Chapter Text
The council chamber always felt too large for the underwhelming number of problems solved in it.
King Caelum Arden sat at the curve of a table. Mahogany, his father’s favourite. His fingers drummed on a red royal seal. He wasn’t looking at it. Instead he was listening. Measuring pauses, watching facial expressions, noticing all the things people think a monarch doesn’t.
Those people are wrong. Obviously.
Somewhere behind him, Ser Kaiden Marr stood. Not too close. Never too far.
“Eastern trade routes are unstable as of late,” one of Caelum’s personal advisors reported. Caelum always kept a few advisors of his own. The Council was too shadowy for his liking.
“Increase patrols,” Caelum said shortly.
Simple, controlled, and just loud enough to be heard without sounding like his mother.
The advisor gave a quick nod, jotting something down on a piece of parchment.
A second advisor cleared her throat before speaking. Then another. Problems presented, solutions proposed. But the council always left with more parchment than progress.
Caelum listened, but his attention drifted back. Not towards the maps pinned as if they were important, but towards the knight with black hair and a voice like molasses.
Kaiden never moved much when not told to. Idle wasn’t the right word. It was alert stillness. As if waiting was a choice rather than a state.
At one point, their eyes aligned.
Kaiden looked away first—gold-flecked eyes breaking contact as if it cost nothing. Not to Caelum’s surprise.
But if that was so, Caelum should’ve stopped thinking about it.
– – –
The council finally ended, chairs softly scraping against waxed wood. Paperwork had been gathered and voices lowered into the soft murmur of finality.
Caelum stayed seated.
Most believed it was authority, but it wasn’t.
It was simply easier to breathe when no one was awaiting his word.
Caelum exhaled. “You are dismissed,” he intoned, “Thank you for your work today.”
The chamber soon emptied quickly after that.
Kaiden did not immediately leave.
“That includes you, Kaiden,” Caelum sighed, sinking in his cushioned seat, “You don’t have to stick with me throughout the night too.”
“I know.”
Caelum brushed the royal Arden seal with the feather of his quill. “You know every exit,” Caelum said. A question painted as a statement.
“I’m a knight,” Kaiden replied.
Caelum didn’t look up from the paper he was expected to read. The handwriting was much too ornate. Brinking on preformative, as if the writer could impress the king with a flourish of their quill.
“Not an answer, Marr.”
Kaiden didn’t answer immediately, which was rare enough that Caelum finally looked up.
There he was. Close to the doors, yet too far. Still exactly where he was from the start.
“Memorizing exits keeps everyone safer,” Kaiden said finally, “Especially you, My Lord.”
Caelum studied him. Those gold-flecked eyes stayed trained on the young king.
“Keep telling yourself that,” Caelum smiled.
Kaiden’s expression didn’t change, but the air in the chamber shifted ever so slightly it was nearly unnoticeable.
Caelum leaned back in his chair and let the chamber settle again.
“You seem very intent on being unnecessary,” he said again. It was an observation, blunt as it may sound.
Kaiden’s gaze flickered just once. Not amused, but not offended.
Something much too controlled to be either.
“My intent is to do my job,” Kaiden paused, “And to do it well.”
Caelum studied him like his answer wasn’t truly an answer at all. It was a tell.
Then he dipped his quill into a vat of ink and began writing.
Neither of them moved pass for the quiet motion of Caelus’s quill gliding across paper.
Just knight and King.
And silence that wasn’t empty, even though it was expected to be.
Then, Caelum stood. Kaiden’s attention sharpened—watching, and ready.
Caelum noticed the way it happened as well. And wished he didn’t.
“Come,” Caelum said, already walking.
Another beat.
Then footsteps followed. Always behind, never beside the king.
“Say, what do you do during your spare time?”
“I don’t… have spare time.”
Caelum flashed Kaiden a grin.
“Let’s fix that, shall we?”
“How?” This time, Kaiden’s voice was tinted with what Caelum assumed was intrigue.
Kaiden spoke like someone who decided he didn’t need time to himself. Caelum wasn’t convinced he had come to that conclusion independently.
As they walked, Kaiden started to relax.
“See, I’m a fan of basketball,” Caelum said.
Kaiden listened before replying. “I’ve played with childhood friends.”
Caelum gave him an encouraging nod, “Were you any good?”
“Not particularly,” Kaiden cleared his throat.
Slowly but surely enough, Kaiden slotted himself beside Caelum.
From a corridor to Caelum’s left, came Amestris, holding a box wrapped with blood red silk. “Hello, King Caelus,” she said smiling.
Caelum frowned slightly.
“She’s holding the box wrong,” Kaiden murmured.
“Good evening Amestris,” Caelum said despite the pit in his stomach, “How are—” His voice came to a halt as silver shimmered in her hand.
Time did as well. As if in slow motion, Amestris discarded the silk-clad box and lunged.
Caelum’s breath hitched. Something brushed against his overshirt. The corridor narrowed.
Kaiden pushes in front of Caelum mid-sentence.
He’d never done that before.
Before Caelum could scream, Kaiden intercepted the blow.
Caelum focused on Kaiden’s breaths behind him.
Caelum locked eyes with Amestris’s crazed ones, and guards flooded the corridor.
“Your Highness!”
“Are you alright, King Caelum?”
“Shall we take you to the infirmary?”
Questions bombarded Caelum’s mind, but only one word remained.
Caelus.
Just as quick as they had come, the guards disarmed Amestris and arrested her, leaving only Kaiden in Caelum’s wake.
Caelum and Kaiden stood in silence.
“Hellfire,” Caelum cursed, voice breaking, “That was horrid.”
Kaiden nodded once. “Are you secure?”
Caelum grabbed a hold of himself, attempting to steady his breathing, “I… believe so?”
Kaiden’s shoulders dropped with Caelum’s words.
“Affirmative,” Kaiden paused for a split-second, “Shall I take you to the infirmary?”
“Just to be certain,” Caelum conceded.
Kaiden still hadn’t stepped back.