Chapter 31 - Childhood Love

Charles was afraid that he would trigger Aster's anger of his parents for treating him cruelly. So, he didn't mention about all the bad treatment Aster experienced in the palace and just talked about random things and mostly it was just small meaningless talk.

Although it was just a meaningless talk, for Charles, this was heaven. He missed this moment every night during his campaign.

Charles fed a snack to Aster's mouth before slowly brushing his finger against Aster's lips. It looked awkward, but Charles seemed to like it very much. Aster was obviously uncomfortable, but he couldn't say it to his cousin. Even though Charles' appeared to be soft, his grip in Aster's wrist was undoubtedly strong.

"I can eat it myself, Charles, " Aster denied the second piece of cookie from Charles and ate one himself.

Charles looked dejected, but he knew that he couldn't push Aster too much. He nodded and stared at Aster with his golden eyes, seemingly admiring the beauty of his cousin, engraving it to his heart.

"How is the campaign in the south?" Aster asked.

"Everything is under control, otherwise, how could I sit in front of you and stare at your beauty like this?" Charles chuckled, "Well, there were many rebellions from few tribes, but everything is cleared. I obtained many precious ingredients, jewel, and… slaves. If you wanted a new slave, I could provide one to you."

Aster's expression froze, he instantly remembered his slave who left him because he was too weak, his slave that he missed constantly.

"Speaking of which, I haven't see your personal slave, did he left or buy his freedom?" Charles asked. He already knew about the inquiry from Aunt Grand Duchess, but he wanted to see Aster's expression about this slave.

"He… he was stationed in one of my dad's business," Aster said dejectedly. He tried to conceal his sadness, but his eyes couldn't lie. Charles saw a flash of grief in his eyes and his grip in Aster's wrist tightened.

'Sure, you haven't let go of a filthy slave,' Charles sneered in his heart. It was his fault that he was too lenient, all spies that he secretly planted inside Grand Duchy mansion to watch over his darling cousin was useless. Even Aunt Duchess who had incredible power was unable to control such small thing.

'This is really unpleasant.'

"Why didn't he follow you? He's your personal slave," Charles asked again.

"He... maybe he was afraid that he wouldn't be treated well here, so he choose to… leave," Aster's voice sound's hoarse in the end of the sentence and it only made Charles' anger worse.

"I won't leave you," Charles exclaimed.

"Of course you wont leave me, you're my cousin after all," Aster said as he tried to redirect Charles out of his confusion. It was almost two hours of them sitting together like a pair of engaged couple and it made Aster really uncomfortable. How would Helene react when she saw them like this?

Charles could only swallow his anger again and again, too much, this was too much for him. He knew that Aster just played along when he saw those love letters from Aster. Otherwise, why wouldn't Aster write him more letters? And all his letters was short.

Charles indulged in his fantasy that Aster was actually in love with him, but this kind of indirect rejection hurt his heart.

Charles loosened his grip and smiled to Aster, "I've already arranged your new room, the servant outside will escort you to your new room. You should take a rest now."

"Yes, thank you, Charles," Aster stood and left the room.

Charles maintained the smile until he was sure that Aster wasn't around anymore. He smashed the wooden table with his fist and created a big hole in it. His rage was unrestrained, he roared, punched, kicked, and destroyed anything he could see in his room. Everything was destroyed other than a big c.h.e.s.t beside his bed.

"Why? I would give everything as long as you accept me! Why couldn't I enter your eyes! Is that because of that slave? I will kill him, kill him!" Charles roared again. He breathed heavily. He couldn't let Aster saw this side of his unrestrained self.

After Charles calmed down a bit, he opened the c.h.e.s.t besides his bed with the lick he hid under his bed.

The box was a bit dusty since he left the palace for too long. Inside the box, there was a rolled up canvas painting and few other things.

Charles opened the canvas painting and his eyes immediately softened. It was the painting of his seven years old self and baby Aster. He was holding baby Aster who was sleeping soundly with his two hands and hugging him tightly. Aster was always beautiful, since he was a kid he already attracted glances. And overtime, he grew into a blooming flower, although his expression always looked cold outside, but it gave the image of cold beauty.

Charles knew that Aster was lonely, but he wasn't bothered that Aster didn't have any real friend besides him and Rosalie. In fact, he was happy, since Aster didn't have many friend, he could take all Aster's attention to him.

'Yes, only to me, my dear Aster.'

He wasn't sure when did he fell in love with his own cousin. Maybe it was since the first time he saw baby Aster, but when he realized that he was madly in love with Aster, all he could feel was happiness.

Happiness because he could feel something tingled inside his body, and he could feel his eyes brighten only to Aster.

Charles recalled when Aster was just six years old, he asked him about marriage.

"Charles, what is marriage?" Young Aster asked.

"Marriage is when two people joined together, they spend their time together, live together, become parents together. They are close and love each other," Charles explained.

"Then, who will I marry?" Aster asked him and holding his hand with his small fingers.

"You will marry someone you know well, who will protect you."

"You always protect me, Charles. So I will marry you?"

"… Yes, Aster. You will marry me," Charles said.

"Okay, I will marry you."

Maybe at that time, Aster was still too young and naturally forgot about this kind of thing, but for Charles, it was a silent vow. Aster will marry him, regardless the situation.

Charles took other stuffs from the c.h.e.s.t. Aster's birthday gift to him when he was twelve years old, Aster's first doll, Aster's first letter to him, Aster's personal pin, and many more inside.

Then, the newest addition, Aster's love letters to him, scented with his personal perfume. Charles smelled the letters everyday until the perfume dissipated, but he still could feel Aster's personal scent in these letters.

He was in a beautiful dream with Aster until that slave ruined it. Aster couldn't forget that filthy slave. Charles' anger rose up again. At this point, he might commit some blasphemous act to his cousin.

Charles recalled that he had few young slave that he captured recently from his campaign. He also recalled that some of them looked similar to Aster's slave.

"Guard!"

The guard outside immediately opened the door and kneeled to him.

"What does His Highness wanted this guard to do?"

"Bring me young male slave that I recently caught, they're in the dungeon. Bring me two slaves."

"Yes, this guard obeys."

The guard left the room and came back a while later with two young slaves whose features were similar to that slave. Charles was sitting in a chair in his room with three slaves who were nervous.

Charles' pupil turned pure black in front of these slaves. Their face… reminded him of that disgusting slave. His anger immediately soared and he unsheathed his sword. He flashed a cold glint and in one swipe, one head fell off to the carpet. The blood stained the white carpet, and the shocked face was forever imprinted in that dead slave.

The other slave was so scared that he immediately prostrated. He couldn't speak the language of Golden Camellia, so he prostrated in silence.

Charles smirked, wouldn't it be good if he really cut that slave's head on the autumn banquet in front of Aster?

That slave was in the same position as this slave. Charles imagined Aster's slave in front of him and then, the second head was sliced clean.

Charles finally calmed down after that. He called the guard again, "Guard!"

The guard entered the room and was slightly stunned when he saw two dead slaves with their head sliced clean, and their blood stained the carpet.

"Clean these slaves, and bring me new carpet, it's too filthy with these animals' blood," Charles ordered.

"This guard obeys."

Even in his mind right now, he imagined nothing but Aster smiling to him, laughing with him, hold his hand and… in his bed.

'This is too much. But I wanted him more and more,' Charles sighed.