When the Universe Began [A Blackmadhi Fantasy AU]

Chapter Fourteen

(POV: NAHYUTA)

What did Simon think he was doing? Too close! Way too close! A blush spread across Nahyuta's face as he shoved him away. Why had he asked? Nahyuta knew what he was yelling at them about... and yet... he had still asked. He wanted to see how he'd react, but this was most certainly not what he had been expecting!

"Sorry, sorry Your Highness. Your face! It's just too much! I was only joking!" Simon said, barely breathing through his laughter. Nahyuta's blood began to boil and before he knew what he was doing, the sound of his hand colliding with Simon's cheek resonated through the air.

"Get! Out!" Nahyuta shouted, pointing to the door as his face began to flush with anger. He bowed, before leaving without making any snide remark back. That was the second time he'd smacked him since they met. Nahyuta walked over to his balcony, leaning against the rail to gaze out at the garden below. What would Simon have done if he had said yes?

~~~

Nahyuta found himself unable to sleep that night because he was plagued by similar thoughts. Simon's eyes had almost been a pretty color up close like that. He sighed, getting up out of bed and sneaking out of his room. He went down to the gardens, a small group of spirit butterflies instantly gathering around him. He always felt most at peace like this, surrounded by flowers and the butterflies. The jasmine he burned as incense wasn't just because he enjoyed the scent, it helped to calm him down when he got upset. That's why this garden was filled with jasmine. The smooth stones felt cold against his bare feet, but it also helped to alleviate the nerves that had kept him from sleeping. Nahyuta brushed his hands through the flowers as he wandered down the curved paths, the small group of spirit butterflies following close behind him. His mind started to be put at ease and the thoughts of Simon that had filled his head began to disappear. This is what life had been like before he'd arrived. No one to stop him from doing what he wanted to, no one to nag him about doing dangerous things. If only Simon himself could disappear as easily as Nahyuta's thoughts of him, or at least that's what he thought he wanted until he saw him lean out onto his balcony. Nahyuta's heart almost stopped, he looked so casual out of his uniform. Not bad. Not bad. Was Simon unable to find sleep again? More often than not, he heard him moving about his room rather late at night. He glanced over to Nahyuta's room, a small soft smile crossing his lips as he did so. His heart began to pound in his chest... since when had Simon looked so... attractive? He rarely smiled, maybe that's why Nahyuta always was drawn in when he did. Before he could get a chance to call out to him, he went back inside his room, closing the balcony door behind him. What was it about Simon Blackquill that made Nahyuta feel like he'd finally broken the chains that held him down? If anything, getting a bodyguard should've strengthened those chains, but it was the exact opposite. Nahyuta smiled to himself, turning to head back down the paths towards his room. It didn't matter for now what he thought about Simon.

~~~

Simon shook him awake the next morning, practically forcing him to get out of bed. Nahyuta had preferred it when he smacked his cheek to wake him up.

"You have a visitor." he said matter of factly like it didn't even matter that he was keeping him from a full night's sleep. Who in the world would come to bother him this early in the morning? If Nahyuta ever became king, he was going to make it a crime to bother him with anything important before eleven. He sighed, going outside to see who this visitor was and what they wanted.

"I've got a message for you Nahyuta Sahdmadhi." A young woman with long raven black hair pulled back into a high ponytail shoved a wrinkled old looking piece of paper into Nahyuta's hands. Did she know his father? People rarely called him by his shortened name, only his father's followers.

"How did you get in here? I'm almost certain you didn't come in legally." She couldn't have if she was one of Dhurke's followers.

"Sorry, that's a trade secret." She pressed a gloved finger to her lips, smirking to herself. She then disappeared into a puff of black smoke. Strange girl... it would make sense if she was a Defiant Dragon. They were all a bunch of weirdos. Nahyuta opened the paper she'd given him, almost dropping it when he recognized his father's handwriting hastily scrawled across it. Nahyuta rushed back into his room, dressing as fast as he could before speeding out again with Simon following closely behind.

~~~

"Dhurke... please tell you didn't call me out here for something trivial again." Nahyuta said, leaning against the wall of the alleyway they had squeezed into. Something about his father seemed off. Instead of the normal brave front he put up, he seemed visibly scared about something.

"Dhurke... what's wrong?" Nahyuta rarely saw him like this, he believed the last time had been when he and Apollo almost drowned, but that had been over twenty years ago.

"Son... swear to me you won't show anyone that mark on your hand or tell them who you really are. It's far too dangerous right now. Tell Apollo for me."

"Dad...? What's the deal?" He ran off before he could provide an answer to this question, leaving Nahyuta with even more questions and far less answers than he desired. There had to be something seriously wrong for him to act like that... but what...?