Prologue
Long ago, there existed two kingdoms. The Aureate kingdom, on the north coast, and the Sovryn kingdom, on the south.
Despite their differences, the kingdoms had been living in peace since they were founded. That is, up until King Cael got to the throne in Aureate. He was a fierce and brutal ruler who started a war between the two nations. It was a seemingly endless battle that had lasted for hundreds of years, until King Haldric of Sovryn decided to call a truce. He agreed to marry his first born son Elio to one of the children of the current Aureate ruler, King Einar.
Chapter1
"The last time we were at peace with Aureate was more than a century ago," Elio mumbled to himself in the carriage carrying him to said kingdom's castle, "I have never even witnessed what peace is. I just hope the truce goes well. I will not fail you, father."
Aureate's castle stood tall, its pure white walls contrasting the dark forests that surrounded it. The structure was truly beautiful, wrapped in soft ivy that climbed up the pale bricks. It was fitting, due to Aureate's reputation of being the "Moon kingdom". The differences between Aureate and Sovryn, the "Sun kingdom", were drastic. Aureate seemed so dull to Elio, compared to his home, the Sovryn kingdom, which bustled with life and color every turn you took.
Trumpets were heard in the distance as the drawbridge was dropped, allowing Elio's carriage to pass. Guards stood left and right, welcoming the young king.
The carriage came to a halt, butlers opening the door. People cheered as Elio stepped out, but he blocked them out, focused solely on getting this done.
He strided towards the castle's entrance, greeted by King Einar's smug grin.
"Welcome, King Elio. Pleased to finally meet you," Einar bowed.
"The pleasure is mine," Elio bowed back.
"I hope you find my daughter Elenor suitable for your hand in marriage," Einar said while escorting Elio to the grand ballroom where the event was held, "she's a clever girl. I think you'll be the perfect couple."
Elio nods, but he wasn't quite listening. He was looking around, taking in the sight of the ballroom. It was huge, bigger than the on in Sovryn's castle. White flowers decorated the soft beige walls illuminated by candles in silver holders. In the center, matching the candle holders, a giant silver chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, casting a cold glow over the room. Elio couldn't lie, the palace was beautifully decorated, but it seemed so... dull. Lifeless, even.
"This way," Einar interrupted his thoughts, guiding him to the long table prepared for the nobles. Elio scanned the people seated; Princess Elenor, Prince Corwin, Prince Perls and Prince Aldric. Those were King Einar's children, sat from eldest to youngest.
All four were dressed appropriately for the event. Elenor wore a pale purple gown with a golden flower crown adorning her ash blonde hair. Corwin had a silver blouse and a white jabot with a sky blue coat hanging from his shoulders. The youngest, Aldric, was dressed in a white blouse, with a light brown vest and knickerbockers, the color similar to his hair. Though the most breathtaking must have been the third born child, Perls. He was ghostly pale, with matching long white hair. His eyes were icy blue, staring coldly into the distance. Wearing a loose, frilly white gown, there was little to no color contrast in the boy's figure. Well, almost all of Aureate lacked it.
Einar showed Elio to his designated seat, reserved for him right next to the king of Aureate Once Elio had sat down, Einar cleared his throat, tapping his fork against a glass.
"Attention, please!" He spoke, the whole ballroom going dead silent, heads turning towards the royals. "I would like to warmly welcome King Elio Sovryn to Aureate," Einar gestures at Elio, "and thank him for finally having the brains to call a truce. I hope it brings many years of peace to our kingdoms and brings our sufferings of the War to an end."
Elio nodded. "It was my father's final decision before he had passed," he said, "and it's my duty to honor him."
The room erupted in cheers. At this point, the War was simply a nuisance and everyone wanted it to end. Elio sank into his chair. This is going to be a long night.
Chapter2
Gentle music was playing in the background as Elio pushed the door leading to the gardens open. He needed a moment to breathe after being pulled onto the dance floor by countless young maidens. The gardens were peaceful and quiet, seemingly empty. Or so Elio thought, until he spotted a lone pale figure sitting on a bench, standing out against the dark bushes and trees. It was Prince Perls, Elio recognized him immediately.
"Is there a special reason for you to be out here or do you simply hate parties?" Elio commented, approaching the prince and sitting down beside him.
Perls seemed lost in thought, but snapped out of it when he heard Elio's voice. He turned his head, looking over the tan-skinned man next to him. "I suppose I simply hate parties. I'm not fond of crowds and loud noises."
"That's odd to hear coming from a prince," Elio teased, leaning back against the bench's backrest, staring up at the clear night sky.
Perls rolled his eyes. "And you?" he crossed one leg over the other, following Elio's gaze up to the stars.
"Same as you," Elio looked back down from the sky, taking a closer look at Perls. The way his blue eyes were watching from behind white lashes was enticing. He really looked like a ghost.
"Then it's not so odd. You're a king, no?"
"I guess you're right," Elio shrugged, resting his hands on his lap and taking in Perl's appearance once more. "You a vampire or something?"
"Very funny."
