burden her with blame, and weaken this kingdom. True love endures sacrifice, not cowardice."

"Must I kill my heart to wear this crown?" he whispered.

"Yes," she replied, though a flicker of sorrow crossed her face. "You will marry the duke's daughter whether you like it or not."

The prince, crushed beneath the weight of her words, bowed his head. For the first time, he understood the true burden of the crown.

The curtains cover the stage as the narration continues

---

As the stage darkened, the narrator's voice lingered: "Crushed beneath the weight of duty, the prince fled into the night, his heart torn in two."

"Celeste was waiting for him in a remote garden under the moonlight, her face, white as a sheet, filled with anxiety. "

The curtains opened and revealed the two couples in the middle of the stage in a garden.

"Is it true?" With a quivering voice, she asked. "You're going to marry the daughter of the Duke?"

The prince hesitated, then took her hands in his. "Yes, but it means nothing. My love for you is real, Celeste. I would defy my kingdom to be with you."

Celeste pulled her hands free, tears brimming in her eyes. "Defy them, then! Do not speak of love if you won't fight for it. Words mean nothing without action."

"I have fought!" the prince said, his voice breaking. "I pleaded with my mother, threatened to abandon the crown, even my life. But she... she made me see the cost of loving you. If I defy her, they'll blame you, tear you apart as the cause of my downfall. I can't let that happen."

Celeste's gaze softened, though her heart still ached. "Then what do we do, my love? If we cannot live freely, how do we endure?"

The prince stepped closer, brushing a tear from her cheek. "We endure in the quiet. I will marry, but my heart will never belong to anyone but you. In the shadows, in silence, I will always love you."

Celeste nodded, though her spirit faltered. "A love hidden in the dark... It's not fair."

"Nothing about the crown is fair," the prince whispered. "But I swear to you, Celeste, I will find a way. Until then, hold onto me as I hold onto you."

They embraced as the garden shadows swallowed them, the moonlight veiling and unveiling the bittersweet truth of their love.

The curtains veiled the stage as the two embraced each other.

----------------------------------------

Backstage, the mood shifted.

"You've been distant, babe," Thomas murmured, stepping closer to the actress. "What's going on?"

She laughed, brushing him off. "You're imagining things. Focus on the play."

But Thomas wasn't convinced. He'd seen the stolen glances and whispers between her and the actor playing the Duke. From the shadows, a woman in a maid's uniform watched silently, her expression unreadable.

----------------------------------------

The curtains rose, revealing a grand palace ballroom illuminated by golden chandeliers. Nobles in opulent medieval attire murmured among themselves, their whispers filling the air with intrigue.

Among them, a young woman with a burgundy fan walked gracefully alongside her father, Duke Lucian, their maid trailing silently behind.

The narrator's voice rang clear: "The Queen hosted a grand ball to celebrate the union of the prince and the Duke's daughter. An event that masked whispers of discontent beneath its splendor."

Spotlights shifted, focusing on the Queen and her son, Prince Julian, as they greeted Duke Lucian and his daughter, Cassia.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty, and Prince Julian," Lucian said, bowing deeply.

The Queen's eyes lingered on the maid for a moment before settling on Cassia. "And this must be your daughter?"

Lucian smiled proudly. "Yes, Your Majesty. This is Cassia, my daughter."

Cassia stepped forward, folding her fan with practiced grace. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesties. Especially you, my dear prince."

She moved closer, clinging to Julian's arm. The Queen's lips curled into a pleased smile as she said, "What a sweet girl. Go to her, son."

"Bu-" Julian retorted, but his voice was locked in his mother's prison.

"Now," the Queen said through gritted teeth, her smile tightening.

Julian relented, letting Cassia hold onto him. Yet, his eyes darted across the ballroom, searching for something that wasn't there.

"Both Julian and Cassia walked out of the stage, focusing on the duke and the queen's conversation."

----------------------------------------

When they were out of the scene, Hannah, the name of the actress playing Cassia, asked Thomas.

"Can we talk alone? Just the two of us."

"Okay..." Thomas seemed to acquiesce in his decision.

They went to the empty room not far from the stage and Hannah began to speak.

