A deep sigh reverberated down the hallway, catching Dario's attention. As he extended his hand to open the door, it swung open abruptly, revealing a visibly furious Ryan. Dario's body involuntarily stiffened, and he hastily withdrew his hand, bowing in deference.
"Your Highness!" Dario's voice quivered with unease as he looked up, met by an intense, menacing glare.
"What have I told you about these formalities?" Ryan's forehead displayed a prominent vein, his irritation palpable.
"Eek—I'm sorry, sir!" Dario stammered, his voice laced with fear. Ryan began to stride out of the room, with Dario trailing behind him.
"Get back to your duties," Ryan commanded without turning around. "This is my responsibility, sir," Dario replied meekly. Ryan halted abruptly, casting an angry gaze back at Dario. However, he soon realized it was futile to dwell on it and simply brushed off the incident.
"Fine." Ryan quickened his pace, and before they knew it, they had already stepped outside. The gentle breeze caressed Ryan's hair, and the warm rays of the sun kissed his skin. The scenery was breathtaking. Dario stood in awe, observing Ryan, who appeared serene as if all his anger had dissipated. He seemed at peace, if only briefly. Their tranquility was abruptly shattered by a resounding crash. Ryan wasted no time, instantly sprinting towards the source of the noise. The sound had triggered something within him, and Dario swiftly followed suit.
"What on earth is happening here?!" Dario's voice echoed through the training grounds, drawing the attention of those nearby. The commotion had been caused by a soldier's clumsiness, resulting in a crash as they stumbled into a stack of wooden boxes during their training session.
The air grew tense with a hint of arrogance as Dario's outburst filled the space. Despite his gentle and caring nature, Dario was known for his strength and military training since childhood. When provoked, his anger could be deadly.
Just as Dario was about to voice his frustrations further, Ryan emerged from the shadows of a nearby corner. His presence alone commanded recognition, as anyone could easily identify him.
"The King's guard," Ryan spoke with a calm and stern demeanor. His royal status was undeniable.
"Your Highness!" The soldiers immediately acknowledged him, their voices tinged with a mixture of respect and anxiety.
"Remain still and provide an account of what transpired here," Ryan ordered.
"We were merely engaged in training, Your Highness," one soldier stammered, fearing the repercussions of their actions.
"With wooden boxes?" Ryan raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in his voice.
"Well, uh... no," the soldier nervously replied, aware of the gravity of the situation. He had exerted his dominance over the weaker soldier by forcefully pushing them into the boxes, and Ryan was well aware of this. Ryan placed his hand on Dario's shoulder and whispered to him. "Keep an eye on that one," he said, gesturing towards the soldier in the crates. Dario simply nodded and headed to help the injured soldier.
Taking a step forward, Ryan reached for a practice wooden sword and pointed it directly at the responsible soldier.
"What's your name?" The soldier trembled involuntarily, a sense of unease crawling up his spine.
"A-Arien," he stammered.
"Alright, Arien. Care to practice with me?" Ryan leaned down, his voice a hushed tone. "Next time, think before you act out."
Arien's eyes widened in horror as a smirk played on Ryan's lips.
Meanwhile, as Ryan attended to some „pressing" matters, Dario took charge of fulfilling his assignment.
Dario's POV
"Alright, let's go, buddy," Dario said as he lifted the injured soldier and made his way towards the medic. After a few minutes, he returned to find Arien sprawled on the ground with Ryan standing over him. Ryan's gaze was initially intimidating, but it softened slightly upon seeing Dario. He dropped his sword to the ground next to the soldier and spoke before walking away.
"Take care of him, and I hope he learns from his mistake. Send him to me once he has recovered," Ryan instructed. One of the soldiers responded, "Yes, Your Highness." Ryan then departed, with Dario who was still unaware of what had happened.
The following day, Dario made his way towards Ryan's chambers, feeling the weight of exhaustion in his bones. "Ah, I have no idea who was making all that noise last night, but they were incredibly loud," he grumbled to himself. Lost in his thoughts, Dario accidentally collided with someone, causing him to stumble and land on the floor.
"Oh! What the-?" Dario began to complain, but his voice trailed off as he recognized the speaker. It was Ryan standing before him.
"Dario?" Ryan's voice held a hint of surprise. Dario quickly composed himself and rose to his feet. "Your Highness, sir! Why are you up so early?"
Ryan's eyebrow arched in response. "What? Do I need permission to rise early?"
"N-no, of course not. I apologize," Dario stammered, his voice filled with uncertainty. He feared that he might have said something inappropriate. Then, a prolonged sigh escaped from Ryan.
"I simply woke up earlier, alright? I have a great deal of work to attend to," Ryan explained, his tone revealing the weight of his responsibilities. He turned to walk away, and Dario's gaze instinctively followed his movements. Just as Dario was about to resign himself to the distance between them, Ryan unexpectedly turned back.
"Are you coming or not?" Ryan questioned, a trace of impatience evident in his voice
"Ah, of course, sir," Dario replied, caught off guard by the invitation. For a brief moment, Dario's mind paused, entertaining the possibility that Ryan was finally beginning to warm up to him.
.
"Alright, Dario, you can do this. It's not that bad, right?... Ugh, I can't help but worry. What if he gets angry? But he really needs to eat something," Dario muttered to himself anxiously.
Dario's brows furrowed as he observed Ryan, who had been working tirelessly since morning without taking a break for lunch. The stack of paperwork on his desk seemed never-ending.
Taking a deep breath, Dario mustered up the courage to approach Ryan. "Um, excuse me, sir?" Dario's voice quivered, his nerves getting the best of him.
Ryan simply hummed in response, his attention still focused on his work.
"It's... it's lunchtime, sir. You really should have something to eat," Dario stammered, bracing himself for a potential outburst shutting his eyes. He cautiously peeked through one eye, but all he found was silence.
"Is it? I hadn't noticed," Ryan finally spoke, surprising Dario with his calm demeanor.
Dario's eyes widened in disbelief as Ryan rose from his seat and headed toward the exit. Reacting swiftly, Dario hurriedly trailed behind him.
"What?!" Dario exclaimed, astounded. "Did he just agree like that? Maybe I misjudged him... Perhaps he's not as terrible as I thought. Sure, he's intimidating, but... he's... kind?" A smile crept onto Dario's face as he followed Ryan into the dining room. Just as they were about to enter, Ryan spoke, "You should eat something too."
"I can't, sir, I have..." Dario began, but his words were interrupted once again.
"This is an order, not a request," Ryan asserted, entering the room and leaving Dario standing there.
"As you wish, your highness," Dario responded, hoping that no harm would befall his king. Luckily, everything remained peaceful, at least for now.