"I'm serious! You look... sick," Elio stated, gesturing at Perls. "Are you okay? Genuinely asking."
"I'm fine," Perls sighed, "I mostly stay in the castle, that's all."
His aversion of eye contact suggests there's something more, Elio thought, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
"Even if you only go out a little, you'd still gain at least some color in your skin-"
"No offense, but it's really none of your business," Perls interrupted him with a cold glare to follow.
Now Elio was even more certain Perls was hiding something. "Fair enough. After all, we've only now met."
"Percisely," Perls nodded.
An uncomfortable silence followed before Elio stood up, extending a welcoming hand at Perls. "Do you want to take a walk around with me? It's a beautiful night," he offered, putting on a kind, albeit practised smile.
Perls hesitated for a moment, but ended up taking Elio's hand and standing up, letting go when he was on his feet. "It indeed is."
The two walked through the dimly lit garden. Elio occasionally glanced at Perls, watching the way he held himself. He had a very "I don't care" attitude and looked like he really didn't want to be here.
Elio the turned his attention towards the garden itself. Gorgeous moonflowers stood out against the dark bushes. The flowers bloom only at night, and they look as if they're glowing under the moonlight.
"You know, I spend a lot of time in the gardens, back at Sovryn. You should see how colorful they are under the sun."
"I spend quite some time here, too," Perls said, walking ahead of Elio, "I've never seen it during day though..."
"What do you mean?" Elio laughed, "I bet it's even prettier then. Why not visit it while the sun is up?"
"It's not that simple," Perls admitted.
"Oh?"
"I'm... not really allowed..." He trailed off.
Elio blinked. "What do you mean you're not allowed?"
"I mean just that," Perls mumbled, avoiding eye contact.
"Care to elaborate?"
"No."
They continued walking in awkward silence until they reached an open space surrounded by bushes of moonflowers. Elio got to the center and stopped.
"This is a nice spot," he turned around to face Perls. "Can you dance?"
"Of course I can. I was the best in dance classes among my siblings when we were little..." Perls answered, raising a white brow in curiosity.
"Prove it," Elio grins, extending his hand, inviting Perls for a dance.
"What?" Perls blinked. "There's no music."
"So?" Elio shrugged. "We don't need it."
Perls stood there for a second, contemplating his decisions, before stepping closer and taking Elio's hand. "Alright. Show me what you can do."
Elio smiled. "You show me. You're the dance class master here." He placed his free hand on Perls' back, drawing him closer while Perls puts his hand on Elio's shoulder.
Elio started leading the dance. They swayed softly in the garden, dancing to nothing but Elio's quiet humming. From this angle, Perls' pale skin and hair seemed to be glowing, lit up by moonlight, just like the moonflowers planted over Aureate's castle gardens.
They continued dancing, Perls beind occasionally twirled or dipped by Elio.
"You're good," Elio commented, breaking the silence.
"So are you," Perls replied mid twirl.
"I see why you were the best. I've danced with all your siblings tonight, and none were as good as you."
Perls chuckled. "I'm not that good."
"You are!" Elio argued, a grin pulling at the ends of his lips. This was the first time he heard Perls laugh, and he could feel the man warming up to him.
As they slowly came to a stop, Perls spoke up. "About before... I'm not allowed out in the sun to keep my skin pale and perfect, whatever that should be," He admitted.
"What." Elio's heart sank. He couldn't imagine what being unable to see the sun was like. "That's ridiculous! The sun is an important factor in keeping us healthy!"
"Tell that to my father," Perls grumbled, turning his head away.
"Look at me," Elio whispered, gently turning Perls' chin so he faced him. "He's absolutely insane. No parent should treat their child like that."
Perls didn't reply this time, all clever remarks suddenly gone. It broke Elio's heart, seeing him so... sad.
Eventually, Perls spoke up again, making Elio snap out of his thoughts. "It's getting late, we should head back in."
"Yeah... I guess we should," Elio nodded, letting go of Perls and pointing a hand at the path that was leading back to the castle, "after you."
Perls headed down the path, staring at the ground. They were walking in silence, gears turning in Elio's head. He had to give Perls a better life than this, because he was just surviving, not living.
Then it hit him, a light bulb turning on in his head. He reached out, grabbing Perls' wrist to get his attention.
"Let's run away," Elio breathed out once Perls turned around.
Perls was speechless after the sudden suggestion. "I-"
"You can't continue living locked in a castle! I care for your health, because I see you as a friend." Elio interrupted, tightening his grip on Perls' wrist that felt too thin for a man his age.
"F-friend? You barely know me!" Perls stuttered, still in shock.
"So? Friends trust eachother, right? I trust you, and you trusted me enough to open up." Elio was refusing to back down, his mind set on the idea. "You're young, you deserve to see the world, not being deprived off it!"
"I need some time to think..."
"We don't have time! If we don't leave now, I'll get stuck in a loveless marriage with your sister and you'll continue being locked away." Elio's voice was heavy with emotion, making Perls reconsider.
"W-what would my father think?" Perls spoke in a shaky tone.
"I don't care about your father. He's an awful person."
