Flip
Pier placed one of his legs on the top of another as he continuously read through the pages of the book he was reading.
On the other hand, the Crown Prince was sitting quietly on his study table.
His eyes did not cease to let off the young master who was just casually reading.
The latter had a calm expression on his face as his eyes roamed the pages of the travel book he held.
"Is there something wrong, your highness?" Pier asked and the book resonated an audible thud as it closed.
The young master turned his head towards Asher and the prince flinched.
"No, there's nothing wrong, Pier" Asher spoke in retort.
"May I ask why are you reading the travel book?" He asked.
He was curious as to what the young master was planning now that he had returned.
Asher was overwhelmed, of course. It had been so long since Pier was in his study.
Pier's gaze shifted towards the book.
"Is there a problem with me reading the book, your highness?"
"Ah... no... there is none. I was simply curious" He lowered his head as he tried to think of something else that he could talk with the young master.
Pier was wearing a black fur coat and it was accompanied by his noble clothes.
The young master looked like he was comfortable with the garments he wore.
He was currently in the Crown Prince' study because Asher had invited him over so that he can greet Pier's return as a prince and as his duty as the eldest child of the House of Master's sworn household.
But once Pier arrived, his words seemed to be taken aback and he could not converse with Pier about anything properly since the noble gave a closed off feeling that he should not be disturbed at any cost.
Of course, it was also the king's request for Pier to visit the Palace a week after the ball and Pier complied so.
He was back again with his duties and tasks as a high ranking noble and as a successor.
"Perhaps, do you want to see the king?" Asher asked and Pier shrugged his shoulders.
The attitude Pier was giving him completely differed from what he had been expressing when they first talked at the Southern Walls a few weeks ago and at the House of Master's mansion.
"Whatever his highness wants then I shall comply" He replied while opening the book again to pick up where he left off.
'I'm so tired I want to sleep' Pier thought.
He can feel the mythical creature inside of him consuming his magic too much and now he desired to go to bed and just sleep all day long.
But since he needed to do his duties and responsibilities as a noble, he had went on his way from the mansion towards the palace.
It was not easy.
There were countless people waiting right outside the palace gates just to see him.
Nobles who were expected by the king had the liberty to stare and watch him inside but those who did not waited patiently to see the returned young master.
It did not help that he was wearing the comfortable fur coat Gideon gave him and accompanying the now strong cold winds outside, he was an individual subjected to the temptation of slumber.
He also felt ticked off that Asher was watching him.
He did not care about what the prince would do but the latter's stares were giving him an odd feeling that got him irritated.
"Young Master! Please take me with you! I will be a good knight!" Gideon had a determined look on his face while he clutched the edge of Pier's table.
"As much as you wanted to, you need to get your placement in the sword rankings done" The young master replied while his arms were crossed.
Gideon whimpered and pouted like a lost puppy in the rain as he heard his young master's reply.
He wanted to go with Pier badly and just accompany him all day long but now that he became the War Commander, he also needed to attend the duties that accompanied it.
Gideon was currently inside the palace as well, but not with the young master and Pier was wondering how the knight was doing his tasks.
'He's smart, puppies are smart, he can do it' He thought about how Gideon might be cowering in front of the assessors right now.
He was just a knight on the ranks of median grade when he was saved by the young master during their encounter of the beast.
Pier also knew that Gideon's development was rapid and unmatched.
'He's probably going to be a highest grade swordsman now' He thought and Gideon's cowering face popped up in his mind which made him chuckle again.
Unnoticing the other person inside the room, Asher watched as Pier laughed gently while having an amused face.
'What is Pier laughing about?' He wanted to know the young master's thoughts but he knew he could not and it was disrespectful of him to do so.
He was curious of the young master.
The last time they had a proper conversation was probably years ago and Asher knew there were some things new with the young master.
He desired to get close with Pier again but his resolution of never disturbing the young master and just letting the noble live quietly was a hindrance.
It was making some small tolls on him.