"Thomas, have you ever had a feeling that Eleanor is acting suspiciously?" She asked.

Thomas hesitated to answer Hannah's question since her concern was similar to his concerns about his girlfriend. He nodded.

"You know Thomas, there's been a rumor lately that Eleanor is hanging out with somebody else. Did you know about it?"

"What do you mean?!" Thomas was surprised by Hannah's information.

She sighed and said, "So you really don't know about it; I researched the rumor and followed your girlfriend's trail and found this."

She showed a picture where Thomas' girlfriend and the actor of the Duke in the play embraced each other, clinging to their arms like they were in love.

She swiped her phone to another picture and showed where the two of them kissed romantically to each other.

"She has been cheating on you for months on end, making love with multiple men. She's a slut at heart, constantly hanging out with them when you are busy working."

Thomas' eyes darkened from seeing this infidelity of this bitch. His fist tightened with such fury that it mirrored an active volcano, trembling with restrained power, its molten rage threatening to erupt at any moment.

"Thank you for showing me this."

He thanked Hannah with his eyes wide open, his eyes blank, a cold fury clouding his thoughts as he said with a sharp voice."

----------------------------------------

Both of them walked in front of the stairs of the stage waiting for their appearance on the stage. Thomas' face continued to darken as time passed.

Before he showed up to the stage, he saw Eleanor acting as Celeste went up the stage wearing a captivating blue dress, her innocent-looking face showing her pure and good-natured character. She stared at the Duke with a flirtatious smile and covered her face afterward.

Thomas clenched his fist as he whispered silently.

"You didn't deserve that role!"

Hannah stared at Thomas with a worried look, predicting something bad was about to happen.

"Thomas, maybe you sh-" Hannah whispered to Thomas but was stopped by the narration.

When the scene ends as the queen insults Celeste, Thomas, acting as Julian with Hannah by his side, goes upstage and briskly walks towards them.

Julian stops in front of Celeste, staring face to face and raising his hands. He slaps her hard right into the face.

Everyone except Julian was surprised about this unexpected scene. The audience is shocked by this, and the Narrator and the Director of the play are frantically thinking of a plan due to this unexpected incident.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Celeste coldly stared at Julian's face and tried to get her head up straight. As she did, Julian's second slap fell with a thunderous sting, a cruel echo of the first, as if the air recoiled in alarm at the rising anger.

She held her face where she was slapped and furiously glared at Julian's face.

Julian stood unfazed with a straight posture, looking down at Celeste as a sign of showing his animosity.

"Is this your love, my prince? A hand that strikes instead of a heart that shields?" Eleanor improvised, her voice calm but filled with rage, as the audience gasped. Eleanor froze, her cheek reddish in color but she remained true to her character.

As the performance halted to a stop, the audience exploded in applause, fascinated by the unexpected drama. The curtains go down, concealing the drama behind as the narrator speaks with utmost calmness with a hint of hurry.

"There are some technical difficulties in the play. Please wait for a couple of minutes until we resolve the problem at hand."

----------------------------------------

However, on stage, the cast was in uproar. Eleanor confronted Thomas, her voice low and fierce. "Do you think that was love?" That slap was yours, not Julian's. "And now everybody knows."

Thomas watched after her as she walked away, leaving him alone in the stage's shadow.

---

Thomas bowed down expressionless as he walked towards an empty corner backstage. He fell on the ground, his arms covered his eyes as he sat down. He tucked his chest as he rested his arms on his knees and began to weep quietly. The chill of the wooden floor seeped through his costume, grounding him in the reality of his heartache as tears streamed silently down his cheeks.

The woman acting as a maid noticed him and she approached Thomas with a towel and handed it over to him.

She asked him, "Are you.. No that's not the right word. Is it over now?"

Thomas looked her in the eyes with his swollen eyes and replied.

"Yeah," He muttered. He took the handkerchief that the woman gave him.

"Thank you for the towel." He thanked her

"Don't mention it!" She replied with a wonderful smile.

"Uhmm, can I sit beside you... Not that I liked you or something! I just feel like you want some company." She stumbled while she offered him company.

