chapter 07: Share with me

Kian's POV

"Is everything there?" I ask the guards while checking the equipments.

"Yes, king. We bought all the items after consulting the person who knows about this." The guard replies and I nod before directing them to our chamber.

We walk to my room and the door guards open the doors as they see me. I enter the room and see Archie and his friend having a conversation. Archie turns to us after hearing the sounds of our footsteps and his friend has this irritated expression on his face. This guy! Seriously, does he think I'm disturbing them when he's the one that's annoying me like hell. And I'm not just talking about his sudden visit after midnight, no. That's a story on its own and I wouldn't be so annoyed by just that.

Today, early in the morning he started knocking on our doors and from the time he has enter our room, he didn't leave Archie even for a second. He just went back to his room only to bathe and came here again. He talks, talks and talks, that's all he does. They're having conversation from morning and it doesn't seem to end any time soon. They haven't seen each other for years right, so they have alot to talk. Note the sarcasm please. After him disturbing our sleep, I took a bathe, had breakfast and went to work. Now I'm here after four hours but their conversation is no way near the end.

"King, where do you want us to place these?" The guards words snap me out of my thoughts and I turn to them.

"Beside the window." I say while pointing to the empty space at the other window.

They nod at my words and place the items down before arranging them in the order. It takes almost twenty minutes for them to organize everything. While they're busy sorting out the things, I stand by and watch their every move. Archie moves forward and stands beside me, Winny next to him as we all watch the guards. When they're done with everything, they bow at us and I nod at them indicating they can leave.

"What's all this?" Archie asks when only three of us are left in the room.

"This is all for you. You said you like to paint, so I send people and after consulting with the person working in the same field, I arranged all this for you." I reply to him nervously, I hope I didn't make any mistakes.

It wasn't easy for me to arrange all this. The first and foremost thing is I don't have any idea regarding painting and stuff. So, today after leaving to work, the first thing I did is send some people to go and find painters and artists who work in this field and have knowledge about the same. I told them to gather the information once they find the person. After gathering the data, I then send some other people to purchase everything related to this. It's my first time giving something to Archie and I wanted it to be at the best. I just don't want to see disappointment on his face when he see all this. So, one could understand how agitated I'm feeling inside as I wait for his reaction.

"Um...don't you like it?" I query when he stands still without uttering a word.

"Ah- yeah, thank you. I like it." He finally says and I smile feeling relieved, "but this is alot of it, this much wouldn't be needed. I just do it to pass the time, I'm not really good at it."

He mumbles keeping his head down making my smile disappear immediately.

"As I said I don't know much about this, I just bought everything the artist suggested." I tell him, apart from this I wanted everything and more for him. There shouldn't be anything less, "also, if you keep practicing you will get better at it and will utilise all this."

"That's true, Archie. He's saying right." Winny says while grabbing Archie's hand and bringing him towards the setup. "Now, without wasting another second start painting me." He grins as he makes Archie sit on the chair.

"Huh?" Archie looks at him confused.

"Didn't you understand? I'm telling you to draw my face." He repeats and I shake my head at his excited self.

Why is this boy so excited and active? He's so different from Archie who is quite and calm. How did they even become friends? I wonder.

"You guys can do that later but now let's eat lunch." I inform as I turn and start walking.

I have so much of work to do and have to go and visit a place today. Archie and Winny follow me as I head to the dining room. We get served our food along with my parents. When we finish eating, I leave to attend my work. I spend an hour or two in my working chamber before leaving to visit the mining farm which is located at the vicinity of our territory. We started a new mining here few months before my wedding. Even if I wasn't the king that time, knowing I had to look after this very soon, my father made me handle this work from the beginning.

"Greetings, king." The incharge of the mining farm says when I reach the area.

"How are things going on?" I ask after nodding at his greetings.

"It's almost done, king. In one week to ten days, we can start the work." He responds while showing me around.

Finally, we'll start working. It took us a lot of time to set things up before we actually start the work. Because we decided to extract two different ores, it took us more time. We'll be mining limestone and gemstone in here. There's no other kingdom who deals with two mining minerals at the same time and we wanted to be that. So, after much thought and suggestions, we decided on this two.

