Walking up thousands of steps to reach the princess’ room was no easy task. Mikhail wondered if this could be considered another trial. Just how many trials did the fairies actually set for people? They said in the dream that there were only three trials, with one of them fighting the dragon.

The second trial was to fight one of the fairies and he could only assume the first was to get through the rose bushes and not die from the thorns and wildlings.

It was not often he wished to grow wings and fly, but this was one of those rare times. With every heavy step he took, he wondered if he should take off his armor. It would be a lot easier for him if he did, but he wasn’t sure what exactly awaited him at the top of the tower. He wouldn’t put it past the fairies to have another final trial, a secret trial, right before the princess’ room.

Mikhail couldn’t believe it was finally over, the night of suffering was done.

Once the princess was safe, his future was practically set. He would unite the kingdoms of Märchen and Stachel with his wife, the princess, his future queen. 

At least that was the plan before he met the bard Danico.

Back at the camp, Mikhail would find himself thinking about a future with the bard instead of the princess right before he fell asleep.

What if he took the bard as his queen instead and they ruled the kingdoms together? Perhaps the princess would be alright with that instead of forcing her into marriage with a man she barely knew. She could always travel the world instead and learn about all the things she missed ever since she fell asleep.

If she was against it, then he could take the bard as his lover. It wasn’t uncommon for kings to have a mistress, but his parents would surely frown upon his decision. What they had was special, they married out of love and not for any political reasons. Mikhail wanted what his parents has, a marriage made of love. The king and queen wanted the same for him, but at the same time, they required him to produce an heir unless he was willing to give the throne up for Jabril.

And Mikhail did not want that. 

Jabril, his sweet brother, was soft and kind. Mikhail feared he would become nothing more than a puppet king of the high council if he let his brother take the crown.

If the bard had some power to produce an heir, his problems would be solved. But they were both men and it was impossible. But then, was the bard even human? The skills he showed made Mikhail doubt him to be of the same species as him. Perhaps he was secretly an elf, he was certainly pretty enough to be one.

Mikhail stopped those thoughts. It was unfair to the princess for him to take a paramour and he’d rather not have a future where the bard would be nothing but his mistress. But at the same time, he wanted Danico to stay by his side.

Thinking of him leaving and forgetting him left an ache in his chest. He wasn’t oblivious to his own feelings, he knew what love felt like the moment he realized he enjoyed the witty bard’s company. 

He wanted a future with the bard where they would wander around the royal gardens hand in hand with Danico holding his arm. They would stop to look at the beautiful flowers and he would hum a lovely tune.

But those dreams shattered the moment he confessed and saw the disgust in the bard’s eyes. He should have known a free spirit like him would detest the idea of marriage and being shackled to one person.

Mikhail was heartbroken when he found out Danico had run away from the camp. But the heart break didn’t last long as he prepared to enter the Rose Garden. He hoped Danico wouldn’t ever meet anyone from the army, for he would be branded as a deserter, and there’s nothing Mikhail could do but punish him.

However, imagine his surprise when he stumbled upon the bard in the dangerous Rose Garden, holding a sword radiating darkness and hacking at the thorns with ease.

“Drop it,” the prince ordered. “That sword is clearly evil.”

He was relieved when the bard did as he was told without putting up a fight. Mikhail heard evil swords tend to manipulate and twist the minds of their wielders beyond recognition, he was glad the bard was still his cheerful self.

He always had the feeling the bard, Danico, was hiding something from him. He should have been more surprised when Danico finally showed his prowess against the fairy, but he knew, deep down, there was something off with him the moment he locked eyes with that charming face. 

Instincts were telling him to move, to run away and never look back at those green eyes. But he ignored them and used the excuse of love at first sight.

Did the sight of the bard make his blood rush and his stomach do odd flips?

Yes.

Were the feelings a fear response instead of love?

Maybe.

It was better to say he was in love than to admit he was afraid. Afraid of a feeble looking bard and his tinkling laughter.

But Mikhail was sure, somewhere down the line between the first and last lullaby, he did fall in love with the bard. 

He just wished his feelings were requited. 

With a sigh he continued to walk up the stairs. Perhaps one day, he will forget about the bard and his long lilac gray hair and sweet lullabies.

He’d fall in love with the sleeping princess and they’ll live happily ever after.

Mikhail was halfway through the staircase when he heard the sound of footsteps coming from above. His eyes lit up when he saw his friend Sir Faris approaching.

“There you are!” He exclaimed excitedly. Mikhail jogged up the steps but stopped when his friend continued to slowly descend, his footsteps heavy and his face blank. 

It was odd, Faris would have answered him with a quip or at least another greeting back. The man was polite to a fault. “Sir Faris, what happened to your arm?”

The knight looked at his arm, pitch black with fiery red smoke, his stare still as blank as ever. 

Faris looked at Mikhail and lunged.

Danico looked fondly at the green rose. He still thought it looked like a cabbage, but it was the thought that counts right? When was the last time someone has ever given him a gift? Who was the last person to gift him something? A present made just for him.

He remembered his mother, a dainty woman with lilac gray hair and a soft smile. The woman who had given him all she had and cared for him with all her might. The last gift he received from her was a handmade bracelet hidden away in his interdimensional pocket, frayed and far too small for him to use nowadays.

Would Lan Suyan count? The woman with her pitch black hair who looked at him with pitiful eyes had just about begged him to take her healing capabilities. Can that be considered a gift from one person or another? Perhaps not, considering how Lan Suyan thought of her powers as a curse instead.

Really, was Prince Mikhail the only one after his mother?

Warmth filled his cheeks as Danico put the flower inside the interdimensional pocket once more and decided to fly back to the tower.

Something’s been bothering him ever since he flew away and he couldn't put his finger on it until now. He realized the tower most likely had some treasures and weapons hidden in it somewhere and he needed to replenish his gold stash before the start of his next adventure.

It was definitely not because he wanted to see the prince one last time and give him another gift.

He flew as fast as he could back to the tower with its scorched roof. The fireball he created as a small sun didn’t give out much heat, since that would require him to use more mana than necessary. Really, the dragons didn’t need to panic that the castle would burn since the worst that fireball could do was scorch the roof. But the dragon didn’t need to know that what he did was nothing but a bluff to give him time to strategise with Mikhail.

Landing on the only open window of the building. He can only assume that it was the princess’ room with all the red silks and carpet around. 

It was perfect since the door faced the window directly. He can greet Mikhail like this and tease him for having to use the stairs like a common peasant. He patted his green cloak and sat on the windowsill casually. He was still trying to figure out the best pose to greet the prince with, when movement from the corner of his eyes caught his attention.

Danico saw red.