'I won't forget, Pier. That's my gift for you, happy birthday,'

He thought as the young master played the final key.

People watched in awe at the performance.

There were those who had their eyes wide open

There were those who held their breaths

There were those whose heart ached

and there were those who cried.

Asher watched as the young master cried while he played.

Tears were streaming down Pier's cheeks as he smiled while closing his eyes. The sparkles produced by the light orbs floated around the young master as they tried to console the crying individual.

Asher immediately let go of Elena as he hurriedly walked towards the young master on top of the platform.

It felt all so wrong for him.

It felt so wrong seeing Pier cry, it felt so wrong seeing him down.

Asher can hear his own steps as he went to the young master who had his head down after he finished playing.

"Pier!" He went to grab the young master's shoulder but Pier did not respond. Pier kept his head down while his hands shook.

"P-Pier, are you okay?!" Asher exclaimed in worry.

'This...' Pier said as he looked at his hands that were atop of the piano keys.

"Pier!" Asher called again and this time, the young master looked up at him. Asher flinched when Pier's blue eyes stared at his own.

"Can I go now, your highness? I have already played for you and Lady Elena. I want to be alone for the moment," He said softly and Asher felt his chest tighten at the soft and quiet voice the young master used.

"Y-You can rest now, Pier. Th-Thank you," Asher said, unsure of what to tell the young master.

Pier nodded his head before he stood up from the stool and started to walk down the steps of the platform. People watched as the young master walked.

"Young master, that was so beautiful!"

"Young master, you are an inspiration to all of us!"

"Young master!"

People gave their praises as Pier passed them, however, the young master did not even look at a single person until he fully got out of the grand hall.

Pier walked aimlessly. His mind was somewhere else as his feet carried him to a place in the palace.

'This...' He thought again as he looked at his hand. Small transparent orbs could be seen forming in his hand.

'What's happening?' He did not know what to do because the small orbs kept on appearing and disappearing again.

It was then that Pier noticed he had reached the palace's garden.

He started to walk towards the pavilion located at the center of the garden. His steps were sluggish because he felt tired after playing.

When he entered the pavilion, Pier proceeded to sit on one of the chairs that surrounded a huge table.

He breathed in multiple times as his heart paced for unknown reasons.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked as he stared at his hand again and the small orbs appeared once more.

"What's this?" He whispered-breathed. He did not know what the orbs were because it was not both from his wind and fire magic.

Rustle! Rustle!

Pier instinctively looked at the rustling at the pavilion's corners.

'Huh?' No, he did not have the energy to even check what was rustling at the bushes beside the pavilion. He only stared as the patch of plants moved and shake.

It was then, something familiar came out from the bushes.

Kraa! Kraa!

"A Crow?" Pier watched as a crow come out from the bushes and started jumping towards him.

"Wha-"

"Pier!" However, the crow did not even get to take a decrease the distance between them by half, a voice called out to Pier.

Pier turned his head at the source of the voice and there he saw the Crown Prince, wearing his royalty suit running towards him.

'Fuck'

He cursed as he watched Asher come towards him.

'Why is he here of all times, I thought I said I wanted to be alone?!'

He wanted to leave but he was too tired to do so.

"Pier..." Asher called again when he reached the young master. He saw Pier sitting on one of the stools and his heart wrenched at the sight of the young master alone.

"Your highness, what are you doing here?" Pier asked as he looked at Asher straight in the eyes.

The Crown Prince flinched at the sudden stare Pier gave him.

"I'm sorry, I know you wanted to be alone but I was worried." Pier's strings of patience immediately snapped at the Crown Prince who did not know how to mind his own business.

"Please go back, your highness," Pier lowly said as he turned his head away from looking at Asher.

"Pier, no, I wanted to make sure you're alright-"

"I said go back, your highness!" He screamed as he stood up. The chair toppled over at the action and Asher's eyes widened in response.

"Pier-"

"No, your highness! Please mind your own business and let me be alone just for once!"

Pier was frustrated.

He was not feeling well for unknown reasons and the Crown Prince was still bothering him nonstop.

"Pier, no! I will not leave you alone!" The Crown Prince retaliated as he took a step forward to the young master.

Pier's eyebrows furrowed at Asher's hardheadedness.

"Why, your highness, why won't you leave me alone?" Asher gulped as he stared at the young master who had an unpleased look on his face.

