I reached my room way past the time I normally turn in for. Seth was on the balcony looking up at the night sky. He seemed different ever since we came back from Solaria. More ominous and quiet, lost in his inner world as if he was somewhere else. I walked up behind him and it took him a while to register that I was beside him. Seth turned towards me and his golden brown eyes ran across me.
"Aren't you headed to bed?" I asked him.
Seth placed one of his hands into his pocket, "Not really. I've been on Night Hunts. I need to stay awake a little bit longer before heading to bed if I want to get my sleep schedule back on track." He leaned back on the railing. "Shouldn't you be heading to bed?"
"Seems weird for me to fall asleep with you in my room Seth." I tugged my robe around my neck more.
He stared at me. "I slept in the same room as you when you were going through a traumatic moment in your life. What do you mean, weird." Seth seemed a bit hurt. "Is it different now since we're in our twenties?"
I stared back at him. "Wait! It's not like that! Don't get worked up over this Seth!"
Seth scowled at me, "Not like what? Because it seems that you don't like me around you when you sleep anymore unless we are in the wild and I have to watch your back. Are you going back on your word now? Do you just see me as some palace guard?"
I gawked, "Why are you-"
"Oh, I don't know. Ask yourself this Kliene. You've been in your own world lately. You can't even look at me straight in the eyes anymore." Seth swung himself over the balcony and disappeared.
"SETH!" I ran over and looked down. Um. That's a really long fall. I turned away and sighed, running my hand down my face. I sighed deeply, "Why did this escalate? It shouldn't have. He's overthinking again…" I really should talk to someone about what's going on with my brain, but it really can't be Seth.
"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Ry gaped at me.
He and I were in his office at the Auxilium Ward. He's the head Auxilium of Valoria, with Maria behind him. I crossed my arms and stared at him.
"The all mighty High Prince comes to visit me, to ask me about love advice?!" Ry gaped even more.
"It's not love." I narrowed my eyes.
"Sir- I mean, your Highness." Ry took his glasses off and shoved his pen into his small pony tail. He laced his fingers together and hunched a bit over in his seat with his legs crossed. "Can you please, listen to yourself for once? You sound love sick and many of your palace staff can see this. You look at him differently than any of us, even me. I've been your friend way before Seth and you treat me like dirt."
"I do not!" I screamed.
"Well, not like dirt, but um. You give Seth the princess treatment… your, Highness." Ry said slowly. He sat up and ran his hand through his hair and pulled his pen out and untied his hair. Ry combed his hair with his hand from underneath and blew out some air, "Maria and I really notice this about you, your Highness. You allow him to call you by your first name, which I have never been able to."
"You can."
"You don't allow me to."
"But you could."
"That can lead me to being in prison." Ry looked back at me.
"What are you getting at Ryan Piere Allen?"
"Wow, using my full government name!" Ry laughed. He snickered more before replying, "As much as I want to help you, your Highness, I think it's better for you to figure it out yourself. You're in love."
Love. What's love? I understand familial love, but not between two people. I've never been in love with anyone all my life. Hearing those words come out of Ryan's mouth sounded strange. I can't possibly be in love. Seth is my best friend and trusted guard. This would be really weird if I am indeed having feelings towards him. I sighed and flipped a page over and scribbled onto it. I was in my office attending to documents again as I usually do every day. The mountain of papers never ends. Seth was seated on one of the sofas that was in the middle of my office. He was working on graphs. I flicked my hand and my candle reformed and I lit the wick.
I placed my hand onto my forehead and propped myself up with it. I narrowed my eyes and read the document before me:
`Dearest High Prince of Valoria,
I'm sending this letter on behalf of the High Warlock of Novaria. He wishes to speak to your personal guard. As this letter reaches you, it would be around the time that your guard has declined the proposal to meet up with him. Of course you may have questions regarding why we know this. In due time you'll find the answer you're looking for. I can, however , answer the question you may have on the reason why we wish to seek an audience with your personal guard.
