Kaden walked toward the servant courtyard in search of the cloaked servant. He hadn't heard anything from her and the three days was already up. He flexed his arm as he continued strolling until he found himself in the servant's courtyard.
It was smaller than he remembered and chunked together with various items. The smell irritated his nose and he fought the urge within him not to retch as his fingers reached to touch the tip of his nose.
How can a place like this be so dirty and distasteful to the eye?
He heard someone scream as the women around scampered around, running away as if he came to kill him all. Kaden tried to hold it within him as he realized that they probably thought he was going to kill them by touching them.
"My Prince, " his thoughts were distorted by someone dressed in a black long dress as he bowed his head while exposing a huge hole in the middle of his head. Kaden looked at him, tilting his neck to the side as he tried to remember him. From the time he awoke, he found it hard to remember or read some faces. He knew he had seen this man before, his voice and his eyes seemed familiar but he didn't know his name.
"I am Varick, the head servant, my Lord. How may I be of assistance to you?"
Kaden raised a brow as he wondered why he was calling him by that title. It sounded so strange and more befitting for his father, rather than him but that wasn't his concern anyways.
"Do you know a servant here who wears a cloak over his face?" Kaden asked.
He watched as Varick scratched his head for a while before snapping his fingers.
"I know him," Varick said, "But my Lord, I sent that lazy servant to clean up Prince Aros's chambers. "
"Alright." Kaden responded as his eyes narrowed in on Varick who had a strange smile etching on his face.
He was about to turn around and walk when he felt a hand grab his naked arm.
"My Lord, would you like to eat anything?" Varick's eyes twinkled back at him and Kaden clicked his tongue while casting a replusive look around the dirty area.
"What answer do you seek, Varick? Do you expect me to eat in this lowly place?" Kaden started as he grabbed hold of Varick's hand, yanking it off his hand while twisting it, "You were brave enough to ask me such a ridiculous question and even courageous in touching me. What if you died?"
He let go of the head servant's hand who suddenly put his knees on the floor and his forehead met the floor.
"Spare my life, my Lord. I am such a stupid servant."
The corner of Kaden's lips lifted into a mocking smile as he turned around on his heels and left the courtyard with piercing gazes burning through his clothed back while leaving the head servant to his misery.
Kaden walked toward Aros's chambers with gritted teeth as he struggled not to unleash his anger on every servant whom he walked past. The distance from where he was walking from was quite far and much of a hassle as a guard guided him. He noticed the guard made a distance between them as his hands kept trembling.
"Is he scared of me? He's not even a woman and he's trembling. " Kaden whispered as his eyes wandered around the garden. That garden was his mother's favorite. When he was younger, she tried to teach him about the species of each and every flower while making him write it all out on a scroll with ink. Kaden later gave up on it as he followed his father on hunting trips. Kaden remembered how much his mother would sing to the flowers and tend to it and he imagined how she would look doing It, she often had a smile and would sometimes break into a laugh once she sighted a pretty butterfly.
"My Prince, " the voice of the guard made him turn his head to the side as he had forgotten that he had stopped walking. He didn't want the guard to follow him anymore so he asked where Aros's chambers was. The guard pointed with his index finger and Kaden nodded and dismissed him.
He then kept walking with his mind filled with so many thoughts.
What if his father had taken Aros to be his actual son?
His father and the elders seemed to be in support of Aros and it would only be a matter of time before Aros revealed his greedy nature.
Kaden was still so absorbed in himself that he didn't notice when he collided against someone and at his feet was a piece of lamb meat. His eyes travelled further and landed on a cloaked figure on the floor who was struggling to stand.
Kaden smiled, "I was searching for you. "
He noticed that she didn't respond as she was still on her knees as her hands reached out to pick the lamb meat on his feet but Kaden dragged it away from her reach.
"Was that your meal? You shouldn't pick your food off a Prince. It's forbidden. " Kaden said.
Her response threw him off as she slowly rose to her feet.
"I was going to eat that. Why did you have to do that? Doesn't a tired slave like me deserve to eat a common meal?"
"You forgot to add, my Prince," Kaden answered as he circled her once more, "You are a servant who hides herself under the pretense of being a man and yet, you act so proud when you should be kissing my feet. Why does a mere meal bother you so much to the extent that it may cost you your tongue?"
"My mouth is dry and empty and I am afraid that before I kiss your feet, I might die of thirst and hunger." Kaden heard her say. As he touched her cloaked shoulder, he suddenly felt energized from within him. It was as if there was so much strength in him. His eyes turned red as he felt as if he could now shift into a wolf with ease.
"For someone who is about to die of hunger,your lips are still moving and you speak as if you know me personally. You have no fear within you. It's so strange for a servant like you. " Kaden whispered.
"You didn't come all this way to ruin my day, my Prince." He heard her say and he chuckled softly.
"You seem to pick things up pretty quick. It has been three days, Lily. What is your answer?" Kaden whispered as he slanted his head closer to her clothed ear.