Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty
Chapter 46: A Small, Fragile Hope

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: A Small, Fragile Hope

Cassian bit his lip, trying to hold back more tears, overwhelmed by the weight of it all. "It changes everything," he whispered, shaking his head. "I am just a fool, but now... now it feels even more."

Dorian’s smile grew softer, more genuine, though it was tinged with sadness. "I never wanted to make you feel like a fool," he said quietly. "And I don’t think you’re one. In fact, I think you’re the only person who can show his headstrong face to even the mightiest prince.

Cassian puffed his cheeks; when he had shown him that face, he was clearly lying.

But Cassian was confused: how did they get to this point so easily? When they have communicated no more than two times. Just how, and how could he describe his feelings for Prince Dorian when he was not sure where they came from?

And what about Prince Dorian? How could he behave so intimately with him when he was famous for being rude and having a pocker face all the time?

Is all the words from his mouth even true, or is it just a lie? A harmless lie in the world of nobles and royality, but the same lie is the world for someone like him.

Cassian was confused; should he believe Prince Dorian or not? That’s why he decided to be straight forward.

"Your highness... Can I ask you a question?" Cassian said in a low whisper. He had thought his voice would come out powerful and dominating, just to show how serious he was.

But, damn this traitor, his voice had betrayed him by coming out like this. It was more like he was purring like a cat in his highness’ embrace.

Cassian’s face flushed with embarrassment. The red tint started creeping up his face like a slow-burning ember, spreading from his cheeks to his ears.

It was an embarrassing flush that he couldn’t control, heating his skin as if he’d been caught in a lie. He avoided eye contact, hoping he would not notice the redness creeping up his neck, but the heat only intensified, making him feel even more exposed.

Dorian looked at the red face in front of him, and a slow smile curled on his lips. He was aware of what was going on in Cassian’s mind.

And he wondered too if it was right. He had told himself he just liked this boy and teased him, but could anyone tell him why he had been following this boy from the day he had stepped foot in the palace?

Yes! You are right, he was stalking Cassian at every moment he got. Even he didn’t know why, but he would find his life tasteless if he couldn’t get a glimpse of Cassian’s charming smile.

Many times, Dorian had thought he had gone insane to like someone so much, to the point of desperation that he had actually started stalking him in the shadows. Even he cringed at himself, but he couldn’t stop himself from repeating it.

It was like seeing Cassian, even for just a minute, was like finding water in a desert for him.

No matter how heavy his duties felt or how overwhelming the world seemed, just a quick look at Cassian—his kind eyes and calming presence—made everything feel lighter.

In those brief moments, the worries faded, giving him the strength to keep going, even if he couldn’t put into words why it mattered so much.

But he didn’t have answers for this; it felt like destiny... like it was bound to happen, with or without their choice.

And he was not ready to answer Cassian’s questions when he himself is not sure.

Dorian silenced Cassian by placing the tip of his finger on Cassian’s moist lip.

Cassian immediately closed his mouth, and he even forgot what he was trying to ask. He blinked his big eyes and looked at Dorian with confusion in his eyes. Wondering about his intentions to silence him.

First tell me, have you met Prince Vincent before? Dorian asked with some seriousness in his voice.

He was still bothered by the fact that how could Prince Vincent attack Cassian so easily and with such a powerful attack?

What if Cassian didn’t know how to protect himself? Then what? He could have lost him...

He still remembers, he had already taken the steps to stop Vincent from this craziness and teach him a good lesson, but Cassian’s reflexes with the sword had shocked him.

It would be a lie to say that he was not impressed.

Cassian was confused with the sudden change of Dorian’s question but still decided to answer him.

"No, it was our first meeting." His voice grew quieter with each word. "But why did he attack me with his sword? I don’t know... Everyone here is a lunatic... going berserk at any time,"

Cassian muttered in a small voice, momentarily forgetting Prince Dorian’s presence.

