The council chamber was colder than usual, though the torches along the marble walls burned brightly. Aelion sat at the head of the long table, his crown placed in front of him rather than on his head. The gleaming circlet of gold seemed heavier than ever—an unspoken reminder of the expectations chained to him.
The advisors argued back and forth: trade agreements, boundary disputes, whispers of rebellion at the southern borders. Their voices blurred together until Aelion barely heard them. His thoughts drifted to Kealen, who stood at his usual post against the wall, vigilant yet calm.
Every time Aelion's gaze flickered toward him, the steady warmth in Kealen's eyes grounded him. Yet that grounding was also dangerous—because it made Aelion wish for things a prince was not meant to want.
When the meeting ended, Aelion dismissed the council and remained alone with Kealen. Silence filled the chamber until Aelion finally spoke.
"You heard them," he muttered, his voice weary. "Every word is about what I must do, never what I want."
Kealen stepped closer, his voice steady but gentle. "That is the burden of a crown, Your Highness. But you are not only a prince—you are still Aelion."
The way Kealen said his name sent a shiver through him. Aelion looked up, his lips parting as if to answer, but no words came. The air between them grew heavy, almost suffocating.
"You think I don't see the toll this takes on you?" Kealen said softly, his fists tightening at his sides. "But I swore to protect you—not just your body, but the man you are beneath the crown."
Aelion rose slowly, the scrape of his chair echoing. He stepped toward Kealen until they stood just a breath apart. His heart hammered in his chest, torn between duty and desire.
"Kealen," he whispered, his voice breaking, "what if the man beneath the crown wants something… forbidden?"
Kealen's jaw tightened, his restraint faltering. His eyes burned with unspoken longing. "Then you must decide, Aelion—whether the prince rules, or the man does."
The silence cracked. Aelion reached up, his hand trembling as he touched Kealen's cheek. For a fleeting moment, time itself stilled—the weight of kingdoms, councils, crowns, all falling away.
And though they did not kiss, though restraint still held them back, the unspoken promise lingered in the air, heavy and undeniable.