The courtroom had turned awkwardly silent as the ministers all had their heads lowered but still peeking at their King from the sides.
The subject at hand was the redevelopment of the towns and villages at the border.
It's been a few decades since they touched it and it now seemed like a haunted town.
They were all discussing and bringing out great suggestions and upon waiting to finalize it, they asked for the King's opinion.
Since the beginning of the court session, he had not spoken a word and now, he seemed to be lost in the imaginary abyss.
In as much as they wanted to murmur, they didn't want their heads to be fried for the King's pet so they kept it to themselves and began wondering what had made the King lose in a court session.
Odin, noticing the awkward situation in the hall dismissed the ministers on the King's behalf. Within a few minutes, they scurried out of the throne room leaving Auric and Odin.
Odin stared at the closed door and shook his head. He brought this upon himself, he could have stayed back in the Asov Kingdom but because of their relationship, he followed him here. What a pity! His wife was still waiting for him. Hah!
Odin stared at Auric for a bit before walking towards a seat which was reserved for him. With a flip of his hand, a book appeared in his hands.
He sat down and began reading. There was still an hour before the court session was over so he had to spend the hours left and enjoy his hobby.
Minutes passed and Odin felt a gaze directed at him. He had immersed himself completely in the book and was almost seeing the characters play the role in front of him.
He painfully tore his eyes from the book and looked at Auric," Do you have something to say or ask? " His black eyes stared into that of Auric.
Auric stared at him quietly and seemed to be contemplating how to begin the topic. He opened his mouth and closed it again, he did this about three times.
Odin scoffed in disbelief, when did this arrogant prince turn into a mute?
Even though the latter didn't like talking, he knew how to begin a topic and make it go in his favour.
"I-I kissed a girl yesterday. "Auric began, his straight face didn't match the tone in which he spoke. For the first time in five hundred years, Auric stumbled in his speech. He wondered how Astrid would react if she heard her brother stuttering in his speech because of a woman.
Odin kept quiet while trying to prevent the onslaught of laughter on his face. He deliberately covered his face with the book and waited for Auric to continue.
Auric on the other hand felt embarrassed and he waited for Odin to speak or tease him but he didn't say anything and even covered his face with the book he was reading.
He sighed and continued." I was not the one who initiated the kiss. She kept accusing me of being queer and I lost it. Odin, do you think this is another phase of the punishment? " Auric asked innocently. Well, he wasn't completely at fault. This was the first time he had kissed a girl since he was born five hundred years ago. He entertained many women but never had any sexual intimacy with them.
He abstained from it as he said that he was saving it for his wife and now he kissed his wife.
Odin couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed hysterically. He laughed till his tummy hurt and tears seeped out of his eyes.
Auric was too innocent in that aspect, this was his chance to tease him.
"It is a phase in the punishment. Your father knew about you keeping your chastity thus, he added a clause to it. You would be sexually attracted to your wife and no matter what you do, you have to give in. " Odin responded with a straight face. He knew that Auric had little to no knowledge about sexual matters thus he didn't know that he was being fed the wrong information.
Auric stared at Odin for a while his hand brushed his chin. He was in contemplation of the matter at hand.
His eyes brightened and he stared at Odin with a raised brow." What do you take me for, Odin? I may not be interested in such matters but that doesn't mean I'm an ignorant fool. " Auric responded while the coldness in his eyes intensified a great deal. He looked like he wanted to kill someone. But it mellowed down a bit and he no longer stared at Odin.
Odin on the other hand was not bothered by the good expression and he smacked his lips. Who knew that the Great Auric had a sea of knowledge about matters regarding hanky panky?
Why did he have to be so boring?
"If you knew then why did you ask me, huh? " he questioned in anger. He thought that he had a chance to tease him but who knew that Auric knew about it? What a killjoy. He turned his sight from Auric and went back to his book but his mood was already destroyed.
