Cyndras was a beautiful Prince, and lived in the rich land of Versilla, so of course there were many that hoped and prayed to catch his eye. Until the god of stars none were successful, but over the years several tried, some for the better, and others the worse…

When the Prince was young he received many proposals, but the King never paid them any mind. For the father, his son was useful for only one thing; a bride to be thrown at the most dangerous enemy in the hopes of establishing peace. So, Cyndras waited, lazing his days away in his youth, content to be a general nuisance to the hearts of ladies and men alike.

And then, out of the blue, a stranger came with golden hair and a smile like a summer’s day. The Prince was immediately fascinated by this person, and grew very attached, treasuring the man like one would a loyal pet, for the young Prince didn’t know how to have anything else.

It was a fair autumn day in the kingdom of Versilla when Cyndras happened to be standing on his balcony, looking out at the bright horizon. It was early, frost still lingering on the grass, so the Prince had draped a thick fur cloak over his shoulders and settled into the warmth. He thought about nothing at all, how could he, with a view such as this? He had plans that afternoon to explore the palace catacombs with his new friend, and the Prince was full of a nervous glee at the idea of getting to frighten the man. Or, he thought with a shiver, better yet, if I pretend to be scared myself, what better way to excuse stepping closer and demanding he save me from the dark?

Cyndras was very practiced in the art of being coy, though he ended up coming off a bit indifferent at times. He was also practiced at being lusted over and crooned at, so when he heard a loud voice coming from the balcony several meters away to his right, the Prince adjusted his cloak and lowered his lashes coquettishly…

“What a beautiful morning! Indeed, it is made even more lovely with the sight of you, my Prince!”

Cyndras gave the stranger a cursory glance and, finding that he did not immediately recognise him as someone from the palace, though the man was dressed very well and appeared flawlessly handsome, the young Prince gave a disinterested yawn and responded.

“Forgive me. I have heard such sweet words before. They tend to be a bore.”

The Prince was about to return to his bedchambers and begin his day, when the man called out again.

“My Prince! Please, is there nothing I can do to prove myself to you? My feelings are genuine! Let us meet, and you will see!”

Already used to giving potential suitors the run around, Cyndras waved a hand dispassionately and began retreating to his room.

“Alas, I also have feelings, but unfortunately for you, mine are for someone else.”

Thinking that was the end of it, the Prince dressed and for another day in a row had breakfast with his sweet companion. Solis was lovely to have around, Cyn could really imagine keeping him.

It was very interesting to have a friend without ulterior motives, and unless Solis was very good at lying, which seemed unlikely, the Prince felt like he might really have found a cute little puppy to nip at his heels for the foreseeable future. It warmed him in a way that no morning sun, nor fur cloak had before. Cyndras was content.

Despite his earlier refusal, the man on the other balcony tried again…

Cyndras was returning to his room one night when, upon entering, he was accosted by the scent and image of a sea of flowers; roses, of the most vibrant red and softest quality. He picked one up, finding that all the thorns had been cut with extreme care. In their midst was a note.

My dearest Prince,

Though your heart beats for another, my heart will continue to beat only for you. Here is one flower for every month you have graced this earth with your beauty, for you are the rose of my life…

Yours, always

Metir

Cyndras was even a bit touched as he threw the note in the fire.

At dinner that evening, he made a big show of bringing Solis into his room, whispering with feigned excitement about who his mystery admirer could be. His friend stared at the roses with undeniable fondness, and when Cyn pressed one into the man’s hand, Solis turned several shades of pink before stammering that he could not take Cyndras’ gift.

The Prince made sure he went back to his room that night with several.

In the end, the balcony stranger; Metir, if the note could be believed, propositioned the young Prince no less than six times over the course of several weeks. Cyndras admired his persistence but thought nothing much of it. There had been others who’d toiled away at his heart for years.

It wasn’t until the Prince was out one day, wandering through the market stalls trying to steer an overly excited Solis through the bustling streets, that Cyn even saw the man again.

