"Your majesty?" Aki asked.
"Yes Prince Aki, you both need to learn the joy of matrimony, now, I know my son had not visited your chambers since marriage, which will be rectified soon.." the queen said with a stern glance at Yeran which turned to a sweet smile when her face turned to Aki,
"And you must learn to get along,"
"I...if his highness..." Aki stuttered, seeing the murderous expression on Yeran.
"Sh...to have the future king and imperial consort at odds is neither good for the kingdom, nor for the reputation of inner palace, you must learn to be an example to all families out there, showing a united front all the time." Queen interrupted.
"Yes, your majesty," Aki accepted, helpless.
"We shall take our leave now mother, it is getting late," Yeran said, standing, for he felt about to blow up if they were to hold any longer.
"Very well, remember what I said children," the queen permitted with a last warning.
With a respectful bow, they both took their leave.
"Argh!!!" Aki jumped at Yeran's sudden yell.
Yeran paid him no mind but to grab his wrist and haul him after, Aki almost tripping with the sudden yank.
"Your highness!" He exclaimed, startled.
"Be quiet! I'm not in the mood."
As if suddenly realizing something, Yeran stopped. His eyes wanderd and found the target, before immediate averting. Aki barely preventing from crashing on to him.
"Did you put my mother into this Prince Consort? Was this a ruse of yours to get closer to me," Yeran asked, pulling Aki uncomfortably close.
He tilted his head and saw Aki's eyes jump there and return instantly.
Standing on a stair he towered over Aki, who hunched back, in the pretemse of unable to be released from the tight grip.
"Your highness," Ruth's voice of warning rang low but clear, as if reminding Yeran that they are in public.
"Fuck!" Yeran cursed before letting Aki go. He stumbled a step back, eyes opened wide.
Yeran turned on his heel, stomping on his way resembling a toddler throwing a tantrum.
¤¤¤
"Well, Aki, here we are, alone at last, whatever might you want to do?" Yeran quipped, sarcasm dripping in his voice.
"I..am tired your highness, may I retire for the night?" Aki barely waited for a reply before making a hasty retreat towards the bathing room.
"Ha! Ha ha ha ha ha....!" Yeran laughed, amused.
By the time Yeran returned, dressed in night wear, Aki seemed already in a deep slumber, lying on his back, breaths steady and silent.
Yeran took the time to observe. In sleep Aki's face was peaceful, rose red lips slightly parted, dark brows artfully arched, standing out against the pale skin, lashes fanning over high cheekbones.
Though signs of beauty, they did not made Aki look pretty, but rather, handsome, it did not deviate his looks to the side of androgynous, saving the statuesque face of a young male.
Yeran sighed. "What am I to do with you Aki,"
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Days passed, then weeks, the Prince and the Consort in a barely contained stalemate, both keeping out of each other's ways, minding their own business.
The case of poisoned wine got closed off, unsolved, with no evidence for going forward. The palace still holding the breath till the other shoe dropped.
And drop it did, in a fashion none expected.
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See you in book two
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Just kidding, keep going, 👻👻
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"The royal hunt is in a week, Prince Consort," Yeran suddenly looked up from his documents to glance up at Aki, seated infront of him, seemingly immersed in a thick leather bound book.
Aki slowly raised his head,
"I am aware, your highness," he replied, unsure why Yeran is suddenly bringing this up.
"You will be expected to participate,"
"I..I don't...I don't like taking innocent lives Your Highness,"
Yeran stared at him, wondering weather to be surprised or to have expected that answer. Aki's entire personality being the picture Perfect Consort.
"If you do not know to hunt, Prince consort, say it as that, no need of being benevolent." Yeran huffed, turning away.
"Forgive me, your highness," Aki did not argued, backing off.
'Just say something damn it! Yell at me! Did I not just insult you?!' With each passing day Yeran's frustration and resentment grew. He never needed the pretending to go this far.
He had only jokingly said that Aki was as a doll. He had not realized how true he was being. For all the time they were forced to spend together, Yeran tried his all to get some kind of a reaction out of Aki, something out of the lines of the character he was supposed to play, each time only resulting in failure.
There was no mistake in Aki, he was courteous, respectful, kind and always helpful. He never argued, never raised his voice, never became a hindrance. He was the perfect partner. And Yeran hated him. There was no passion in Aki, just some pre written lines he acted according to, no life, no soul. He was empty.
This was not what he expected, at all.
Yeran ground his teeth together, marching out the room with his sword at hand.
He had been angry in past few weeks where his mother had sent Zeke to the distant Mount fortress, saying the fresh air will aid in his recovery, which Yeran knew was only an excuse to put distance between them.
He had yet to get even a letter from Zeke from two weeks, which could both be the queen holding them or the massages just getting delayed, even if Yeran could bet that it was the former.
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After a thorough training session, slightly battered and muscles satisfyingly sour, Yeran returned to the room, bad mood reduced significantly.
"Your highness, I prepared a bath." Aki said as soon as he crashed onto a chair.
Yeran twitched, not about to pick another fight.
"Thanks," he said, ignoring Aki's presence for the moment.
¤
He lay inside the tub, fingers trailing over the water, preoccupied.
"Your highness, it has been over an hour, you will catch a cold." A soft knock sounded on the door followed by same cadence of Aki.
Only then Yeran realized how the warm water has cooled significantly, now not even lukewarm.
He sighed, again, sinking into the water, blocking outside noise.
¤¤
'I'm going to change his wardrobe!' Yeran noted to mind, irritated, having gotten the fright of life to return to a dark room only to catch a white figure in periphery, slightly glowy under the moon light.
"Your highness?" Aki asked, stepping out of the shadows, a candle snuffer in hand.
"Go to sleep." Yeran forced through clenched teeth, hard earned mind peace already soured.
¤¤
The small sling of a metal leaving its case drew Yeran into consciousness, hand raising automatically in a block.
He gasped, the blade having sunk through the palm, stopping thread's width from his throat.
He kicked out in instinct, foot catching onto a warm body, which crashed against the wall loudly.
Yeran groaned, the blade leaving his palm same way it went in, the assaulter having not lost the grip.
He stretched his hand across the bed searching for his consort, already fearing the worst outcome.
'Always eliminate the least threats first,' his mentor's voice resonating in his head.
His uninjured hand slipped over the headboard, grasping the hilt of his sword tightly, at the same time.
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Hey....
Another cliffhanger, aren't I awesome! 😈😈 Vote, comment, next chap will come even sooner...
Bye!
Arkhane.