‘No, Charles shouldn’t know Ramuja is here!’

            Aster was panicked, his thought process ran quickly, trying to find a way to hid Ramuja. He couldn’t let Ramuja leave the carriage and hid, because Charles and his men must’ve surrounded Aster’s carriage already.

            He found an idea when he saw Jain.

            “Jain, take Ramuja away! Quick!” Aster ordered.

            “Young Lord, but…”

            “Quick!”

            There was certain displeasure in Jain’s eyes, but he nodded and gripped Ramuja’s shoulder before disappearing together. Aster was relieved when they vanished like a thin air and resumed his cold demeanor. As much as he wanted to run away now, Charles was definitely already planning this whole thing.

            The carriage door was opened and Charles was standing with wide smile and golden eyes. He was always handsome, striking handsome, all his chiseled facial feature, his body, attire and gait clearly showed the beauty in a god statue by all means. Some crazy people even worshipped him as a demigod.

            But for Aster, he saw a terrifying god trying to ruin him. Aster shivered when Charles hopped in his carriage and sat facing him. He looked happy when he saw Aster, but instantly felt guilty when he remembered that accident in autumn banquet.  

            Charles was blind eyed. He didn’t realize what he had done to his beloved Aster. His beloved white kitten.

            Charles raised his eyes and glanced at Aster few times, he wished that Aster would only show that nonchalant attitude, but what he saw was nervousness, like a kitten who was terrified of stranger.

            “That… Aster…” Charles gulped, “About that accident, I’m sorry…”

            Aster lowered his head and mumbled something inaudible. When Charles tried to hold his hand, Aster instantly reacted and slapped Charles’ palm.

            Charles observed Aster’s reaction, fear, it was only fear in his face. Charles didn’t feel the slap at all. It felt like a feather that brushes his hand. But that feather was stabbing his heart.

            ‘Aster…’

            Charles bit his lip. He didn’t understand what he had just done that night. All in his mind and heart was just the imagination of Aster smiling at him, welcoming him back. Maybe Charles could kiss him too. He was too eager that, when he saw how mesmerizing Aster that night, after two years of separation, his desire just soared and he demanded more.

            That thin and pale cheek had turned rosy and healthy, his body was slender and beautiful, his golden hair shone under the blue moon, and his face that haunted Charles’ dream every night. When he secretly observed Aster that night, standing in front of everyone and boldly tell the guests that he would assign the grand duchy himself.  It was too much for him to handle.

            ‘He must be traumatized,’ Charles grieved.

            ‘I knew he loved me, but I was too hasty…’

            Charles tried to find a way to apologize to Aster, he tried sending him gifts every day and all was rejected by Aster. He didn’t even look at it, he just told his servants to throw it away or return it back to Charles.

            “W—What is your intention here?” Aster asked cautiously.

            “Huh?”

            “Blocking my path while we are outside of Dionde City, are you planning to…” Aster’s face went pale. He slid to the corner of the seat, trying to distance himself from Charles.

            Charles grieved at this reaction, yet, he was amused at the same time. He never saw Aster in this frightened condition, Aster also probably never show this reaction to anyone.

            A desire to conquer dominating his head, he wanted to pin his cousin, made Aster cry only for him, made Aster bowed only to him. Everything about Aster only for him. His pants started to get tight and uncomfortable, but Charles suppressed his desire and replied, “No, I just want to meet you, but you always refuse to meet me under any circumstances.”

            “I—I’m just uncomfortable with you…” Aster said.

            “That’s why I want to meet you… I want to beg for your forgiveness…” Charles awkwardly kneeled in front of Aster and wrapped Aster’s palm with his hands, “Please forgive my wrongdoing, I truly regret my action.”

            ‘You will forgive me, Aster. I know you will. We love each other anyway.’

            Aster was going to reject that apology, even ridicule it. Because it was simply unforgiveable. However, he could feel Charles’ hand clenching his palm tightly. The strength was obvious and Aster frowned in pain.

            Aster glanced at Charles’ pleading eyes which contained maliciousness inside. He gulped, ‘There is no way he could accept a no.’

            He glanced outside and found all his guards were already surrounded by Charles’ men. He was trapped by Charles. He didn’t know what would Charles do if he said no.

            ‘You vile warmonger. How could I forgive a monster that have no regards of anyone but himself!’

            ‘Go to hell, bastard!’

            Aster cursed Charles in his heart, but he finally smiled and nodded, “I forgive you.”

            Charles’ golden pupil shone and he kissed Aster’s hand piously, “I will never hurt you anymore, my sweet Aster.”

            Aster’s smile thinned when Charles kissed his hand. But under that golden pupil, he could feel the danger looming around him. This man couldn’t accept rejection for anything.

            “Now, it’s evening already, I know you have an event to attend, Earl of Sintine’s opening ceremony for his new business, isn’t it? Don’t worry, I already take care of it for you,” Charles said.

            “What do you mean by taking care?”

            “I ordered Earl of Sintine to postpone it until tomorrow, so you could still attend it.”

            “But…”

            “How about horse riding?” Charles offered.

            Aster tried to find a way to escape from this man and said, “I cannot ride horse.”

            “Who said you are going to ride the horse alone?” Charles grinned, “We only need one horse.”

            “Charles!” Aster became tense after hearing that. That was completely inappropriate, but what his mind went to his servant, Ramuja who was hiding right now. What if Ramuja saw him and Charles riding a horse together intimately. He would be heartbroken!

            “Oh, don’t be shy. You know that we are going to ride the horse in the meadow, besides, I don’t mind if someone see us together,” Charles’ grin turned into smirk that sent chills down to Aster’s spine.

            Charles gripped Aster’s hand tightly again, signaling that he has no choice to accept. Aster smiled and nodded.

            Charles took Aster outside and a white horse was already prepared. He carried Aster and put him on the saddle and then Charles jumped behind. He took the halter and spurred the horse.

***

            They rode around the meadow in the evening, with the sunset as background, the bigger man hugged the smaller one in front intimately, they looked like a perfect couple.

            However, Aster was uncomfortable the whole time. Charles basically seized him, sometimes he stared at Aster’s nape and smelled it deeply. He seemed intoxicated, he smirked, sometimes chuckled joyfully.  

            Aster unwilling wiggled out, trying to separate himself even by an inch. But it unknowingly stimulated Charles. Aster jolted slightly when he could feel something big poking his back.

            “C—Charles…”

            “Don’t wiggle too much, it’s dangerous…” Charles said ambiguously.

            Aster fell into silence again. He just wanted everything to be over soon.

            Charles couldn’t get enough of his cousin, his pupils turned golden completely and he said, “It would be nice if we are together forever, right?”