The Crown Of Tears

There are no words to express the pain one feels when the person one loves gets married to someone else.

Prince Angelus lay awake in bed as the memories of the wedding replayed in his head like a bunch of needles sticking to his heart.

The incident rendered him mute like a bird that's lost its wings. He soundlessly stared at the chandelier and the ceiling. Struggling to wrap his head around the fact that Gael and Rose were married.

The loud music from their reception interrupted his peace. The farewell party before the newly wedded couple is sent off to their honeymoon.

Prince Angelus attempted to block out the noise of the celebration with his hands. He lost someone that wasn't his to begin with and the pain plunged him into despair.

What he felt for Gael felt less of earth and more of a cloudless heaven. A weight settled on his heart as he imagined Gael holding his sister's hand and not his.

Disappointment surged through him, and Angelus did his best to hold back the anger in his heart. Dangerous thoughts played around in his mind, and dark glints emitted in his pupils.

Prince Angelus closed his eyes, stinging tears flowing down the corners of his eyes. He hated to feed into his curiosity and wonder what the party was like. The urge to break his doors open and storm the party pounded against his chest.

The prince felt torn between his loss and his longing for Gael. His conflicting feelings pulled him in two different directions, bleeding him dry emotionally and physically.

He wanted to follow his heart to be whole. But his heart was shattered into a million pieces and he didn't know which piece was right or wrong.

Knock! Knock!

"Ye..Yes?"

"Sir, Princess Rose, and Lord Gael are here. They insist on seeing you," Captain Davon reported.

Prince Angelus stared blankly at him. In all the scenarios in his head, he didn't picture the bride and groom who stole his spotlight on his birthday would visit him. The audacity to come and rub their happiness in his face.

"Let them in," he said.

Captain Davon opened his mouth to request the prince to clean up first. However, he swallowed his words and walked out to invite Princess Rose and Lord Gael in.

It was a miracle the prince hadn't requested a change in his head of security. Captain Davon didn't wish to try his luck by overstepping.

"The prince will see you," he informed Rose and Gael. He guided them into the room for an audience with Prince Angelus.

"Brother," Princess Rose rushed over to Angelus's side and embraced him in a tight hug. "I heard about Father's decree. I came in search of you earlier but you weren't anywhere to be found."

Prince Angelus locked eyes with Gael. There was a wall between them that divided their worlds. Gael shone brighter than ever.

It hurt Angelus to watch him shine; Gael glimmered brighter than the sun; he looked too handsome in his wedding attire for Angelus's eyes. It made it hard for Angelus to look at him but it was a struggle for the prince to look away.

His eyes were enough for Angelus to drown in. It became harder for him to breathe as he took the image of Gael and engraved it in his mind.

Tears streamed down his eyes as the dreams he had for their life together crumbled. Prince Angelus couldn't cry the pain away, his perfect picture of a fairytale had gone bad. Gael betrayed him and destroyed every part of him that dreamt of a happy ending.

"I know it's late, but...happy birthday, brother," Princess Rose expressed. She pressed her lips against her brother's cheek and plastered a snap kiss on him without breaking the hug. "I requested Mother to change the theme of my farewell party and merge it with your birthday celebrations. This is my gift to you on this auspicious day," she declared to him.

Gael stepped forward with a small wooden box decorated with a purple ribbon."Happy birthday, Your Highness," he presented the gift to Angelus.

Prince Angelus heard his voice and his resolve came apart. Angelus watched his world stand so close to him and feel as though he was a million miles away.

Princess Rose took the box from Gael. "I'll open it for you," she let out. She heartily opened Gael's birthday gift. Her eyes lit up as she took out the beautiful bluebell pendant. "It's gorgeous!"

Prince Angelus cast his gaze on the pendant, breaking eye contact with Gael. His trembling fingers reached out and brushed against the pendant.

The first gift his first love gave him and he couldn't bring himself to muster a happy feeling. The pendant felt like a mockery of his feelings. Like Gael was thanking him for his feelings and setting him free so he can open himself to his sister.

His throat thickened with sobs. More tears flooded his eyes, "Wow, you've reduced my cold-hearted brother to tears of joy. You're amazing, husband," Princess Rose exclaimed.

'Husband,' the word echoed in Angelus's head repeatedly.

Gael flashed her a weak smile. He wished the tears Angelus shed were ones of joy but he knew better. The prince cried because his heart was broken and Gael found himself partly to blame for it.

A hairpin on Angelus's dressing table caught Princess Rose's attention. She sneakily ambled to the dressing table and picked up the new midnight black butterfly hairpin.

The hairpin went perfectly in sync with the high-neck mermaid evening gown she donned for her farewell party. She picked it up to try it on.

Prince Angelus opened the pendant and found a note inside. His eyebrows furrowed together, and he picked up the note and set the pendant down on the bed.

'I'm deeply sorry for the dejection my rejection has caused you. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me. With regret, Gael,' he read the message in the note.

Angelus raised his gaze. He raised the note to the candle in the lantern by his bedside table. He set it on fire and watched it burn.

Shock registered in Gael's face at Angelus's action. His face went blank; he was at a loss for words to express his regrets in a way that Prince Angelus would understand him.

"How do I look," Princess Rose twirled around. Angelus snapped his head to glance at her, his eyes went bloodshot red in a split second as he spotted the pin Cassiel gifted him on her hair.

"Isn't it enough that you already snatched my world from me, now you want this too?" Angelus snapped.