He was the Crown Prince, an individual at the top of society but just because he could not inquire Pier further about his interests, hobbies, or about his life in general, it felt foreign.
But he was also now open for new experiences.
He knew having power does not work on someone having the same status and same regards as him.
He also now respected the young master's choices. He did not want to pry without Pier's consent.
It was the same laugh Pier used to give him when they were children and his body itched to know what made the young master laugh so softly like that now.
The laugh, a charming and attractive expression of the young master's delight about something made Asher desire to know the reason even more.
'It's getting hot, I wonder what Melfar is doing with my body' Pier thought as he felt his temperature quickly rise.
He was already getting sleepy from the comfortable coat and the cold winter winds but Melfar's interventions with his own body temperature sometimes gives him worry if he's going to be alright.
The young master then started to remove the coat from his shoulders and just drop it halfway on his back. He started to remove the gloves he wore so that he can further feel the coldness from outside.
'I look like Ariana Grande wearing the coat to this level, yuh' He joked in his mind which caused him to burst into scoffs and controlled laughter.
'There it goes again' Asher thought as he watched Pier try to control his laughter.
It was then, the Crown Prince noticed the rings on the young master's hand.
He had a surprised look on his face when he saw the accessories on Pier's finger.
'A golden ring accompanied with a diamond stone?' He asked, bewildered at how beautiful the ring looked in Pier's fingers.
'And another one... silver?'
"I see you have started to wear accessories again, Pier" Asher commented and the young master turned to look at him with a questioning look.
He thought the rings suited Pier well.
Pier scanned his body for any accessories until it reached the two rings on his right hand's ring and middle finger.
The platinum ring Ciaran gave him was now at his ring finger while Melfar's golden ring with a diamond stone was on his middle finger.
'Oh...' He was slightly surprised that Asher noticed such small detail when he was wearing countless accessories and jewelries before in the original Pier's memories.
"I did, your highness" Pier replied curtly.
Asher had a defeated look on his face when Pier did not even look at him while replying.
"May I ask whom the merchant was that sold you the rings, Pier?" Asher asked again and the latter raised both of his eyebrows.
"Sold?"
"... Was I wrong?" Asher asked cautiously when he saw Pier's expression.
"The rings were given by someone, your highness" Pier replied.
Asher's curiosity skyrocketed when he heard the response.
"Who were they...?"
'None of your business, actually' He wanted to say but resorted to be a professional noble.
"It's from someone I adore" Pier smiled gently as he caressed the platinum ring on his ring finger.
His thoughts drifted towards the vampire prince that had soft brown hair and an intimidating gaze.
He was also wondering how Ciaran was doing right now.
'He must be busy with their operations on the Mir Mountains' He thought as his finger gently touched the platinum ring.
His face was slightly flushed since Melfar kept on making the temperature in his body rise.
Asher had a baffled and surprised look on his face when he saw Pier stare at the ring affectionately with his face blushing.
'Who... who is this person?' He asked himself.
Who was this person that gave the young master a ring that the noble looked like he treasured so much?
An unpleasant feeling started to well up inside him and Asher tried to contain it.
He had no rights, nothing.
He knew he also desired Pier but after all the things that happened between them in the past months, he knew he had no place nor had the position to ask about things from the noble.
He tried, but a question slipped out of his mouth.
"Someone you adore?" He asked and it was too late for him to realize that he started to pry again in Pier's life.
However, the young master seemed to not mind it too much since he nodded his head.
"That is correct, your highness" He spoke shortly as he avoided speaking further about the vampire prince and alpha wolf.
Asher could only sigh.
It was frustrating.
It made him dissatisfied that Pier was talking about someone else he adored.
'Fuck' He cursed in his head.
He found it entertaining that he was now the one trying to catch the young master's attention and constantly inquire him about his life.
While on the other hand, it was also now the young master who was trying to avoid him.
Karma sure works in a lot of ways and Asher was suffering from it.
He knew he had already promised himself he would stand by the sidelines as he watch Pier find the person he loved and he was indeed trying.
But right now, different emotions were circulating in his body as he heard Pier's words.
