Chapter Text
It has constantly been on Alberu mind lately, it was nothing serious at first, popping into his head at random moments of the day and disappearing just as quick. He also wasn’t sure when it started either. Maybe it was there for a couple years, or maybe a couple months. All Alberu knows is that it’s haunting him now. It appears when he wakes up in the morning, when he’s eating his meals, when he’s signing documents, before he goes to bed and even in his dreams. And…Alberu just wants it to stop. He’s not desperate enough to act upon it yet, no. But it’s tempting. Alberu slightly sits up from his bed. He sighs as he looks at his ceiling, debating whether all of this is worth it. Whether his decision to remain silent is worth this…this desperation that follows.
‘No’
Alberu thinks.
‘I’m not going to suffer like this. This-this hindrance is obstructing me from doing what I need to do, and I need this to stop. Now. it'll only take an instance. Like taking an arrow out of a wound. I need to take the arrow out so I can take care of the wound, so it won’t fester. And I can’t hesitate. I need to take action immediately.’
Thinking of such thoughts and filled with determination, Alberu rushes out to contact Cale. When Cale, or rather, Raon didn’t answer, he leaves a message; telling Cale to come to the palace as soon as he wakes up the next morning. Satisfied with what he did, Alberu decided to call it a night, and promptly falls into oblivion when he gets back to his bed.
The next morning, Alberu wakes up with horror in his heart and a sense of defeat looming in his head. He slowly gets up from his bed and got dressed. As he gets dressed, he clears his throat and asked the servant nearest to him.
“Has… has anyone contacted me yet?”
The servant looked confused at his odd question, but tells Alberu his schedule for the day.
“Yes, Your Majesty. As of today, other than your scheduled meeting with the Magician of the Tower, Miss Rosalyn. You also have a meeting with the Head of the Treasury about the wages of the gardeners. As of just now, we received calls from the Caro Kingdom as well as the Whipper Kingdom regarding their wish to strengthen the friendship between the 2 kingdoms. Would you like to schedule them sometimes next week?”
That…was, not the information he was looking for. He looked at his servant and replied back.
“Yeah, schedule a meeting with both of the kingdoms sometimes week. But... has there… has there been any calls from the Henituse family?”
“No, Your Majesty. Were you expecting someone of the Henituse family to contact you? Should I call them for you?”
“No!”
Alberu quickly said.
“No, it’s nothing. You may go now”
After dismissing the servant, Alberu headed to his office. Cale wakes up around noon every day, so he’s not surprised at the lack of reply. With a heavy heart, Alberu hopes Cale will disregard his message. Or maybe even accidentally miss the call and never know of this incident, ever. Of course, as God would have it, to Alberu obvious misfortune the messenger knocks on his office door to inform Alberu that Cale Henituse had asked for an audience. Alberu sighs again, curses himself for his 4 in the morning decision and tells the messenger to let Cale in. As he waits in agony for Cale to show up, he glanced at the time.
‘Slightly after 12, I wonder if Cale has eaten yet?‘
The sound of his door opening brings him back to reality. He takes in Cale’s long red hair and slender figure as he walks through the door. That fake, starstruck and happy expression is on Cale’s face as soon as they make eye contact. Alberu immediately smiles like the 'kind older brother' that he is, and stands up to usher Cale in.
“Cale Henituse! The hero of our Roan Kingdom! The star that lights up our night sky, have you eaten your meal yet?”
Cale looks at Alberu for a moment, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He then blinks and puts on a wide- too wide, smile and says,
“Surely you jest, Your Majesty! If I was the star that lights up the night sky, then you would be the Sun that guided the Roan Kingdom to prosperity! How can I ever compare? But, to answer your question, Your Majesty. Yes I had a light meal before heading over. I heard that you needed to see me?”
Alberu looks at Cale for a moment. Before nodding and signaling all of his servants to exit the room. When he turned around to face Cale again, Cale has already disappeared from where he was and has sat himself comfortably on the sofa, snacking on the cookies that were left on the table. Alberu seems to be stuck in a daze as he saw the way the light seems to be shinning on Cale. As if there’s a glow that encircles Cale’s being, making Alberu unable to look at anything else. After a while, Cale seems to have noticed Alberu starring at him and glanced up.
“Yes, Your Majesty? What seems to be in such a hurry that you would leave me such a message?”
Alberu swallowed. Before he forced himself to move and sit in front of Cale. The more he stares at Cale, the more that thought stays in his head. Alberu wants to claim Cale. He wants to wake up every morning to know that Cale is his. He wants to know everything that is going on in Cale's life. He wants to Cale to be by his side through peaceful times as well as the difficult times. At night he wants to-
“-ello? Your Majesty Alberu? Are you okay?”
Cale’s voice sliced through the thoughts that pulled Alberu into a happy daze. He snapped his head up and looked at Cale again.
‘Okay, I can do this.’ Alberu thought,
“Cale, the reason I called you here today is because I have something I want to say to you."
Alberu takes a deep breath.
“It’s been on my mind for a while now, I recently came to the conclusion that I need to say it.”
Alberu can see that Cale had stop slouching, Cale’s sitting up a bit straighter. As if he can feel the tension in the room. Inhale. Exhale.
‘Like an arrow.'
Alberu thought.
“I would… like it, if we were partners”
Alberu said in a rush, his head turning blank.
'…Why, of all things, did I say partners? That's so stupid. Well, it doesn’t matter.’
Alberu thought.
‘It’s too late to go back now, the word is out, I said my piece. I just need a reply now.'
Alberu glanced anxiously at Cale as they both remain motionless on the couch. Even the sound of Cale chewing on the cookie was silent. Cale gave a quiet chuckle. The sound sends a thrill through Alberu.
“Your Maj- no, Alberu.”
Cale says. Alberu looks at Cale with dread in his heart but hope in his eyes.
“Aren’t we already partners?”
Cale asks, and Alberu is confused. What does he mean they were already partners? Alberu certainly doesn’t think they are partners. Why are they already partners? Did Cale confess before? Did Alberu miss it? As Alberu mind was in a state of confusion. Cale speaks up again.
“Come on, Alberu. We defeated the White Star together. I helped you keep your throne. We helped Roan Kingdom rise up among the other kingdoms. If we’re not partners, what else would we be?”
‘No’
Alberu thought.
‘Not partners like work partners! Not partners as in partners in crime! Partner as in lovers! As in I want to hold your hand, kiss you and wake up next to you!’
Alberu thinks desperately. As he was about to opens his mouth to clarify with Cale, Cale continued to speak.
“Well, it was nice to know you have another plot going on, Your Majesty. But I am retired. I have given up all this scheming and brainstorming. I’m just a simple farmer now. Oh! Speaking of which, I need to head back right about now. I promised the kids that I’ll take them to the festival that’s happening today if they take care of the rodents that seem to be infesting our garden. Nice to know you're still healthy and I’ll see you later. Have a good rest of your day!”
With that, Cale stood up, dusted himself off before towards the door. Even without Alberu’s reply, he walked out. And Alberu? He remains frozen even after Cale left. It shocked him that his choice of words could be taken that way, and he couldn’t seem to process all of what Cale just said. But….
‘Maybe it’s a good thing he mistaken what I said’
Alberu thought.
‘This way, I know that he doesn’t think of me as a romantic love interest and we can still preserve our friendship.’
Pulling himself out of the slump Alberu almost fell into, he got up from the couch, stretched, and went back to his table. Looking out the window for a moment, Alberu sighed.
‘Yeah…maybe it’s a good thing.’
And went back to filling out the paperwork on his desk.