"H-Hael?" Ceremus called, his voice wavering.
His smile deepened. "Yes. I am back." He said softly. Ceremus felt something within him break when he heard Hael's voice.
It had been so long since the last time he heard it; he had forgotten how beautiful it sounded—like music to his ears.
Tears flooded his eyes as he met his gaze, gently rolling down his cheeks to his surprise. He had shed a tear in a long time, and yet here he was, overtaken with emotion. Ceremus let out a shaky breath, his hand gripping Hael's tighter as if letting go would cause the man to disappear before his very eyes. "You're awake…" he murmured, his voice so soft it was barely perceivable. "You're really awake."
Hael's gaze softened as he studied the man before him. Exhaustion clung to his features, and he had lost significant weight since the last time he had seen him. Though he remained the beautiful man he remembered, Hael could tell he had suffered as well. Looking at his now tear-stained face broke his heart.
"I'm sorry for leaving you on your own for so long," his voice was quiet, yet carrying a flood of assurance. "But I'm back and don't intend on ever leaving you again."
Ceremus exhaled, pressing his forehead against Hael's hand, his body trembling ever so slightly. He had prepared himself for the worst. He had braced for the possibility that the plant might not work, that he would never hear Hael's voice again. And yet, against all odds, here he was. Alive. Breathing. Looking at him like no time had passed at all.
Hael, despite his lingering weakness, reached out with his free hand, his fingers brushing over the damp trail of tears on Ceremus' face. "You're crying," he remarked, his smile tinged with something unreadable.
Ceremus pulled back slightly, blinking as if only now realizing it himself. He let out a quiet, breathy laugh—half disbelief, half relief. "I suppose I am…how strange."
Silence fell between them, and the king couldn't help thinking back to the last words Hael had spoken to him before losing consciousness. He had pondered those words for a long time, silently deciding how he should respond in the off chance he got to see Hael alive and well again. Those words had lingered in his mind, stuck at the tip of his tongue yet unable to be expressed out loud. Even in the many letters he had written about Hael—mostly for himself, he couldn't bring himself to say those three words.
But he knew he could no longer keep these feelings to himself, especially not with the threat of losing the one he loved still looming at every turn. The life of a warrior was unpredictable, as it was predictable. Anything could happen at any given time. Ceremus had always feared starting something with Hael when there was the risk of it never even working out in the end. But he knew his hesitations would only bring him more misery.
What was the point of waiting when his time on earth was so little, when life itself was so fragile?
But something dark crept over him as he thought all these things to himself.
Are words truly enough to convey the deep emotions I feel for this man? Merely seeing I love you… for some reason I feel as though it's too simple, Ceremus thought.
However, seeing the gentle look on Hael's face, the king couldn't bring himself to say nothing.
"…I always believed love and romance were meaningless," he began, his voice quiet but steady. "That they held no real value—nothing that could contribute to growth, power, or wealth. Even after witnessing the love between my parents, I never once thought such feelings would apply to me."
He exhaled softly, his gaze distant. "Perhaps this is simply how I am… destined to be alone." And yet, you—" His eyes flickered with something almost incredulous. "You, of all people, changed that. You made a man like me—cold, detached—fall in love."
A quiet chuckle escaped him, tinged with something tender.
"…I love you too. More than you could ever imagine." He murmured, almost as if confessing a secret. Then, after a beat, another chuckle—this one lighter, almost breathless.
"You know," he admitted, shaking his head slightly, "I don't think I've ever said those words out loud before."
Hael raised his brows in surprise. "Not even to your father?"
The king shook his head. "No, never. I've never explicitly had to say those words aloud. My father always knew I loved him."
"Did your father ever tell you he loved you?"
"Yes, every chance he could." He smiled sadly as he thought back to the man who had raised him. "I just couldn't ever say those words because I was too embarrassed and as I grew older, I felt as though it was beneath me to express my feelings despite how I truly felt. I now realize how foolish I'd been. I never got the chance to say those words to my father, but I wanted to say them to you." Before it's too late.
