Chapter 76 - Hearts That Yearns

Morning came and Azalea woke up, still in the embrace of the king. After his unexpected act of tenderness, all the fear she felt got washed away. Now, she couldn't help herself stare at his beautiful countenance as he slept peacefully.

"You have treated me unfairly and unjustly, doing things that would make me utterly loathe you," Azalea thought in her mind. "But … why? Why can't I bring myself to really hate you?" 

Staring at the king with sadness in her eyes, she gently brushed his hair. 

"Instead of hate … I feel hurt instead. Somehow I feel that you're carrying a heavy burden in your heart. And I just can't ignore it. Tell me … what is it? What is it that's making you hurt so much?"

Feeling her constant brushing, the king woke up from his sleep. 

"Ugh ... you're awake," the king grunted. "Feeling a little better now?"

Azalea nodded. "Ahm, about last night … thank you … for sparing me".

"For now," he grumbled. "I'm not going to spare you all the time. I only excused you last night because you were crying too much like a child". He then inched closer to Azalea and gave her a peck on the lips, then got up from bed and stretched out his body.

But Azalea remembered everything that happened clearly.

"You didn't spare me just because I was crying," Azalea replied. "You looked like … I reminded you of something".

The king stopped his stretching exercise and looked back to Azalea. 

"And what makes you think that? I'm telling you, don't mistake me to someone who's kind because I am not".

A moment of silence passed by.

"Your highness," Azalea whispered softly, "I … want to know more of you".

The king's raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"I want to know … your childhood, how you grew up, who you were with. I want to know the things you like, and the things you don't. I want to know how you really feel and what you're actually thinking," on and on Azalea rambled. "I want …

I want to know YOU … the real you".

The king's eyes widened. His heart skipped a beat. But he tried to hide it as he averted his eyes from her. Never had anyone told him that they wanted to know who he was … as himself and not the king. Yet, here was this human, asking him just that. 

But then the king asked himself, "Aside from being the king of Magi … who am I?" 

And turning to Azalea, he answered, "The real me? I … I don't even know anymore". His face reflected nothing but sorrow.

Azalea felt her heart sting. With knitted brows, she smiled at him and said, "Then, let's go find out. Starting from your name. What is your real name, your highness?"

The king moved closer to her. 

"My name? Hmf!," he snorted, "You wouldn't want to have a name like I do".

Azalea walked closer to the king as well.

"What is it?"

The king furrowed and smirked, "Calum … from the word 'calumniosus' which meant 'false' or 'fake'. A very befitting name for someone like me. Because everything about me is a freaking lie!"

Azalea clenched her chest and lowered her eyes. 

"But … you're name is Calum … not 'Calumniosus', right?"

"What's the difference?" the king scoffed.

Then Azalea smiled warmly towards him and gently touched his cheeks. 

"You see, in one of our many languages, Calum means 'dove'. And a dove is a symbol of peace for us humans".

The king scoffed again, "Peace? When all I brought is war?" His face, more wretched than it was a moment ago. It reflected desperation … an unspoken pain … and years of it.

Tears started to swell up Azalea's eyes. For some reason, she could feel his pain. But she kept on smiling warmly towards him.

"I still don't know the reason why you came to our planet. But whatever it is, I know you had your reasons. Reasons that made you decide to do things … even if you didn't want to".

"Yes, you don't know. And you also don't know how many I've killed with my hands. And how many times I've ordered ruin and calamity to befall to different planets - not just this!" the king's body trembled and he clenched his fist into a tight ball. 

Anger and hatred overcame him ...

Anger and hatred towards nobody else but himself ...

"So … don't say my name means peace. And don't try to romanticize it. Because it will never be like that. I've accepted that fact for a long time now. 

The world is wretched … and so am I".

"Then ... let me turn that wretchedness into something better".