"Uhh.. Yeah." He answered with a bemusement flickering across his face.

Both of them sat in the corner awkwardly silent for 2 minutes.

"By the way, What is your name?" He curiously asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself; my name is Clara." She answered with a composed tone.

"It's nice to meet you, Clara, my name is.."

"Oh I already know your name, Sir Thomas"

He greeted her but was cut off by Clara's interjection

"You've been pretty popular since you went off-scripted on stage, so I've already heard your name," She confidently replied.

"Oh, I'm very sorry about what happened back there. I have let out my personal feelings while performing. I deeply apologize." He nodded down with a disheartened tone.

"It's alright! It's alright!" She protested with a surprised look.

"For me, your actions changed the whole course of the play from being entirely too cliched to something unique. Don't you think so?" She continued with a wry smile.

"Although that slap is pushing it." She chuckled

He chuckled and they both laughed altogether.

The director noticed the scene while frantically looking around, running back and forth backstage.

Her eyes sparkled with a new idea, and she went to them, briskly walking, huffing and puffing.

"Miss Maid, could you be the main heroine from now on, please?" She immediately proposed and bowed down to them.

Clara's jaw dropped. She blinked, completely thrown by the unexpected request. The sudden shift in her situation washed over her, leaving her speechless for a moment. Then, she instantly stood up as she understood the proposal of the director.

"W-w-w WHATT!!!!" She stammered and shouted at this unexpected request.

The director was taken aback by Clara's stunned reaction. A ripple of surprised murmurs went through the nearby actors; some exchanged amused glances, and others looked on with concern. One actor whispered, "Did she just...?"

Having recognized the situation she was in, she widened her eyes, turned red, and knelt to hide her embarrassed face.

"Why am I soooo stupiiiiid!" She groaned, complaining to herself, as Thomas hid his amused face while turning his back to Clara.

Clara noticed this and she punched him right in his back.

"Ow, that hurt!" He groaned in pain with a smile on his face.

The three of them laughed backstage when there was 10 minutes to recuperate.

"Miss Director, I have decided that I would take the role of the main heroine, and thank you for allowing me to play this role." Clara maintained her composure and professionalism as she agreed to the director's request.

"Great! Here's what we are about to do..."

----------------------------------------

The audience murmured waiting for the play to continue as the voice rang out throughout the stage.

"Sorry for the wait due to the unexpected problem encountered during the play." The narrator deeply apologized to the audience for what happened on stage.

"After the incident in the grand ballroom, the prince immediately ran to the nearby garden behind the mansion where the queen held the grand ballroom. " The narrator continued his improvised narration made in time.

The curtains open and show the prince sitting on an empty bench in the middle of the night. The prince cried alone in the dark, head faced down as he sobbed quietly.

"The coldness of night slowly envelops the prince. At that moment, there is a warm wind approaching the lonely crying prince."

Then a maid came up on the stage. She's patting her dress as she sees the prince wailing by himself in the middle of the starry night.

The maid slowly approached the prince. When she was in front of the prince, she humbly asked.

"Are you alright, your Highness?"

"Please can you leave me-!" The prince exclaimed as he brought his face up to see who was speaking to him.

The narrator elegantly spoke "The prince looked up front to see who was speaking to him. He saw a lovely maiden with black glittering eyes similar to those countless stars in the night sky, her midnight hair illuminated by the moonlight and her delicate face that covered his entire view. "

He stared at her like he was staring at a beautiful painting. He blushed as he realized that he had been staring for so long that he immediately turned his face sideways.

The maid grabbed a towel in her pockets.

"Do you need a towel, your highness?" She asked politely.

"Yes.." The prince answered with a hoarse voice due to his crying earlier. He grabbed the towel from the maid as he began wiping his tears away.

"I apologize for what I said just now." The prince apologized for what he did.

"No, no, it's fine your Highness! No need to apologize." She humbly declined his request.

"Well, you're right about that. I haven't asked you this but what is your name?" The prince asks the maid.

"I apologize that I didn't say my name earlier, your Highness. This servant's name is called Elara." The maid bowed as she told the prince her name.

