NOVPUB
Chapter 130 - The things left unsaid
Hael watched as the mysterious woman now known as Amelia ran up to Ceremus, jumping into his arms as if it were the most natural thing to do.
She placed a gentle kiss on his right cheek, and Hael, who stood there in a daze, was unable to comprehend what was happening.
Why was this woman in Ceremus' arms, calling him so casually and affectionately, kissing him on the cheek as if he was hers?
But more importantly, why wasn't Ceremus pulling her away?
The guard watched as the king placed a hand on her back, patting in gently. His stony face that had stiffened upon seeing her now relaxed, and his golden eyes softened as he heard the young woman whisper into his ears how much she missed him.
Hael wished more than anything to rip her off his arms, to rub the kiss she had placed on his cheek and tell her that the man she was holding so tightly was his. A sudden rage erupted inside the man, surprising him.
What was this intense feeling brewing inside his chest—causing him to have such visceral thoughts concerning an innocent woman he didn't know?
His eyes glanced towards Anemone, temporarily averting his eyes away from the heart wrenching scene to give the advisor a questioning look.
Who in the world was she, and why was she holding Ceremus like that?
The advisor looked away, suddenly wishing he could just disappear. Thankfully at that same moment, Ceremus realized that they had embraced each other longer than necessary.
His gaze shifted to Hael who looked both confused and like someone who wanted to punch a wall.
"Amelia," he called, clearing his throat. "You can let go now."
The young woman quickly peeled herself off him. "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize we were being watched." She said as her gaze landed on Anemone before settling on Hael.
A look of surprise flashed on her face at the sight of him. "Oh my, who might this be?"
Ceremus narrowed his eyes, looking at Hael who raised his brows. The slight irritation that flashed before his eyes left just as quickly as it had appeared, and the young man introduced himself before Ceremus could get a chance to open his mouth.
"I am Hael, His Majesty's guard..and friend. Who might you be?" He asked politely.
Amelia had to strain her neck just to look him in eye as Hael was a giant compared to her smaller frame. She was used to having to strain her neck just to look at Ceremus, but it seemed as though Hael was a few inches taller.
"Just what is in the water these men drink?" She wondered to herself.
"It's nice to meet you Hael, I am Amelia. I'm a good friend of Ceremus."
The way she said the word friend with a little more emphasis than necessary made Hael furrowed his brows, but he quickly composed himself.
"It's nice to see Ceremus having other friends besides myself. I'm glad to see you're opening yourself up to people again," she said as she gave Ceremus a brief glance.
Hael's lips quirked as he looked between the two. Ceremus kept a steady eye on Hael before turning his attention back on Amelia.
"When did you arrive in the city?" He asked.
"Not too long ago. Father just dropped me off since I told him I wanted to see you before going home." She replied.
Ceremus nodded, and silence stretched between them before Amelia cleared her throat.
"Actually, there's something I wanted to discuss with you." She said, giving him a meaningful smile.
Ceremus already knew what she wanted to say and so he looked over at Hael with a hesitant face. "I will be heading to the drawing room. Let's call it a night."
Before Hael could interject, Ceremus was already making his way out of the room. Amelia followed behind him, but not before turning back and seeing the dejected look on his face.
Hael stood frozen in place, watching as Amelia and Ceremus disappeared through the grand doors of the hall. The soft click of the latch echoed in his ears, sealing the moment they had just shared a few minutes ago like a cruel end to his frustrations.
He clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening as a mixture of emotions warred within him. He wasn't sure if it was anger, jealousy, or something far more dangerous—something possessive, something irrational. His chest burned as if a fire had been lit, and no matter how much he tried to douse it with reason, the embers refused to die down.
Of course he trusted Ceremus, and of course he knew that there were most likely people before him. He was not a fool. He had heard of all the rumours surrounding the king and his tumultuous past—especially with women.
But something seemed different between the two. Lady Amelia wasn't a common courtisan you would find in the salons or brotroels. Amela seemed to have a close relationship with the king, and it bothered him that he Ceremus had never mentioned her.
Anemone could sense the strom that was brewing within Hael. He let out a sigh as he approached the guard.
"You seem troubled," Anemone finally said, breaking the silence.
Hael's head snapped toward him, his eyes softening a bit. "Troubled? Why should I be troubled? Because the king just left with a woman I never knew existed until mere moments ago."
"I knew of her," Anemone admitted, shifting his weight. "Though I never thought she would show up so suddenly." 𝚗o𝚟pub.𝚌𝚘𝚖
Hael paused before crossing his arms. "...Is she someone important to His Majesty?"
