Gardenia of Blooming Desire

The banquet was crowded, laughter, chatter, gossip, politics all surrounded the atmosphere. But there were two key figures missing from the scene, the Young Lord of Grand Duchy of Stormhill and Crown Prince.

The Young Lord had disappeared as usual, he hated the crowd and hated the atmosphere. While he was not hostile to anyone, he did not try to blend. He had beautiful features, thus, there would be few noblewomen, especially young ones, trying to flatter him. But they were all dismissed.

The handsome Crown Prince was usually seen around the crowd or around his cousin, the Young Lord of Stormhill. He would blend perfectly with people, due to his extensive knowledge about many topics. However, since he was engaged, his usual charming upbringing almost disappeared, he looked more serious and rigid than before. Few said that he had matured, but few said that he always looked borderline angry.

There were plenty of stares focusing on a pair of lovebirds sitting silently on their table. While he noticed it, Charles ignored them. He had gone silent since the start of the banquet. He frowned when he had to sit alone with his fiancé at the farthest table with a garden view. It was romantic, but what he had in mind was sitting besides his apple, Aster. He loved watching Aster frown because there were plenty of ladies trying to catch his attention. He loved seeing Aster dismissed them. He loved it when Aster commented how nasty these women were.

He loved it because it gave him self-satisfaction.

But this was the first time Aster separated their table, dozens of thoughts jumbled inside his mind about the possibility.

'Is he mad because I am engaged?'

'No, he won't feel jealous just because I am engaged.'

'We--We talked about this already. I need time to dispose this thing.'

'Did he found someone else? He might be disappointed with me.'

'He-- No-- Did he find somebody else to comfort him? Did I miss it?'

'Is this all… because I failed to cancel the engagement?'

Charles stared at Helene, his fiancé. His gaze grew dark and really ugly. He frowned even more. Everything was because this woman decided to accept the engagement in exchange of wealth.

He couldn't annul the engagement because he was stationed in a campaign. His father was deliberately setting him up to a trap.

'That nasty old man!'

"Crown Prince, you are too obvious," Helene reminded him. She looked cold, both of them were not in their mood for a fake harmony.

"Hmph, I am deliberate because you give me trouble," Crown Prince said, his gaze grew uglier, "Because of your greed, I--My beloved had left me… No, no, he does not. There must be some mistake here," Crown Prince started muttering again about all the possibilities inside his head.

Helene sighed. As his subordinate, she knew the habit of this prince. He became a bit irrational when his mind was about this Young Lord. She respected the prince as a great commander, but was never in love with this love struck prince. It was obvious that he only had his cousin, Young Lord of Stormhill in his eye. "It was my family who accepted the gold. I was in the same campaign with you, remember?"

"Then, I shall dispose you and your family for destroying my relationship," Charles murmured. Helene heard this, but she only shook her head. North Fort kingdom was the main defender against the northern tribe, and it would be a disaster to discard them. They would not be disposed easily by the not-yet-emperor in front of her.

"Maybe you should chase that Young Lord, he might be caught by some female beast here."

Charles' ugly eyes disappeared instantly, and the trace of worry gradually emanated from his brow. He began scanning the room to find Aster, but he actually disappeared.

"I will cover for you, go and find him," Helene said.

Charles nodded and started finding his way around the banquet. He searched everywhere but Aster actually disappeared from this banquet.

'Did he go with his new lover? Unforgivable!'

Charles stayed in his position until someone tapped his shoulder. He turned back and saw his aunt, Grand Duchess of Stormhill standing quietly. She wore a feather white dress with her golden hair embroidered with goose feathers as ornament. Charles was fond of his aunt because she looked similar to Aster.

Charles calmed down and greeted her, "Crown prince greeted Aunt Duchess."

"Likewise," Grand Duchess replied, before Charles could leave her, she hastily said, "Were you looking for Aster?"

"Yes, Aunt Duchess. He is not in this banquet."

"I see," Grand Duchess smiled, she glanced at the east garden, "You might find him in his favorite garden. The one where he likes to spend time alone," Grand Duchess said, before covering her mouth with a feather fan.

Charles nodded, he excused himself and went to the east garden.

The autumn was cold, but when he entered the garden and saw two silhouettes standing side by side, his body temperature flared up. He rushed to the two silhouettes.