At these words, Azalea smiled and pulled the king, Calum, towards her. She then gave him a very sweet, gentle, and warm kiss. For the first time, Azalea was the one who initiated it. Calum was startled. Nonetheless, he accepted that kiss … for all the warmth and fuzzy feelings it was giving him. It was a foreign feeling for him. He hugged her tight in return, and responded tenderly to her kiss. 

Was it pity? sympathy? compassion? Or something else entirely?

Only time would tell.

Back to the Forbidden Chamber, Elliot had to stay for one more day before they proceed to the next door. This was because he was still familiarizing himself with all the complex powers Caligo could do. They never knew when it could become handy so Elliot took his time to master it. Rania, Ducis and Luna helped him out in the process. 

On the night before their departure, Ducis went outside, towards the pavilion near the Forbidden Forest, in the dead of the night. He was alone and his mind wandered elsewhere. Actually, he didn't mean to go there, it was just that his feet brought him there.

And there he was, sitting on the pavilion, with his long legs above the couch, and his body leaning on the pillars. He stared blankly at the night sky. His golden eyes were beautifully illuminated by the moon's light yet those same eyes reflected nothing but sadness … and longing. 

The deafening silence made him remember the things that Luna said.

"Why did you stare at it for so long? And you looked so gloomy too when you saw it. Is it someone you know?"

Ducis sighed. "Yes, she is someone I know. In fact, not just know … she was the one … and only one … the woman I loved".

Then, a distant memory he had, resurfaced in his mind ...

"Ducis look!" the woman cheerfully waved at him and asked him to come nearer. She was gorgeously divine. The statue in the illusion city of Tenebris didn't do enough justice on her features. 

The woman was pointing towards a beautiful and magical looking forest with trees that had purple and pink leaves, and fairy houses made from large flowers and vines and woods. There were floating lights everywhere as wisps, pixies, and other fairies flyed all around the place, looking excited. 

"Didn't I do great? It's so beautiful and perfect!" She enthusiastically praised herself. Though her words were like that of a child, her voice was that of a kind goddess - very warm and kind, soothing to the ears. 

Ducis gave her a warm smile. He still looked the same, as his current self, but he was more gentle and happy. 

"Did you just praise yourself? Can you wait for me to praise you?" Ducis chuckled.

"Tsk, I know you're stingy so you won't praise me," the woman pouted. 

Ducis laughed at her. "Of course I give praise to whom it's due".

"Not for me, nuh-uh!" she shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if you really love me. I'm so pitiful," she did her best to act sad.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha! Don't even try. Your acting sucks".

"Tsk! See? Stingy! You could have acted along with me, then cuddle me, you know. Hmf!"

"Fine, I'll go along with your ridiculous acting. What do you want?"

"Praise me! And my reward, too! I did such a great job".

Ducis smiled at her again. Then he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"You did great, keep it up".

The woman grinned gleefully. "Thank you~". 

"Is this the realm you created? For the sprites and fairies?"

"Yes! And I have given everyone their own lodging! Whatever they need is also inside the forest. There's also entertainment and many other things they could do".

"It's beautiful," Ducis nodded as he assessed. "What would you call it?"

"Hmm …," she pondered for a moment. "This is tough. I'm not good at naming things. Any suggestions?".

"Ugh," Ducis' face showed clear dislike. "I'm not good at giving names, too".

"Come on! Put some effort! Think!"

And they both pondered for a while.

"How about pink? Or purple?"

The woman's face reflected utter disgust. "Seriously?"

"Ahmm … well, name it after yourself. Other Guardians did it that way except a few".

"You're just lazy!"

"But your name is beautiful. And the forest is filled with flowers, too".

The woman gasped. "Oh yeah! You're right!" 

Then she pointed her fingers towards the forest.

"Okay! From now on, I'll call you … 'Spring of Flora'!"

Ducis smiled warmly at her again. "Yes, it's perfect".

Then the memory faded away … just like a fleeting dream, leaving Ducis more sad and empty than he was before.