Chapter 18

Nacht was very upset after everything that had happened. That was mainly the reason why he hadn't left Alice's room while the girl was sleeping. He had brought her up and placed her carefully on her bed, checking in on her to make sure that she was okay. After she had fainted she drifted into a deep sleep, having her eyes closed for hours but Nacht denied to leave her alone. 

People like that pretentious witch Saaha could easily ruin his plans. Plans he had been forming for years, making sure they were plotted perfectly to minimise the risk of failure. This time he had to do it right. 

While he was thinking, his hands entwined behind his back he heard a faint knock on the door. Cautiously approaching he opened it slightly, stealing a glance of the two people standing at the doorframe.

It was Julius with Erica right behind him. 

"Erica wanted to check in on Alice." He said. "Let her in and come outside for a second." He said and the red haired man eyed the small girl. She was once again shyly hidden behind the king's broad back. Peeking from his side, hoping that Nacht would let her in. 

The young man opened the door fully and told the girl to go ahead, warning her to not let anyone inside, especially Saaha. Erica nodded and slwoly walked next to her bed sitting down on the mattress and taking her hand in hers. Nacht stared at her for a while, wanting to make sure that everything was okay before closing the door and following Julius to his own room.

"This place is a mess like always." Julius commented as he stepped in, his strict eyes scanning his residence. 

He wasn't lying, Nacht was not the tidy kind of guy. There were books everywhere, some of them opened on the floor, others closed with different colored covers. His bed covers were twisted and half thrown on the floor while his desk had papers everywhere and many cups of unfinished tea, glasses of water and spilled ink. 

The king clicked his tongue and pushed down a few of Nacht's wrinkled clothes that had been left on a chair, cleaning up the space so he could sit down. 

"Please don't comment on the state of my room. I am a busy man." Nacht said with a cheeky smile. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Many things actually. Let's start with the fact that I specifically told you to keep her origins a secret. I need to hold a banquet for her to present her to the rest of the royals and the society but now that her secret's out it's too hard."

"I am sure it was some guard mumbling, we can restrain the rumors. I will just spread that Saaha was jealous of her or something so she lied. You were out in the open shouting about it too a few hours ago. Why blame me by the way?" Nacht asked him and the man pinched the bridge of his nose, finding himself at a dead end. 

"What am I going to do with you. When I brought you here I never thought..."

"That I will mess up your life in such a way right?" Nacht said with a bitter smile. 

"You know that's not what I meant Nacht I..." 

"It's fine. Don't worry." The man said raising his bed covers from the floor and dumping them onto the bed before he took his boots off and jumped on it. Landing like a huge starfish. Julius stood up and approached him, gazing at him from the side and Nacht winked. 

"That girl...Alice, do you like her?" The king asked him.

"Yeah, she is nice."

"You know I don't mean that kind of like." The king told him and Nacht sat up. Looking at him with his head slightly raised. 

"Why would you ask me about any other kind of like? You were the one that..."

"Yes." The king interrupted him. "Excuse me. I was out of line. Well, get some rest. From what I've heard your journey was quite exhausting and make sure to start training her. Many people won't like her. We can't have you babysitting her. She needs to defend herself." Julius said and turned around, ready to leave Nacht alone but the scarred man grabbed his wrist stopping him.

"I don't like her, not in the way you think." He stated and Julius nodded without turning around. 

"Okay then. I'll be off. My wife she...called for me and I haven't seen her yet."

"Okay mister newlywed. Send her my greetings."

"I've been married for three years now. I wouldn't call me a newlywed." Julius said. 

"So it's been three years. I see. Time sure flies." 

"For some reason it has been like a century for me." The king said, his voice coming out as loud as a whisper. Nacht let go of his wrist, and even though they weren't looking at eachother he averted his gaze. 

"You should go now."

"Yes." He simply said and walked away. Nacht did not trace his exit with his eyes, scared that the king would turn around and see him looking at him, with an expression that would reveal many of his secrets. Julius knew how to read him after all. He heard the door of his room close, plopping again on his bed with a loud sigh and finally looked at the closed door, imagining how Julius would run to his wife, the queen. 

In his plans he had not calculated one thing. That was the handsome king of Sol, named Julius. 

He closed his eyes, tired from everything that had happened the last few days and slowly fell asleep, for not he wished not to think anymore, the exhaustion was taking a toll on him and his emotions were becoming slightly uncomfortable. Reminding himself to return to Alice's room once he woke up he allowed himself to dream.

He needed her.