Trapped In Hisstory

Chance was lost in his thoughts and all he could think of was what he would do when he see Caliber again. After what he has said to Caliber, it would definitely be awkward when they meet.

The historian does not know what has gotten to him; he wanted Caliber to stop; he wanted to push Caliber away. And now Caliber distanced himself from Chance. The researcher got what he wanted.

'I got what I wanted but...' he gripped the edge of the cape that was on his shoulders, putting his hand near his heart. "But why am I in such agony?" he whispered.

Alec could hear his whisper, but stayed silent, not wishing to meddle with his matters. But it upset him that his master was sad, and yet he could not do anything to help his heart that is in pain. 

Chance could not understand why his heart was in deep sorrow. Being away from Caliber was what he wanted, but he is hurt. Each day he was serving Prince Louis, Caliber did not visit him.

That should be perfectly fine for him, as it was for the best. But each day, deep inside, he hoped for Caliber to show up. He wanted to see him so much.

Without realizing how much his heart yearns for Caliber.

"Please do not hurt His Highness' heart and please do not hurt your own."

He remembered Sherin's word back in the forest. 'Hurt Caliber's heart? Hurt my own?' he repeated her words in a question. 'Why would Caliber be hurt? She has a woman he is looking for, a woman that his heart seeks. A woman that he loves...' he muttered.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that his tone was becoming bitter. Why should he care if Caliber loves someone? 'Why would I be hurt? There is no reason for me to be in pain, I don- I-' he trailed off and could not continue his words.

Why is it so hard for him to say that he does not like him?

He could feel tears forming in his eyes. He secretly wiped it off. 'Why am I acting like this? Why am I being weak?' he asked himself. But he was stupid to think that he would get an answer from himself.

He was startled when the horse came to a full stop, Alec immediately put an on arm around him, making sure he would not fall off. Confused, he looked up and saw 7 men in front of them.

"Ah, great. We are still not done?" Niro muttered in annoyance.

"Our master told us to capture the prince no matter what." one of the men stated, holding a weapon in his hand, with a smirk on his face.

Alec raised his sword, still not coming down from the horse, and pointed it to the men in front of them, "Who is your master?" he asked with no emotion, yet a tone of authority was still evident in his voice.

"Why should I tell you?" the man responded, followed by the laughter of his group.

"Speak." Sherin chimed in and looked at the man in his eyes. The female aide's stare made his eyes feel pain as if it was piercing through him. He felt scared, but he hid it with a smirk that could not be wiped from his face. "We will never tell you, none of us will talk." he responded.

Little did he know, he made a big mistake.

"You should speak now, mister, because this might be the last time that words will come out of your mouth." Niro said as a joke, but the group became too serious to even laugh.

"I guess my humor is different from your group's humor, hehe." he added.

Sherin touched her wound and pressed it slightly, causing Niro to look at him with a furrowed brow, "What are you-"

"Shut up."

Her blood was still a shade of blue. The Bloodlust effect was still there, but Sherin managed to control herself. She pulled out her sword and wiped his blood over the blade.

She tapped Niro's hand and he immediately let go of the rein. Sherin took the reins to drive the horse herself. She looked over at Alec and moved her head to the side, signalling that they should start moving. 

Alec nodded and made his horse start moving. They galloped their way straight and it made the men look at them. While the men were distracted, Sherin controlled the horse to trot in circles, surrounding the group.

Sherin extended her sword, "Venenum." she uttered as her blade touched their skin, making them wince in pain. They were all wounded, but not too serious as what Chance witnessed inside the forest.

Sherin left the men and rode the horse at a faster speed to catch up with the knight and crown prince. "Done already?" Alec asked blankly, and Sherin nodded.

Niro was confused for Sherin to leave only small wounds in their body. "Why did you not finish them off? They might return to their master and-

"They will not be able to return."

His forehead creased in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Poison."

Niro was surprised by her answer, but at the same time, confused. Alec glanced at her in secret, and so did the researcher.