It was obviously a coincidence, judging by the expression on his face. Cyndras had just finished dabbing off the powdery remnants of the fried dough Solis had nearly inhaled, and then his eyes met Metir’s over his sweet puppy’s shoulder.

Balcony-man blinked, startled, clearly in the middle of making a purchase, then his gaze flickered once to Solis and he seemed to stiffen…

Yes, that’s right, the Prince thought, a little dizzy at the mere idea. Why don’t you go ahead and think this innocent bean is responsible for my heart straying away, go on-

Cyndras fixed all his attention on Solis, which really wasn’t a hard feat as the man was making those gooey-eyes at him again while he blushed and laughed at the mess he’d made. Cyn leaned in and pecked his cheek, genuinely enjoying Solis’ wide-eyed stare and even more so, balcony-man’s abrupt coughing fit.

The Prince didn’t see, nor hear from the man ever again, yet that wasn’t the end of his list of almost-lovers…

Somehow, after Solis had wormed his way quite dastardly inside Cyndras’ heart, there was still the threat held over the Prince’s head involving an arranged marriage. It went on for several years, this back and forth with his father, and would often end in screaming matches where one or both of them grew so angry they broke things. Cyndras hated the parts of himself that were a reflection of the King, but more than that, he hated that he knew in his heart that his father would not hesitate to marry him off if it suited his needs.

What was a poor, good-for-nothing Prince to do under such dire circumstances? Truly, the only thing was to become good for something…

It wouldn’t have happened without Solis.

Cyn thinks the man must have worked harder than even him in those years; studying, learning everything there was to know about government, politics, and the tensions with their neighboring kingdom of Xesith. Cyndras too, applied himself for perhaps the first time in his life, and found much to his surprise that almost everything could be solved eventually as long as he had someone by his side who thought the world of him. Solis loved him so much that the Prince forgot what it was like to hate himself.

Blossoming under such care and devotion, Cyndras attended conferences with his father’s senate, the governors of various sects, and presented solutions to policies those old farts had been trying to bury since he’d first been born kicking and screaming into this world.

The Prince made a name for himself in Versilla. Instead of an idolized beauty dozing in the dappled sun, he became fiercely beloved by his people for his devotion to fair laws and peace, and while both enemy and friend alike still lusted for the man he had become, there was no doubt in everyone’s minds that Cyndras would not hesitate to place a drop of poison in the well if it meant protecting himself. For that reason, Cyn was feared, and he was respected.

Of course, during the beginning of his heyday, while still in the process of proving himself to their neighboring kingdoms, the Prince was also deeply scorned and mocked. It was a rite of passage, he knew. He also knew that one day, all those who stood against himself or his realm would face their own reckoning. It was a promise he’d made to himself after that summer in Xesith, during one of the first peace talks.

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It was a memory he would never reveal to Solis, and a secret he would indeed take to his grave…

The Prince had been deeply discouraged to find he could not bring his lover on their journey, but their retinue was small and it had to stay that way if they were going with a show of good faith. Cyndras scoffed at good faith, but he still obeyed.

Even if Solis had been there, it wouldn’t have changed anything…

Xesith was hot, muggy and dry, and Cyndras had been exhausted from the journey upon arriving. Of course, that meant his required attendance at the reception was highly contested by the young Prince. Couldn’t he, in good faith, retire for the night and show up bright and early to the conference? No, not at all.

Being a Prince, Cyndras was very accustomed to fancy parties. He’d normally drift about, maybe flirt with the waitstaff, but ultimately tire of the frivolity and other people’s agendas. That night, upon their welcome into the neighboring state, Cyndras was hurried into the traditional formal attire of the Xesith royalty and unceremoniously led into the main hall, the reception already in full swing.

After maintaining an air of civility the whole night, and going along with the Xesithian King’s bid to hold an impromptu early meeting in his study, Cyndras was more or less dead on his feet. It didn’t help that he’d been steadily consuming the glasses of wine shoved into his hands all night.