"That's not what I was asking. The curse was supposed to make me feel vacant. I was to feel no emotion. " Auric responded as he stared in the distance, his eyes mellow and empty.
Odin paused and he slowly inclined his head up to stare at Auric who sat the her peak of the platform. He could feel that his friend was hurt. He felt betrayed and Odin wanted to sympathize with him but he couldn't. Auric had to get out of this on his own. He changed his expression within a second and went back to reading, ignoring Auric's last question.
They spent the rest of the time in silence and thirty minutes to lunch, Auric rose and descended the steps, making his way out.
When the guards opened the door he saw Carrissa on the opposite side.
Carrissa smiled when she saw him but he didn't respond to her with one. He stared blankly at her before moving past her.
Odin stared at the duo and when Carrissa noticed him, he gave her a bow before resuming what he was doing.
Carrissa stared at the lonely back of Auric and ran towards him.
The event from yesterday was still fresh in his mind and Auric shifted a bit. He didn't want to be a tree for this tigress.
Carrissa stepped into the space beside him and both kept walking.
"A Queen is not supposed to run. It is quite disgraceful. " Auric scolded with a low tone.
He didn't want anyone to hear that he was scolding the Queen and that widened the smile on Carrissa's face.
"I don't obey the rules of society. Rules are meant to be broken and others are absurd. What if I am being chased, shouldn't I run? Or should I walk like a lady and wait for my pursuer to catch up to me? " Carrissa reasoned.
Auric felt sense in what she spoke of and praised her." I saw wisdom chasing you but you were faster but it seems that wisdom is finally catching up to you. " Auric spelt out his praise.
Carrissa had a gobsmacked expression. What did he mean by that? Who the hell did he think he was?
Carrissa was infuriated by Auric's choice of words and she didn't even get the praise in it.
Auric felt someone fuming beside him but he didn't care.
Just because they shared a kiss didn't mean that he had grown to love her. She could harm herself for all he cared.
With the internal heat nullified, Auric felt peace. He felt comfortable and it seemed that all his burdens were taken care of.
"Look here... Whatever! " Carrissa began only to end up saying nothing." I cannot live like this. "
Auric's ear perked up in interest. He had researched Carrissa before he married her thus he knew about her behaviour but that didn't mean he would let her go. Until he is healed, she would have to stay with him even if it's for the rest of her life.
Carrissa wanted Auric to speak or even ask' but no words left his lips, she looked away and bit her lips. What was she thinking? Did she think that a kiss would make him like her?
She regained her composure and brought her subject to the front. She had to finish this quickly, her hatred for him had subsided into caring for him. She didn't love him but she felt sad when she heard he had no relatives thus invoking the urge to take care of him.
"Let's go on a contract. I want my freedom from the shackles of being a Queen and in return, I will find you a wife who can take care of your needs and will be almost equal to me. " Her words echoed in her husband's ears and he was shocked. He didn't think that she would let go of riches just to be free. He couldn't blame her though, being a Queen wasn't easy.
"I like you. I don't want anyone else. " Auric responded. While saying these sweet words, he didn't turn to show any romantic expression, rather his face was more stoic than a statue.
The words were supposed to make Carrissa's heart roll in excitement but her heart was stable. On the contrary, she wondered if he was dying since he spoke these words.
She twisted her mouth to reveal a smile," Of course, there is no one like me.'' She thought aloud.
Auric who was already leading heard those words and raised his brow. "There is no one who is as stubborn as you." Auric agreed.
Carrissa smacked her lips and chased after Auric. "Hey, I am not stubborn. I just follow my heart..."
Odin stared at the couple in the distance. Even though they were far away he could hear them clearly.
A smile settled on Odin's face.
He was happy for his friend and wished that it would always be this way. Even if Auric never returned to his past self he had someone to care for him. The person could do all he couldn't do.
He sighed and inclined his head upwards, 'I hope there will be peace for him here." Odin spoke to the person who crawled out of his shadow.
The person bowed his head and nodded.