A Royal Obligation
Chapter 86: The Final Closure

Chapter 86: The Final Closure

The soft creak of the door barely broke the silence as Sadiki stepped into the chambers that Prince Eirik now shared with Prince Kaelix. The weight of the moment pressed heavily on his chest as he moved across the room, his footsteps careful, quiet.

Eirik stood by the window, his back to the door, the early evening light casting a soft glow across his figure. His shoulders were tense, his posture rigid, as if he had been preparing himself for this encounter just as much as Sadiki had. The prince didn’t turn to face him, but Sadiki could see the faintest tilt of his head, acknowledging his presence.

Sadiki’s throat tightened, but he forced himself to speak. "Your Highness."

At the sound of his voice, Eirik finally turned, his purple eyes shadowed by a mix of emotions, regret, guilt, sorrow. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them was clear as day. There were so many things that needed to be said, so many things that should have been said, but now... now they were at the end.

"I’m sorry, Sadiki." Eirik’s voice broke the silence, soft yet heavy with the weight of his apology. "I never meant for it to come to this. I never wanted to hurt you."

Sadiki swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding slowly. He had heard those words before, but it still cut deep. "I know. And I was unreasonable... I gave you a hard time." His voice cracked slightly, and he closed his eyes briefly, composing himself before continuing. "I tried to push through when I knew duty had to come first. I shouldn’t have..."

"Stop." Eirik stepped forward, shaking his head. "You don’t need to apologize. None of this is your fault. If anything, I failed you. I made promises I couldn’t keep."

The air between them grew heavy with the truth of that statement. Eirik had made promises, promises of a future, of a love that could defy the constraints of royalty, of obligations. But in the end, those promises had crumbled under the weight of duty, of politics, of expectations.

Sadiki looked away, his chest tightening painfully. "I understand now," he said quietly, his voice strained but steady. "Your duty... it had to come first. It always had to come first." He forced himself to meet Eirik’s eyes, even as his heart ached. "That’s why I’m giving you my blessing. You have to move on. You... you have a kingdom to think about. A future to build with Prince Kaelix."

The words came out stronger than he expected, but they left a bitter taste in his mouth. Even as he spoke them, even as he knew this was the right thing to do, it didn’t stop the pain from tearing at his heart.

Eirik’s face contorted with emotion, and he took another step forward, reaching out as if to touch Sadiki but stopping himself. "I never wanted it to end like this," he whispered, his voice raw. "I never wanted to let you go."

"But you had to," Sadiki replied, his voice trembling slightly. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "And now... now we have to understand that it’s over."

The finality of those words hung between them like a heavy fog. Neither of them knew how to bridge the gap between what they had once been and what they had now become. There was no going back, no undoing the choices that had been made. This was the end, and they both had to live with it.

Sadiki’s eyes burned, but he refused to let the tears fall. He had to be strong, not just for himself, but for Eirik as well. "I want you to be happy," he said, forcing a small, sad smile. "With Kaelix... with your future. I want you to be the prince, the ruler, you were supposed to be."

Eirik’s breath hitched, and he looked away, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I don’t know if I can be that person," he admitted quietly. "Not after everything... not after you."

"You will be," Sadiki said firmly, surprising even himself with the conviction in his voice. "You’re stronger than you think, Your Highness. You’ll do what’s right because that’s who you are."

Eirik’s shoulders slumped, and for a moment, he looked so vulnerable, so conflicted, that Sadiki’s heart nearly shattered all over again. But he couldn’t allow himself to break, not now. He had come here for closure, for a goodbye, and he needed to see it through.

Slowly, painfully, Sadiki straightened, taking one last look at the man he had loved so fiercely, so deeply. The heartbreak was still fresh, still raw, but beneath it all, there was a sense of peace. He had said his goodbyes. He had let go.

"Excuse me, Your Highness" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Eirik’s eyes met his, fill with emotion, but he didn’t speak. There was nothing left to say. Sadiki bowed his head respectfully, turned, and made his way toward the door.

Just as his hand touched the handle, the door swung open, revealing Prince Kaelix on the other side. Kaelix froze, his expression shifting from surprise to realization in an instant. He glanced between Sadiki and Eirik, clearly aware that he had just interrupted something significant.

Sadiki quickly bowed, keeping his expression neutral. "Your Highness."

Kaelix’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, a flash of understanding crossing his features, but he nodded curtly. "Sadiki."

With that, Sadiki slipped past him, leaving the two princes alone in their chambers. The door closed softly behind him, and as Sadiki walked away, he felt a strange mixture of relief and grief settle in his chest. This was the end of their love story, and while it hurt more than anything he had ever experienced, he knew it was necessary.

Inside the room, Kaelix turned to Eirik, who was standing by the window, his back still to him. The tension in the room was thick, and Kaelix took a cautious step forward.

"Are you alright?" Kaelix asked, his voice softer than usual as he approached Eirik.

Eirik didn’t respond right away. He stood still, his gaze focused on the horizon beyond the window, the last traces of sunlight fading into the evening sky. His breathing was uneven, and Kaelix could see the way his hands trembled ever so slightly at his sides.

"I ended it with Sadiki," Eirik said finally, his voice quiet and strained.

Kaelix exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He had known this moment would come eventually, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely. He could feel the weight of Eirik’s decision in the air, heavy and suffocating.

"And are you alright?" Kaelix repeated, his eyes fixed on Eirik’s back, watching for any sign of what the prince was feeling.

Eirik let out a ragged breath, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of the world had been lifted from them, only to be replaced by a different kind of burden. "I will be," he replied, though his voice wavered with emotion.

Kaelix moved closer, hesitating for a moment before resting a hand on Eirik’s shoulder. "You made the right decision."

Eirik turned to face him, his eyes glassy with unshed tears, his expression a mixture of sadness and acceptance. "It doesn’t feel like it," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kaelix’s expression softened, and he squeezed Eirik’s shoulder gently. "It will, in time."

Eirik nodded, though he didn’t look entirely convinced. He blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and turned his gaze back to the window, to the world outside that seemed so distant, so indifferent to the heartache inside the room.

"I hope you’re right," Eirik whispered, though his heart ached with the love he has just end.

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