Chapter 31: Epilogue

He thought, in order for him to feel that he belonged, he had to find that place. He thought that it needed to be a place for him to feel that he really belonged.

Here comes another day of his life and he is now in the room of the nation we call Eullenuum Nation. He didn’t even know why for a month. It should have been that only half that month, he should be out of his place now. They should have sent him away but once, one day that month, he also felt as if he didn’t want to leave the room where he is now standing.

Maybe because he stayed in this nation again for another month just to prove a fact that they didn’t expect.

Knock, knock.

He looked at the door.

"Come in," he said.

It opened and the metal prince showed up.

"Hey," Aes simply greeted.

He just nodded in response.

"So, uhm you look like you're good to go," said Aes as he looked at him from head to toe.

"Yeah I am," he replied.

"Good so uhm let's go."

He looked back at him before also following him out of the room.

As they walk down the hallway,

"So before the ceremony starts, well it's just simple," explained Aes. "You just have to wait for your presence to be called before you show yourself up, okay?"

"Okay," he replied.

“Well that's all I have to say. You know how the rest will happen anyways.”

He didn’t say a word and after that, none of them spoke as they walked.

It took a while before they reached that place.

"So I'll be going ahead then," Aes said goodbye. "We'll be waiting for you down there."

He nodded in response. Aes was about to go down the stairs when,

"Aes," he called, so he stopped and turned to him.

"Yeah?"

He gave him a smile. "Thanks, brother."

Aes was slightly surprised by what he said, but he also smiled back.

"You're welcome," he answered back and continued to walk away.

When he was out of his sight, the emcee started to greet the audience.

"Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to this year's Grand Coronation of our New Prince for Eullenuum Nation," said a man. "I've heard that the princes and princesses have it really hard to take this all in but here we are. So without further ado, let us all welcome him.”

When he heard his cue, he immediately appeared to them and at the same time, everyone applauded to welcome him. He immediately went down the long stairs and when he reached the bottom, he also went straight to where he was sitting.

The ceremony went on, as what really needs to happen. There were opening remarks to start the celebration, and proceeded to the next part, the most important of all, the oath taking.

He got up from his chair and approached the mike so that everyone could hear what he had to say.

"Please raise your right hand and repeat after me…" Eaux said while holding a piece of paper and he did what he told him. “I, state your name…”

“I, Pearce…”

“…do solemnly pledge… to uphold the mission… of the whole Eullenuum Nation. I pledge to perform my duties… to the best of my abilities… in the service of this nation. I pledge to work… in a concerted effort… with the other princes and princesses… to move towards… achieving the goals and objectives. I pledge to support… every member and citizen… of this nation… and protect them against all enemies… foreign and domestic… ”

He followed everything Eaux said but he paused at that part so Eaux looked at him and began to wonder.

There was silence first and he lowered his hand first before he continued.

"…before I do this end, I would like to apologize to everyone first because I cannot promise you all that I can swear myself in this oath," he said so everyone was surprised by what he said and others started looking at each other.

"When I got here, I immediately warned the princess of this nation, Princess Yani…" he gave her a look. “…that I do not belong in this nation. I have a curse that I want everybody to be aware of, a curse that can cause trouble in every place I go and that very reason almost kicked me out of this nation even to the point of death itself… ”

Now, he gave a look to one of the princesses. “…I once was dead and sacrificed my life to save the person that gave me a reason to live but why am I still breathing right here in front of all of you, you may all I ask? You see, that same person not only gave me a reason to live, but she also resurrected me back to life to where I am now. I don't know how she did it but really I also don't know why.”

“I accepted my fate that time to sacrifice myself to death but I was given a second chance to live. Maybe because after the revelation that I was all along the missing son of the dead King that's why I get to live again. I wasn't done with my responsibility so here I am, back to life to fulfill that mission that was tasked to me.”

