The Cursed Prince

Chapter 882: Julian Meets The King Of Verona

Prince Liam was happy that 'Harlow' was pleased with the story. So, he continued.

"Instead, he actually managed to steal the shell necklace off her neck and resurfaced. Then he quickly escaped further into the land so she wasn't able to follow him, when he checked the item he obtained, it turned out to be a necklace that produced magical pearls which contributed to the beginning of Verona."

"Mermaid's tears," Rowena said.

"So when we say Wishing Mermaid Lagoon, it's actually because the Mermaid no doubt wants the shell necklace back and the people of Verona just throw things into the lagoon to spite her." Prince Liam chuckled.

Rowena stared at Julian and said. "You're trying to mess with me, right?"

"Of course not!" Prince Liam laughed. "That's the true story."

Rowena looked at him and couldn't help but smile. The laugh Julian gave right now was of someone who seemed so free and relaxed, it seemed that her decision to have them move out of the valley was the right choice.

On the other hand, Prince Liam felt like his chest was light.

He didn't expect that it would be so amazing to actually get out and talk with another person. In his previous escapes, he didn't get much of a chance to talk with others beyond ordinary conversation, but the story was actually special to the Verona Royal Family.

"Thank you for telling me the story, Harland.," Rowena said. "I'm not exactly sure if we need to come here during the full moon to verify if that legend is true, but I am feeling a bit famished. We should head back to our inn and get something to eat, okay?"

Prince Liam knew that he should have already returned hours earlier, but as he looked at 'Harlow' and saw her smile… he thought that it wouldn't be so bad to have dinner. It wasn't every day that one had an adventure.

***

Bad luck or not, that wasn't any reason for Julian to give up. One didn't expect to survive any troubles in life if they felt disheartened by a small roadblock, instead, Julian moved fast and sprung into action.

Julian looked out the window of the crown prince's chambers and already started to gauge how dangerous it would be to fall from the third floor of the palace.

Luckily for him, he wasn't one who gave up easily, especially when he saw the trees near the window.

If he managed to reach the trees, he wouldn't die or break his back if he fell.

Julian immediately glanced over his shoulders, took a quick inventory of the room, and came to a fast conclusion.

"Bedsheets!."

He found sheets, quilts, blankets, curtains, and other materials to tie them together and act as leverage when he jumped out of the window. There was a secure pillar he could wrap the rope around to use as a harness.

Unfortunately for him, so

meone suddenly knocked on his door before he could set his plan into motion.

"Who is it? I'm getting dressed." Julian called out. "I don't need any assistance to help me out. I can handle it by myself."

Unfortunately for him, the voice that answered him was not any servant, his bodyguard... but an unrecognizable one.

"Do not worry, I'm here to talk with you, Liam." The door twisted open and Julian's eyes widened.

He was forced to hide all of the tied together cloth underneath his bed and spun around to meet face to face with another person who looked like him.

Or someone who might have looked like Julian if he was much older.

The crown around the older man's head revealed his position immediately. This person was no other than the King of Verona and the father of Crown Prince Liam.

Julian immediately swept into a low bow to hide the shock and emotions that pounded its way into his heart.

He didn't expect that someone would look so much like him.

"Pull it together, Julian," he whispered underneath his breath.

"Liam, I've heard that you've left the palace earlier today." the king greeted him.

"A-ah, yes…" Before Julian made an appropriate excuse, the older man stepped forward and clapped his back with a friendly chuckle.

"When I was your age, I did the same exact thing. We can't help it, we're wanderers, adventurers in blood but rulers in position."

"Really... Father?" Julian asked uncertainly.

"Of course." The king laughed.

His laughter stunned Julian even further.

"Did you not pay attention to my stories, or did you fall asleep when I told them? Presumably the latter. But you didn't have to run away if you wanted to escape our spar. No need to be unconfident, it might take you five more—no, maybe ten more years before you can defeat me in a duel. But only because that's when my age will get to me."

Julian didn't know what to say. He expected something else when he heard that he would be meeting with the king of Verona, but the conversation so far had nothing been more but pleasant.

"Look at me boy. Why are you keeping your head so low? You're not usually this respectful." the king said.

"A-ah, I'm sorry." Julian blurted out and stood up straighter.

"Why are you apologizing?" the king asked. "You don't regret what you did, right?"

The way that the King of Verona spoke and acted really made a weird feeling in Julian's gut, it made his throat dry and he wasn't able to quickly come up with a smooth excuse.

He couldn't help but keep looking at the older man. It made him feel awed. It was truly as if looking at himself… twenty something years from now.

Julian swallowed hard. "It's not that I want to avoid you but..."

"Well, let's just settle it with a spar tomorrow and not today," the king said as he glanced out the window and took in the view, the sky was now a bit darker as the sun was setting down."It's already late and supper will be served in ten minutes."

"I... see," Julian said. "Thank you. I will join you in a bit, Father. I need to take care of something."

The King of Verona chuckled. "Do not try to skip this meal. While I'm more understanding of your exploits, your mother is furious as usual."

Julian realized that it was his mother that seemed temperamental then.