Your Grace, Write A Poem About Me

Kaiser raised his brow, a hint of annoyance in his expression as Nery tried to protest. "You are too protective of that boy, Nery," he said firmly. "I will speak to him myself." 

Nery was silent for a moment, considering his next move. He didn't want to make Kaiser angry, but he couldn't just let him go to Elias' room in this state. But you couldn't simply believe the person's words if they act like what you think.

It's not what you say, but what you do that matters. Thought Nery.

Finally, he spoke up again, trying to keep his voice steady. "Your Grace, I am not trying to imply that you would harm Elias in any way. But given the news we heard earlier, I think it would be best if we all allowed Elias some space tonight. Let us all have a good night's rest and speak to him tomorrow when we are all in a clearer state of mind." 

"You may leave." Finally said Kaiser.

Nery knew he had hit the nail on the head, so all he could do was obey, back up and pray that the Grand Duke won't do something to Elias in a state of drunkenness, as he assumes.

—

Kaiser walked on the way to the fourth floor of the palace, heading towards the guest room: Elias' room as he walked on the empty halls with dim lights. The Grand Duke knocked twice before entering, twisting the knob open. The Grand Duke walked lightly as he approached the bed, with the young man that seemed to be sleeping while clutching his justaucorps.

It's still dusk so Kaiser could see Elias' sleeping figure on the soft bed, his eyes closed and breathing even.

With a light smile playing on his lips, Kaiser walks up to the side of the bed. 

He stands there for a moment, his hands on his hips, simply gazing at Elias as he sleeps. The Grand Duke's gaze is soft, filled with a mix of interest and warmth. Probably because of the brandy he drank, he feels this way as his gaze was even rarer, rare as the gems in Landroich.

He saw the young man that seemed to be in a deep sleep. He sat softly at the edge of the bedside, placing an envelope to the nightstand. Kaiser quickly felt Elias stirred in his sleep, but when Elias spoke, Kaiser flinched. "Good evening, Your Grace." as he flickered his eyes open, rubbing his left eye.

Kaiser didn't look back to the young man who's behind him, awakened by his movement, He stuttered to answer, "G-Good evening, Elias. Did I wake you up? I.. I'm here to check on you, how are you feeling?" 

"I'm feeling fine, Your Grace. They applied some.. cream between my thighs and treated my bruises with a clean towel dampened with cold water, though I couldn't stand on my feet yet. The doctor advised me to rest for a good while." Elias explained, still holding the Grand Duke justaucorps.

Kaiser was somewhat relieved but nervous for no reason, probably he was guilty that it was him who made his thighs like that, so he wanted to apologize. Since the Grand Duke was half drunk, he has the confidence to apologize.

"Elias, I...I would like to apologize. The...incident that happened earlier, it was my fault and my responsibility. I should have restrained myself." As Kaiser said this, he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. Elias, looking up at him, seems to understand the Grand Duke's emotions.

"It was my fault, Your Grace. I insisted so I shall perish its consequences. You don't need to blame yourself. It is not easy to restrain oneself's desires, I'm sure you understand." Elias said with a soft smile, a gentle understanding in his words. 

The Grand Duke's face softened. Elias has a way of calming his thoughts and making him feel better. The Grand Duke felt grateful to have Elias by his side. He leaned closer and whispered in Elias's ear, "Elias...I want to make it up to you."

Elias blushed at Kaiser's words. The Grand Duke's voice sounded low and soothing, making Elias feel a little weak. "Make it up to me? How might you?" Elias asked, his voice low and slightly nervous. The Grand Duke seemed to be a little tipsy, but Elias didn't mind, as long as he wasn't going to do any harm to him. The Grand Duke also smelled a hint of alcohol, he thought if The Grand Duke went drinking so that's why he's acting so close, despite his normal self who didn't like physical contact, obviously. 

So Elias tested the water, He swallowed hard, his heart racing. Elias's hand trembled as he reached for the hand that Kaiser had rested on Elias's knee. Elias then spoke his thoughts out loudly, with a hint of shyness. "I...I..want to hear your proposal, Your Grace." And so, he concluded that the Grand Duke was indeed drunk since the Grand Duke didn't flinch nor flick his hand, or anything that changed his expression— which is still the same, drowsy with his lazy eyelids, Kaiser looked like his gaze was lowered.

To think that, The Grand Duke even placed him in custody because of kissing him while performing CPR to save his life. It's truly.. a nonsense kind of reason, it's illogical even. But this outburst that Kaiser showed him to Elias is what a tyrant does. He used harsh power back then, to seize Elias because of that issue. 

"What do you want, Elias? I'll give it to you while you rest here, I'll buy whatever your heart desires to make it up for you." The Grand Duke said. 