Anger
Frustration
Disappointment
Jealousy
'I'm jealous of the person who gave Pier the ring' He admitted as he buried his face in his hands.
If he had not asked Pier to be his concubine, would the young master not meet the giver of the ring?
He wondered but at the same time repulsed the idea.
Pier now had someone he 'adores' and it was selfish of him to think that Pier should not meet whoever it was.
"I see, that person is lucky, Pier" He commented and the young master chuckled.
The laughter resonating in Asher's ears that made him even more remorseful.
It was very light, gentle, and carefree that he wished it was him who caused Pier to laugh like that.
Knock
Knock
Knock
Three consecutive knocks was heard from outside and the two turned their heads towards the door.
"Your Highness, a person had come saying he was acquainted with the young master" the knight stationed to guard spoke and Pier wondered who it was.
"Identity?"
It took a few seconds before the knight spoke again.
"Gideon Woodlock, personal knight of the young master" Pier's eyebrows instantly furrowed.
'He's done with the re-evaluation?' Pier had no idea what went with the evaluation of swordsmen but he was wondering if it was that quick that it only took Gideon a few hours.
"I am expecting my knight, your highness" He told the Crown Prince and Asher nodded his head before instructing the knight to let Gideon come in.
Clack!
The door opened and Gideon's smiling face was the first thing that they both saw.
"YOUNG MASTER, I-"
But he stopped when he saw the other person aside from his young master.
His happy expression faded and it was replaced with a solemn one.
"I greet the future sun of the kingdom, his highness the Crown Prince" Gideon spoke as he bowed his head as a sign of respect, but unlike the usual lowness of the bow people did to Asher, Gideon's was not that low.
In fact, Gideon simply tilted his head downwards and bent his shoulders a little bit.
And Asher knew what it meant.
Gideon was showing his respect towards him for being the Crown Prince but he also knew his worth.
He was now the War Commander, the third most powerful person in the House of Masters and he had status that cannot be ignored by lower or higher nobles, and even royalties like the Crown Prince should be considerate of.
His stance was more confident and he did not cower in front of the prince.
"The same goes for me, War Commander. Please do come in, Pier is expecting you" Asher spoke back which caused an unseen tightening on Gideon's jaw.
'He dares to call the young master by his name'
He went inside without hesitations and his gaze reverted back towards the noble who possessed clear blue eyes and a dazzling appearance.
His stoic gaze immediately shifted back into a happy one.
"Gideon, come here" Pier urged him and Gideon followed like an obedient puppy.
Asher observed the two.
When the knight reached Pier, he immediately started talking about what happened.
"Young master, I am now re-evaluated as an expert swordsman!" He spoke while puffing his chest out.
An astonished look made its way towards Pier's face which soon turned into a bright smile.
"Really? Wow. You've become very strong now, Gideon" Pier spoke as he ruffled Gideon's hair and the latter laughed like a pleased child.
"But how come you finished early? As far as I know, re-evaluation takes many hours" Pier asked and Gideon instantly kept quiet.
"They... well... they let me off early because I'm strong enough" Gideon spoke in a whisper like manner which made Pier even more amazed at the knight.
"I see. I'm very proud of you, Gideon" He spoke and Gideon nodded his head, satisfied with the compliments he got from his master.
'Is he the person that the young master adores?' Asher asked while the unpleasant feeling continued to cripple his own thoughts.
---
"We need to announce this as soon as possible!" The evaluator of the Knight and Swords Division spoke in awe.
In the evaluation area where a certain person had just come from, many high and higher grade knights were unconscious and the huge place was turned upside down.
There were dents on the ground and groans were heard from left to right.
"What a powerful swordsman" the evaluator spoke with a hint of fear in his voice.
The person's bluish sword aura made the knights fall in an instant and he was left untouched. Not a single hair on the person's body was disturbed and he walked away after confirming he was an expert grade swordsman.
'Hurry up if you don't want this place destroyed. I still have someone far important to return to' He remembered the person's words which made him shiver.