Haze

Through the Eyes of a Prince

Chapter One: Breaking Bonds

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Chey: Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated "What Becomes of a Swordsman." Ehehehe..I kinda forgot where I was going with that…But..here's a new one! Same fanbase, too..so eat it up, fangirls!

All characters are copywright Nintendo!

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It was too difficult to force my eyes open because I knew what I'd see. Cold gray walls, an over-decorated bed-dress, a mirror, and an intricately carved wardrobe.

This was where I lived; the place of my birth..but it was not my home. Not at all.

Somehow or another, I did finally manage to open my eyes without the assistanceof a hyper young forest child prodding at my face or a strange yellow rodent-beast bounding from the floor onto my abdomen. Without them, each morning was a lot more drab and unwelcoming.

The light from my two small windows clashed against my pupils. Squinting, I thought bitterly of my sun; the one that shined over Altea. I'm sure that's precisely the way my father used to think of me.

'It's not morning at all,' I suddenly realized. I'm not even sure why it surprised me, though. I had been over sleeping for months in a row.The people of my kingdom were not exactly impressed by it, either.

"Marth! Marth!" Came a voice from the other side of my door.

Sheeda.

Her hands impatiently beat against the ever-innocent wooden door as I rushed around the room. After all, I couldn't face the Talisian princess as I was. Unfortunately, the final result wasn't much of an improvement.

"Marth Lowell! We had plans, you sloth!" Sheeda's near shrill voice announced with more than a hint of rage.

I pushed Ellis's tiara up to the crown of my head before I faced an inevitable battle. I swear that the petite princess from a neighboring kingdom was more of a man than I was when it came to a fist fight. I didn't stand a chance.

"Sheeda, please don't be angry.."I muttered warily after opening the doorto see a vicious-looking female with light blue tresses.

My words seemed to only place my throat closer to the chopping block.

"Why shouldn't I be?! This is the fifth time..the fifth time. You're not becoming an alcoholic, are you?"

I blinked in first responseto her question. Of course I wasn't an alcoholic! Maybe just once had I dwelved a little too far into the wine barrel, but that was just once. Before I had time to properly respond, though, she intrjected.

"Look, Marth, if you hate me all of a sudden, the fine. But quit pretending to be all nice and courtly by setting up dates only to have me fly Pegesi all the way out here for nothing," her voice crackedand the look in her eyes was enough to bring down a fiend far stronger than Medeus.

"Sheeda, no. You're my best friend." With my hands on her shoulders I offered up my best smile. My sister always said it was a lady killer, not to be cocky.

"The day's not yet over. Come, let's go to the gardens. Some bards are out performing today and I know how much you like the lute."

Her lips tightened together and she glared up at me.

"I hate the lute, oh wise and esteemed prince of Altea. But, fine. I'll be out here. You're not going out looking like that."

I watched her examine my poorly thrown together outfit. Not only did my breeches fail to match my tunic, the bulk of everything I'd put on was a wrinkled disaster.

With that, I shut the door and changed into my casuals. After I tightened my boots, I rose to face the mirror. I nearly keeled over right there.

'Dear gods, Marth,' I thought bitterly towards my image. My hair resembled something like a proud blue peacock sprouting from my skull. The usually well pampered locks were the only things I actually liked about myself. Now they were even betraying me.

I left my room to join Sheeda and we walked together silently. We made no exchange until reaching the edge of town. Then she turned towards me.

"Tell me why you postphoned our wedding."

The agape look about me was probably uncalled for, but her demand startled me. With a hard-pressed swallow, I locked eyes with her.

"Look Sheeda," I began, feeling more like a fool with every moment that slipped by, "you deserve far better than me. I..I was marrying for the benefits of our kingdoms and I realized that I couldn't do it. I just.."

Sheeda's eyes welled up almost instantly. From that point on I felt like the scum of the earth. When her tears fell, my heart shredded to pieces. My arms were quick to embrace her and though she fought I refused to let go. I new deep down that as much as she hated me now, she needed me that much more.

"Move on, please just forget me. I cannot marry for your own sake. I'll be gone by the morning."

She lied her cheek against my chest and stared off towards the woods. I knew she was taking time to gather herself before replying.

"Where are you going? L-let me come, too. Please Marth?"

"I need to go alone without anyone else knowing. I'm going to Pharae."

Sheeda looked up at me with a puzzled expression. "Pharae is nothing but a plague town. It's full of thugs and illness. You can't go there! I'm begging you, Marth. Just stay here. Altea needs its prince."

I've barely accomplished a days worth of work since I've been back. Besides, Pharae isn't much yet, but it will be. There's someone there I need to see."

"Is it some other woman, Marth? Just tell me now, I can handle it," her voice fought for strength while she pulled away. Her blue-eyed stare fixed intensely on my face.

"No, not at all. He's a young General there and a close friend of mine. I met him while I was away."

Sheeda's expression twisted. "Pharae doesn't even have an army, much less a General to command it! Are you really that naïve? Or are you just going mad?"

I didn't feel the need to explain myself to her much further than I had to, so I spoke soft and vague without answering the question concerning my sanity's state.

"He and I met in a different realm entirely. And, well..I have to see him again."

"More so than your fia-..ex-fiancee?"

When I saw the pain on her faceI felt the extent of how deeply she cared for me. I also realized how long I had lead her on when, in my mind, all we had was a childhood friendship.

I had to be brutally honest. I hated myself for it.

"Yes."

The girl who loved me stammered. I'd given her the answer she didn't want to hear. She took a step back and I knew that her ill-tempered blood was brewing in her vains before she had to part her lips and prove me right.

"You're involved with this..this fictional Pharan General? So you've played me this entire time! I cannot believe you, you.. ignorant man! Wait, no. You don't even deserve to be called a man. I'd prefer that you were fooling around with a real-life woman!" Sheeda screamed her face red.

Before I knew it, she chucked the engagement ring I had given to her a year ago in my direction.