"Mother!"
"Yes, you heard me, you are not a child anymore Yeran, you will be 19 in a few months and you must take responsibility of your actions." The queen glared up at him from where she was seated.
"Mother this is an old argument we have already had, I obeyed you orders and spend three days every week with my so called husband! What more do you want me to do?" Yeran refused to back off.
"So called? There is no so calling there Yeran, he is your husband and will remain to be The Imperial Consort with your ascension to throne. There is no chance of you ever being with that other boy, the sooner you understand, the better!" The queen slapped her play against the table, angry.
"Mother,"
"Enough! I do not wish to talk more on this behalf, think of your own, now leave," She held out a hand, blocking Yeran's words.
Yeran gritted his teeth, unable to mouth off against his mother and left with a bow.
"Leave the boy be Yelena, he shall come to his senses," the king said, appearing moments after Yeran.
"My lord," the queen seem surprised.
"I heard, you were not speaking very quietly. Just wait, this is just a beginning," King Aved's face was terrifyingly blank.
"But my lord,"
"Future is not set on stone Yelena, you wanted this marriage and I had it done, now leave them alone to solve their own problems, Zeke isn't that bad of a lad."
The queen frowned, not replying and yet neither accepting.
¤¤¤
"Are you happy now?" Yeran asked from the still figure on the bed.
"I know you aren't asleep Aki," he used the name without a title.
Aki's sat up, cross legged on the bed, purple eyes glinting in the dark.
"What do you want me to say?" He asked.
"What did you told my mother?"
Aki didn't answered, just stared, he stared for more than a minute, without blinking.
"Aki!"
Aki slipped off the bed, slowly making his way over.
"Which part of, 'I did not wanted this marriage either' that you didn't understand?" Aki asked, word by word, slow.
"I," he pointed himself,
"Did not chose this marriage Yeran, I was forced into this, I never had a choice, I never told you not to be with your lover, I never told you to do anything, it was your mother, your father, your traditions and your plans. Leave me out of this, I already told you that I would not be in your way, but when I am given a direct order, again, I do not have a choice, it would be better for us both for you to remember that, quit calling yourself the victim and open your eyes!"
Yeran stared after Aki, who strode out without even bothering to put on either shoes or an over robe. Tent flap still fluttering.
Yeran put a hand on his forehead, squeezing the bridge of his nose. For the first time in his life someone had been oh so blunt with him.
"Yeran?" Yeran almost jumped in fright, not expecting the sudden voice.
"Zeke?" He asked.
"What's going on? I just saw,"
"Not now Zeke, I have a lot to think about,"
"What did the queen said?" Zeke asked as if not hearing Yeran.
"What else? Same as always,"
"So she wants you to be with him?"
"Yes,"
"I told you that is going to happen," Zeke said.
"Don't tell me 'I told you so', Zeke, give me a solution for this"
"Solution?" Zeke laughed mockingly.
"What solution? Kill him, maybe,"
Yeran looked up, shocked. Zeke met his eyes, a warning clear on his face. He tightened his mouth.
"You.. are you being serious?"
"Obviously!" Zeke rolled his eyes.
"It will be very easy to arrange an accident you know, everyone is shooting arrows everywhere, setting traps, this is a forest filled with dangerous creatures, what can not happen?"
"Zeke, no!"
"What? You were supportive of that idea at the beginning, what changed your mind? Don't tell me you actually want him around?"
"This isn't about me wanting him around or not, it's about the alliance! If he died, then there will be a war! Dilhevia will expect recompense,"
"So? Let them go to war, it is not like we cannot win,"
"Are you out of your mind? How many people will die, not just theirs but ours as well," Yeran yelled.
"I don't particularly care Yeran, Dilhevia should have been put in their place a long time ago, if your darling consort can be a mean for that, by all means make him so!"
"Stop!" Yeran said, deadly quiet. "You cannot actually mean that,"
Zeke laughed, no humor in his voice.
"How certain are you that I am not?"
"Zeke, I asked for a solution, not a catastrophe, if you cannot help me with that, please let me be alone for the moment," Yeran turned away.
"You are missing the point here Yeran," Zeke grabbed him by the wrist, yanking him towards himself.
"No, I'm seeing the picture very clearly," Yeran said, displeased.
He raised his brows and Zeke shook his head, lightly.
"This isn't about us, this is about that hatred of yours towards Dilhevia,"
"Let go," he said, feeling Zeke's hand tighten.
"You must go before someone sees you and report to my mother," Yeran added, not about to start another argument.
"You need to stop hiding behind your mother's skirts Yeran,"
Yeran's eyes widened.
'That was so uncalled for!'
"I refuse to believe you just said that, please, leave," Yeran yanked his hand back, breaking free.
"We shall talk later," Zeke said, eyes smoking.
¤
Yeran crashed onto a chair, legs suddenly not steady enough to hold him.
He stared, dumbfounded, unable to process everything happening, stuck in between a rock and a hard place feeling as if alone with no allies.
He cannot trust Aki, who had put a blade to his throat not a month ago, no matter how justifiable his action was. He can neither trust Ruth, his supposed protector, for in him lies the blood of enemies. And now, now it seems as if he cannot trust anyone in his vicinity, all planning and scheming to get the bite out of the biggest fruit.
He leaned back, staring up at the canopy, trying to organize his muddled mind into some sort of a semblance.
¤
Yeran woke up, almost expecting a painful crick, remembering to have fallen on a chair but not getting up, surprised to be feeling warm and comfortable instead.
He opened his eyes to find himself on the bed, lying underneath the blanket. He rose, eyes straining against the dim light, staring in confusion at Aki, who had yet to take his eyes off him from where he was perched on the very same chair Yeran had probably fallen asleep on last night.
"Even I'm not as heartless enough to leave you on a chair this uncomfortable Yeran," Aki said, seeing him awake and reading the question on his face.
"When did you came back?"
"I am saying this as a friendly reminder Yeran, death is not as fascinating as it sounds, trust me, if any one were to know, it would be me," Aki said, tone mild, leaving Yeran in dread to wonder how much of conversation he had heard.
"I..."
"No excuses, please, they only make things worse," Aki rose to his feet.
"Better get dressed your highness, the hunt isn't over yet."
¤¤¤
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Hey,
Took a break after the three chapters in a row, was feeling a bit stuck.
So...what you guys think? Comment! And vote!
Here's the million dollar question, (I'm not that rich, just a metaphor,) Ruth? Aki? Or Zeke? Or harem?
ð¤£ð¤£ðð
Ponder....ponder.....
See ya,
Arkhane.