"How does it feel?" Matheas inquired, standing casually beside Elias. Elias was intensely watching Caelum, who was receiving his healer certificate directly from the Headmaster's hands. The formal setting of the ceremony was a quiet contrast to the palpable emotions on the stage.
"I'm incredibly proud of everything he's accomplished in these past two years," Elias said, his gaze unwavering as he watched Caelum. Caelum, in turn, looked right back at Elias, a soft, loving smile gracing his features.
"The last year must have been especially difficult for you, though, wasn't it?" Matheas asked, his voice low with concern. "With him unable to attend the offense classes, essentially setting him on a different path from your own?"
Elias nodded slowly, acknowledging the truth in the statement. "But we always knew he wanted to be a healer," he explained. "He simply refused to entrust my health, or the well being of my future children, to anyone else," Elias finished with a gentle, appreciative smile.
Matheas gasped softly, a sudden look of shock crossing his face. "You asked him, then?"
Elias confirmed with a nod. "I asked him when we finally found the antidote to the potion that had been poisoning me two years ago," he recalled. "He agreed, without hesitation," Elias said, his smile widening as he saw Caelum beginning to walk swiftly toward them.
"I absolutely must tell your father about this wonderful news," Matheas declared, turning and quickly walking towards Alexander, who was engaged in conversation with Jonathan and Alaric.
Elias chuckled softly, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and affection as Caelum finally stopped right in front of him. "Congratulations, my dear," he whispered, his voice full of emotion.
Caelum's eyes crinkled with happiness. "Thank you, my prince," he replied simply.
"I just told Matheas that you agreed to remain by my side, even if duty requires me to take consorts for the sake of producing heirs," Elias admitted, his expression becoming slightly apologetic, a shadow of guilt crossing his features.
Caelum glanced around quickly, confirming that no one was paying them any attention. He then gently but firmly pulled Elias toward one of the secluded, quiet balconies. "I told you never to feel an ounce of guilt over doing your duty as the future king," Caelum reminded him, his tone firm yet gentle. "I completely understand your position, and I accept it wholeheartedly," he finished with a calming, soft smile.
"Caelum," Elias called out, his voice slightly rough with emotion, deeply affected by Caelum's unconditional support.
Caelum waited, his eyes focused intently on Elias.
"Can we…" Elias began, but his words were abruptly cut off by a sharp knock on the door of the balcony. He sighed heavily, the moment of intimacy shattered.
Caelum gave a small, resigned chuckle and opened the door.
"Father," Elias sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
"Was it something truly important?" Alexander asked, looking a little embarrassed as he met his son's slightly annoyed glare.
"It wasn't that important, honestly," Elias admitted truthfully. "But I really, truly wanted to ask him something significant," he added with another sigh of disappointment.
"Your fiancée is here and has requested to meet with you," Alexander stated, all of his previous jovial demeanor instantly vanishing, replaced by a serious, official air.
Elias immediately stiffened, his body growing rigid. He had seen his fiancée before and had observed her carefully from a distance. "Who exactly was it that chose Amelia Holstan as my fiancée?" he demanded to know.
"Your mother made the choice," Alexander admitted with a weary sigh.
"Father, please do not misunderstand me, but that woman is, frankly, worse than your first wife," Elias stated bluntly. "I have observed her for the entire year, and she is solely focused on her position and the power that comes with it," he said, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. "I even distinctly overheard her mention that she would simply dump any children on me and devote all her attention to managing the estate she would acquire by marrying me."
Alexander's posture immediately became rigid with shock and anger. "I will cancel the engagement at once," he declared decisively.
Elias shook his head, considering a different approach. "Instead, let us simply ensure she agrees to hand the children over to me completely," he proposed.
This suggestion stunned everyone present, including Caelum, who looked utterly surprised.
"Elias?" Matheas called out, his eyes filled with worry and confusion as he looked at his godson.
"I am perfectly fine," Elias reassured them both calmly. "It will be far better if Caelum and I raise my children than allowing anyone else to," he explained, his voice resolute. "I do not intend to take a side consort, so I will only have two children in total."
"And what if she insists on seeing them later?" Caelum pressed, a practical concern in his tone. "And what if both of the children turn out to be girls?"
"There is no law in our country that forbids girls from inheriting the throne," Elias said with a genuine smile, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "In fact, I truly hope I have girls myself," he whispered softly, a sincere wish.
Alexander smiled, understanding his son's thoughts. "And what exactly happens to her then?" he inquired.
"Divorce, immediately, if she attempts to interfere with my children in any way," Elias stated firmly. "Otherwise, she will enjoy all the privileges of a queen, but with absolutely none of the actual work or duties required of her," he concluded.
Caelum nodded in agreement. That arrangement sounded perfectly acceptable and fair to him.
"Do you wish to meet her now?" Alexander asked, seeking clarification.
Elias shook his head emphatically. "Please, no," he begged. "Whatever strong resolution I have in my mind to simply grit my teeth and endure being with her will be completely vaporized and disappear if I see her now," he confessed honestly.
Alexander and Matheas burst into laughter when they finally realized what Elias truly meant, and they both embraced him warmly.
"I felt exactly the same way, son," Alexander admitted, giving him a soft, understanding smile. "If I managed to have three children, then you can certainly manage to have two," he encouraged him.
Elias sighed, a genuine sense of relief washing over him. He looked over at Caelum, who was smiling at him with gentle reassurance.
