PeaceMaker

Dominic sucked in a deep breath before nodding his head and sighing as he averted his gaze from Boris. He continued his walk down the hallway with them following close behind him. "Fine…" he rolled his eyes, "if that's what you think is good for me."

"If you think it's not good for you, your highness, then by all means you can go ahead with your previous thought," Kalmin suggested with a small shrug to which Dominic chuckled. 

"I see you have grown more open and free," Dominic grinned, "it's good to know that each one of your words won't be stoic and monotone now. You have more… energy."

"Pardon me, your highness, but with what energy? I'm buried under boats of paperwork each day, it's so bad that I'm scared my fingers will start eroding away my quill's grip," Kalmin retorted as he rolled his eyes, "not to mention having to deal with so many people everyday… I won't be surprised if my future dream will be to have everyone's mouth taped off."

Dominic paused, turning to give Kalmin a questioning side-glance. "Everyone?" he questioned as his eyebrow raised. 

Kalmin flinched, immediately bowing his head, "Of course not you, your highness. I would beg for my own head to be placed on a platter if I ever dared to harm or go against his highness' words."

Dominic stifled a laugh in response, "then who will look after the palace's paperwork for me? Who will nag me? And who will deliver passive aggressive comments for me? The whole kingdom would suffer from a loss if you were to die, Kalmin." Dominic glanced at Kalmin and nodded his head at him.

Kalmin's head raised a few seconds after, "However, it would be a well deserved death if I were to ever disrespect his highness," he insisted, "and I can always be replaced but his highness is a permanent treasure of history and this kingdom."

"Hm? A replacement?" Dominic asked curiously. 

"Of course," Kalmin nodded his head, "there are so many nobles in this palace who are worthy of my position."

"Really? I don't know of that many though?" Dominic retorted.

"There is always Commander Litian, there is Lady Feline, and even Commander Litian's mother is more than a fine woman that is more than worthy of my position," Kalmin began, "and then there's always someone from the council too like Anatinez who is more than deserving of the position and even-"

"Enough!" Dominic called out, his steps immediately stopping as his voice echoed off the walls, starling the maids that were scurrying from place to place in the hallway. "That's enough Kalmin."

Kalmin flinched, his head lowering again. "I'm sorry your highness, please spare me if I have offended you. I will accept any punishment in return."

Boris looked back from Dominic and Kalmin, his eyes trying to assess the situation and he moved to the side for Dominic to step closer to Kalmin.

Dominic sighed, his shoulders slumping as he pumped out the air before turning back to face Kalmin and breathing in deeply. He stared at Kalmin, emerald eyes peering down at Kalmin's long dark-brown locks that were held together in a low ponytail. 

"Raise your head," Dominic ordered, his voice low and soft as Kalmin slowly raised his head, his eyes still placed on the ground.

"Please forgive me your highness," Kalmin repeated. 

"Hah…. you're way too stiff for your own good Kalmin," Dominic sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. 

A second passed while Dominic stared at Kalmin, his head tilted to the side slightly as he observed Kalmin. "You almost never look me in the eyes, so it always looks like I'm bullying you," Dominic commented softly, "why?"

"Because I am not worthy to be able to look his royal highness in the eye without being told to. Especially not in a situation like this in which I am being questioned for a mistake I made," Kalmin responded desolately. 

Dominic stood quietly for another moment. "Look up at me," He commanded.

Kalmin immediately looked up, his dark-brown eyes meeting emerald green with hesitancy and slight fear. The emotions melted away when their eyes settled on each other. They were calm. The emerald green waves in Dominic's eyes weren't ruffled, raging with anger or annoyed either. He was calm. 

"I don't look mad do I?" Dominic smiled, his head tilting back into place. "Is that more reassuring for you?"

"Am I simply relieved that his royal highness is not upsetted by my actions," Kalmin replied. 

Dominic sighed once again and raised his eyebrow. "His royal highness? Is that all I am to you?" 

Kalmin hesitated in responding, before shaking his head. "No. His highness is someone that I want to protect with my life and-"

"A friend," Dominic cut in, a smile spreading on his face. "For me, you're a friend."

Kalmin froze, his heart skipping a beat at Dominic's smile. "A friend?" he muttered weakly. 

Dominic nodded his head in affirmation. "Yes, a friend. A very precious one to me at that. Yes, you may be my royal advisor, who carries half of my work on his shoulders, yes you are someone who has been looking after me for most of my life and yes you are older than me, but it's only by a few years. You are every single one of those things to me, but also one of the closest people by my side that I dare to think of as my friend," Dominic grinned, punching Kalmin lightly on his left shoulder, "you're someone whom I trust with my biggest secrets and someone who also knows yours. I trust you with my life really, so you should trust me with yours."

Kalmin listened intently as Boris watched silently, the tension in the air easing up immediately. 

"So don't regard yourself so lowly in front of me," Dominic huffed, pouting slightly as he frowned. "You are not someone who is replaceable to me and will never be. I don't care how many nobles there are in the palace and kingdom or even the entire Aucacia Empire, you are the only Kalmin I would trust with my life," Dominic assured with a firm confident voice, "So do not mention people you think would be more deserving of a position you have because to me no one is more deserving of the spot as my advisor, friend and right hand man as you are."

Kalmin stood motionlessly, his dark-brown eyes brightening up at Dominic's words.

"I feel a bit insulted for you to think that I would just kill off a friend of mine like that," Dominic pouted, "you're sooo important and you know it so act like it in front of me. Don't walk around on eggshells, it's annoying."

Kalmin nodded his head slowly as Dominic's words sunk into his head. 

"And loosen up a bit~" Dominic giggled, grabbing Kalmin on each arm and squeezing them, "I feel stifled by how stiff you are at times."

Boris snickered, attracting Dominic and Kalmin's gaze immediately. He wiped the laugh away and returned a stoic expression to his face. "What?"

Dominic grinned, turning back to Kalmin. "See? Like he is. I like it when you too banter like that together, it feels lively for me again. I don't think I've seen you whole-heartedly laugh since the past 2 years or even more."

Kalmin flinched, rolling his eyes. "There isn't much to laugh about, not when I still have those papers on my desk," he slipped out unconsciously before his eyes darted to Dominic, alive with concern for his reaction.

Dominic burst into laughter, releasing Kalmin from his grip. "Hahahahaha, much better," he giggled as he nodded his head. 

Kalmin watched Dominic smile for a few seconds, his chest feeling lighter up as a weight lifted off them slightly. "Question tough, how would I know when I go too far?" he asked to which Dominic grinned. 

"You'll see it on my face. You know how to read me the best afterall," Dominic shrugged.

'The best?' Boris thought to himself as he watched Dominic turn back around. 

"Now~ Shall we keep going? I feel like we've been walking for so long that we might be at least an hour late for the meeting already," Dominic chortled as he began to walk down the hallway again.

Kalmin and Boris followed closely behind him, "Only about 10 minutes at least. Not that much time in comparison to how long this meeting might stretch for," Kalmin replied. 

"True," Dominic nodded, "I bet I'd regret not staying out for at least 15 more minutes when I'm one hour into that meeting." Kalmin and Boris quietly nodded their heads simultaneously in reply. 

They continued walking for a few seconds before Kalmin spoke up. "Your highness, has anyone ever told you that your grip is strong?" he asked.

A little blush crossed Dominic's face as a thought ran through his mind. "No… not yet."