A Royal Obligation
Chapter 83: A Shattered Promise

Chapter 83: A Shattered Promise

The sun had just started to dip below the horizon, casting a soft, golden hue over the palace gardens. It was the kind of serene beauty that would normally calm Eirik, but today it only served as a painful reminder of the turmoil inside him.

He walked slowly, his steps heavy, knowing that every step he took was bringing him closer to the moment he dreaded. Behind him, Sadiki followed in silence. The tension between them was extraordinary visible, the unspoken truth hanging over them like a storm waiting to break.

Eirik couldn’t even bring himself to look at Sadiki as they reached a secluded corner of the garden, surrounded by roses and ivy. This had been their sanctuary once. A place where they could steal moments away from the prying eyes of the Zephyros palace. But today, it felt like a prison, the walls of duty closing in on Eirik from all sides.

They stood there for a moment, neither of them speaking. The silence was deafening, but Eirik didn’t know how to start. He didn’t know how to break the heart of the man he loved, the man who had been there for him through every nightmare, through every fear. His throat tightened, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Sadiki, sensing the weight of the moment, shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting between Eirik and the flowers around them. "My prince," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "What’s going on? Why did you bring me here?"

Eirik swallowed hard. His chest ached, his pulse quickened, and the words he had rehearsed a thousand times seemed to have evaporated from his mind. He turned his gaze towards the ground, unable to face Sadiki.

"I..." His voice cracked, and he hated himself for it. "I don’t know how to say this... but I have to. We have to end this, Sadiki."

Sadiki froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What?" he whispered, though he had heard the words clearly. The air seemed to still around them, and for a moment, everything felt suspended in time.

Sadiki had anticipated this moment, knowing they were merely delaying the inevitable, but the reality struck with the force of a dagger plunging deep into his heart, twisting and tearing at his very soul.

I’m about to marry Kaelix. It’s my duty. Our kingdom... they need this. I have to..."

"I know you have to," Sadiki’s voice trembled with raw emotion.

"But what about us? What about everything we vowed to each other? You promised you wouldn’t leave me, that no matter what..."

His voice cracked, and he clenched his jaw, desperately trying to contain the torrent of emotions threatening to consume him.

Eirik closed his eyes, struggling to steady himself. "I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted this. But I have no choice. I have to put my people first."

"Your people?" Sadiki’s voice rose, raw and anguished. "What about me? Am I not your people? You promised me, my prince. You said we’d always find a way. You swore you wouldn’t let anything come between us. Was all of that a lie?"

"No," Eirik said quickly, shaking his head. "It wasn’t a lie, Sadiki. I meant every word. But things have changed. The marriage is happening, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I’m bound by duty, by..."

Don’t talk to me about duty!" Sadiki exploded, stepping closer, his eyes blazing with hurt and frustration. "This isn’t just about duty, my prince! This is about you choosing him over me. You’re throwing everything we had away, like it meant nothing."

Eirik flinched at the accusation, tears welling up in his eyes. "I’m not choosing him over you. I’m doing this for the kingdom, for my people. If I could... if there was any way to change things, I would. But there isn’t."

Sadiki stared at him, his chest heaving with emotion, tears brimming in his eyes. He shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"You could fight for us, my prince. We could meet in secret. Please, don’t end us. Don’t just give up on us."

Sadiki had known this moment was coming, thought he was prepared for it, but the reality was far more painful than he had imagined. He couldn’t believe how desperate he was becoming, but he couldn’t help it; he just didn’t want to lose Eirik.

"I’m not giving up," Eirik said softly, but even to his own ears, the words sounded hollow. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Sadiki or himself. "This isn’t about us anymore. It’s bigger than that."

Sadiki let out a bitter laugh, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Bigger than us? What could be bigger than the love we had? You told me once that you couldn’t imagine your life without me. Was that just another lie?"

"No," Eirik whispered, his heart shattering as he saw the pain etched across Sadiki’s face. "I didn’t lie, Sadiki. I never lied. I can’t imagine my life without you... but I have to. I have to do this. I don’t have a choice."

Sadiki looked away, his hands trembling as he struggled to contain the storm of emotions raging inside him. "I don’t understand, my prince. I don’t understand how you can just... walk away from everything we’ve built together."

Eirik reached out, placing a hand on Sadiki’s arm, but Sadiki flinched away, the hurt too deep to be soothed by a simple touch. "I’m sorry," Eirik whispered, tears streaming down his face now. "I’m so sorry, Sadiki. I never wanted to hurt you like this. But I don’t have the strength to fight this anymore."

Sadiki’s shoulders slumped in defeat, his anger fading into despair. "You’re really doing this, aren’t you?" His voice was barely audible, a broken whisper that cut through Eirik like a knife.

Eirik nodded, choking back a sob. "I have to."

Sadiki turned away from him, running a hand through his hair as he tried to collect himself. No matter how prepared he thought he was for this moment, nothing could have prepared him for the crushing weight of it. The helplessness, the frustration, the unbearable sense of loss.

"I hate this," Sadiki said quietly, his voice trembling. "I hate that you’re leaving me. I hate that there’s nothing I can do to stop it."

Eirik’s heart ached as he watched Sadiki’s back, knowing that he had just destroyed the one person who had stood by him through everything. "I hate it too," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I hate that I’m breaking my promises to you. But I don’t know how to fix this."

Sadiki turned around, his eyes filled with unshed tears. "You can’t," he said, his voice hollow. "You’ve already made your choice."

Without another word, Sadiki turned and walked away, his footsteps heavy on the stone path. Eirik watched him go, his heart shattering into a million pieces with every step Sadiki took.

The memory of their time in Valeidio flooded his mind, the nights Sadiki had held him close, comforting him through his nightmares. The promises they had made under the stars.

"Forgive me, Sadiki," Eirik murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "I’m so sorry."

But his words were carried away by the wind as Sadiki vanished from his sight, leaving Eirik alone in the garden, the crushing weight of his broken promises pressing down on him.

He stood there, paralyzed, gazing at the empty path where Sadiki had disappeared, questioning if he would ever feel whole again.