After the formal banquet had concluded, they returned to the dorm, intending to stay there for one final night of peace.
"We could simply teleport directly back to your room, you know," Caelum reminded him casually, as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
Elias nodded, acknowledging the option. "I do know that," he confirmed. "But one last night spent here will not cause any harm to us," he said, his voice quiet. "Please, just give me one more peaceful night before we are forced to face all the complicated politics of the royal court," he sighed, as he sat down right beside Caelum.
Caelum simply nodded, accepting his wish.
Elias shifted his position so he could sit directly behind Caelum, pulling him into a tight, comforting embrace. "May I please make love to you, my dear?" he asked, his voice a soft plea. "Just the mere thought of her presence gives me a little bit of anxiety and trauma," he admitted with a small whine.
Caelum nodded readily, leaning back completely against Elias, who immediately began unbuttoning his shirt and gently nipping at the skin of his shoulders and neck.
"I am going to take this incredibly slow tonight," Elias whispered against Caelum's skin. "I want to help you completely forget the pain you felt the very first time we did this, back during the first semester," he explained, his voice full of tender care.
"It wasn't truly painful," Caelum managed to say between soft gasps of pleasure. "You were so careful and considerate," he quickly added.
Elias smiled against Caelum's neck. He gently moved Caelum to lie down flat at the very center of the large bed so he could hover above him. "I want to lick, bite, and gently suck on those favorite spots on your body that I love so much. May I?" he asked, nipping playfully at Caelum's earlobe.
Caelum gasped, a shudder running through him, and nodded quickly. "Yes, you absolutely can," he agreed eagerly.
Elias, true to his promise, took an extensive amount of time.
It took a full thirty minutes for both of them to completely shed their clothes, a clear indication of just how deliberately slow Elias was planning their night to be.
"Please," Caelum begged, his voice breathy and urgent. "Inside me, now," he pleaded.
"Not yet, my dear," Elias replied softly, as he licked one of Caelum's nipples while simultaneously rubbing the other. "We have until sunrise to enjoy this," he reminded him gently.
Caelum gasped again, but he reluctantly nodded his head.
"But you can certainly have your release," Elias offered immediately. "And as I have firmly promised, I will only have mine when I am finally deep inside you," he said, gently biting down on the nipple he was currently licking.
"Please," Caelum begged again, his desire overwhelming. "You have been playing with and thoroughly messing with my body for almost two hours now," he complained playfully. "At the very least, put your fingers inside me," he pleaded with raw desire.
Elias chuckled deeply at Caelum's impatience. "Turn around for me, my love," he instructed gently. Caelum immediately nodded and turned over, lying flat on his stomach. "You truly want my fingers, my dear?" Elias asked, licking Caelum's shoulder blades playfully.
Caelum nodded hard, his eyes beginning to well up with tears of frustrated desire. "Please," he whimpered.
Elias nodded in compliance. "I will prepare you then, my love," he promised. "I will take it incredibly slow, you have been warned," he cautioned, a distinctly mischievous smile playing on his lips.
Caelum nodded, already anticipating the thorough preparation.
What he absolutely did not expect, however, was Elias's tentative, warm lick at his very entrance.
"Elias!" Caelum exclaimed loudly, surprised by the unexpected intimacy. He instantly turned back around and pulled Elias into a tight, immediate hug. "Don't do that, please," he said, a note of genuine concern in his voice.
"Why, my dear?" Elias asked, confused by the sudden rejection. "I know for a fact that you took a thorough bath with me just hours ago," he pointed out.
Caelum shook his head firmly. "Anything but that specific act," he insisted gently. "It simply is not hygienic, and I worry about you getting sick," he explained, his worry evident.
Elias could immediately sense Caelum's deep-seated fear of him falling ill and nodded reassuringly. "Alright, my love, I promise I won't do it again," he vowed sincerely. "Now, lie back down for me," he instructed, gently pushing Caelum back onto the softness of the bed.
He gently pushed one finger inside, after a thorough, gentle prodding at the entrance.
Caelum gasped, a sound of pleasure and sudden fullness.
Elias smiled, finding joy in Caelum's reaction, as he slowly and carefully stretched his lover's entrance, first with one finger, then adding a second, and finally a third.
"Please," Caelum pleaded, pulling Elias close to his chest. "If you do not enter me now, I will be forced to flip us both over, restrain you firmly to the bed, and have my way with you myself," he warned him with mock severity.
Elias chuckled, a warm, deep sound, as he pulled his fingers completely away and then perfectly aligned his length at Caelum's opening. "Just warn me when you no longer look so utterly delectable, my dear," he teased, as he slowly, agonizingly pushed himself inside.
When he was fully settled deep inside, he paused, looking intently at Caelum's face for any signs of discomfort or pain.
He leaned down and peppered kisses all over Caelum's face until Caelum impatiently pushed him up and demanded, "Move, now."
Elias chuckled, a sound of pure contentment, as he slowly began to move their hips together.
When he finally finished his release, deep inside Caelum, he collapsed heavily on top of him, knowing instinctively that Caelum enjoyed the heavy, comforting weight.
Caelum immediately wrapped his arms tightly around Elias, holding him close and secure. "I love you, Elias," he whispered softly into his ear.
"I love you too, my dear, more than words can say," Elias whispered back, his eyes starting to tear up slightly from the overwhelming joy and fulfillment he felt.