Shadows of Pale Sunlight

Ch 2: Enigma

The following days, the emperor had sent some people to fix some of the broken damages in the village and return twice the amount of stolen pieces from each shop. The emperor's generosity had never gone unnoticed, as many had sent gifts to his place.

Yet, in his room as usual, the emperor couldn't shake the nagging thought of the tanned man who had created havoc in his domain. The man's bold words from the other day lingered in the emperor's mind, continuously intruding upon his thoughts. The emperor's head felt itchy from all the thoughts as he felt the need to scratch his milky hair but didn't dare to as his nails hurts his scalp everytime and would soon see blood at the tip of his fingers, making a mess of his hair with blood.

Sighing, the emperor rose from his bed and approached the door, hesitating. It was the first time he had ventured out of his room without a specific purpose, but the need to visit the tanned man compelled him.

Upon opening the door, he made his way to the prison cells, walking through the grand hallway. After navigating through various corridors, he finally arrived at his destination. The guards, who had been vigilant in their watch, bowed their heads in respect as the emperor approached.

"Pray, tell me the precise location where Xhael Koroushi is being held captive, be it the designated chamber or cell assigned to his confinement,"

The guard bowed again at the request and lead the emperor the way. They walked on multiples cells and they're currently headed to the bottom ones as they were going down a spiral rocky stairs. They arrived and the white emperor dismissed the guards as he look at the dimly lit cell prison on front of him.

"Reveal yourself"

The emperor heard chains rattling to the ground as the said tanned man walked towards the cell door where there's more light and the emperor could see him clearly.

"Why did yer majesty came t’ visit me? Do ‘ya fear I may not survive here? Nahh this isn't the first time I was ever capt’ve for more than a month or two, even more than that."

The emperor stared at him with no expression as he asks a question,

"Why do you endeavor to elicit a smile upon my countenance?"

The tanned man lowered his gaze to the emperor's lips, leaning his chest forward yet his foot stood the same place.

"Your majesty, if ‘ya could maybe.. talk a little more lighter? I don't really speak Korean well, I'm Brazilian and I don't understand"

Says Xhael as he gave off a sweet smile making the emperor almost flinch. The emperor looked away glancing around then look back to the man again.

"Why... do you aspire to elicit a smile on me..?"

Yes, the emperor tried, seeing as the tanned man still continued gazing him, for the first time the emperor felt like a fool for not being able to do such an easy request. Then he heard a chuckle,

"I still don't understand yer majesty, my apologies, also."

The man leaned back and fixed his posture but now stepping even more closer to the cell,

"Has anybody told ‘ya, that ‘ya smell good yer majesty? I can smell yer pheromones all the way here. It smells like yer rut is coming, and it's kinda dangerous right now."

And that's where the emperor's heart sank. Pheromones? He doesn't have any pheromones. He's the only alpha at the Aurelius family that does not smell anything. He does not have a scent.

"Please clarify the purpose of the nonsensical rhetoric you are espousing."

The tanned man flinched at the emperor's tone, stepping back and frowning he looked to the ground on front of him and crossed his arm, the chains rattling as he moves.