Chapter 129: The Crown Prince

The great hall of House Valen was already prepared for the Crown Prince.

Tall candles burned along the walls, filling the enormous room with warm golden light. Servants moved quietly between the tables, making sure everything was perfect.

At the far end of the hall stood Lady Valen.

Rin’s mother.

She wore a dark blue gown decorated with silver embroidery, her posture straight and expression cold.

Beside her stood a young man.

The Crown Prince.

Rin stopped at the entrance.

For a moment, he simply observed him.

The prince was around Rin’s age, perhaps slightly older. He wore formal royal clothing, a dark coat embroidered with the symbol of the kingdom. His expression was calm and polite, but there was something distant in his eyes.

This was the man Aelion was supposed to marry.

Rin felt absolutely nothing.

Not even the slightest attraction.

Instead, he thought of Eryndor.

So this is where it begins.

Aelion’s voice appeared quietly in his mind.

Rin didn’t answer.

His mother noticed him.

"Aelion."

Rin walked into the hall.

"Mother."

"You kept the Crown Prince waiting."

Rin glanced toward the prince.

"I’m sorry."

The Crown Prince smiled.

"It is no problem."

His voice was calm.

"I was happy to wait."

Rin studied him carefully.

There was no hostility in his expression.

No arrogance.

No cruelty.

That almost made things worse.

Because Rin couldn’t hate him.

He wasn’t some villain standing between Eryndor and Aelion.

He was simply a person who had been placed into the same arrangement.

His mother had decided their futures before either of them could choose.

Lady Valen gestured toward the Crown Prince.

"Come. You should speak with him."

Rin didn’t move.

His mother frowned.

"Aelion."

"I have something to say."

The hall became quiet.

The servants stopped moving.

The Crown Prince looked at him with curiosity.

Lady Valen’s expression hardened.

"What is it?"

Rin took a breath.

"I don’t want the engagement."

Silence.

One of the servants nearly dropped a silver tray.

Lady Valen stared at her son.

"What did you say?"

"I said I don’t want to marry the Crown Prince."

Her face became colder.

"You will."

"No."

The word echoed through the hall.

The Crown Prince’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

Lady Valen stepped toward him.

"You seem to have forgotten who you are."

"I haven’t."

"You are the heir of House Valen."

"I know."

"You have a responsibility."

"I know."

"You will marry the Crown Prince because your family requires this alliance."

Rin shook his head.

"No."

His mother stared at him.

"You’ve been spending too much time with that servant."

Rin’s expression changed immediately.

There it was.

Eryndor.

She had brought him into the conversation without even needing to say his name.

"This has nothing to do with him."

"Everything has to do with him."

"No."

"You have refused every suitable marriage proposal since childhood."

Rin said nothing.

"Why?"

She stepped closer.

"Because of him."

Rin’s jaw tightened.

The Crown Prince remained silent.

His eyes moved between Rin and Lady Valen.

Lady Valen continued.

"You embarrass this family."

Rin looked at her.

"Because I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love?"

"Love."

She almost laughed.

"What does a seventeen-year-old boy know about love?"

Rin didn’t answer.

Because he knew.

More than she could ever imagine.

He knew what it meant to love someone across lives.

Across worlds.

Across death.

He knew what it meant to lose someone and keep searching.

He knew what it meant to hear someone say his name after centuries of waiting.

His mother’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You will marry the Crown Prince."

"No."

"You will."

"No."

Her expression darkened.

"Then perhaps I should remind you what happens when you disobey me."

Rin immediately understood.

"Eryndor."

Lady Valen smiled coldly.

"Yes."

The Crown Prince finally spoke.

"Lady Valen."

She turned toward him.

"Your Highness?"

"I don’t believe threats are necessary."

She frowned.

"This is a family matter."

"I understand."

The Crown Prince looked at Rin.

"But I would like to speak with him privately."

Lady Valen hesitated.

Then she nodded.

"Very well."

She turned toward the servants.

"Everyone leave."

One by one, the servants left the hall.

Soon only Rin and the Crown Prince remained.

Rin stood silently.

The Crown Prince walked toward one of the windows.

After a moment, he spoke.

"You really don’t want this marriage."

"No."

"Because of Eryndor?"

Rin looked at him.

"Yes."

The prince smiled faintly.

"I thought so."

Rin was surprised.

"You knew?"

"I’ve heard stories."

"What stories?"

"That the young master of House Valen has been inseparable from a servant since childhood."

Rin sighed.

"People exaggerate."

"Perhaps."

The Crown Prince looked at him.

