The Royal Contract

But he was thankful for her thoughtfulness, always thinking about what would be best for everyone. She had always been the most selfless person he had met in his entire life.

His eyes turned to the woman peacefully sleeping on the chair, not minding if her position was uncomfortable. The fact was, she never wanted to be far away from him.

“Laura Hamilton.” His wife. The woman who had never left his side during their ups and downs. The mother of his only daughter, who had been his greatest treasure in this world.

How did he become so lucky to live this long and have a great life? A loving family who had never left him, to which he had devoted his entire life with his every breath.

Yes, he would not reach a century, but the years he had stayed in this lifetime had been more than enough compared to the others who had lived longer but never had experienced the kind of life he had.

Definitely, without a doubt, he was indeed a lucky man.

.....

A person who almost had a perfect life if not for death looming over his head. But nobody could live forever. That was just in fantasy stories conjured by imaginative minds.

If only money could buy a fountain of youth, he would give all he had to have more time with his family. He would not mind living in poverty as long as he could continue to gaze at the smile on his wife’s face and hear the laughter coming from his daughter’s lips.

“I love you so much, Laura!” He whispered silently in the wind, unable to tell his wife up close. If only he could stand up from this bed and wrap his arms around her, this day would have been ideal.

Yes! He had wished for perfection. Nevertheless, he had learned the hard way that nothing in this world was flawless. It was an illusion that he had given up pursuing a long time ago.

He was lucky not to obsess about it, but some died, not knowing they already had enough to last a lifetime. Not him. He knew he had already achieved what he needed.

He had loved and felt loved. That was more than enough.

Now, everything else was a bonus he wished to maximize in the limited time he had left. But today, he was not afraid to leave this world, knowing he was ready to meet his creator.

“You will be just fine, Laura. Even when I am gone.” Ethan uttered in his mildest tone, wishing that subconsciously his words would register in her mind. Once she woke up, she would be ready to accept his departure.

Like it or not, he could feel his imminent death. His body would not respond to him the way he wished it would. His mind was not as determined as before, as if it also accepted that his time was up.

It was not giving up.

Throughout his entire life, he had never known the word surrender. But he had accepted defeat in some battles, only to win the entirety of the war.

Would this be the same? That remained to be a question in everyone’s mind. What would happen next?

If only he could stand up to hold her one last time, he had to settle with just staring at her from afar. Maybe he could do that by closing his eyes. But before he did, his eyes again looked at her, staring closely at her sleeping face.

“You look so beautiful.” He uttered with no regret, just a tinge of sadness that he might not see her again for a long time.

His eyes scanned her face, memorizing every contour, remembering memories that made their life great. So many, yet it felt like they could have added more.

Finally, he closed his eyes, allowing her face to linger in the forefront of his mind, letting his memories mix with the present and the past.

Still, he wished for the future, even if it was only a distant dream, allowing himself to get lost in the labyrinth of his mind. At this moment, nothing seemed impossible.

He held her in his arms, surrounded by their families, clapping and cheering for them as he swayed her to a beautiful tune playing in the background.

It was their song.

It was a piece of music that had touched their lives and a part of their history together. With the sweet melody playing around the background, they moved along the center of the room, showing their spectators how to live a life full of love.

“You never lost your touch.” He heard the melodic voice of his darling wife as she complimented his movement.

Not to brag, but he was indeed a great dancer. But to create a great harmony, his partner must also stay in sync with his movements.

Like a well-oiled machine, the two twirled, swayed, and moved like they had been dancing all their lives. But they had, just like their married life.

“Because you always kept me on my toes,” Ethan answered Laura with a smile as he pulled her even closer.

Suddenly, he was staring at his wife, back when he first held her close to his body. It was the first time he had seen her and asked her to dance. Luckily, he ended up marrying her.

Then, he gazed at her teary eyes as he first held their baby in his arms. He felt the greatest, wondrous feeling, knowing he created life out of love.

“You are the only treasure that we wish to cherish.” He smiled sweetly at their child while he had held her soft, little fingers in his hands. “Daniella Hamilton.” He whispered, not wanting her to get startled by his loud, booming voice.

He watched his past and present play in his mind, reminding him of why he had lived in this world. But it never showed anything about the things he had accomplished in his life.

They said at the point before dying, everything important in his life would flash in his eyes. Was this it? Was this the moment? He smiled, welcoming the light that flickered in his eyes.