With official plans to really explore the possibility of a treaty and trade agreement in the morning, the King sent Cyndras off, instructing his eldest son and heir to escort the Versilian Prince to the guest chambers. Cyndras really should have insisted that he could find his room alone…

Prince Ranmei, the very man Cyndras had been pseudo-engaged to for the last couple of years, was ten years older than him and overall a bully. From what Cyndras knew of him, the man was conceited, selfish, brash… the type to lord his strength over others and get satisfaction at stealing power where he could. He was impulsive, foolhardy, and that night, he somehow had it in his head that Cyndras could possibly be interested in an oaf like him. Hah! Utterly laughable.

The bigger man stopped outside a door in a dimly lit hallway and Cyndras immediately knew he was in for trouble. This was not the guest quarters. He had, in fact, already seen them.

“Prince Ranmei,” Cyndras began with a semi-aggravated sigh. “I am very tired and do not wish to be late to the conference tomorrow. Thank you for your guidance, but I believe my accommodations are on the other side of the-”

“Hmph, you are funny…”

Cyndras’ eyes widened as he was suddenly being cornered by the bigger man and pushed back against the wall. Clenching his jaw in clear annoyance but otherwise staying still, the Prince leveled a piercing glare at the man and said-

“If you would like this treaty to move forward, sir, you will maintain your distance.”

Cyn narrowed his eyes even further…

“Please.”

But Ranmei just kept getting closer. He grinned, a horrible sharp grin, and Cyndras gagged a little when he smelled the alcohol on his breath and saw the pieces of meat still stuck in the other man’s teeth.

Vile creature. To think, I was ever going to share your bed-

The elder nosed at Cyndras’ throat a bit and shuffled forward.

“Our engagement may have fallen through, but you’re here now. I can still take what I want. And, if you’re so worried about the peace treaty, you’d better do as I say.”

Cyndras wanted to laugh right in his face. He didn’t. He stood there, quietly, and weighed his options…

Kick him in the dick and run, but likely say goodbye to the treaty. Was war and instability really worth preserving his dignity? Cyndras was truthfully a little torn. Then, in his mind’s eye, he saw Solis.

His beautiful lover and best friend… even if Cyndras couldn’t fully commit to ruining a peace agreement for the sake of his pride, he could conceive of ruining a whole lot more for the sake of his love for that man.

Solis had shown him nothing but tenderness and truth. Cyndras had known from the moment they met that the other was vastly morally superior. It was never a hardship to give himself to Solis in every way, and Cyndras would rather give up his life, his Kingdom, and his crown, just to ensure his promise to Solis was kept. The promise of their love, young as it may be.

So, I guess there really is only one thing to be done…

The Prince allowed the bigger man to turn him nice and disheveled; wrinkled clothes, hair pulled out of its intricate ties, bruises all up and down his throat. Cyndras thought about the weather and his soon to be prevalent acting skills. When he felt sufficiently groped, Cyndras delighted a little too much in the sound of Ranmei’s grunting wheeze as the younger Prince grabbed him by the shoulders and delivered a legacy-stunting knee to the groin.

Running as fast as possible to the kitchens which were relatively near, Cyndras busied himself with tearing a few seams of his clothes and biting down hard enough on his lower lip to draw blood. The run had worked up a sweat and by the time he crashed through the kitchen doors and was graciously taken into the arms of the four or five older ladies who served as chefs, Cyndras was flushed red, a bit out of breath, and was successfully crying and sputtering all over the place.

“H-He! It was s-so terrible!”

Dissolving into a fit of sobs, the Prince let himself be held by one of the women and listened to them all croon and murmur in outrage for his state of distress.

“What could have happened?!”

“Oh, you poor thing…”

“We should inform the King immediately-”

Cyndras gasped, shaking his head and blinking more fat tears from his eyes.

