Chapter 4- The Road He Couldn’t Forget

Prince Atlas had never chased anyone before.

Kings chased power.

Princes chased alliances.

Men like him were supposed to chase crowns.

Not farmers.

Yet here he was at sunrise, standing in the palace courtyard like a thief about to sneak out of his own life.

Philip leaned lazily against a pillar, arms folded, watching him struggle with his horse saddle.

“You’re tying that wrong,” Philip said.

Atlas didn’t look up.

“I know how to saddle a horse.”

“Clearly.”

Philip smirked.

“You’re nervous.”

Atlas froze.

“I am not.”

Philip pushed off the pillar and walked closer.

“You have a lot on your mind and it shows on your face”

“You’re going to see him again.”

Atlas turned sharply.

“Lower your voice.”

Philip lifted his hands.

“We’re alone.”

Atlas glanced around the courtyard anyway.

The guards at the gate were half-asleep in the early morning air.

Still.

His heart beat faster.

“I’m not going to see him,” Atlas muttered.

Philip raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“We’re simply passing through that road again.”

“Of course.”

“For… inspection.”

Philip nodded slowly.

“Yes. Very thorough inspection.”

Atlas glared at him.

Philip grinned wider.

Atlas climbed onto the horse before Philip could tease him further.

“Let’s go.”

Philip mounted his horse beside him.

The palace gates opened.

The two men rode out alone. With no guards.

—

The road looked different in daylight.

Calm and ordinary.

The garden where Prince Atlas had first seen Jacob was still there.

But it was empty.

Atlas slowed his horse.

His eyes searched the field.

Nothing.

No dark hair bending over flowers.

No strong arms lifting soil.

No Jacob.

Philip watched him carefully.

“Looking for someone?”

Atlas scowled.

“No.”

They rode closer to the garden.

Still empty.

Atlas dismounted.

Philip sighed.

“You’re actually going to check.”

Prince Atlas walked through the rows of flowers like he was studying the soil.

But his eyes kept scanning the field.

Nothing.

The place felt… strangely quiet.

Atlas got irritated.

“Maybe he’s working somewhere else,” Philip offered.

Atlas didn’t answer.

He walked to the edge of the garden.

Still no Jacob.

After several minutes Atlas finally turned back to his horse.

Philip tilted his head.

“Well.”

Atlas mounted the horse stiffly.

“We’re leaving.”

Philip nodded.

“Alright.”

But Atlas' face was just not okay.

They rode down the road in silence.

After a few minutes Philip spoke carefully.

“You have a council meeting in an hour.”

Prince Atlas groaned.

“Cancel it.”

Philip blinked.

“Cancel… the royal council?”

“Yes.”

“Your Highness, the ministers traveled across the kingdom for that meeting.”

Atlas kicked his horse slightly faster.

“I don’t care.”

Philip rode beside him again.

“Is this because you didn’t see Jacob?”

Atlas stopped his horse so suddenly Philip almost ran into him.

“Don’t say his name so loudly.”

Philip raised both hands in surrender.

“Relax.”

Atlas looked away.

He didn’t answer.

Philip studied him quietly.

Then said slowly,

“You know…”

Atlas sighed.

“What?”

Philip scratched his chin thoughtfully.

“…when did you meet him yesterday?”

Atlas frowned.

“Evening.”

Philip’s eyes brightened.

“Exactly.”

Atlas blinked.

Philip grinned.

“What if he works during the day?”

Atlas stared at him.

Philip continued.

“What if he only comes to the garden in the evening?”

Atlas’s irritation slowly melted into something else.

Philip saw it immediately.

“There it is,” Philip said.

“What?”

“That face.”

Atlas tried to hide it.

Philip laughed.

“You’re smiling.”

Atlas looked away quickly.

“I’m not.”

Philip nudged his horse forward.

“Let’s go home.”

Atlas blinked.

“What?”

Philip shrugged.

“We will come back this evening.”

Atlas hesitated.

Then slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

For the first time that morning…

He actually smiled.

—

Back at the palace, things were… strange.

Prince Atlas walked through the corridors with an unusual lightness in his step.

Servants noticed.

Ministers noticed.

Even the guards noticed.

One of the palace maids whispered to another,

“Did the prince win the lottery?”

The other whispered back,

“Princes already have everything.”

Prince Atlas didn’t hear them.

But Philip did.

He nearly laughed.

The council meeting was already in session when Prince Atlas entered.

The long table was filled with serious old men.

Atlas sat down.

One minister cleared his throat.

“Your Highness, we were discussing trade routes with the northern territories.”

Atlas nodded vaguely.

But his mind wasn’t there.

His mind was back on the road.

Back in the garden.

Back with Jacob.

Philip stood behind him, watching carefully.

Atlas suddenly started tapping his fingers on the table.

