"Yes, your Highness." The men replied.
"Now those five who were there along with me, leave the court. Rest will stay." Asterion ordered as five men left in large strides, guilt eating them from inside.
"Since Hades, Titan and Zeus were the ones who left the Crown princess behind, I will be changing your roles." Asterion said while looking at all the three men left in the room.
"Hades you are no longer the captain considering how negligent you are in obeying orders and protecting people which is your prime responsibility." Asterion said expressionlessly.
"Titan will be taking the position of captain and vice captain post will remain vacant for now.
Hades and you will be reduced to normal guards and keep a watch on the main gates of this palace.
I am giving you a second chance to prove yourself. Nobody should enter this palace without my permission. Any complaints?" Asterion asked, finally looking at Hades who had lowered his head but his knuckles had turned white.
"No, your highness." The three replied as Titan was still in shock for the sudden promotion from Vice captain to Captain.
"And Titan, don't think that you are saved after getting the captain post. You will stick by me all the time and at the same time you will work undercover to find out who attacked the princess." Asterion replied.
"Yes, your highness." Titan replied sincerely.
He knew he was being extra strict with Titan when he was less at fault when compared to Hades.
But demoting Hades from Captain to a normal watchguard would already serve him as a bitter punishment. Plus given the current circumstances, he was sure that Hades would have to face a lot of people and problems if he were to follow his orders of not letting anyone inside without permission.
Meanwhile he himself would be helping Titan in the search. But he won't tell this to Titan now. He knew that the man was serious about his duties and made accurate judgements regarding people.
Hence he wanted to keep Titan by his side and train him before letting him guard Princess Ether in future.
"Leave and start with your duties immediately. Titan, you will be coming with me to the Royal Palace tomorrow to announce about sending a search team for the Princess and that man.
Before that, we will complete the funeral rituals for him. I will ask His majesty to compensate his family for the losses." Asterion said, after which both the men got up and left.
"Also Titan, after returning from the Royal palace tomorrow, I want you to accompany me for the Princess's.. funeral. Since it should be done in secret, I don't want many people nearby. Only the two of us along with the priest will conduct the funeral." Asterion said purposefully, as he watched Hades sink even more after listening to his statement.
He knew that Hades was one of the most trustworthy men in his team, and he somehow disliked the Princess. But his perception had never clouded his sense of duty.
Though this time it went a little too far. If not for them reaching on time, who knows what might have happened to the Princess. Plus they had already lost a life while another man was missing.
"Yes, your highness." Titan replied before the three men left.
Asterion soon left for his chamber, knowing he had a more important role over there.
Once he stepped inside, the two maids made way for him, stepping away from the bed where Princess Ether was resting.
"You may leave. And remember not to let anyone know about her presence here." Asterion said without looking at them.
The maids nodded before leaving the chamber for their crown prince.
"Forgive me, princess." He said in a low voice as he settled on the other side of the bed, looking at the unconscious princess.
"It hasn't even been a day since I promised His majesty to protect and make you my prior responsibility. And look what I have done." Asterion paused.
He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Maybe this is the only time I will be confessing this to you.
I was even a little stunned yesterday after knowing that Princess Vesta was missing and my mother had proposed to me to marry you instead.
I was shocked because ultimately it was a huge decision. Marrying is not some child play where you decide one bride and get married to another one.
But since midnight where I made my decision of marrying you, I haven't regretted it in the slightest.
I know you are different from us and don't have elemental power like we do, but that does not make you any inferior. I will never judge someone based on things like power which are not in our hands.
If anything, I will rather study your behaviour because that is what you build on your own. To be good to others is a choice not a compulsion. How you treat others, or how you are originally as a person is what I care about and until now you haven't given me a chance to complain about it.
I know if it would have been anyone other than you, maybe they wouldn't have faced injuries to this extent or maybe any other princess would have managed to save herself and those men as well.
But I don't blame you in the least. If it is something out of your control, you shouldn't be blamed for it. Which goes for your powers as well.
So never perceive that you are inferior to anyone just because you have no powers. Because above all those I can see is a heart of gold which is far more superior to such measly powers." Asterion said from the bottom of his heart.
He would have never imagined in even the worst of his nightmares that this would be the type of conversation he would be having with his wife on their first wedding night, but here he was, that too without any complaints.
"Lastly I promise princess, to protect you even at the risk of my life. You will forever be my legal wife, the crown princess and the queen of country Nero in future. Nobody will replace you." Asterion said in a low but firm voice which showed how determined he was to stick by all the words he had uttered and promises he had made moments ago.
-----------------
Don't forget to comment and vote with powerstones and golden tickets. If you hvaen't added this book to your collection, this is your sign to do so. Drink water, stay hydrated!
- Kizy