The Crown Prince's Love
Chapter 34

No one spoke until the king stood up from the brown couch in the room. "Leave the room, you two." He ordered after a moment of silence. "Dad, what are you doing?" Sonnia asked.

"You don't have to blame Desmond for this. He doesn't know anything and..."

The king's deep blue eyes met hers, and I had expected him to shout, but instead, he walked towards her and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm not going to blame Desmond for what happened." He promised. Sonnia nodded in response and then grabbed Noah's ears as he was about to speak. "I believe you forgot to put cotton in your ears when Dad spoke." She scolded him, pulling him out of the room amid his protests. Once they were out and the door closed, the king resumed the conversation.

Once the door closed behind them, the queen sighed and pressed her hand to her forehead. "I can't believe I'm stuck with them." She said, then pointed toward me. "So, tell me, Desmond. What happened with Randy? Where did you both go?"

I lowered my head, almost gasping in shock when I felt the king's hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it.

"Speak right now, or I will inform your father about how you failed to protect the crown prince, your responsibility. I will let him know how you were unable to do your job." He threatened, knowing how I loved my father and hoping that I continue to make him proud.

The king removed his hand from my shoulder and joined the queen on the couch, crossing his legs. "Go on, and trust me, you wouldn't want me to stand up again."

"Yes, Your Highness," I replied and cleared my throat. "The thing is..." I began to explain about our trip to the mountains, leaving out the couple part. I lied to them, saying Randy wanted to see the mountains, and I surprised him with the trip to fulfill his desires.

"And so when you both returned, you were attacked?" The king asked, but I shook my head in response. "So what happened?" He asked curiously.

"We were both fine, and I made sure no one followed us. Someone appeared in the school and fired at the prince. I..."

"You saw their face?"

"No, no, your highness. I was unable to see their faces because they were wearing a black mask, and it all happened too quickly."

"Hmm," The king mused. "Why didn't you go after the assailant?"

I widened my eyes at his question, wondering why he was asking that. "I had no other option but to protect the prince, Your Highness," I replied sincerely.

"If the crown prince was your priority, then why did you take him out of school without permission? By doing that, you have drawn the attention of our enemies, and the crown prince was attacked. What do you have to say concerning that?" He asked.

"I..." I couldn't say anything as my voice trembled. "I..."

"Calm down, Desmond, and don't be afraid. Tell us," The queen urged me. "Was there anything unusual that happened during your trip?"

The nightmare. I suddenly remembered the nightmare and contemplated whether to tell them, as it was the only clue to replaceing the assailant.

I looked from the king's stoic expression to the queen's concerned face. I closed my eyes for a brief moment as I thought about what to say, and then I decided to tell the whole truth.

"I heard a voice in my dream," I replied, capturing their attention as they shifted on the couch.

"What did the voice sound like, and what did you hear?" The queen asked.

"It was a female's voice, your highness, and it warned me to stay away from the prince." I replied, leaving out the part where I was told I had to die on my birthday. I didn't want to raise any false alarms and make Randy, our parents, and them fear.

"Oh no." The queen exclaimed, jumping to her feet, and the king followed suit. "She's back," She said. "We have to tell Helen!"

I furrowed my brow, wondering what she meant by that. Then, she walked over to Randy's bed, held his hand, and gently rubbed it. "The voice truly returns, and now it's after you." She sighed and turned to face me. "She's back." She repeated, but I couldn't figure out what she meant.

I gave her a questioning look, waiting for her to explain further, but she didn't say anything else.

The king spoke up and issued his orders. "If you truly heard that voice in your dreams, then you must stay away from the prince until we figure it out."

My world suddenly came crashing down.

~Randy~

I couldn't make sense of it all. One moment, I was getting shot in the chest, falling into Desmond's arms, and now, I found myself in the middle of a vast, golden field, surrounded by a hostile crowd. They glared at me and pointed fingers.

"You don't deserve to be alive!" "How dare you still act as the crown prince when you're a disgrace!"

"You should be deposed because you're not fit to be the crown prince!"

I stared back at them as they passed their judgment, but I didn't reply. Desmond stood by my side, holding my hand and smiling at me. At least, I knew he had my back, and we could face the world together. I clung to Desmond's hand, knowing he was my lifeline. I couldn't care about what others thought.

For a brief moment, we were united, until those around us started shouting and hurling insults.

"Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?" One of them yelled.

"We can't allow someone as pathetic as you to rule as the king because you don't deserve it!" Another said, and they all agreed.

"We don't want your relationship. End it or be dethroned!" They chanted, their voices deafening.

Suddenly, Desmond yanked his hand away and walked to join the others. "I apologize, but I can't do this anymore." He told me, pointing a finger. "I can't be with another man."

My eyes widened at his sudden betrayal.

I never expected him to join in mocking me.

The person I trusted had let me down, and it was infuriating.