Then, he started whistling.

One of the ministers nearly dropped his pen.

A few others stared at him.

The room went silent.

The royal advisor leaned forward slowly.

“Your Highness…”

Prince Atlas blinked.

“Yes?”

“…are you feeling well?”

Prince Atlas frowned.

“Of course.”

The advisor glanced at Philip.

Philip shrugged.

The meeting continued.

But Atlas barely listened.

Every now and then Philip leaned closer and whispered,

“Thinking about him again?”

Prince Atlas ignored him.

But he didn’t stop smiling.

—

Later that afternoon, Philip stepped into the palace hallway.

And immediately stopped.

Prince Gaius stood there.

Waiting.

Gaius was leaning casually against a marble pillar, dressed in dark royal robes.

But his eyes were sharp.

Philip bowed politely.

“Prince Gaius.”

Gaius smiled faintly.

“Philip.”

His voice was smooth.

“I was hoping to run into you.”

Philip kept his expression neutral.

“How may I help you?”

Gaius walked closer slowly.

“I overheard something interesting this morning.”

Philip’s stomach tightened slightly.

“Oh?”

Gaius tilted his head.

“You were talking about a farmer.”

Philip said nothing.

Gaius continued,

“Something about the crown prince wanting to see him.”

Philip blinked slowly.

Then pretended to think.

“Oh!”

Gaius watched him carefully.

Philip snapped his fingers.

“Yes, I remember now.”

Gaius waited.

Philip smiled politely.

“We were ambushed yesterday during a royal assignment.”

Gaius’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Philip continued smoothly,

“A farmer helped save the prince.”

Gaius raised an eyebrow.

“And the prince wants to see him again?”

Philip nodded.

“To reward him.”

Gaius studied Philip’s face carefully.

Philip didn’t break eye contact.

A long silence passed.

Then Gaius smiled again.

“I see.”

Philip nodded politely.

Gaius turned to leave.

But as he walked away,

His smile disappeared.

In his mind, Philip has always been loyal to Atlas.

So he thought he lied to him

—

That evening, the sun slowly sank toward the horizon.

Prince Atlas stood in the courtyard again.

Already mounted.

Philip joined him with a knowing look.

“Ready?”

Atlas nodded.

They rode out once more.

This time the sky burned orange and gold.

Just like yesterday.

Atlas’s heart beat faster as they approached the road.

The garden appeared in the distance.

Atlas slowed his horse.

And then,

He saw him.

Jacob.

Kneeling in the soil.

Working quietly.

“There he is,” Philip whispered.

Atlas didn’t answer.

He simply stared.

Jacob looked peaceful.

Focused.

The evening light painted his skin gold.

Atlas didn’t move closer.

He stayed on the road.

Watching.

Minutes passed.

Philip finally sighed.

“You’re just going to stare?”

Atlas whispered,

“Just a little longer.”

Jacob stood up and wiped his hands on his shirt.

Atlas’s eyes followed every movement.

Philip looked around nervously.

“This is dangerous.”

Atlas didn’t respond.

Philip leaned closer.

“Your Highness.”

Still nothing.

Philip lowered his voice.

“If someone sees you watching a farmer like this…”

Atlas finally blinked.

Reality returned.

Philip was right.

Atlas looked away reluctantly.

“…we should go.”

Philip nodded.

They turned their horses.

As they rode away, Atlas glanced back once more.

Jacob was still there.

Unaware that the prince was staring at him.

Still working peacefully in his little garden.

—

Back at the palace, night had fallen.

Atlas walked toward his chambers.

Philip stopped beside him.

“You know this is dangerous.”

Atlas didn’t answer.

Philip continued,

“If someone discovers how much interest you have in that man…”

Atlas nodded slowly.

“I know.”

Philip studied him carefully.

“Do you?”

Atlas looked toward the window.

Toward the distant road.

“I just wanted to see him again.”

Philip sighed softly.

He had never seen the prince like this before.

And something about it worried him.

—

Elsewhere in the palace…

Prince Gaius sat in a dark room.

A servant knelt before him.

“Did you follow them?”

The servant nodded.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gaius leaned forward.

“And?”

The servant swallowed.

“The crown prince… went to see the farmer again.”

Gaius’s lips curled slowly into a smile.

“Interesting.”

The servant continued nervously,

“He didn’t speak to him… but he watched him.”

Gaius leaned back in his chair.

A dark idea began forming in his mind.

“So…”

He murmured quietly.

“My brother has a weakness.”

His smile widened.

“And the weakness is a farmer.”

Gaius stood slowly.

“Find out everything about him.”

The servant bowed.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gaius walked to the window.

Looking out toward the distant countryside.

His voice was almost amused.

“This could be useful.”

Then he whispered to himself.

“Let’s see how the future king handles a scandal.”