elliar

The distant past.
A medieval world where goodness did not exist—only war, power, and magic.
Magic was the measure of all things. Those who possessed it were exalted, protected, and called the chosen. Those in whom it was not found were humiliated and erased, as if they had never been born. A world without magic had no right to exist.
I was one of those.
At thirteen, I was sent to the palace. Not out of care—simply because they felt no power in me. Three years have passed since then. I am sixteen. The servants here are not people. We are not looked at, we are not remembered; we can be tortured and destroyed without reason. We are shadows, the refuse of a world where magic is considered salvation.
And in this same palace lived he—Prince Elliar.
Beautiful, powerful in magic, the heir to immense power. Quiet, calm, serious, and intelligent. He often wore glasses that accentuated his face and loved to read. Elliar hid from people so that he wouldn't be dragged into the affairs of power. He was clumsy, awkward, not at all arrogant, and disliked society. His world consisted of books and silence.
We were the same age.
But between us lay an abyss.
One day, Elliar ran away again. He hid in his library—vast, towering, and filled with peace. No one looked for him there. Everyone was certain that the prince would not hide in such an obvious place. While he was being sought, the servants were ordered to clean the library. I was among them. With me were two girls and two boys—cheerful, kind, and a bit timid.
I was dusting the shelves that he loved the most. There stood books about love between men. For him, such love existed only on pages—in reality, he chose solitude and silence.
Having finished, I stepped behind a tall bookshelf and saw him.
Elliar was sitting in a warm armchair, wrapped in a blanket. Beside him stood a small table with treats and hot coffee. In his hands—a book. This was his place. His sanctuary.
I looked at him in silence.
And, not wishing to disturb this peace, I left just as silently.
I told no one that I had found the prince.
I simply continued cleaning.
As I had been ordered.
As if nothing had happened.