"His Majesty is a man who keeps to himself. You of all people should know that. There was a time however, where he was like any other boy. Happy to be alive, eager to have fun and play amongst friends. Lady Amelia was one of them. They grew up together and have known each other for years now. However, I cannot speak for the reason why he hasn't told you about her. You will need to ask him for those reasons."
That only served to aggravate Hael further. His position as Ceremus' guard—and as well as his companion? Lover?—was ambiguous. It was hard to know where he stood in Ceremus' life and that thought alone made Hael feel helpless. He couldn't understand why her sudden presence made him feel like an outsider looking in.
Anemone exhaled slowly. "You should rest, Hael. There's no use stewing over something you can't change tonight."
Rest? Hael highly doubted he would find any sleep tonight. Not when the image of Amelia's hands on Ceremus, her lips pressing against his cheek, replayed over and over again in his mind.
Meanwhile, in the drawing room, Ceremus leaned against the grand desk, arms crossed as he studied Amelia with a guarded expression. She, in contrast, was all smiles, as if she hadn't just thrown his entire evening into disarray.
"You didn't warn me you were coming," he said, his tone unreadable.
"Would you have let me come if I had?" she countered, tilting her head.
Ceremus didn't answer, and that was enough of an answer itself.
Amelia took a step closer, lowering her voice. "You look well, Ceremus. But I know you better than anyone, and I can tell something's troubling you."
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "You always did have a way of seeing through me."
Her smile softened. "And you always had a way of shutting me out. But let's not do that tonight. We have much to talk about."
Ceremus remained silent, and the smile on her face vanished. "...Is it me? Is my being here causing you to look so distressed?"
There was a slight quiver in her voice, one that Ceremus didn't miss but forced himself to ignore. "...It's not that. You know you're always welcome here...It's just, things have become complicated."
Amelia was quiet for a moment before nodding her head. She had an idea of what he meant by that, and a quiet sigh escaped her lips as she took a seat on one of the couches in the room. She tilted her back, closing her eyes as she contemplated how to bring this matter up. Marriage had always been a sensitive issue for Ceremus, and she didn't want to bring up old feelings and memories, not when he looked so at peace for the first time in a long time. But she knew this subject couldn't be avoided. Not with her father hounding her.
"Father wishes for us to get married sourpuss." She finally said.
Her eyes were still closed, but she could feel Ceremus flinch at her words. She knew him well. Too well.
"...I am aware. The Elders have been pressing Anemone to get me to make a decision." He said quietly.
Amelia nodded. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at Ceremus who had a cold gaze in his eyes. "And you are against it?"
His head snapped to look at her, as if saying 'no way in hell'. A chuckle escaped her lips at the sight, yet she felt a prick in her heart at his rejection. "I see. You feel the same way about marriage then."
Ceremus was quiet before answering. "I don't mind getting married, I just haven't found the right person to do it with." He said.
Amelia opened her mouth in shock, unsure of whether she had heard him correctly. "...You don't mind getting married?!"
The king nodded, but his gaze fell to the floor, refusing to look at her. It's not as if Ceremus wasn't aware of Amelia's feelings. He knew then and he knew now that he could never reciprocate those feelings. It was a shame, but it was better for her to know now, before it was too late.
"...I see."
Silence stretched between the two, and Ceremus had the sudden urge to leave the room, to go see Hael.
"That's good then. I'm glad you've found someone you wish to spend the rest of your life with." She said after a while.
Her words shocked Ceremus as he was not expecting to hear them.
"Actually, that's the reason I came to see you. I wanted us to have a discussion alone first before my father and the Elders got involved." She stood up, and made her way towards Ceremus who watched her with steady eyes.
She finally stopped once she was a few inches away from Ceremus. She let out a breathy sigh before looking up at him. Her gaze was cool, and serious. "There's someone I wish to marry as well, but he isn't from Trojas...nor is he someone who has claim to the throne. You know how my father is, he's an ambitious man and has always dreamed for me or my brother to get married into royalty. Unfortunately, the man I love, though he is a prince, his younger brother is the one who will inherit the throne. " She explained.
Ceremus listened intently to her words, and his eyes narrowed once she was finished.
"There's a rumour circulating about a horn. It's said to have divine properties that could make a mortal human have the powers of a demigod, and a demigod have the powers of a god. It grants the owner superhuman abilities, and the man I love wishes to covet those powers so he could have claim to the throne. If he were to get this horn, he could become heir to the Anderos Kingdom, become King, and therefore give my father a reason to let us marry." She finished.
Ceremus was quiet for a moment as he digested her words.
"So you want us to help him get this horn?"