Your guard is no ordinary Halosis, of course his feats have reached word to our nation and many nations as well. You have turned the gaze of our noble guardian, Raetrix.`
I paused and stared at Seth who was still looking at his holo screen. His legs were crossed and his elbow was on his knee with his hand up to his chin in thought. How did a mere human turn the gaze of a deity that is already connected to their own host. I get it if it was a god that didn't have a human host, but he got gazed upon by a guardian god of a very large nation.
I looked back down and continued to read:
`Raetrix spoke to our High Warlock and raised a few good questions regarding your guard and how he may upset the balance of Lunoris.`
I instantly stopped reading. "WHAT!" I shouted.
Seth looked at me.
I scratched my head and crunched my quill. How can a human upset the balance of Lunoris? Seth is just an abnormally strong Halosis. It's not that uncommon for Aetherials to have dual traits. Like come on, there's Ry and David of the Mira Corporation. I get that Seth is um, special, right? He hears voices of gods and the gods in return have a weird liking towards him. Now come on, he even gained the attention of grumpy ol Avalorne.
'Calling me grumpy is low.' Avalorne grumbled.
"You're grumbling right now, Avalorne." I said to him and Seth looked away.
I glanced back down at the letter but it turned blank. I guess it had a time limit as things usually do from the nation of Novaria. Going into Novaria takes a while. Their nation is enveloped in a barrier that once you come in contact with it, you're under the influence of time. You can physically see it by just looking up at the sky. Birds and clouds are suspended in space. Though once you step into the nation's barrier, those birds look as if they are flying normal speed. Novaria is technically "living" in the past. People I knew who were the same "age" as me from Novaria when I was younger are still around the same age of what they were to this very date.
I glanced over at Seth again and a message panel flew up in his face and he moved back a bit and squinted at it and read it. I wish I knew what it said… I tapped my desk with one of my pointer fingers and sighed. I'm trying my very best to ignore what Ry said earlier today, but I can't help but be disturbed.
Wait… Ry is dense. Why would I believe what he says about love? He doesn't even date anyone either. He sucks at relationships with how sour his mood is! I flick the air and my system panel shows up. I went to the message screen and wrote to Maria.
『 Maria, I need your opinion. Ry says I'm in love with Seth. Do you get that vibe from me too? Be honest. You don't need to lie about this one bit. Alright? Alright. 』
I waited and in due time, Maria replies back.
『 Yes your Highness, you display a lot of affection for your friend. You almost seem infatuated with him. The whole palace gossips about it. Haven't you noticed? Auri also has a fan page going about you two. Have you not seen the messages she posts about you two? You have a high number of fans! 』
AURI WHAT?!
I banged my head against my holo screen. I don't care if error messages are flying up. Seth seemed to be ignoring me. I guess this kind of behavior is typical for me these past few days.
"If you need to talk, talk." Seth said suddenly.
I sighed deeply, almost a groan. "You can't help with this problem. Even if you're Mister Impossible."
Seth raised an eyebrow and closed his screens. He looked at me and folded his arms, "What is even your issue?"
I began to sweat. I scratched my face with my finger and looked away, "Really Seth, you can't help me with this one bit."
"Again. Are you sure about that?" Seth stares me down.
"Seth." I gave him a stern look.
"This has been eating at you for days! You even push me off-"
"When?!"
"W-When? Are you joking? This morning for breakfast. We usually eat together with Auri before she goes to school. Lunch, you decided to haul up in your study. Oh how about last night?"
"Th-that's only been a day and a half Seth… come on. Aren't you just overthi-"
"NO! Not with you. You're too clingy for this to be normal." Seth was scowling hard at me again.
I sat back and closed my mouth. Have I been acting differently?
'Yes.' Avalorne answers for me.
Gee thanks.
'Anytime Scion.'
I pressed my lips into a line.
Seth was looking away and staring back at his holo screen. His back was turned.
I can't tell him. I really can't. And if I am slowly falling in love with him. I can't. This is forbidden as us Pylae are unable to fall in love with anyone as it's written in our contracts. We are destined to serve our people and die alone. Call it a sad course of fate… even the gods are unable to fall in love with someone as it takes away their duty to serve others. As gods are supposed to act out of unbiased actions and emotions.