Elias felt his heartbeat quicken as Kaiser spoke to him, promising to give him whatever he desired. Elias's mind raced, trying to think of something that would help him feel better after the incident. "Your Grace, I…" Elias trailed off, not sure how to ask the Grand Duke to give him something that would make him feel better. 

The Grand Duke seemed to sense Elias's hesitation and spoke up again, "Elias, I mean it. You deserve all the best things in life, and I want to make it up to you. Name it, and it's yours." 

Elias took a deep breath and summoned up the courage to ask for what he truly wanted. "Your Grace, what I truly desire is your affection and respect. For you to treat me as an equal, not just your people." As Elias spoke, he could feel the words lifting a weight off his shoulders, something he had been wanting to say for a long time. 

"Elias, you are more than just a 'people' to me. You are my friend, my closest confidant. I respect you deeply, and I will do everything in my power to make sure you feel the same way. And as for affection, that is something I will show you in my own way, in time." The Grand Duke's voice was gentle and sincere, and Elias felt a warmth spreading through him as he listened to the Grand Duke's words.

The Grand Duke's words might be sincere, but these words were from his unconscious heart which was shaded in drunkenness. Though Kaiser could still know what he was doing, he was truly unaware of what he's saying.

"You saved my life in the Rosette river, you deserve anything that I can afford." Kaiser added.

Elias felt like he was a fool; because why would he confess such feelings for the Grand Duke when they just met recently? Isn't that too shallow for him, or it's natural it's because he's just at a young age that his heart is shallow? Elias was contemplating taking advantage to confess, too. Not even that the Grand Duke's drunk, he wouldn't be able to remember it to the next day.

"Then, Your Grace, Did I already pay my debt earlier when I fulfilled your desires?" Elias asked carefully, his voice still trembling.

"Yes, you already did enough." Kaiser replied, "Now, it is time for me to make up what I did to your thighs." 

Elias was relieved that the Grand Duke accepted his kind of payment, even if he didn't know what he was saying. Elias knew that his feelings for the Grand Duke ran deep, and it wasn't just a passing fancy. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with the Grand Duke, and he would do everything in his power to make that happen. 

But the thing is, Elias is a commoner, and The Grand Duke is a royalty, can a poor kid like him make the Grand Duke's heart fall for him? make him reciprocate?

But when the Grand Duke mentioned making up for what he did to Elias' thighs, the young man's heart skipped a beat. He had never expected the Grand Duke to speak of it again, he thought that this subject was over. Elias was a bit nervous, not knowing what the Grand Duke had in mind, but he also wanted to cherish this intimacy with the man he loved before The Grand Duke even turned sober. 

Elias had nothing in mind to buy but his heart choses to impress the Grand Duke. Perhaps it's money.. to help his father, yet, wasn't that too shameful? Elias couldn't imagine himself asking for that either!

So, he blurted without thinking, "Paper and Quill..!" 

Kaiser tilted his head to ask, "For what..?" 

"Please teach me how to write." Elias replied.

Unexpectedly, Kaiser laughed softly, starting a 'pfft' sound. In drunkenness, not a single soul heard the Grand Duke to laugh in their entire life, Be it his fiancee, his friend Matthew and the servants, butler.

Elias's mind raced as he watched Kaiser's reaction. He was worried that he had made a mistake, but Kaiser's laughter was a relief. Elias exhaled the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. 

"Of course, Elias. I would be happy to teach you how to write," Kaiser said as he stood up from the bedside. Elias was surprised by the Grand Duke's quick response. He had expected the Grand Duke to laugh or make fun of him for asking such a request, but instead, Kaiser seemed happy to oblige. 

In truth, Elias knew how to write, it's just that his strokes are not stable for lack of teaching to his father. His strokes are wriggly and it seemed like, for how he holds the quill is wrong.

Kaiser walked over to the nightstand where he had placed the envelope and pulled out a quill, paper, and ink. He placed them on the table beside Elias's bedside and sat back down. Elias watched in amazement as Kaiser took out a penknife and dipped the tip of the quill into the inkwell. 

"Let's start with the basics first," Kaiser said as he reached for Elias's hand, teaching Elias how to hold the quill, how to make strokes, and how to form letters. As Kaiser talked, Elias paid careful attention, especially the Grand Duke's face that was paying more attention to his hand, rather than his eyes, as he was trying to absorb every word, every movement. This was a moment that Elias would never forget, and he was determined to learn from the Grand Duke as much as he could.

"If you want to practice, You can copy the words from this page. It will take some time, but soon, you will be able to write your own thoughts." Kaiser explained.

Elias listened carefully to every word that the Grand Duke was saying, his heart pounding faster and faster with each passing second. He could feel the Grand Duke's breath on his neck, and it sent shivers down his spine. As they worked together on the paper, Elias couldn't help but feel like he was in the presence of a teacher, someone who knew exactly what they were doing and how to teach others. 