He brought his hand to Hael's cheek, and the young man nuzzled against his chest.
"Thank you for returning to me, and for giving me the chance to tell you how I feel." He whispered.
Hael smiled as he said those words, the three letters he'd been waiting to hear for so long. Ceremus then pulled away, his golden eyes tracing every familiar feature of the man before him—as if to reassure himself that Hael was truly there, alive. His touch lingered on Hael's cheek, warm and steady, grounding him in this moment.
Hael, for once, was at a loss for words. He had waited—perhaps even longed—to hear those three words from Ceremus, but hearing them now, spoken with such raw honesty, left him breathless. His heart ached in a way he never thought possible.
"...I have to admit, it's strange to hear you say such words." He laughed despite himself. "Not because I doubted your feelings… but because I knew how difficult it must be for you." His lips curled into a small, affectionate smile. "You had a heavy cross to bear and went through a lot over the last nine years. You never had the chance to cope, carried everything on your own, and spiraled as a result."
Ceremus felt his heart sink at those words.
"But you don't have to carry everything alone anymore," Hael continued. He reached for Ceremus' hand, intertwining their fingers together. "You have me now. And I will stand by your side, for as long as you'll have me."
A quiet laugh left Ceremus, something caught between relief and overwhelming emotion. "For as long as I'll have you?" He repeated, tightening his grip on Hael's hand.
"I figured I shouldn't impose my possessive feelings on you too soon lest you run away again." Hael chuckled.
His comment resulted in a glare from Ceremus but his glare carried little weight as he couldn't deny the truth in Hael's words. He was prone to running away. On multiple occasions.
Hael then brought Ceremus' hands to his lips, placing a soft kiss. "I love you, too," Hael finally whispered. "More than you'll ever know."
Ceremus smiled at the act—almost reminiscent of a silent and unbreakable vow between the two.
"There is one thing we need to address right now," he said as the smile disappeared from his face.
Hael raised his brows, noticing the seriousness in his tone. "What is it?"
"Now that I have given you my heart, you are no longer allowed to act as you wish. You are mine and mine alone. No one is allowed to speak to you, touch you, or entertain you. If I catch someone so much as touch a single strand of your hair, there will be hell to pay. Make no mistake. You are mine and mine alone." Ceremus said.
His words left Hael stunned. Though they felt like complete madness to him, he couldn't help the tingle in his heart when he heard them. He would never admit it out loud, but he felt touched. And that alone was enough to disperse the anger he had previously felt.
He approached the man whose golden eyes had taken a darker hue because of rage and brought a hand to his cheek, caressing it lightly.
"So I'm not allowed to speak to others then. Is that what you're saying?" He asked in a low voice.
"Did I stutter?" was all he said.
Hael couldn't help but smile. "What an unreasonable man you are," He whispered.
Ceremus scoffed as he removed Hael's hand from his face. "I never claimed to be reasonable."
It's said that loving and being loved takes courage. It blinds you and makes you do crazy things. Hael could finally understand those words at that moment.
A comfortable silence fell between them, but a quiet, nasty giggle reverberated in the silence that fell between them, ruining the intimate moment they had just shared. The king turned around with a frown, just to face the one person he didn't expect to see. The sorceress.
"Looks like the two of you have reunited at last." She said as she sauntered into the room, a sly look in her eyes.
Hael looked at the woman—confusion plastered across his face while Ceremus remained calm, as if he had always been aware of her presence.
Melise's eyes narrowed at his lack of reaction.
"Do my eyes deceive me, or have you always known I was there, following you?" She couldn't help asking.
Ceremus didn't respond, he only stared back at her expressionlessly. Melise grew uneasy with his silence.
"…So you knew," she breathed. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Of course I knew. Who do you think I am?" He retorted, finally breaking his silence.
Hael glanced between the two, unsure of what they were talking about.
"Is that right?" Meliše smiled, but an evil glint lit up her eyes. "Then why haven't you done anything about it? Last time I checked, I was your prisoner and this very prisoner has been set free—by your advisor, no less."