"Thank you, Elara, for being here." The prince let out a thankful smile as his teary face was illuminated by the moonlight.

Elara's face lightly blushed as she saw the prince's smile. She breathes deeply to maintain her composure as she would reply to the prince's gratitude.

"You're welcome, Your Royal Highness." She bowed deeply as she said those genuine words.

"Can you... stay here beside me for a while Elara?" The prince blurted out his request, barely above a whisper.

"What did you-" Elara spoke as the queen jolted on the stage, enraged.

"The queues after calming the guests in the ballroom charges in the garden in the middle of the night, enraged by her son's stupidity." The narrator spoke with a serious tone.

"Your Majesty-" Elara bowed down and spoke.

The queen pushed Elara to the ground, and the queen heavily slapped the prince, and he almost tumbled down.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL SON!!" The queen enraged, shouts as she grabs the collar of the prince and pulls it across her face.

"WHY DID YOU DO SUCH AN ACT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!!!" The queen's voice shook with barely contained anger.

"Mo-mother I-" The prince turned his head sideways as he stuttered his words with regret.

"DON'T CALL ME YOUR MOTHER, YOU IMBECILE! TELL ME WHY YOU COMMITTED SUCH IDIOTIC ACTION!! IN FRONT OF EVERYONE NO LESS!" She exclaimed in fury that the wrinkles on her face showed that she was infuriated by her son's indecent action at the grand ball.

"The prince's heart raced as if the weight of her mother's words was as heavy as a heavy boulder. " The narrator spoke.

"I... I didn't mean to-" he stammered, his voice faltering under her fierce glare.

"Didn't mean to?" The queen sneered, her grip tightening on his collar. "You humiliate this family, your title, and our kingdom with your reckless behavior! You think I raised you to be a fool?"

Elara, still on the ground, looked up in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Your Majesty, please, it was just a moment of-"

"Silence!" the queen snapped, her gaze slicing through Elara like a blade. "You dare speak when I am addressing my son? You have no place here!"

The prince felt a surge of protectiveness rise within him. "Elara had nothing to do with this! It was me. I asked her to stay. I wanted-"

"Wanted what?" the queen interrupted, her voice laced with sarcasm. "To disgrace the royal family further? To show weakness? You are a prince! Act like one!"

The prince's hands clenched into fists at his sides, struggling to contain the anger building within him. "I wanted someone to understand me, to be there for me! Is that a sin?"

The queen's expression faltered for a brief moment, a flicker of something softer crossing her face, but it was quickly replaced by her cold resolve. "You think your whims matter? You are not a child anymore, Julian! You have a duty!"

"But what about my heart?" he wailed, desperation seeping into his voice. "Can't you see that I'm suffocating under this crown? I want to be free, to be someone who I truly love!"

"Love?" The queen spat the word like it was poison. "What you call love is pure stupidity! Do you think love will preserve you when your kingdom crumbles? Do you think your feelings justify your actions?"

The prince's eyes shone with unshed tears, but he stood firm. "I refuse to live a life driven by fear and responsibility! I will not apologize for wanting to have a good life, free of suffering and restraint!"

The queen's face twisted with rage, and she shoved him back, letting go of his collar. "Then prepare to face the consequences of your foolishness!"

As the prince stumbled, Elara rose to her feet, her heart racing. "Your Majesty, please, let's talk about this rationally-"

"Enough!" The queen's voice reverberates throughout the entire garden, silencing Elara once more. "You are a disgrace to our family! Consider this to be your only warning"

With a final glare, the queen turned and stormed off the stage, her presence leaving a heavy silence in the air.

The prince stood there, breathing heavily, his heart pounding in his chest. Elara stepped closer, her voice a soft whisper. "Julian, I-"

"Don't," he interrupted, his voice thick with emotion. "Just... don't. I can't bear to talk about this right now."

"As the weight of the queen's wrath hung heavily over them, the prince felt the walls closing in. The world they knew was unraveling, and he was left standing in the ruins of his choices." The narrator said as he continued.

---

The curtain opened to a dimly lit room in the palace.

"Prince Julian sat at a writing desk at the corner of the room, with a parchment spread out before him. His hands were trembling as he wrote his final letter to the Queen."