As he tried to copy the words from the page, Elias felt a rush of excitement, knowing that he was taking the first steps towards becoming a scribe. The Grand Duke's guidance and patience was invaluable, and Elias was determined to learn as much as he could, no matter how challenging the task might be. 

Despite his best efforts, Elias soon realized that his handwriting was still unstable and messy. He felt embarrassed about this, especially as the Grand Duke was watching him write, the more he wanted to be swallowed by the soil in shame!

Elias felt his heart race as the Grand Duke held his hand, his pale, slim hands guided Elias's hand for the right way to hold it, to make his strokes stable. The warmth and softness of the Grand Duke's hand made Elias's heart flutter, and he felt a rush of emotions coursing through him. As they worked together on the page, Elias was aware of the Grand Duke's gaze, watching his every move. He felt like he was being examined under a microscope, and he couldn't bear the thought of disappointing the Grand Duke. 

Despite his best efforts, Elias's handwriting was still unstable and messy, and he didn't know how to correct it. He felt a sense of embarrassment grow within him, and he wished he could just disappear into the pages of the book. He didn't want the Grand Duke to think less of him for his messy handwriting, or to think he was stupid. But the Grand Duke was patient, and he continued to guide Elias, offering encouragement and praise, which helped Elias to calm down a bit. 

Elias felt the Grand Duke's breath on his neck, all the way through his nape, which caused goose bumps to erupt on his skin. He tried to focus on the task at hand, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of being so close to the Grand Duke, and he felt like he was about to pass out from the intensity of it all. He couldn't believe that he was actually holding hands with the Grand Duke! It was a dream come true for him.

As always, The Grand Duke smelled very fragrant, the smell of rose wafted through him for as close as the Grand Duke.

It felt like an eternity before he realized that he was writing the wrong letter. His hand flinched and he widened as he looked at the Grand Duke, only for him to see that he was smiling at him. "It's alright, Elias," the Grand Duke said softly, "Everyone has to start somewhere. Writing isn't an easy skill to learn, but I have faith in you. You have the determination, and that's one of the most important things."

To give more courage to Elias, Kaiser added, "If you manage to write this paragraph," He said as he pointed to the book's page, "I will write for you, Whatever you want me to write— poem or a letter."

Elias felt a rush of excitement at the Grand Duke's words, knowing that his hard work and determination were finally paying off. He knew that he still had a long way to go before he could become a master scribe, but he was grateful for the Grand Duke's faith in him and his willingness to help him learn. 

Feeling more confident, Elias set his mind on his task, determined to do his best. He took a deep breath, steadied his hand, and began to write again. As he worked, the Grand Duke stood by his side, offering encouragement and advice when needed. 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Elias had finished copying the paragraph. He felt a sense of accomplishment, knowing that he had achieved something great. The Grand Duke looked at the page with a satisfied smile and commended Elias on his hard work. 

"Well done, Elias. You've done a fantastic job. Now, tell me, what is it that you'd like me to write for you?" the Grand Duke asked, a glint of excitement in his eyes. Elias was thrilled to have the opportunity to have the Grand Duke write for him, it felt like a dream come true. He thought for a moment, wanting to choose the perfect thing for him to write about. It was hard to choose only one thing, as he felt that the Grand Duke could write about so many different topics. 

Elias finally decided on something that he wanted the Grand Duke to write about, and he smiled as he spoke, "How about a poem based on my appearance?"

Kaiser laughed a bit, thinking that it's adorable as he went to fetch another clean paper and another quill, "Elias, look at me while I analyze you, give me a moment too, while I process the poem in my mind, alright?" 

Elias nodded and looked up at Kaiser, watching him intently as the Grand Duke focused on forming the poem in his mind. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment, knowing that he was being studied so carefully, as if he was some kind of specimen. But the excitement of seeing a poem written by the Grand Duke, someone he loved and admired, far outweighed any fear he felt.

He watched with anticipation as the Grand Duke took a deep breath and began to write. At first, the Grand Duke's hand moved swiftly over the page, his quill gliding over the paper with a grace that Elias found mesmerizing. But as he watched, Elias noticed that the Grand Duke's movements slowed, and his focus seemed to sharpen. Elias had a feeling that the Grand Duke was drawing upon something deeper within himself to write the poem, and he was eager to see what would come of it. 

As the Grand Duke finally placed down his quill and looked up at Elias, Elias's heart practically skipped a beat at the intensity in the Grand Duke's eyes. He felt as though he was staring into another world entirely, and he was lost for words as he tried to express his gratitude for the poem that the Grand Duke had just written for him.

With golden curls that dance with light 

And hands that guide, gentle and bright 

His ocean eyes invite me in

And his soul shines like the brightest sun in my life.