The council chamber was restless. The war had been won, but at a terrible cost. Messengers and nobles filled the hall, their voices a low storm of whispers that echoed against the marble pillars.
"The prince fought on the front lines?" one lord muttered. "Reckless."
"Reckless?" another countered. "It was brave. The people will remember his courage."
"Bravery is nothing if the heir dies," snapped a third, slamming his fist against the table.
At the head, Aelion sat rigid, his crown glinting faintly in the torchlight. His hands gripped the armrests, though his gaze remained calm and unwavering. He had expected this backlash, yet the sting of their words still cut deep.
When the council adjourned, Aelion let the mask of composure slip, his breath leaving him in a shudder. Behind the throne, Kealen waited as always, his armor cleaned but his eyes shadowed with fatigue.
"They see only what they wish to see," Kealen said softly once they were alone. "They do not know the man you are."
Aelion rose, his footsteps slow, deliberate. He stopped in front of Kealen, lifting his chin just slightly, eyes searching the face that had been his anchor through every storm.
"I do not care what they think," Aelion murmured. "I care what you think."
Kealen's lips parted, surprise flickering across his features, followed quickly by something deeper—something he could no longer suppress. "I think…" His voice faltered, then steadied. "I think I almost lost you, and the thought terrifies me more than any blade."
The words broke the last barrier between them. Aelion reached up, cupping Kealen's face, his thumb brushing over a faint bruise along his jaw. "Then don't lose me. Stay."
And Kealen did not resist this time. His hands found Aelion's waist, pulling him close as their lips met—not hesitant, not fleeting, but desperate. A kiss born of fear, relief, and longing, tasting of smoke and salt, of promises made in fire.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless, foreheads pressed together.
"You are a prince," Kealen whispered, his voice raw. "And I… I am bound to protect you. But Aelion, I can no longer pretend that is all you are to me."
Aelion's heart surged, fierce and unyielding. "And you are no longer just my protector. You are the only one who sees me, Kealen. The only one who makes this crown bearable."
For once, the crown lay forgotten on the throne behind him, and the weight of prophecy dimmed in the fire of their closeness.
In the quiet of the chamber, amidst shadows and whispers, their hearts burned brighter than destiny itself.