"I don't want to see you alone, Pier" The young master stared at the Crown Prince dumbfoundedly.

"That's it?"

"P-Pardon?"

"That's it? You don't want me to be alone so you constantly try to involve yourself with me always?" He asked. The Crown Prince had a nervous look on his face as Pier's mocking look got through his mental defenses.

"No, Pier-"

"Then explain it clearly, your highness!"

"I want you to stay with me, Pier!"

Pier stopped at Asher's words.

"What...?" His voice trailed at the Crown Prince's words.

"Pier, please, don't go on your journey. Stay with me, I will make it up to you," Asher said as he took a few more steps towards the young master who stopped.

"Who... who told you that I will go on my journey, your highness?" Pier asked with a shaky voice as he looked at Asher. The Crown Prince halted his movements and stared at Pier.

"I asked Raphael... he said you would go on your own journey anytime soon" Pier instantly froze.

He did mention going on a journey to the both of them but the one he only told about the possible time was the young duke of the Sentinio Duchy.

"Raphael... said that?"

"Yes"

'Why did he...'

"Please, Pier, I'm begging you! Do not go on that journey and stay with me!" Asher pleaded as he closed the distance between them and hugged the young master.

Pier's mind was running through many things.

Why did the young duke tell the Crown Prince about it? What was his reason to do so?

Stay with Asher?

"Are you out of your mind, your highness?" Pier spoke as he forcefully removed Asher's arms around him.

"What-"

"You're asking me to stay with you? Are you out of your mind?" The young master asked with a bewildered look on his face.

"From all the things I have suffered, you're asking me to stay with you? Are you that stupid, your highness?!" Pier cried.

Asher took a couple of breaths as if he wanted to calm himself down. He needed to thoroughly explain things with Pier.

"Pier, no. I... It was wrong of me to have treated you that way before. I just realized how important you were to me and now that I did you're going to leave?" Asher asked in a voice full of disappointment.

"Pier, please, stay with me. I'm already old enough to get married!" He exclaimed and Pier's eyes widened in horror at the statement Asher just said.

"Married...?" He asked, his voice was unsteady with the amount of chills he was getting from the words.

"Yes! I will marry Elena and you can become my concubine!"

Asher said and Pier's entire body froze. His breathing stopped and his mind stopped working.

He was silent for a few seconds. He did not know what to say. Pier was speechless.

"W-What did you say?"

"Pier..."

"Me? A concubine?... for you?" He had a disbelieving look on his face and Pier's mind was screaming so much.

"Yes, Pier! I will change the laws once I become king! I will change them for you!" Pier's entire body trembled. His core shook and chills ran up to his spine.

"We can rule this kingdom together, Pier... please stay by my side and I promise I will make it up to you," Asher spoke in a soft voice.

The Crown Prince tried to embrace the young master once more. However, before he can even touch Pier, the young master was quick to act.

Slap!

Asher's eyes widened when the young master's palms came in contact with his cheeks.

"You... you dare..." Pier said as he clenched his hands into fists. Tears streamed down from his eyes and his lips trembled.

"What..."

"You dare think of making me your concubine?" He was disgusted. He was utterly disgusted down to the deepest corners of his soul.

He thought Asher had been somewhat improving but what is this?

"You're an insolent and disgusting person, your highness!" Pier screamed at the top of his lungs.

Asher stepped back in surprise at what Pier said.

"Is that what you were planning all along while I chased you before your highness?!" Pier screamed. His voice was coarse and his lips continued to quiver.

"You... You wanted me to become your concubine while marrying Elena?" He started taking steps backward. Pier wanted to run away from the Crown Prince. He did not want to see Asher's face.

"Pier, listen! You can become my concubine but I will give my full attention to you, I just needed Elena to bear an heir for me!" Asher explained and the young master trembled.

He did not know what to say with the words Asher was saying right now.

"You're disgusting, you are the most disgusting person I have ever known." His eyes watered and his heart was beating so loud.

How could he, how could the Crown Prince think of him like this? To think of using another person as a child giver for them with them living in the thought that the Crown Prince loved them?

"Pier, you can become a full royalty if you marry me, just become my concubine and everything will be good!" Pier stopped thinking. His emotions reached their limit.

Was this how Pier Belmiunde would end if Eliam did not take over his body?

Was this the fate of the young master who truly loved someone but will end up becoming a concubine for the Crown Prince?

Without even batting his eyelash, wind started to manifest in the young master's surroundings.

