A Royal Obligation
Chapter 48: The Hunt of Frustrations

Chapter 48: The Hunt of Frustrations

The dense forest loomed ahead, its towering trees casting long shadows in the late afternoon sun. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, the silence punctuated only by the occasional rustle of leaves.

Kaelix marched ahead, his jaw set in a hard line, bow in hand, his eyes scanning the underbrush for any sign of movement.

Eirik, however, trailed behind him with a casual, almost lackadaisical, stride, his hands clasped behind his back, as if he were on a leisurely stroll rather than a serious hunt.

Kaelix’s frustration simmered just beneath the surface, bubbling up every time Eirik accidentally, or perhaps purposefully, stepped on a dry branch, the snap echoing through the woods and sending any nearby animals scurrying away.

The latest incident was the worst yet; Eirik had managed to not only crush a branch but also mutter a sarcastic "oops" afterward, as if his blunders were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

"If you can’t participate in this hunt," Kaelix finally snapped, his voice low but laced with anger, "the least you can do is be quiet."

Eirik blinked at him, his expression one of feigned innocence. "Of course I’m participating. Giving you moral support is a crucial part of any team effort, wouldn’t you agree?"

Kaelix’s eyes narrowed to slits. "Moral support? You’re doing more harm than good. You’re scaring away the prey, and frankly, it’s infuriating."

Eirik shrugged nonchalantly. "I’m walking just fine."

Kaelix stared at him in disbelief. How could anyone be so deliberately vexing? He muttered under his breath, "What kind of annoyance is this?"

He considered his options, trying to figure out a way to shake off his unwanted companion. "How about you find a nice spot to sit and wait for me while I actually try to get something done?"

"No way," Eirik replied, a smirk playing on his lips. "I’m sticking with you. That was the plan, wasn’t it?"

Kaelix let out a frustrated sigh and turned on his heel, stomping off deeper into the woods in an attempt to lose Eirik.

But Eirik was nothing if not persistent. He followed closely, his footsteps deliberately loud, making sure Kaelix knew he wasn’t going anywhere.

Outside the woods, not far from the edge of the forest, Sadiki stood, his gaze fixed intently on the path his prince and Kaelix had taken. His hands were clenched at his sides, his body tense with unease. Drystan, standing nearby, observed him with a curious expression.

"You’re awfully worked up," Drystan commented, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Relax. You know Prince Kaelix wouldn’t harm Prince Eirik, right?"

Sadiki scoffed, his eyes never leaving the woods. "I don’t know that. The last I checked, he would do anything to end this marriage alliance. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to harm my prince. I don’t trust him with Prince Eirik."

Drystan raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a teasing smile. "Your prince? You make it sound like Prince Eirik belongs to you."

Sadiki’s hands tightened into fists, but he said nothing, his silence more telling than words could ever be. Drystan’s eyes twinkled with newfound understanding, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Prince Kaelix might come off as unreasonable and arrogant," Drystan said, his tone light, "but he wouldn’t do anything to harm your prince." He emphasized the last two words, his tone laced with teasing.

Sadiki shot him a sharp glance but remained silent, his focus still on the woods, unwilling to be distracted from his growing worry.

Meanwhile, Kaelix and Eirik continued their trek through the dense forest. The air grew cooler as they ventured deeper, the canopy above filtering the sunlight into a dim, green-tinged glow. The tension between them was palpable, a silent battle of wills playing out with every step.

Eventually, they stumbled upon a small clearing, where a deer was grazing, completely unaware of their presence.

Kaelix’s heart quickened with anticipation. He raised his bow, drawing the string back slowly, his breath steady as he took aim.

The world around him seemed to narrow down to the target, the deer’s every movement, every twitch of its ears and tail, under his watchful eye.

And then, just as he was about to release the arrow, there was a loud snap of a branch. The deer’s head shot up, its muscles tensed, and in the next heartbeat, it bolted into the underbrush.

Kaelix stood there, bow still raised, disbelief flooding his veins. Slowly, he turned his head to see Eirik standing a few paces away, his foot resting on a broken branch, a look of mock surprise on his face.

"Oops," Eirik said, not bothering to hide the smirk that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Kaelix’s grip on his bow tightened until his knuckles turned white. If looks could kill, Eirik would have been struck down where he stood. For a long moment, they simply stared at each other, the tension crackling between them like static.

Finally, Kaelix lowered his bow with a frustrated sigh. "Let’s just get out of here," he muttered, already turning back the way they had come.

Eirik followed him without protest, a picture of calm amusement, as if the entire debacle had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

Kaelix, on the other hand, was seething with barely contained anger, his thoughts a whirlwind of irritation and exasperation.

As they emerged from the forest, Kaelix was carrying a small rabbit, Sadiki was the first to rush forward, his eyes scanning Eirik for any signs of injury.

"Are you alright, My prince?" Sadiki said, his voice laced with concern.

Before Eirik could respond, Kaelix cut in, his voice dripping with disdain. "Don’t you have anything better to do, than fuss over a grown man?"

Drystan, who had been watching the exchange with barely concealed amusement, cleared his throat. "Wow, you caught a rabbit," he said, his tone light, but with a hint of mockery.

Kaelix shot him a withering glare. "It would have been a deer if a certain weakling didn’t stomp on a branch," he bit out, his anger barely contained.

Eirik, unbothered by the insult, simply walked past them, heading towards the summer palace without a word. Sadiki followed closely, casting a wary glance at Kaelix as they went.

Kaelix glared at Eirik’s retreating back, his mind a chaotic mess of anger and frustration. "How infuriating," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

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