He scoffed under his breath, frustration bubbling over. "Honestly, it’s like living with a pack of wild dogs.

They all think they’re so high and mighty, waving their titles around, but half of them don’t have a brain between them.

And the way they treat people like me... it’s disgusting. Arrogant, spoiled... I bet they couldn’t survive a day doing actual work."

He shook his head, not even realizing his words were spilling out. "Nobles or not, they’re all the same. Full of themselves, thinking the world revolves around their whims. Idiots, the lot of them."

Even though the words were whispered by Cassian in a low voice, Dorian had clearly heard them, and a twitch appeared on his lips.

Ahmm! Dorian coughed to get the attention of Cassian, who was angrily muttering, completely forgetting his existence.

Dorian pressed his fingertip on Cassian’s lips to silence his muttering, but soon he regretted it.

Cassian’s eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about the prince and had muttered many things in his bickering. Now, he wished the ground would open and swallow him whole.

He wanted to smack his head. Useless! He couldn’t even stop his stupid mouth for a second.

There was only one way out now. Cassian immediately composed himself, putting on a poker face, and looked Dorian directly in the eyes as if he hadn’t just uttered those foul words.

Dorian looked at Cassian’s poker face, and the urge to squeeze his cheeks became strong, but he controlled it and decided to change the topic, as he could see Cassian would never admit to his rambling.

"So, Cassian," Dorian began with a low voice, deliberately making it softer, "how exactly did you defend yourself against Vincent’s sword?

You wielded it like a trained warrior, yet you said you’d never met him before. And, more importantly..." His voice grew even quieter and firmer. "Where did you learn how to use a sword?"

Cassian froze. The question pierced through his thoughts, leaving him grasping for an answer. The truth was, he didn’t know. He had never touched a sword in his life.

And yet, in that moment, when Vincent’s blade had come down on him, his body had moved on its own. His instinct had taken over him, like something buried deep within him had been awakened.

He blinked, unsure of how to respond. "I... I didn’t learn," he said slowly, his brow furrowing in confusion as he tried to make sense of it himself. "I’ve never touched a sword before that day."

Dorian’s gaze never left him, his expression unreadable. "Never?" he asked softly.

Cassian shook his head, feeling more and more like he was drowning under Dorian’s scrutiny. "It just... happened," he whispered, almost to himself. "When Vincent attacked me, I didn’t even think. It was like... like something inside me just knew what to do."

Silence stretched between them. Cassian didn’t dare look at Dorian, feeling exposed in a way he hadn’t expected.

How could he explain something he didn’t even understand? He felt lost in his own thoughts, questioning the nature of his strange reflexes. Could it really have been instinct? Or something else entirely?

Dorian tilted his head, studying him carefully. His next words were measured, but Cassian could sense the weight behind them. "Cassian... Is there anything about your past that might explain this? Anything unusual?"

Cassian swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He thought of his childhood and his life before the palace. But no, there was nothing there. Nothing to explain this strange ability that had surfaced so suddenly.

"I don’t know," Cassian finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "There’s nothing... nothing that makes sense."

Dorian was quiet for a long moment, his expression thoughtful. Then he reached out, his fingers brushing Cassian’s cheek, lifting his chin gently so their eyes met.

"You’re more than you realize, Cassian," Dorian said softly, his voice holding a hint of wonder. "Maybe even more than I realize."

Cassian blinked up at him, his heart thudding in his chest. He wanted to deny it, to protest that he was just a servant, just a nobody—but Dorian’s gaze held him in place, filled with something Cassian couldn’t quite name.

"Whatever it is," Dorian continued, his fingers lingering on Cassian’s skin, "we’ll figure it out. Together."

Cassian didn’t know how to respond. But for the first time in a long time, he felt a small, fragile sense of hope blossom in his chest.

Maybe, just maybe, there was some one by his side and that he is not alone, that he has someone to cry and someone to hold.