"That's good." I state and continue the tour around, checking everything and making sure it's all right. I might visit this place again after starting the work so I don't want to neglect things now.

I don't know how long I spent by checking things and walking around because by the time I decided to leave, it's all dark outside. I bid goodbye to the incharge and hop on the drawn, starting the thirty minutes journey back to palace. I let out a yawn as I start feeling sleepy. I woke up early today and was busy with work the whole day, it's making me tired. My eye lids keep dropping even after my attempts of trying to keep them open. Gradually, my eyes close and I slip off to sleep.

"King, we're here." A voice calls out, awakening me from my sleep.

Opening my eyes, I see guards surrounding me and realise that the drawn came to a stop. I look out to see that we reached the palace. Nodding at the guard, I get down the drawn and head towards my chamber. The hallway is lit with lights while the doors to all the rooms are closed making me question what time is it now. When I enter our room, I get greeted by Archie's back who's already busy painting, sitting infront of the canvas and a very sleepy Winny who's swinging from one side to another. I'm not even surprised seeing him here.

"Archie." I call him and he jolts before closing the cloth, hiding his painting and turning to me.

"Oh, you're back?" He questions while getting up from the chair and walking to me.

"Yeah, I arrived just now." I answer him and take a look at the clock.

My eyes widen seeing it's past ten. I did really spend alot of time at the mining farm.

"I'm leaving now, Archie. I want to go and sleep." Winny says to Archie and leaves our room.

"I, too, go and get freshen so that we can sleep." I tell him and head to the bathe area.

I get bathed quickly and get out. Dressing up in night clothes, I walk to bed to get much needed sleep.

"Is there anything you want to talk?" I ask Archie because I feel he wants to ask something but feels hesitate to do.

"Don't you want to eat dinner?" He inquires.

"I don't feel hungry, I just want to sleep." I reply, I'm literally in no mood to eat. All I want to do is lay on the bed and sleep.

"Okay." He says and goes to his side but stops when someone knocks on the door.

"Wait, I'll go and see." I stop him when he's about to go to open the door.

Rema stands there when I open the door, "what is it, Rema?"

"Should I ask the cook to prepare dinner for you?" She asks.

"No, I don't want to eat." I respond.

"What about the queen? He also don't want to eat?" She questions and I narrow my eyes.

"He didn't eat?" I react dazed.

"Yes, king, he didn't eat. When I asked at the time while the others were eating, he said he'll wait for you and eat together with you." She informs.

"Go and tell them to prepare for both of us. We'll there in few minutes." I tell her and she leaves to do what I told.

I close the door and walk to Archie who is standing where he was before. He looks at me with curiosity, maybe wanting to know who was here and for what purpose.

"Archie, did you eat dinner?" I ask and instantly he lowers his head, "I asked you something and I expect you to answer me."

Instead of an vocal answer, I get a shake of his head as a reply. I sigh before taking my steps closer to him until there's only a foot difference between both of us.

"Why didn't you tell me you were waiting for me?" I question and yet again I get no reply.

I grab his hand and that surprises him but he looks up at me immediately.

"Archie, I don't know if you're scared to talk to me or what's stopping you to let out things to me. But just remember, you can tell me anything, ask for anything you want, always. Don't keep things to yourself. If it's of my capability, I'll surely help you. Don't hesitate at all, can you do that?" This is such a small thing, he could have just told me we should eat instead of asking me and leaving it when I said I don't want to eat.

What kinda scares me is what if there's something more serious and he won't tell me? From what I've observed, amongst all the people here, I'm the one he talks to more and I'm close to him than others. I know he won't tell others anything so I want him to share things with me. He just don't have to keep everything to himself.

"Archie!" I call his name when he doesn't respond.

"Yes, I will share if there's anything." He agrees at the end.

"Good, now let's go and eat our dinner." I say with a small smile which he returns and then I lead him to the dining area.

All the while, I still hold his hand in mine. Unlike last night, where I dragged him to our room without really knowing what I was doing, this time I deliberately hold his hand while walking. By the time we reach the dining table, the food is already served in our plates. I let go of his hand before taking our seats and eating our food in comfortable silence.