Helia pursed her lips. She wanted to say something in response to her words but decided against it.
She had done enough teasing for one day. She let out a sigh. "Well, I'm sure your dear friend is doing just fine wherever he is. Though the king may be a menace, he isn't so far gone that he'd let the person he appointed as his guard die… right?"
The three women glanced at each other and didn't say anything for a while. A worried look took over Anthanasia's face as she thought about the king. She couldn't help thinking of all the possible things that could go wrong.
Meanwhile, Ceremus could feel his patience wearing thin with each passing second he spent conversing with the king. They had gone to a more secluded area in the banquet hall, and Aeson was bombarding him with ideas on how to make both of their nations great again. Ceremus could care less about the politics of another country and had no interest in combining their military power, considering how useless of an endeavor that would be given their current climate.
Not a single one of their nations had been at war with one another, and although the idea of conquering another nation to grow his own did sound somewhat appealing to the king, he wasn't mad enough to actually see it through. He was perfectly content with the state of Trojas right now and didn't have any intentions of changing things—at least not right now.
He wanted nothing more than to find his guard and a place away from prying eyes to be in his presence. He hadn't seen the white-haired giant in two hours and was starting to miss him greatly. Hell, he even missed Loki at this point.
It was clear he was starting to get annoyed, and King Aeson could see this, so he decided to push their conversation to a later date. Ceremus was finally relieved of him and made his way back to the crowded room, his eyes scanning the place for Hael. When he didn't catch sight of him, his face formed a frown.
"Just where is that man?"
His eyes suddenly caught sight of the princess making her way towards the balcony. She was an eye-catching young woman and hard not to notice, so he followed her with his eyes and saw that she was trying to engage in a conversation with someone.
Ceremus moved closer and saw that the person she was talking to was none other than the guard he was looking for. He noticed the shy smile on her face and couldn't unsee the flirtatious expression she wore. His frown deepened as he strained his ears to listen to their conversation.
"He isn't the only beautiful thing here," she started to say. "You aren't so bad yourself," he heard her say.
Ceremus' eyes darkened when he heard this. His inhibitions were no longer constrained, and he could feel himself losing his mind as he saw Hael return her smile. Just as he was about to storm onto the balcony, Hael's words stopped him.
"Though I appreciate your affections, Princess, I'm afraid I am already spoken for."
"…He's lucky to be the object of your affection. Gods know how much I long to have someone look at me the way you do him," he heard the princess say, making his heart sink. Ceremus couldn't help sharing the same sentiment as the princess.
He felt the doubt and uncertainty he thought he had controlled well their way up his body once again.
"I only hope he shares the same feelings I have for him," Hael said softly, making his heart skip a beat.
He pursed his lips, his face in deep contemplation. Ceremus knew he should man up and tell Hael how he felt, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. He didn't know why, but he felt like it wasn't the right time. But seeing the sad smile on Hael's face broke his heart.
Clenching his fists, he approached the princess and the guard. The two glanced at him in surprise before Hael's face took on a light blush.
"King Ceremus, I don't think we've formally spoken. I would like to thank you once again for coming to our aid," Emani said as she extended her elegant hand to shake.
Ceremus glanced at it before shaking it back. He put on a polite but blank expression. "It was nothing," he said flatly.
Emani's smile wavered slightly, but when she caught sight of the look on Hael's face, her smile returned. "I hope you're enjoying yourself."
"I am. Thank you for being such gracious hosts. I apologize that my guard has kept you captive here for so long. I'm sure your people would be happy to see their beloved princess."
Emani raised an eyebrow with a smile of disbelief on her lips. A scoff almost escaped her lips, but she held herself back. "My people have seen enough of their princess for one day," she laughed. "Besides, Hael has been a delight. He's been great company so far."
Hael? Ceremus' face twitched, the vein on his neck bulging from irritation.
"I see," he said through gritted teeth. "Unfortunately, I'll need my guard for some important business. If you'll excuse us," he said, looking at the clueless guard pointedly.
The two left the balcony with Loki following suit. Ceremus had a tight grip on Hael's wrist, pulling him from behind.
The king ignored the curious glances they were receiving. He was on a mission to find a quiet place where the two of them could relax, but unfortunately, life had other plans.
An official suddenly stepped into their path, halting them.
"Apologies, Your Majesty, but the king is requesting an audience with both of you," he said, glancing briefly at Hael.
An enraged sigh escaped Ceremus' lips, and he directed a devastating glare at the innocent official. Despite his irritation, they followed him to a private salon where King Aeson usually held more intimate meetings with his guests.
The King and Queen were already seated, patiently awaiting their arrival. As they entered the room, they were greeted by a warm and welcoming ambiance, prompting the two men inside. But they could tell just from the way the king and queen carried themselves that this meeting was clearly planned and calculated. Aeson's face lit up when he saw them and stood, gesturing for them to take a seat.
"I hope you're both enjoying yourselves. I apologize for pulling you away from the festivities, but I thought we could discuss a few things before the night ends," he said.
Ceremus sat down while Hael remained standing behind him. He could already feel a headache forming and had to resist the urge to sigh. "So? What did you want to discuss?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
The king smiled. "I understand you are not a patient man by nature, so I'll get right to it," he said, causing Ceremus' eye to twitch.
He let out a dry chuckle before directing his gaze at the now-smug-looking king. Hah, that was strike one, Aeson. Strike one.
"We wanted to offer you another gift as thanks for defeating the Sphinx," Aeson said.
Ceremus frowned. "What is it? The Shield and Sword of Justice were more than enough payment."
Aeson took a sip of his tea. Ceremus and Hael waited in prolonged silence, both anticipating his words. This quiet moment allowed them to hear the distant hum of the ongoing banquet. For the first time since the celebration had begun, Ceremus found himself wishing he were in the midst of the festivities rather than in this room, feeling Aeson's careful glances directed at him.
He finally put the cup down before placing a hand over his wife's, which she gently squeezed.
"We wanted to take Sir Hael off your hands in exchange for three of our best warriors," he began, but before he could continue, Ceremus cut him off.
"Hael is a resident of Trojas. I don't recall ever saying I wanted to rid myself of him. He's one of my best guards and worth far more than three of your measly warriors."
A flicker of surprise crossed Hael's face upon hearing those words before he returned to his usual blank expression.
This time, the queen interjected. "But he isn't technically a resident of Trojas, is he? He should be free to live in our kingdom and serve us instead. If three warriors aren't enough, we are prepared to offer more."
Ceremus let out a sharp laugh. "Ha! Hael isn't an object or a tool to be bargained for. He is my guard and will not be exchanged for another." His voice dropped to a dangerously low tone.
The sharp glare he shot Queen Apphia made her swallow the words she had been about to say. King Aeson watched as his wife hesitated and sighed.
He had already known how this conversation would end. It was precisely because he had predicted this outcome that he had initially refused his wife's request.