#however ....

     the first time he met adara, étienne couldn’t have known what life had in store. in fact, part of him thought the whole thing to be a joke on himself; the boy who doesn’t believe in love, finding someone who makes him feel the opposite? it had to be fake, had to be anything else. the time they shared was always a prized memory to the french prince. even if he wouldn’t admit it --- or, more specifically, couldn’t say it. of course, convoluted ideals of what love is or isn’t aside, étienne was fairly sure whatever this was ( whatever it is ), was good. regardless if she hid their son for three years, and that’s time he’ll never get back, she didn’t technically hide him from eurion. she told their son about him, about his sister and possibly even his brother as well. about france and the language and culture to the best of a toddler’s ability to learn; addie, by doing that, still had him apart of their child’s life, somehow. and there’s never going to be the right amount of words to express how thankful he is of that. fatherhood might not have been something he was aiming for this early on, but in the moments he’s been blessed with to be a present figure in eurion’s life? well, he wouldn’t change it for the world. part of him wondered if his parents ever felt that way about him, but the more cynical part of his mind and heart bitterly sneered and said no ( he hardly even had contact with them, now, despite events. )