The lake glistened under the afternoon sun, its surface like polished glass. A gentle breeze brushed through the trees, making the leaves whisper like old gossip. The estate was peaceful, idyllic even—but tension rode beneath the tranquility like a current waiting to break.
Aiden walked along the lakeside path, sandals slipping over smooth stones, his robe fluttering gently in the wind. His cheeks were slightly flushed from the sun, and his mood buoyant after hours of freedom. Shinomi had, miraculously, let him explore without his usual guard dog stare—but that didn't mean Aiden was alone.
"Thirsty?" Cassian asked as he approached from the opposite path, holding out a chilled porcelain cup.
Aiden blinked, surprised but pleased. "Oh, thank you!" He accepted it, sipping carefully.
Cassian smiled. "You've really changed. You seem... brighter here."
"Do I?" Aiden asked, brushing hair from his face. "Maybe it's because no one's yelling at me to hold posture or fix my sleeves."
Cassian chuckled. "Shinomi does seem to enjoy scolding you."
Aiden pouted. "He does. But he's not always serious."
"Maybe," Cassian replied, eyes flicking briefly toward the treeline—where he knew Shinomi was likely watching. "Still, I think you deserve gentleness."
Aiden paused, not quite sure how to respond. His heart fluttered, not from the words exactly, but from the way Cassian said them—carefully, as if afraid to startle something fragile.
But before the moment could stretch too long, the bushes rustled and Shinomi stepped out with silent grace, arms crossed.
"Ren," he said flatly. "You were supposed to rest after lunch."
Cassian raised an eyebrow, amused. "Did you follow us the whole time?"
Shinomi ignored him. His gaze stayed on Aiden.
Aiden scratched his cheek. "I just wanted a walk."
"I'll walk you back."
Cassian chuckled under his breath. "Of course you will."
Aiden felt the shift again. The strange electricity that kept passing between the two men. He glanced between them, his brows drawing together.
"Did I do something?" he asked softly.
Both men froze.
Shinomi stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "No. You didn't."
But Cassian's smile slipped into something more knowing. "You're the center of something, Ren. That's not your fault. But it's something we'll have to resolve."
Shinomi glared. "Cassian—"
"No," Cassian interrupted, voice sharp but calm. "If he's going to be caught in this, he deserves honesty. That's the only way to make a choice."
Aiden's heart skipped. "What choice?"
Cassian didn't answer. Instead, he stepped back, tipping his head with a small smile. "Let's continue the tour, shall we?"
---
That night, Aiden tossed in bed. He couldn't sleep.
Cassian's words haunted him. "Make a choice."
He curled under the covers, mind whirling. He hadn't asked for this. He wasn't trying to play with their hearts. He wasn't Celestia. He wasn't...
...the queen.
But somewhere deep down, Aiden knew: one day, he would have to decide whose heart he was willing to break—and whose he wanted to keep.
---