A Royal Obligation
Chapter 58: Forbidden Flames

Chapter 58: Forbidden Flames

The garden of the Zephyros palace was usually a place of peace, where the scent of blooming flowers mingled with the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. But today, the tranquility of the garden was shattered by the turmoil brewing within Sadiki.

He stood alone amidst the vibrant colors of the blossoms, his fists clenched so tightly his fingers digging into his palms.

His chest rose and fell with each ragged breath, and his dark eyes burned with a mixture of frustration and anger that he could barely contain.

The sight of Kaelix fussing over Eirik like he was laying a claim, the prince’s hand on Eirik as he helped him down the carriage, had pushed Sadiki to the edge.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

Sadiki had always been the one by Eirik’s side, the one who knew him better than anyone else, who protected him, cared for him.

And now, in the span of just a few days, everything had changed. Kaelix, who had once shown nothing but disdain for Eirik, was now claiming him as his own, pushing Sadiki to the sidelines as if he were nothing more than a mere obstacle.

"Damn it," Sadiki muttered under his breath, his voice trembling with the weight of his emotions. "Prince Kaelix never wanted to marry Eirik. What changed?

Is it because he finally realized Eirik isn’t as weak as he thought? Damn those assassins..."

The memory of the battle flashed through Sadiki’s mind, a whirlwind of steel and blood. The way Eirik had fought, it had clearly made an impression on Kaelix.

But it wasn’t just that. There was something else in Kaelix’s eyes when he looked at Eirik now, something that made Sadiki’s heart ache with jealousy.

"It should have been me," Sadiki thought bitterly. "I’m the one who’s always been there for him. Not Kaelix."

The anger that had been simmering inside him threatened to boil over, and Sadiki’s fists tightened even further.

But before he could vent his frustration on the unsuspecting flowers around him, a voice broke the silence, startling him.

"Seems like someone’s angry over something," came the drawling, amused voice of Drystan.

Sadiki spun around, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Kaelix’s personal guard.

Drystan stood casually a few feet away, leaning against a tree with a smirk playing on his lips.

The sight of that smirk only fueled Sadiki’s anger. Drystan was just as insufferable as his master, always watching, always smug, as if he knew something Sadiki didn’t.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Sadiki snapped, his voice cold as he turned away, trying to regain some semblance of control.

Drystan chuckled, a low, mocking sound that grated on Sadiki’s nerves. But when Drystan spoke again, his tone had changed, losing its earlier amusement and taking on a harder edge.

"You can pretend all you want, but I know," Drystan said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "I know you have feelings for prince Eirik. I don’t care if he loves you as well, but that forbidden feeling growing in you... it needs to end. Now!"

Sadiki’s heart skipped a beat, and he whirled around to face Drystan, his eyes blazing with fury. "Don’t you dare talk about Prince Eirik like that!" he snarled, his voice trembling with a mixture of rage and desperation.

But Drystan didn’t flinch. Instead, he stepped closer, his gaze cold and unyielding as he stared Sadiki down.

"Listen to me," Drystan said, his voice deadly serious. "Prince Eirik is soon going to marry Prince Kaelix. If you have any love, or whatever you call that forbidden feeling, you need to stay away and stop interfering in their bonding."

Sadiki opened his mouth to argue, but Drystan cut him off, his tone leaving no room for debate.

"I know Kaelix was unreasonable at first, but as you can see, he’s coming around. So stay clear, and don’t make things difficult for your master. If you truly care about Prince Eirik, then you’ll do what’s best for him. And what’s best for him is to let this marriage happen without any complications."

Sadiki felt like the ground was slipping out from under him. He knew Drystan was right, knew that Eirik’s duty was to marry Kaelix and that his own feelings had no place in the eequation

But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to accept. How could he just step aside and watch as the man he cared for was claimed by someone else?

"How can I stay away from Prince Eirik?" Sadiki shot back, his voice laced with desperation. "I’m his personal guard. I’m supposed to be protecting him!"

Drystan’s expression softened slightly, but there was still a steely resolve in his eyes.

"I’m Prince Kaelix’s personal guard," he said, his voice quieter now, but no less firm.

"But you don’t see me invading his space, do you? There’s a line, Sadiki, and you need to learn where it is. You can protect Prince Eirik without interfering in his life. And right now, your interference is the last thing he needs."

Sadiki’s shoulders slumped as Drystan’s words sank in. He hated it, hated how powerless he felt, how trapped he was by his own emotions.

But he couldn’t deny the truth in Drystan’s warning. Eirik was a prince, destined to marry for the sake of his kingdom, not for love. And Sadiki was just a guard, sworn to protect but never to claim.

"Don’t jeopardize what your kingdom has worked so hard to achieve," Drystan continued, his tone more gentle now, but still firm. "Don’t put Prince Eirik in a difficult position. If you care about him, then you need to let him go."

With that, Drystan turned and walked away, leaving Sadiki standing alone in the garden, his heart heavy with the weight of his unspoken feelings.

The sound of Drystan’s footsteps faded into the distance, but the words he had left behind echoed in Sadiki’s mind, each one a reminder of the painful truth he didn’t want to face.

Sadiki stood there for what felt like hours, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of everything.

He wanted to scream, to lash out at the unfairness of it all, but what good would that do?

He was just a guard, bound by duty and honor, while Eirik was a prince with a destiny that was out of his control.

There was no room for love in their world, at least not the kind of love Sadiki felt.

"Why did it have to be like this?" Sadiki thought bitterly, his fists clenching once more as he fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Why did I have to fall for someone I can never have?"

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