Adnan heard voices from the next room.
He slowly ambled through the doors to find the king. Something told him to stay put like an obedient slave. However, he soundly contain his curiosity and went into the king's washroom.
Adnan wandered into the bathing chamber. His eyes skimmed through the room to find the voices he heard. There was no one in the room.
His eyes were attracted to the milky water in the pool. The water was hot, with bubbles and flower petals on the surface.
Adnan couldn't recall the last time that he was so close to clean water. He approached the water, he ran his hand through the water. A thrilling relief washed over his body from how amazing the water felt against his skin.
The male moved his hand around the hot water. It was soothing to his skin. Forgetting his title and his environment the boy stripped off his clothes and dared to enter the water. Curious as to how relieved he would be inside the pool.
Adnan was floating in the clouds. Swimming in the bathing pool was bliss that was out of the world he knew. Adnan brushed his body, feeling like a person, not an object.
For the first time, the male felt the comfort of his skin. Adnan closed his eyes shut. Taking in the beautiful moment and etching it into memory.
Adnan reached out into his air. Slaves with short hair were in season, so the owner of the shop had forced him to clip his long edges in places. Adnan wished to feel the relief in his scalp.
Removing the clips from his hair. His hair fell to his shoulders. It wasn't as long as the silver-haired rider but it wasn't short either. Adnan washed his hair in the water.
The doors to the bathing chamber opened. The King's entourage entered the room. Adnan glanced at the door, he saw the purple-colored robes approaching and reality hit.
It occurred to him whose pool he was in, Adnan ducked into the pool, holding his breath.
The King hit Adnan's clothes on the ground. He narrowed his eyes at them and frowned. His eyes changed color, like a magnifying glance that could see through opaque objects. He got a clear view of the room, searching for the intruder that dared to come into the bathroom.
He spotted Adnan in the water. "I'll take a bath by myself today," the king let out.
The servants bowed their heads in understanding and prepared everything he will need. They set it down on a stool beside the pool and left the room. Closing the doors behind them.
In his purple robe, the king took a step into the water. The water started heating up the moment he stepped in. The King took a seat in his corner and let the warm water wash over his body. He softly glanced at Adnan.
The boy struggled to hold his breath under the water. Death seemed to be what awaited him if he were to swim up. Adnan dared not take the risk of being spotted by the man who entered the pool. Unknown to him was that he had already been discovered.
Adnan's eyes burnt. The water was getting hotter and hotter by the minute. As though something or someone was warming it up.
After ten minutes, Adnan swam up for some air. "Aahh," he gasped filling his lungs with air. He inhaled and exhaled over and again. Panting for breath, it was a stupid near-death experience that left him breathless.
"Ten minutes, I'm impressed," he heard alerting him of the current situation he was in. Adnan bit his lip. He kept his eyes on the wall, nervously praying to the moon that he disappears.
The man in the pool with him was the king if he wasn't mistaken. It dawned on him that a slave like himself dared to touch the water the king bathes with. Adnan had never seen anyone who was begging for death as he was doing.
Even if the king had him beheaded right there. Adnan wouldn't blame him. He had crossed the line and was deserving of punishment. Adnan held his breath.
"What were you doing?" the king's question sounded. Adnan swallowed hard.
He was short of words to explain his weird behavior. What could he say, that he was drawn by the warmth of the water? That answer was suicidal, to say the least. It was a signed death wish for the king to fulfill.
"I find it rude that you aren't responding to me," his soft yet commanding voice let out in the room. Adnan tensed. Water dripped off his face like sweat. Adnan was cold.
He rubbed his palms against each other. Wrecking his brain for a reason, an excuse that might get the king to forgive his mistake and not kill him.
"Are you ignoring me?"
Adnan was shaking. Who was he to ignore the king? It was nerve-wracking to be there and the worst part was that he didn't have the courage to get out of the pool. Especially since he was naked in the water. And his clothes were by the king's side.
'I am so dead,' he screamed internally.
His blood ran cold and he was sweating. Adnan got goosebumps all over his body. He had the worst luck and timing.
"Am I speaking to you or not!" the king's voice stopped being friendly. Adnan held back a scream, the water was shot up and became unbearably hot when the king snapped at him.
The male was forced to glance up at the king. His eyes widened with shock. The King's long silver hair floated around him in the water. That was almost similar to the mysterious rider. Sharp red eyes as bright as the sun. That differentiated from the rider as the man had green eyes. However it felt as though he was looking at that rider without his mask.
Adnan gulped.
The King was as beautiful as the moon and as elegant as a lotus. The King was enthralling enough to make anyone who saw him want to worship him.
Adnan had a hard time trying to avert his gaze from the King. His gaze made the king's lips to curl up. "If you want a portrait just ask. No need to eat me with your eyes," he spoke out. "Although I must admit, sneaking into my bath naked has caught my attention, dear slave," he added.
Adnan was mortified.