"Mother," he wrote, "I cannot wear this crown if it demands the sacrifice of my soul. I do not resent you for wanting to make me in the image of the king that you saw me being." But he had to live his life as free or he will not live. "Forgive me for the pain I cause but I will not return,"

"As the prince sealed the letter, Elara appeared in the doorway, she wore a hooded clothing to conceal her identity. She removed her hood showing an expression of uncertainty but hopeful." The narrator added.

"Julian," she whispered, her voice trembling, "Are you sure about this?"

He turned to her, his face set. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I cannot be a dog in a kingdom's leash forever, Elara. Come with me, and we'll forge a new path together."

Elara hesitated, her hands clasped tightly to her chest. "Leaving everything behind... it's a risk. They might come after us." Her voice trembles

Julian approached further, taking her hands to his lips. "Let them come. I would face the wrath of kingdoms for the chance to love you free."

The curtains covered their faces and the narrator kept talking.

---

"Far from the gilded halls and the weight of the crown, Julian and Elara built a life of simplicity and joy. Though the world around them often spoke of duty and sacrifice, they chose love as their guiding light."

---

The curtains parted to reveal the couple tending a small garden, laughter ringing between them. Julian's once-princely hands were now calloused from labor, but his heart had never felt lighter. Elara, wearing a plain yet elegant dress, hummed a melody as she watered the plants.

As the seasons changed, they welcomed their first child-a baby girl with her father's determination and her mother's gentle smile. The family shared quiet moments by the fireplace, reading stories and dreaming of the future.

"Though Julian relinquished the throne, his heart was never empty. For he found a kingdom far greater than any he had left behind a kingdom of love, family, and peace."

---

It finally opened to the Queen, who was now older and sat alone in her grand chamber. A servant approached her with a letter bearing no seal, but the handwriting was unmistakable. She read Julian's words, her hands trembling.

"Mother, I trust this letter reaches you with good health. I hope you know I am all right. Although I relinquished the crown, my life became one, itself a crown filled with love and meaning and life. I miss you. Someday you may know that I have good reasons."

Tissues rolled down her cheeks like teardrops as she clutched the letter to her chest. For the very first time, she would be vulnerable and whisper softly in the silence, "I only wanted you to be strong, my son. I never wanted to lose you."

----------------------------------------

The final words echo as the curtains drop down.

"And so, the prince who broke with the norms of the past went on to live happily, demonstrating that love can overpower even the greatest of weight. For it is in the final end that one comes to realize that not the crown defines a king, but rather the courage to let the heart rule."

The story of freedom, love, and sacrifice moved the audience, and they burst into cheers. The promise of a life well-lived remained when the stage lights went down.

Thomas and Clara walked down the stage and were greeted by many performers backstage.

"That was so much fun! Even though we improvised pretty much everything." Clara excitedly said to Thomas.

"Yeah... It was fun." Thomas replied with a somber tone due to his break-up with her girlfriend.

Clara pushed her shoulders to Thomas and said with a sarcastic voice.

"You are lost again in that lonely sad world again aren't ya?" She chuckled after that.

Thomas' head popped a vein and exclaimed, "Why you little-"

Both of them ran all the way to the theater's exit.

The director and Hannah whispered behind them. "Those two lovebirds cannot stop chirping." Both of them chuckled.

Afterlog

"...bas. Sebas. Sebas!" The teacher called out to Sebas in an exclaimed voice.

"Sorry ma'am, I must've zoned out." Sebas was staring at his notebook, looked at his teacher and politely apologized as he let out a smile.

Most of his classmates laugh at him but Sebas ignores their unrestrained laughter.

"Be quiet!" The teacher instructs the students to be quiet in a loud noise.

The students quiet down as the teacher asked Sebas.

"Sebas, can you answer the problem on the board."

"Sure ma'am." Sebas agreed and stood up slowly and walked to the board.

That vision, is that really a memory or just my fantasy daydream? I don't know and cannot be bothered by it, it's just my fictitious imagination after all. I mean all that I did in that world is not real.

(⁠ꏿ⁠﹏⁠ꏿ⁠;⁠)