He saw Aster unbuttoned his doublet. His collarbone was exposed under the garden candle lamp and it was, in Charles' eyes, a seducing portrayal of his beloved one.

Charles' eye lost its golden shimmer around the pupil, his pupil was pure black now. He glared at this scenery and shouted, "Aster!"

Aster jolted when he heard his name. Charles grew even angrier. He really caught him red handed with somebody else.

When he saw the one who could seduce Aster, he felt like his heart could explode.

It was that slave, that slave whom Aster protected before.

"C--Charles, you scared me. What are you doing here?" Aster asked awkwardly.

"Silence! You--" Charles pointed at Aster, but his tongue curled up when he almost cursed Aster. He shifted his attention to the slave who was cowering now. His legs trembled and he fell to the ground, kneeling until his head touched the stone.

Charles unsheathed the sword in his waist. He directed the tip to the slave's neck. But before he could slash his neck, Aster held his wrist, "No! Charles! What are you doing?!"

Charles' black pupil finally regained his golden circle, and it gradually turned into pure golden when he saw Aster. He smiled, but to Aster, it was a creepy smile that sent chills down to his spine, "What am I doing? My dear Aster, I am punishing a slave for his grave offense."

"What grave offense? Stop, he is not harming me!" Aster pleaded. The hand around Charles' wrist tightened and slightly trembled.

Seeing this, Charles' golden pupil shined under the candle lamp and the line in his smile grew longer, " Of course, it is because he dared to have an affair with you."

Aster's eyes widened, he took a deep breath and pleaded once more, "We are just strolling around the garden. I grew bored because I had no one to talk to at the banquet."

"You have me. You can always talk to me."

'And you can only talk to me.' Charles said in his heart.

"Well, I need to give you time with your fiancé," Aster murmured.

After hearing Aster's answer, Charles calmed down. But when he remembered that Aster had dropped his doublet and exposed his collarbone, he tightened the grip on his sword again.

"Why did you take off your clothes?" Charles asked calmly, but the storm brewed in his eyes.

"That's --" Aster went silent immediately. He gulped, he opened his mouth but decided to shut it again.

Charles swung his sword, but Aster's grip tightened again. He really wanted to save this slave. Charles' felt something poking his heart, something painful and itchy.

'Is this his punishment for me?'

'Is this because I had disappointed him?'

'Aster… he must be sad after knowing the engagement…'

'If it is his revenge, then it is my atonement.'

'If it is, then, he just wants to tease me.'

'This slave… if he's just a property for this revenge, then it is natural for Aster to protect him.'

He understood something, and decided to play along with his lover. He finally sheathed his sword.

The smile in Charles' lips that once faded had resurfaced back. He started chuckling, "Hahahaha, I get it now," Charles held Aster's hand and said, "If you wanted to play a game, then I will follow along, my dear."

Aster was dumbfounded, but he said nothing. He nodded to appease Charles and to calm him down.

"Well then, I will escort you back to your room. It is indecent for anyone to see you like this."

Aster glanced at his servant who was still in the same position. He let Charles hold his hand and guided him to his room.

After there was no one but himself in the garden, the slave finally raised his head. But there was no trace of fear in his eyes.

It was full of hatred.

***

"Oh… my..."

Two adult women were standing quietly in the garden. The one wore a white feather dress and had golden hair with feather ornament embroidered on her hair. And the other one was slightly older, with a long blue dress and her posture was slightly plump.

"Camille, I am sorry. I shouldn't have followed you here."

"Berzhenia, I-- Please keep this a secret."

Grand Duchess Camille covered her face with her fan. Lady Berzhenia, Duchess of Silvorè was dumbfounded after discovering the entanglement between the Crown Prince, Young Lord, and his affair with a slave.

"I will keep this a secret. But you have to do something, Camille," she said.

"Yes… I will find a way. You have my gratitude, Berzhenia."

"Well, I will excuse myself. It is chilling here," Lady Berzhenia left the garden with a smile in her face. She hasted her steps to the banquet.

Grand Duchess sat on a chair in the pavilion. She naturally knew the character of this 'friend' of hers. She was the blabbermouth, the source of gossip. Her smile flourished after she made sure that Berzhenia saw just enough for her to have misconception about this event.

"My dear son. Your poor mom will help you."