“Although I'm still thinking twice because of that curse and the capability of what it may do to this nation but lately, after being resurrected back to life, I am aware that the curse was not taking place anymore but we are not yet sure. I am not actually confident that I may be a good prince of your nation but… ”

I looked at every prince and princess who is here today. “…somehow looking at all the princesses, and to my brothers, I have the strength that we can get through these troubles by working together. I cannot do this without all of you…”

“…so help me God, help us all.”

After he finished his speech, almost everyone stood in their seats and applauded him. He smiled with joy when he just saw them smiling back as well. Some are even in tears.

Immediately after the oath taking, Yani also went up on stage to take the crown. He also immediately knelt down in front of Yani and at the same time, she smiled and put the crown on his head.

"Let us all welcome," Eaux said on the mike. "The new prince of Eullenuum Nation, Prince Pearce."

And everyone applauded again for joy for the new prince.

…

After the formal part of the ceremony, the fun part came in for the celebration. Everyone had fun, talked, ate and laughed.

Pearce and Yani are at their seats and are watching everybody at their places how happy they are in this celebration.

"Congratulations Pearce," Yani said, so Pearce was slightly surprised and glanced at the neighbor. “I mean Prince Pearce. Think about it, you are a prince now. One day, we were just betting on each other and well Pearce,” Yani looked at him and smirked at him. "If I agree, I will win."

Pearce paused as his response, but he also smiled back.

"Maybe…" he said but he just stopped what he was going to say when someone approached him.

"What is it with you Pearce," Elesa started to complain. “What are you watching there? Our table is already so close to you and still you can't see me? You did not even stand there to be a gentleman and come to me to offer me a dance. Look, it’s already the slow dance. Don't you know that every princess once in their life dreams that the prince of their life will dance for them? Do I really need to come to you?” she even pouted.

Yani chuckled because of Elesa's attitude and Pearce just sighed and gave Yani first a look.

"You proved it…" he said and also turned his gaze to the princess that just complained to him. "…but she is the reason why."

Yani was slightly surprised by what he said and immediately smiled.

"I see," she said back and at the same time Pearce stood up and bowed in front of Elesa before doing what she wanted to happen.

"Can I have this dance?" he asked like a real gentleman that surprised Elesa and her face began to blush with excitement. Added to it also is that the nearby table of the princesses are screaming because they were thrilled after they saw that.

Elesa fell silent and just took Pearce's offered hand. When Pearce held her hand, they both walked to the dance floor, Elesa blushing and fluttered while Pearce just smiled.

Yani is smiling while watching the two with their happy faces while dancing.

"Your majesty," a voice entered, so Yani returned to the truth and looked at the person who called her.

"It looks like you have a lot in your mind," Jethro smiled at her.

"Ah Jethro hehe," Yani said and chuckled. “It looks like it. A lot has happened lately and then—“

She stopped what she was going to say when there was a hand offering in front of her.

She looked straight into Jethro's eyes after he did that.

"As far as I can remember, it looks like I missed a day when I didn't even offer you a dance," Jethro smiled at her. "I hope it's not too late."

Because of that, Yani was stunned by him but there were tears in her eyes that Jethro saw that startled him.

“Your Majesty, I'm sorry. What did I say and you—“

Jethro stopped when Yani took his hand and stood up.

“Nothing. This is nothing,” as she wiped away her tears. "Don't panic Jethro." Yani smiled at him at the same time. “Now, I just realized that I don’t regret that I waited so long for you to just come back. You don’t know how much you made me happy today.”

Jethro smiled back at what Yani said and while holding her hand, he guided the princess of his life on the dance floor.

We thought, we need to find that place to be counted, but it doesn't really have to be a place…

As we see how the two couples are so happy dancing around the dance floor, holding in their hands the person who they belong to…

…we can say that it could also be a 'someone'.

As Beau Taplin said, “Home is not where you are from, it is where you belong. Some of us travel the whole world to find it. Others find it in a person.”

How about you? Have you found where you belong?

-END-