The King's Possession ✔️

THIRTY TWO

Word Count: 2235

I race upstairs, my heart racing in time with my steps.

Kailor's disturbing words still creep over my skin uneasily, making me wonder whether Tai is destined to fall onto the same path as his father. Surely he's better than that. At least I hope so, as I gently press on the door and slink my way into Tai's personal quarters.

His quarters are similar in size to Vaia's, but with a lot less pink. In fact, everything is rather minimal in regard to furnishing. A seating area extends toward what must be his bedroom, all muted colours of ivory and hints of sage. Tai must be here, after he stormed from the room out of frustration.

Knocking softly on the door, I await the embarrassment of showing up here in the first place.

Tai answers almost immediately, startling at the sight of me. He is still yet to dress down from his King-like attire, all the rings on his fingers glistening lavishly, his violet threaded black jacket still draped over his shoulders. He looks nothing like his father, I decide, and acts nothing like him either...most of the time.

"Akara...is everything okay?" he asks uneasily, glancing over my shoulder. I had hoped to never step foot near his bedroom, yet here I am, too frightened to ruin the façade by not coming here.

"Other than your father trying to proposition me, I suppose I'm fine," I say with a shrug, watching Tai's expression immediately falter.

"He did?"

"Woah," I level quickly, placing my hand on his chest as he steps forward, almost as if he is going to confront him right now. If Tai approaches his father angry, then there's no way he would be successful in any attack. "I've dealt with it. Problem is, he thinks we share a room being that we are...engaged."

The tension shifts from his shoulders to his expression as he dwells on that. Stepping aside, he motions into his room. I should tell him I would feel more comfortable in his living area, yet politely, I wander in, listening to him close the door behind him.

"He shouldn't be up much longer. You can return to your room then," he tells me assuredly.

His room is far larger than mine, and a whole lot more impressive. I suppose that's what you get when you're a King. A large red topped bed sits upon an extended polished wooden dais, steps leading up to it as if the bed is actually a throne. The rest of the room has dark furniture and curtains which must be hiding a balcony beyond.

"I'm sorry about everything he said to you. That can't be very nice to hear," I murmur, standing awkwardly in the middle with my hands clutched together in front of me. Tai leans back against the door, brows furrowed, complimenting the storm shifting in his eyes as he recalls what was said.

"I've heard him say that since I was a young boy. It's not exactly anything new," he tells me with a shrug, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I watch uneasily as he walks past me, sitting on the end of his bed. The air in the room feels over-charged suddenly, even if I'm the only one experiencing this, while Tai is stuck in his own state of mind. It's not natural being in his room, seeing him sat upon his bed as if this is a normal place for us to converse.

"Do you have a mother?" I ask tentatively.

"I did," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "She died two years ago. She was a lot like me, in the sense that we both like creating things, working to break tradition."

My heart sinks, as I regard Tai with a sympathetic look, wondering what I can do comfort him. Quietly, I sit beside him on the bed, palms pressing against the silken duvet, breathing in his spicy scent which covers this entire room. Ignore the way it makes my skin shiver, I focus on his face, the solemn expression replaced now by a fondness for his mother.