From the minute Apphia saw Hael, she knew he could be a useful asset to their kingdom.
She had already dug into King Ceremus and learned about Hael's identity in the process. Though Leacus was a prospering nation, it lacked good warriors, unlike Trojas.
Most of the people weren't keen on becoming strong warriors, which meant that they were lacking in terms of physical power. Apphia thought that perhaps having someone strong in their ranks could motivate their people to grow stronger and not have to rely on their allies when they needed help. What she failed to realize was that Ceremus was a stubborn man—a man who did what he wanted and wasn't someone good to negotiate with. He was labeled a tyrant for a reason.
King Aeson turned his attention to Hael, the subject of the discussion, and realized that throughout the entire conversation, the young man only had his eyes on Ceremus. Not once had he glanced their way. A sudden idea came to his mind.
"Sir Hael," he said, addressing him directly for the first time. Hael's gaze moved to King Aeson, and the smile finally returned to his face.
"What do you think about all of this? Would it interest you to stay here in Leacus and serve the kingdom?"
Hael didn't even need to think about it. He shook his head, his expression stern and resolute. "I'm afraid I have no interest in serving anyone else but my king. I've sworn all loyalty to him."
The king and queen were taken aback by his firm tone, leaving no room for discussion.
"A-Are you certain? We could give you a few days to decide," the king said.
Hael shook his head once more. "I am certain. My answer shall remain the same even after a few days."
Aeson couldn't bring himself to argue back with him, and Ceremus, though still livid, had a pleased look in his eyes. The two men were finally excused and shown to the chambers that had been specially prepared for them. Though they had two separate rooms, they were quite close to each other, which Hael appreciated.
As they left, Hael followed Ceremus to his room, knowing full well that the king was still angry over the discussion they had with Aeson.
The fact that they would dare try and take him away angered him greatly, and he let his anger show as soon as the door closed.
"I would sooner go to war with Leacus than let them lay their grubby little hands on you!"
Hael let out an amused chuckle as he approached the king. "You would go to war with King Aeson for me?" he asked, his eyes searching Ceremus' face.
"I would slay anyone who would dare take you away from me. You are my guard and no one else's," he hissed.
Hael brought a hand to his face. "You don't ever have to worry because such a thing will never happen. I belong to you and you alone," he said, his eyes full of devotion.
Ceremus was slightly taken aback by the sincerity of his words before smiling lightly. "Good," he smirked. "Let's make sure it always stays that way."
~*~
The king and his guard stayed in Leacus for a couple more days after that. Though Ceremus wanted nothing more than to leave the desert country, he knew that his crewmen were still tired from traveling for so long and would need a few days of recuperation before setting sail again.
During that time, they were shown all the best places in the country—with the princess accompanying them as their tour guide—much to Ceremus' dismay. Emani buzzed around Hael like a bee attracted to the scent of honey, never leaving him alone. It frustrated the king to no end, but he couldn't tell her off no matter how much he wanted to. She was still the precious daughter of King Aeson, and taking his anger out on her wouldn't look good for him. But that didn't mean he was going to let her have her way either.
When the guard walked off to buy a drink for the three of them, Ceremus eyed the princess pointedly. "Are you quite finished?"
Emani blinked at him, her eyes tilting with fake confusion. "Whatever do you mean?"
Ceremus had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "It is obvious you are trying to make a pass at Hael," he said coolly.
"And if I was? What is it to Your Majesty?" she grinned coyly.
Ceremus responded to her smile with one of his own, except his smile didn't reach his eyes. "I do recall Hael telling you he was spoken for. Why would a woman such as yourself chase after a man whose heart is already taken?" he bit back.
The smile on her face faltered. "I don't remember Hael saying he was married. And as far as I am concerned, it is not a crime to fancy a man who is not legally bound to someone. A little flirting is not doing any harm," she shrugged.
Yes, but it does increase your chances of getting buried six feet under, he thought to himself.
Emani noticed the annoyed look on the king's face and couldn't help wondering why he was so opposed to the two of them being together. "Do you not wish for your guard's happiness?" she suddenly asked.
The question momentarily stunned the king as he was not expecting it. But his stunned expression turned into a scowl. "Of course, I wish for his happiness. How could I not?" he said.
A knowing smile took over her lips as she stared at Ceremus, taking in his every reaction. Though he was a stoic man and had the same blank expression on his face, she could see traces of emotion through his golden eyes. He was the kind of man who wore his emotions through his eyes, and she found this revelation somewhat endearing.
"I'm surprised to hear that, King Ceremus. Because from the looks of things, it would seem as though you wish to have him all to yourself. If you truly wished for his happiness, then you would learn to free Hael from your grasp and allow him to grow on his own. How can he ever hope to be with the one he loves when he is unable to free himself from your hold?" she replied.
Ceremus paused as her words hung in the air. Under normal circumstances, he would've scoffed at her comment. He was the employer, and Hael the subordinate—why should he worry about his freedom? He should be grateful to even have the job, and it's not like he was keeping him captive. But it was different now since this situation included Hael. The only reason he even gave him the job as his guard was precisely to keep him at his side. Otherwise, he would have no pretext to have him at the palace. There was also the fact that, from what he could tell, they shared the same feelings. Ceremus knew that the object of Hael's affections was him. It wouldn't make sense to let him go. But the princess didn't know that.
To her, it looked as if Ceremus was holding Hael back.
"If you love someone, the best way to show your love isn't by keeping them captive but by expressing it," she continued, cutting through his thoughts.
Ceremus couldn't bring himself to say anything in response. Because saying anything would be like admitting she was right—not that saying nothing would have the opposite effect.
Having the princess see through him so easily left him feeling uneasy. It was one thing knowing how he felt, but it was a whole other thing having someone force him to see who he was for himself.
A tyrannical coward who was afraid of commitment, but even more afraid of facing the truth: Was his love for Hael even real? Was Hael's love for him even real? What if he only loved Ceremus and he, him, because of this destined nonsense? Would they have cared for one another without the interference of fate? It scared him because he knew deep down that wouldn't be the case. He could only sigh, and he felt his irritation grow stronger when he saw the smug expression on her face as if saying, "Ha! I got you."
Hael and Loki made their return, and the four spent the rest of the day enjoying the sights before it was finally time for them to return.
Hael could tell that Ceremus was in a bad mood since Emani decided to join them on their day in town, but it seemed that after he returned from buying a few snacks for Hael, Ceremus' expression became downcast. So after the princess excused herself and he sent Loki to his room, he invited Ceremus to his quarters where they sat on the veranda, overlooking the setting sun.
He didn't get the chance to look at the sunset with Ceremus last time, a little habit the two had started to develop ever since the celebratory banquet for his bout with the king.
He was quiet as he stared out at the ocean, wishing they could board the ship and leave this godforsaken country.
"Is something the matter?" Hael asked as he studied Ceremus' face.
He said nothing before letting out a sigh as he supported his head with his hand. "Do you think I'm holding you back?" he suddenly asked.
The white-haired giant frowned. "What makes you say that?"
"I forced you to become my guard, forced you to live in the palace, forced you to spend less time with Anthanasia, and forced you to come on this journey with me. I've only ever implemented ideals on you," he replied, pursing his lips.
His frown deepened. "When have you ever forced me to do anything? Every action I've ever taken was of my own free will. I chose to become your guard, I chose to live at the palace, I chose to give and spend my time with you, and I chose to accompany you on your journey. I did all of those things because I wanted to," he said firmly.