"Irlana! I am leaving for a day. I will be back tomorrow. Rumail will stay with you people so you won’t have to worry. Call me if the need arises," Xiran instructed Irlana, giving her a hug he got ready to leave for Emeradius City.

"Everything will be fine, stop worrying about us. Go have fun with your friends," she gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"I will see you soon," Zirius opened the door for him, he got in and they drove off towards the airport.

"Keep vigilant. Stay in touch with Warise and report to me if anything out of the ordinary takes place," Xiran repeated the same instructions to Zirius a gazillion times.

"Yes! Señor," he nodded his head.

They reached his private jet soon and he left on it, his destination had a surprise in store for him, and he was unaware that Aselia was there too.

It was afternoon when he arrived. Casmian had sent his car and guards for him to be picked up. They took him straight to the royal palace. Xiran loved this city, its landscapes and peaceful environment always eased his heart and the burdens he carried.

A nostalgia fell over him, as he was reminded of his last visit here with Aselia on this same date, a year ago. It was her birthday today and he couldn’t even talk to her.

It had almost been a year since he had let her go. A year of heartbreaks, filled with torturous memories that would haunt him forever. A year when he lost Carios and when he lost her.

He wanted to numb this soul-wrenching pain, he was so getting drunk tonight. Anything to escape those memories which caged him held him prisoner and drove him to the edge of madness.

They arrived and Casmian’s guard walked him to the rec room where Casmian was waiting for him. Princes had specifically designed this room for their entertainment.

Guard opened the door for Xiran to enter the massive rec room. A bar lined one side of the room with all its expensive wines and glasses. A large screen made up the entirety of the right wall, a football match was being broadcasted on it. The sound blasted through the enormous speakers embedded in the ceiling.

On the left side, there were foosball, darts, billiards and other board games and their tables. Bean bags and comfy-looking sofas and chairs were strewn all over the place. The walls had intricate patterns and designs in silver and blue.

There were two huge sofas in the middle of the room. Prince Casmian and Prince Cikalius occupied them. While, Prince Casmian sat alone with a glass of whisky in his hand, which he stirred ever so lightly, lost in some faraway thoughts as his forehead creased. Prince Cikalius was surrounded by three gorgeous women. Who was all over him and he couldn’t seem any happier.

His blonde hair and eyes that were the colour of melted chocolate, his boyish looks and the fact that he was a famous footballer made him an instant magnet for girls. Seeing him like that made Xiran remember himself. There was a time when Xiran used to do exactly that.

"Hey! You are here," Prince Casmian got up to greet him, putting up a forced smile on his face to hide his worries regarding the situation.

"Casmian!" both men embraced and patted each other.

"Cikalius!" Xiran nodded at him and he made a victory sign in return.

"Hey! My man. Good to have you here," he cheered as one of the girls with flaming red hair began to smooch his neck and Xiran gave him a meaningful smile before turning his attention to Casmian.

"I thought this was a ball to help you people find suitable partners or wives," Xiran emphasized the last two words as he squatted on the navy blue sofa.

"Yeah! That’s father’s old school ideas. Don’t know why he thinks I would want to settle down with one girl when I can have so many beauties," Cikalius answered while kissing the girl who had climbed on his lap. Casmian shook his head at his brother and hissed:

"Cikalius! Let’s have some privacy," he broke the kiss and threw a disappointed look towards his elder brother.

"Man! You never let me have fun," he then turned to the girls and softly murmured:

"Ladies! As much as I would love to continue our mini adventures, we will pick up from here, later at night. Daddy needs some privacy," they pouted but got up and blowing flying kisses to him began to head out.

One of them purposely bumped into Xiran’s outstretched legs and winked at him as she slowly bent down and grazed his leg. Xiran sent her a hard glare but she didn’t seem to mind, she went past him, giggling.

"When did you become such a stick-up ass?" Cikalius heartily chortled, seeing his reaction to the girl and Xiran wondered how ridiculous he used to have seemed, especially to Rivan who always had to put up with his lifestyle.

"Cikalius, behave, let the man be," Casmian chided him again with narrowed eyes.

"Of course! My chaste brother, you will side with anyone who is no fun. Exactly why tonight father is surely going to set you up with someone. Maybe it’s for the good, he will be off our backs for some time," Cikalius answered, picking up his wine glass and taking a sip as he sprawled himself on the sofa.

"I have no intentions of settling down for now," Casmian retorted, while a waiter brought Xiran a drink. He quietly took it and began to sip.

"Then maybe, that good-for-nothing half-brother of ours will make Father happy. I heard he brought a woman along. Good for him to settle down, it’s not like he is going to live forever like us, his life is short and meaningless, just like his mother," Cikalius’s eyes had taken a dark glint as he spoke about his stepmother and brother.