“No! You really mustn't! The Prince would be outraged!”

The women gave him both pitying and aggrieved looks, while he shook and tried to hide his face.

“This was obviously Ranmei’s doing… that stupid boy-”

“He is so heartless!”

“How could he hurt our guest?! The King must be told!”

Cyndras hugged and let the women comfort him while one of them snuck off with a determined scowl. Mere moments later, Cyndras was drying his bloodshot eyes while bowing to the King of Xesith, who looked uncomfortable to be standing in the kitchens, likely a place he never had any reason to be.

The man gently took him by the shoulders and told the cooks to get back to work, but it was clear the women were standing by listening. Cyndras was a bit grateful…

“My dear…” the King shook his head in distress.

Whether it was real or not remained to be seen. Cyndras needed him to react to the news of his son’s actions in a public place, but without embarrassing the royal family by taking his story and tears into the main hall. Servants were legendary when it came to palace gossip, so Cyndras was convinced he would be treated as amicably as possible by the King, who needed to show kindness and concern for the visiting Prince, as their budding treaty was still in the works.

Neither side wanted to be the first to cause a scene, but Cyndras had been given no choice. He just hoped he could do it with the least amount of consequences for himself and his kingdom.

“Allow me to apologize for my son’s foolish actions. I hope you were not too frightened, he can be an impulsive boy…”

Cyndras wanted to quip that this impulsive boy was already a man ten years his senior, but he bit his tongue and instead made his voice a little watery and thin as he blinked tears from his eyes and said-

“Thank you, my lord. I fear the Prince and I had a simple misunderstanding. I would not be able to bear it if this hurt our kingdoms’ friendship in any way, so… if the Prince and your Lordship could forget this incident, I will as well.”

The King, of course, was pleased to hear this. One of the cooks offered to escort Cyndras back to his room and then he retired for the night after an extensive bath trying to rid his skin of those disgusting bruises.

For the most part, the following weeks passed uneventfully. Every now and then, Cyndras would get a strange look from a passerby, or hear whispers in the halls. It seemed the rumor mill had done its work and he was protected from seeing Prince Ranmei nearly everywhere he went. The man himself largely avoided Cyndras, and the one time he spoke to him after that night was when the young Prince was set to leave.

“I hope you will return soon, Cyndras.” Ranmei managed to look both hostile and sincere as he smiled and bowed.

It had been an important trip. The work they had done would affect his Kingdom for many generations. Still, Cyn spent the entire ride home in the carriage thinking a variety of thoughts, all of which centered upon how much he wished to never set foot in Xesith ever again.

I used to be so nonchalant about whoever fancied me… my, how things change.

Cyndras decided that it must be Solis, the man who single-handedly taught Cyn that he was not just a pretty face nor beautiful vessel to be used and admired by others on a whim. Cyndras used to believe, truly, that he had been cursed with beauty, and because of that, he was destined to a life of loneliness, never sure who loved him for his soul versus his face. That fear of being separated from everyone by this unseen partition had always been what he used both as a shield, and an excuse. To find things to hate in others, and despise in himself.

How strange, he thought, watching Versilla appear in the distance. To be so sure of one’s place in this world, only to find with a simple perspective shift, nothing was ever as it seemed…

Cyndras was many things, in fact, he was still discovering most of them. He was beautiful, and he was full of rage. He was lazy, and passionate, and sometimes wanted to just disappear off the face of the earth, like the sun dipping below the sea and blinking out of existence.

Cyndras was many things, and what he was pleased to discover was that at his core, he was stubborn. And he held grudges for many, many years. That would prove to be an unfortunate truth for the eldest Prince of Xesith. Peace treaties aside, Cyndras was unable to overlook pure unmannerly behavior.

If it took a year or two for the impotence-causing poison to find its way into Prince Ranmei’s goblet, Cyndras didn’t mind.

He had also discovered he possessed quite a multitude of patience.