Golden Slumbers

Chapter 2

Trigger Warning: Themes of manipulation & abuse

"Do not fail me again," Emperor Belos's voice echoed through the Golden Guard's ears. "Your next mission will be tomorrow in Latissa. You'll have as many scouts as you see fit, so I expect results. Until then, I expect you to stay out of trouble and stay out of the way. Be grateful you have a day without duties."

"Yes, Emperor," he replied, kneeling in front of Belos.

"You may go."

He nodded towards the Emperor with a determined look plastered on his face and exited the throne room, keeping his head held high.

The doors crashed closed behind him as he let his shoulders and head fall towards the floor.

"Dammit," he whispered, cursing his failure at Eclipse Lake earlier that week, and began to walk back to his room. It was early in the morning, about 6 am. The few guards that were around looked dazed and tired from their night shifts. The Golden Guard empathized.

He made it to his room, racking his brain for what to do with a sudden day off. That's when he heard his neighbor, the Blight, opening his door. The guard's hand hesitated over his doorknob for a moment, causing the Blight to notice him. The guard couldn't tell if the hesitation was on purpose.

"Oh, hey, Goldie!" The Blight, Edric, said. He looked genuinely excited despite having gotten as much sleep as the Golden Guard had gotten that night.

"I thought it was Blondie," he replied sarcastically, a smirk crossing his face.

"Gotta switch it up. Keep you on your toes, Golden Guard."

The Golden Guard chuckled. "What're you up to today?"

"Nothing crazy. I don't think Jasper needs me to fetch papers and coffee today, so I'll probably be wandering around again."

"May I join you? The Emperor gave me a day off and I'm not entirely sure how to spend it."

"I would be honored." Edric bowed, smirking up at the guard as he did so. The blond appreciated that the Blight didn't take his high rank too seriously. It was comforting to not have an expectation to live up too.

"But," the Blight added, "only if you tell me your name."

"Clever, I see." He saw Edric smile. "It's Hunter." He said, cursing himself for getting close to an intern of all people. Someone that would leave and probably never return to the palace after Belos managed to intimidate the research team into never looking at this place again.

"Hunter. Cute. Now, lead the way Blondie." So much for no more nicknames.

To Edric's surprise, Hunter pulled the other towards his own room.

"Whoa, okay, I know I'm hot but calm down Blondie," Edric smirked as Hunter blushed and looked angrily away from the idiot.

Hunter walked over to his window and opened it, climbing onto the windowsill and holding his hand out to Edric.

Edric, however, was not paying attention. His eyes were touring the Golden Guard's room instead. The room was laced with books and loose notes strewn across the desk and floor. History books on wild magic were stacked in leaning towers. Edric even noticed a few books that were banned from the libraries. There was a stuffed animal from a popular cartoon poking its head out from under a pillow and then, of course, there was Hunter sitting on the edge of a window.

Titan. It dawned on him that Hunter was waiting on him and Edric took the other's hand.

"What are you-" Edric was cut off as a small cardinal palisman appeared in front of Hunter, turning into a staff.

"What, did you think we were going to jump? I know the Emperor's Coven is known to be stressful but damn." Hunter laughed and pulled Edric onto the staff, flying them both down to a clearing in the woods.

"We'd likely be questioned to no end if we took a different way out, so I chose this one," Hunter explained.

Edric stared in disbelief at the sheer audacity Hunter had. He thought the right hand man of Belos would be more tightly bound to the rules, but he supposed that wasn't always the case.

"So.. why here of all places?" Edric asked.

Hunter shrugged. "It's more private than the palace, I guess."

Private, huh?

"What's it like being the Golden Guard?" Edric asked out if nowhere, steering his thoughts away from.. other things.

"Oh, um," Hunter hesitated, thinking. "I enjoy it."

Unspecific and shady, Edric thought.

"Ok.. how'd you get your scar?" He asked, trying a different approach. He had heard awful things about Belos in the past and, Titan, if he wasn't going to try and get information out of this possible friendship.

The question seemed to catch Hunter off guard more than the previous one. "My own stupid mistakes, I guess."

"Elaborate?"

"I don't know- it was after a super important mission that I completely and utterly fucked up. That's about it. I had it coming, obviously."

"Oh.."

"Oh?"

"So, did Belos give it to you?"

Hunter looked confused and nodded, as if that was implied and not a huge problem.

Edric tried again, moving closer to the blond. "Why did you join the Emperor's Coven?"

"Nope, my turn. What's it like having a twin?"

"Oh, Titan," Edric rolled his eyes. "I mean- sometimes it's fun. When we were younger we would play dumb tricks on my parents. Oh!" Edric lit up with excitement. "One time we dressed our cat up as a dragon for Halloween and Emira and I turned it into a real one! Tiny of course, but still a fire breathing dragon," Edric laughed at the memory and the angry lectures that followed.

Hunter smiled with him without realizing it.

"Other times it sucks though.. I never really made any other friends, so when she started to branch out I just felt- left behind? That's partly why I came here."

"Did you expect to make a new friend in the Emperor's Coven of all places?" He laughed, knowing how abrasive and aggressive the scouts and coven heads could be. Except Steve- Steve was wonderful.

Edric hesitated, questioning why he did choose the Emperor's Coven to intern. He was an illusionist, after all.

"Well," he eventually said, "I found you, didn't I?" He said with a smile.

Hunter couldn't help but smile, too.

Hello guys!! Chapter 2 is here & the title still doesn't make sense... I'm so sorry, I swear it's coming

You know what else is coming? More trauma! Stay tuned my fellow angst-lovers. But, please, if abuse & depression/suicidal things trigger you, stay away

Goodbye my weirdos!