"Pier, what are you doing - huk!" Asher froze in his spot as a sword made out of fire slashed in front of him. The flames produced noise of burning as it passed by Asher's face.

"Royalty? You think I can become a royalty just by marrying you?" Pier said as he took steps forward. He was mad, he was angry, he was infuriated with the statements Asher had said.

He felt so bad for Pier, the young master who passed away alone in his bed.

He was about to become a concubine for the greedy and selfish Crown Prince if Eliam did not replace him.

Asher was now the one who started to take steps back as the fire sword in the young master's hand roared louder in response to the feelings Pier held.

"A concubine? a royalty? was that all your stupid brain could think of?" Pier asked as he pointed his other hand in Asher's direction. Even without speaking, wind started to gather in his palms.

But this time, there were small white fragments that were included in the magic that Pier had formed.

As the wind continued to form, the surroundings started to get colder.

"Pier, what are you doing..." Asher said as he also felt the chilling sensation from the wind magic Pier had in his palms.

"You dare think of making me your concubine, Asher?"

It wasn't long enough before another sword formed in the young master's other hand. However, it was not made out of the wind.

Ice

A sword made out of Ice and a sword made out of fire was in each of the young master's hands.

He pointed the sword at Asher's face and the Crown Prince could do nothing but stare anxiously at the cold sword that seethed in front of him.

Pier stopped crying

He also stopped trembling

His fear and anxiousness were replaced with wrath and anger.

"I am Pier Belmiunde, the successor of the House of Masters and the ruler of the greatest force the kingdom will have in the generations to come," He said coldly.

"I do not need to get married with a person like you to become a royalty" The young master spoke as his sword was directed at Asher's chest.

"I could just take the throne for myself and get rid of you completely," He stated and Asher's mind went blank at the statement.

The Crown Prince's hands trembled at the sight. In front of him was the young master that he used to ignore.

The person he did not give any attention to was now pointing his sword at him and threatening him to take over the throne.

"You think you can simply make me your concubine and live life to the fullest, your highness? I suggest you should start thinking again." Asher watched as the sword shortened its distance from him until it fully came in contact with his chest.

"You surely don't think I can't take over that flimsy title you're holding on to?" The young master said as the tip of the ice sword started to go up from Asher's chest up until it reached his neck.

"Think about you're actions next time, your highness. You are still one of the most immature individuals I have seen in the entirety of my life."

Pier then removed the sword made out of ice from pointing at the Crown Prince's neck.

"Do not talk to me about these things, do not disturb me, do not get in my plans. I will not care about what you do but if you talk about me becoming your concubine then expect that this sword will be the end of you, your highness," He said as the two elements disappeared from his palms.

Pier turned his back from the Crown Prince.

Asher had no words to say. Pier's words were threatening enough that he had his guard up the whole time.

Moonlight shone upon the young master as he started to take steps away from the Crown Prince who was frozen in his spot. It was the time to draw the line between them entirely.

There was no hope left, no more reasons to continue thinking about the prince. There was no point in mending their relationship at this juncture.

As Pier took more steps into the distant night, he stopped midway and spoke once more.

"I thought we could fix this relationship but I guess I was wrong. You ruined it all, Asher," His words directly pierced the Crown Prince's heart.

"You ruined it all"

Pier then continued to walk. The sound of his footsteps was all that could be heard in the garden.

Asher was left standing in the pavilion with his body and mind in so much regret and confusion.

---

When Pier reached the end of the garden and neared the exit, he staggered on his steps.

The sudden confession the Crown Prince did made him use up all of his energy. He was too tired.

He stopped walking. His head was now spinning and he felt his eyes get heavy.

"N-No... I'm still not home..."

He spoke before his body finally gave up and Pier dropped to the ground unconscious.

Kraa! Kraa!

The sound of a bird immediately rang out in the silent night.

Step

Step

Step

A pair of black boots stopped in front of the young master's unconscious body.

Sigh

"To think you wield three of the rarest magical elements, I am astonished," the man spoke as he gazed upon Pier's face. The roots of the young master's hair were starting to become white.

"Ice magic, huh,"

The crow hopped onto the man's shoulders and it flapped its wings.

The man who wore a cloak sighed one more time before he picked up the young master's unconscious body.

"Didn't I tell you that with a face like that you're going to attract so much trouble?" He spoke. His husky voice made the young master slightly stir from his sleep.