"Do you love him?"

Rin froze.

He hadn’t expected such a direct question.

He looked away.

"I don’t know."

That was the safest answer.

The prince nodded.

"I understand."

Rin studied him.

"Do you want this marriage?"

The prince was quiet for a moment.

Then he shook his head.

"Not particularly."

Rin blinked.

"What?"

"I don’t know you."

He gave a small smile.

"And you don’t know me."

Rin didn’t know what to say.

The prince continued.

"Our parents decided this long before we had any opinion."

"So you would cancel it?"

"If I could."

Rin stared at him.

"Then why don’t you?"

"Because kingdoms are not built on what people want."

The prince looked toward the courtyard.

"They are built on agreements."

Rin felt a strange sadness.

He had expected an enemy.

Instead, he found someone trapped by the same system.

The prince turned toward him.

"However..."

"What?"

"I have one condition."

Rin frowned.

"What condition?"

"If you truly don’t want this marriage, don’t run away."

Rin was surprised.

"Why?"

"Because running will make your mother blame Eryndor."

Rin’s expression changed.

The prince had understood immediately.

"If you leave this house, she will assume he convinced you."

Rin clenched his fists.

"Then what should I do?"

"Stand here."

The prince stepped closer.

"Refuse publicly."

Rin looked at him.

"And if she punishes him?"

The prince’s expression became serious.

"Then I will speak to the King."

Rin stared.

"Why would you help me?"

"Because I don’t want a wife who doesn’t want me."

Rin almost laughed.

"I’m a man."

The prince smiled.

"That makes this arrangement even stranger."

Rin couldn’t help smiling.

For the first time that morning, the tension in his chest loosened.

The prince extended his hand.

"Perhaps we can help each other."

Rin looked at the offered hand.

Then he shook it.

"Agreed."

The doors suddenly opened.

Lady Valen returned.

Her eyes immediately fell on their joined hands.

She misunderstood the gesture.

For a moment, relief crossed her face.

Then Rin spoke.

"Mother."

She looked at him.

"The Crown Prince and I have reached an agreement."

Lady Valen smiled.

"Good."

"We both refuse the engagement."

Her smile disappeared.

The silence that followed was absolute.

"What?"

The Crown Prince stepped forward.

"Lady Valen, I cannot marry someone who doesn’t wish to marry me."

Her expression became furious.

"Your Highness, with respect, this marriage was approved by the King."

"And the King will hear my opinion."

Lady Valen looked at Rin.

"You."

Rin remained calm.

"I told you."

"You dare humiliate me in front of the Crown Prince?"

"I didn’t humiliate you."

"You will regret this."

Rin’s heart sank.

He knew exactly what she would do next.

She turned toward the doors.

"Bring me Eryndor."

Rin stepped forward.

"No."

Lady Valen looked at him.

"You don’t command me."

"And you don’t command him."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You think you can protect him forever?"

Rin’s hands tightened.

"Yes."

The words came without hesitation.

His mother stared at him.

Then she smiled.

"Very well."

She turned away.

"Let’s see how long that confidence lasts."

Rin watched her leave.

The Crown Prince remained beside him.

"That went badly."

Rin sighed.

"Very."

"Are you worried?"

"Yes."

"For Eryndor?"

"Always."

The prince looked at him thoughtfully.

"You really do care about him."

Rin didn’t answer.

Because he did.

More than he could explain.

But there was another reason.

Every time he looked at Eryndor, he saw the future.

He saw the man Eryndor would become.

He saw Kaelith.

And somewhere deep inside his heart, he feared what would happen if he changed too much.

Aelion’s voice returned.

You have made your first choice.

Rin closed his eyes.

"Then I’ll make the next one too."

The Crown Prince frowned.

"Did you say something?"

"No."

Rin turned toward the doors.

"We need to find Eryndor."

They left the hall.

But neither of them noticed the figure standing at the end of the corridor.

Eryndor.

He had heard everything.

He had heard Rin refuse the Crown Prince.

He had heard Lady Valen threaten him.

And he had heard Rin say that he would protect him.

Eryndor lowered his head.

His hands trembled slightly.

Because for the first time in his life, he began to wonder whether his friendship with Aelion had already become something dangerous.

Something that could destroy both of them.

He whispered,

"Aelion..."

Then he heard footsteps approaching.

He looked up.

Rin was coming toward him.

Their eyes met.

Neither spoke.

And somewhere far beyond House Valen...

Something ancient opened its eyes.

Something that had been waiting for this moment for centuries.

A voice whispered through the wind:

"The past has begun to move."