Kiss Me Not

-UNEDITED-

After dinner, Gavin went to his study to finalize some works. Brione decided to walk around and chill out on the palace balcony.

She knew how busy Gavin was for the past few days. The Royal Family, especially King Lucas and Gavin, were very occupied in the preparation of the upcoming coronation.

She could see how tiring and stressful the past few weeks were for Gavin and his father. As much as possible, she wanted them to relax, even just for a while. But the transitioning and hand-over were taking most of Gavin's time.

Though Gavin was not showing nor complaining about how exhausted he was and how stressful his current situation was, Brione could tell that her husband was having a hard time.

Thinking about those things, Brione could only sigh deeply as she watched the beautiful landscape from the palace balcony. 

She continued walking around until she caught a glimpse of King Lucas's figure. He was standing at the center of the balcony, looking at the night sky.

King Lucas didn't talk about it, but he was still bothered by what happened to Oliver deep inside. The King seemed like he was lost in his thoughts. There was a serene look in his eyes. His heart was filled with guilt.

Brione wanted to free her father-in-law from those negative thoughts. It's not good for Lucas's health to be depressed and sad. It was one of the reasons why the King was getting sick.

Brione slowly approached her father-in-law. She decided to entertain him and divert his attention. She only wished to spread good vibes to lessen the King's troubles whenever she got an opportunity.

"Father…"

Brione's soft voice snapped King Lucas out of his deep thought.

"Oh, Brione, you are here. Where is Gavin?" King Lucas turned to face her with a gentle smile on his face. 

He was able to conceal his negative emotions right away. He didn't want Brione to see that he was bothered by something. 

As much as possible, he didn't want to make them worry about him. Gavin had many things to do, especially now that significant responsibilities would pass on his shoulders as the new King.

"Father, he is finalizing some work in his study. I don't want to disturb nor distract him, so I decided to walk around here and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the palace at night," Brione responded to Lucas, flashing a faint smile.

King Lucas nodded his head before inviting Brione to sit down at the nearby table. Lucas and Brione sat on the vacant chairs located on opposite sides of the stone table. 

Brione's eyes lit up when she saw the glass board and chess pieces on top of the stone table in front of them. 

King Lucas noticed the change in Brione's expression, so he asked her, "Do you know how to play chess, Brione? Do you mind playing a game with me to kill time while waiting for your husband?"

Brione bobbed her head frantically.

"Yes, father. It's my honor to play with you. They said board games, especially chess, is one of the favorite games of the royal family. It's a battle of the mind. But father, please go easy on me, okay?" 

Lucas chuckled after seeing the enthusiasm in Brione's eyes. After a few minutes, the two started playing, moving their pieces one after another.

While they were playing, Brione opened up a conversation with King Lucas. She began sharing about Gavin's childhood. 

Brione knew how important it was for a father to see some story and experience of his long-lost son, significantly if the son didn't grow up with him.

"Father, do you know that Gavin is my hero? During our childhood days, whenever I would be in trouble, he would always show up for my rescue."

Lucas paused for a moment and gazed at Brione. He loved to hear Gavin's story, especially his childhood years. He was not by his side when his son was growing up. As a father, he was curious about his son's past.

"Really, Brione? Can you tell us more about Gavin? What was he like when he was still a child? One of the things I regret in life is not seeing my other son grow up by my side…"

  "I missed lots of important occasions in his life like his first birthday, his first graduation, and many more. I was not there when he said his first word. I was not able to guide him when he first stood up and learned how to walk."

"Don't worry, father. I will tell you everything that I know about Gavin. He might not remember his childhood memories because of his amnesia, but I can tell you some of the moments we spent together during our childhood years."

Brione moved her chess piece on the glass board as she began to reminisce about the past. The cute reliable young boy flashed in her mind. Her lips curled up into a bright smile as she thought about Gavin's mini version.

"Father, your son, Gavin, was always curious about things. He kept asking about the things he didn't know. I could still remember how the Elders would patiently answer every query the young Gavin threw at them."

Brione couldn't help but giggle as she recalled how talkative Gavin was when they were still young. 

"He was very talkative when he was a child, Father. Then, later on, he realized that he wanted to become a news anchor."

King Lucas nodded his head. He was all eyes and ears on Brione. He stopped making a move on the chessboard as his attention was focused on her. 

Just listening to her words, King Lucas could imagine Gavin's childhood memories. And those things brought a smile to his face, lightening his heart.

"And Viola! The talkative young boy became a famous news anchor! He was still young, but he had this kind of philosophy, telling himself that he would only report the truth and he would expose some bad things that were going on in society. He said sharing the reliable and right information with the public was one of the great responsibilities of a news reporter."

King Lucas was so glad to hear that. Although Gavin didn't grow up in the royal family, he could tell that Gavin possessed the quality of a righteous King. He was a good guy with a good heart. He knew that his son would be a good King.

Brione continued sharing more stories about Gavin's childhood years. King Lucas didn't waste this opportunity to know more about Gavin and Brione. 

He could tell that the two had been good friends ever since they were a child and as time went by, their love bloomed in their hearts.

"Thank you, Brione. Through you, I can see and imagine how my son grew up. I am so proud of him. I am very grateful that he was surrounded by people who provided him with so much love… Something I failed to do."

Brione smiled at King Lucas. "Don't be sad, father. Please don't blame yourself for not being able to watch Gavin as he grew up. The most important thing now is that… both of you are now together. You can bond more and compensate for the time you've been apart from each other in the past."

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