"But Sovryn and your people..."
"They're not fond of me anyways. I think they'd be glad to have my brother as king instead."
All were just reasons encouraging the idea of running away. Perls glanced around, thinking. It was tempting, the thought of finally seeing the sun and the world outside his castle.
"Okay... Let's do it," Perls nods, "Do you have a plan?"
Elio's eyes widen, not expecting Perls to actually agree. A genuine smile brightened his face.
"I do. I have a friend who can help us out, Eric. He's the captain of a pirate ship, but i promise he's a good man."
"H-how will we get there?"
Elio got quiet, thinking for a long moment. "My messenger pigeon should be back in my carriage. It's fast, so i can send Eric a quick message to prepare him-"
"Can you ride a horse?" Perls butted in.
Elio raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Yes, I can."
"Then we can take one from our stables," Perls suggested, "We should be able to get there without being noticed."
"I think they left my carriage somewhere close to there, too." Elio looked up at the sky, which was turning the faintest bit red. The marriage was supposed to be secured at sunrise. "If we want to leave safely, we should get going."
Perls nodded. "The stables are this way," He started walking the dark path leading behind the castle. Elio followed, a million thoughts in his head.
Once they reached the stables, Elio immediately spotted the carriage. Making sure nobody was around, the quietly climbled into it, finding the cage of the pigeon. He found a piece of paper, quickly scribbling a note for Eric. He unlocked the cage, tying the paper to its leg and letting it fly.
When he got out, he found Perls petting a black horse.
"I think we should take this one," Perls said as Elio walked closer, "I never actually rode a horse, but I sometimes come here, and I've grown fond of him."
Elio smiled. "Sure. I've sent the note to Eric. His ship should be anchored somewhere on Aureate's coast, so it shouldn't take long til we get his reply."
"I can't believe we're doing this..." Perls whispered.
"Me neither, " Elio chuckled, "Hey, I found this in the carriage. I though we could use them." He held out two dark cloaks, handing one to Perls.
Perls took the cloak, putting it on and pulling the hood over his head. Elio copied, leaning against the nearest wall.
The two chat for a while, the sky turning more and more a red-ish orange as Elio's pigeon finally returned, carrying a new note. Elio untied it, eyes skimming over the words. He grinned, turning to Perls. "Eric's in."
Perls lit up. "What are we waiting for then?"
Elio quickly mounted the horse, helping Perls sit behind him. He prodded the horse to start moving. Perls was holding tightly on to Elio to prevent himself from falling as the horse cantered out of the stables.
They rode into the night, leaving the castle, leaving the perks of being royalty, leaving both Aureate and Sovryn, leaving everything.
"I hope it'll be worth it..." Perls murmured, his voice drowned by the wind and not reaching Elio's ears.
Chapter3
It didn't take long before the coastline was in sight. There, the silhouette of a lone ship could be seen, quietly waiting for the pair, lights off and sails down.
"Wer're close!" Elio announced, gently kicking the horse's side to make it speed up.
Perls looked up, a sparkle of hope in his eyes as he spots the ship. After years of wondering what was beyond his castle's walls, he would finally see it.
Once they had reached the dock, the horse came to a halt and Elio jumped down, helping Perls after him. By the ship, a tall figure waited in the shadows.
"My, my, you actually did it, El!" A deep voice spoke as the figure stepped into the light. Perls gulped at the sight of the burly and hairy man. He looked just like the pirates Perls had imagined from stories he had heard when he was a kid.
"Hello to you too," Elio sighed.
"The name's Eric, captain of the Nightshade," Eric extended a hand at Perls.
"Prince Perls-" A pause. "Or... just Perls now, I guess." He shook Eric's much larger hand.
"Throwing away the prince title, I like it!" Eric smirked, looking Perls over. "He's quite the beauty, I have to admit-"
"Just let us board." Elio cut him off with an eyeroll.
Eric laughed, helping them onto his ship. His crew was waiting on the main deck, ready to set sail. Perls couldn't help but feel intimidated. They were all tall and muscular, and he was neither.
"Don't worry, they seem scary but they're all bark and no bite." Eric said, noticing Perls' uneasiness.
"They're nice people once you get to know them," Elio chimed in.
Perls nodded, looking around the ship, but his eyes got caught by something he hadn't seen yet.
The sun. Rising over the horizon, bright and golden. His eyes widen, and he walked towards the railings. He pulled off his hood, the soft yellow glow catching in his hair.
"What do you think?" Elio asked, leaning against the railing beside Perls.
"It's..." Perls' eyes fill with tears. "It's everything I've imagined and more."
"Then let's watch the sunrise everyday from now on," Elio promised, "I got you out of that castle, now I'm going to make your life worth living."
Perls let out a shaky breath, wiping tears that fell down his cheeks with his sleeve. In one single day, his whole life changed. It felt as if it had happened in the blink of an eye. Still, words couldn't explain the pure joy he felt in this moment, seeing the sun for the first time ever. Today was the day that changed everything. Today, he was starting a new chapter of his life, with the man who made it possible, his first and closest friend, Elio.