"J-Just… what in the world…" Aigeus, the bravest of the three, asked as his eyes landed on Hael.
"Why is the manbeast here?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear and confusion. The 'manbeast' was a creature they had encountered in the forest, a terrifying and ferocious being that had nearly cost them their lives. So why was that same beast here, at the palace?
Ceremus' eyebrows raised when he heard this. "Manbeast?"
Hael said nothing, even as the three humans he recognized from the forest pointed their fingers at him.
Ceremus narrowed his eyes when he saw this. "Are you insinuating that my personal guard is somehow this 'beast' you speak of?" He asked the men.
They all gulped. "I-I…" Aigeus started to say but found himself stumped.
Now that he was facing Hael correctly, he realized he didn't look like the beast they had fought in the forest. He was still tall and muscular, but his long white hair looked cleaner than before, and they could see hints of silver between each strand of hair. Not only that but he wasn't bare-chested; he wore a neat uniform that made him look dignified. They could've easily mistaken him as a noble if it weren't for the fact that he was a guard.
His aura was also much lighter than before, and compared to the scary look he had on his face during his last encounter, he looked kinder under the light.
He was nothing like the beast they had seen, and the men found themselves dumbfounded.
"Hunting has resumed in the forest. The beast, if it ever existed, is long gone. I suggest we put this forest matter to rest." Ceremus's tone was low, his authority unquestionable, leaving no room for debate. The three men could only nod in agreement, despite their lingering doubts.
Aigeus, Georgios, and Boris felt the weight of Ceremus' menacing gaze, and unconsciously stepped back, their bodies involuntarily retreating from the King's intimidating presence. They could only nod their heads, their voices caught in their throats. Despite their grievances, they couldn't summon the courage to argue against him.
Hael's gaze met Ceremus', and a spark seemed to jolt through his body. He quickly averted his eyes, his face flushing with warmth. The tension in the air was palpable, and the audience could feel the unease that Hael's sudden reaction brought to the scene.
With that, the matter was concluded—at least it should've been. When they were alone, Hael couldn't help but ask the King why he hadn't disclosed his identity. "Why would I ever suspect you as being the man-beast? " he asked.
Hael gave him a pointed look, his eyes flashing with a defiance that surprised even himself. The King's sigh was a clear indication that he had pushed the boundaries. "You should consider yourself lucky. If you were anyone else, you'd be ten feet deep into the dirt for even looking at me like that, " he said, his voice a low growl of warning.
Though Hael frowned on the surface, he felt his heart warm when he heard this. "You shouldn't make it a habit of using violence anytime someone offends you, Your Majesty."
Ceremus rolled his eyes. "You are as perceptive as you are intelligent, my King. I know you suspected I was the beast, most likely from the moment you saw me." Hael said.
Ceremus said nothing.
"So why did you hide it? Were you trying to protect me?" He asked, his voice sounding more hopeful than he wanted.
Ceremus took note of this and had to mask a smirk. "Me protect you? Why would I ever do something like that?"
Hael could feel his gaze on him and felt his cheeks warm. He couldn't understand what he was feeling at that moment. Most people would call it embarrassment, but Hael, who was clueless about these things, didn't know any better. Despite his 'embarrassment,' he was honest and didn't make it a habit of lying.
"I know you are fond of me. You said it yourself, Your Majesty."
Ceremus furrowed his brows. "When?"
Hael smiled. "You said if I were anyone else, I'd be dead already. I knew then that you wouldn't do anything that could harm me." He said.
The young man didn't know where he got the confidence to say these things, but he felt it in his heart that Ceremus cared for him—at least more than he did for others. On the other hand, the King was caught off guard by his words. His heart beat faster when he saw Hael staring right at him. It felt like his blue eyes were piercing into his soul, looking past all the darkness and seeing him for who Ceremus truly was. His body trembled, and he could feel his strength leaving it.
Just as he was about to tell him off, a voice cut him off.
"Hael!"
They both turned around to see a beautiful young woman running towards them, specifically towards Hael.
"Anthanasia?" Hael called back in confusion.
What was she doing here? He wondered but remembered that a few of her colleagues were also in the palace seeking an audience with the King. So it wasn't strange that she was here. A smile immediately took over his face, and Ceremus, who was standing next to him in the grand hall, felt a prick in his chest.
"I can't believe it! I thought I was going to leave the palace without seeing you." She said she jumped into his arms.
She then felt an oppressive aura next to her and turned around to see the King staring at her intently. His look alone would be enough to blow into smithereens. She pushed herself off Hael and stood straight, giving the King a courteous bow.
"I apologize, Your Majesty, I didn't see you there." She said.
Ceremus gave her a once over, and the scowl on his face seemed to deepen. Despite his extreme dislike of the current situation, he acknowledged her presence.
Anthanasia then turned to look at Hael and noticed he was currently in uniform. The smile returned to her face once more. "I wasn't sure how you would look as a guard, but you certainly fit the part." She said.
"Loki said the same thing," Hael replied.
The two continued to chat back and forth, catching up with each other, and the entire time, Ceremus could feel his mood souring. He felt that same deep ache in his throat, a sharp pain in his chest whenever Hael would be around Anthanasia or even mention her name. It was an inexplicable sensation, and once, he didn't like it at all.
Hael then turned to look at Ceremus, who was lost in thought. "Is it alright if I spend a little time with Anthanasia before tonight?" he asked.
Ceremus stared at Hael and saw a glimmer of hope in his blue eyes. He also unconsciously held on to the hem of his robes as he asked. Ceremus found the entire act to be extremely adorable and had to hold himself back from smiling at the young man.
He didn't like that Hael's request involved spending time with another person—a woman, but seeing how happy and excited he looked, he couldn't bring himself to deny him. So, with a deep sigh, he agreed, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions.
"Make sure you're back before 8 o'clock. I don't want to have to ask Anemone to go and fetch you." He warned.
Hael nodded his head while Anthanasia bowed before leaving.
Ceremus watched the two walk away, happily chatting away as they did so. The King felt his heart sink and wanted to retract his words and tell the young man to return to his side immediately.
But the two had already gone out of sight, so he stood there feeling a deep regret.