Sherin could not tell them what it means, especially with Alec around. 'Alec knows my clan. He knows Bahiensis. If I told him, he would know my identity.' she thought and kept silent.

Her silence made it clear that he will not say any more words as an answer, so they did not ask any questions and continued on travelling back to the palace.

Venenum.

When the Bloodlust talent is activated, the person who takes a blow from them may experience initial symptoms such as severe burning pain in their wound, sweating and goosebumps. Within thirty minutes, symptoms become systematic and include high or low blood pressure, fast or slow heartbeat, nausea, abdominal cramping, hypothermia, vertigo, blurred vision, convulsions and excessive sweating associated with shock. 

But not all Araneans have that ability, and she cannot say it in front of Alec.

Her guts tell her not to.

From the moment Sherin saw Alec, she felt weird, and all he could do is trust her instinct.

~~~~~~~~~~

They reached the palace, and Chance was relieved to be back. He is finally safe, no more escaping, no more hiding. He has returned to the palace.

Chance looked around and saw many knights scattered than usual. The security is being tightened because of the unknown break in. It means it is not yet time to be relieved. 

The perpetrator is still out there, might be planning another kidnapping, poisoning, or whatever evil plan just to get him. 

His tensed shoulder relaxed when Niro put a hand over him. "Are you alright, Your Highness?" he asked.

"Yes..." he answered, but Niro was staring straight at him. He sighed, "Actually, I am not."

Sherin and Niro were behind the two of them as they walked along the path that lead to the front entrance of the palace. Niro smiled, glad that he was being honest with him. "I apologize, Your Highness. You must be scared and stressed because of what just happened."

He let out another sigh and nodded. "Yes, I was. But that is not my only..."

"Your only problem? Your Highness, I would be glad to be of help. I am all ears." he said with a smile.

Chance sent him a smile of appreciation for offering to listen. "Caliber...how is he right now?" he asked in a low voice, fiddling with the tips of his finger as he look down.

"Worried. Very worried, Your Highness." Niro answered with all honesty.

It was as if someone inside him jumped in joy. Butterflies cannot surely jump, of course. "Is he really worried? Was he looking forward to see me? What was he like in the days where I was not around?"

Niro fell silent, stunned by his sudden multiple questions. Chance realized he was asking too many questions. He calmed himself and looked back to the ground. He snorted in shame. "I look desperate, huh?"

Niro caressed his back to comfort him. After a while, he chuckled, "If you call that being desperate, then I do not know how to describe how Caliber was in the previous days."

Chance turned his head to the aide. "What do you mean?"

All of a sudden, Niro thought of something. He looked at Chance with a mischievous smile. "I will not tell you, Your Highness~"

Chance felt his face flushed with redness. He wanted to know, but Niro would not tell him. 'He is totally teasing me.' he thought.

Niro's face suddenly turned serious, "First, tell me why you want to know."

"Wha- Well, because I want to know! That is just it!" Chance responded.

"What do you feel about my master?"

"Niro, I don-"

"You would not ask those questions for nothing. You would not be worried or desperate for nothing."

He was right, Niro was right. But what could he do? Even he himself does not know what was wrong with him? All he could think of was Caliber.

"Open up your heart, Your Highness."

Chance could not hold it anymore. He started telling Niro what he was thinking of earlier when he was on the horse. As he tells Niro the story, the wider his grin gets. 

"That is it." Chance said as he finished telling him everything.

"After telling me those, you still have not realized it?" he asked.

Chance thought about it long and hard. What has he not realized?

Chance felt like he was going crazy looking for an answer that could not be found. It is all his fault for getting into the story, for getting into Charles's body. He was on the verge of losing his sanity, and he wanted to blame Caliber for it. He wanted to blame Caliber for always being on his mind.

He paused.

"For always being on my mind?" he whispered in confusion. 

'All he could think of was Caliber.'

When he was serving Prince Louis, he kept thinking of Caliber. When he was in danger, he was thinking of Caliber. When someone was going to rescue him, he thought it was Caliber. At the moment where he thought he would die, he thought of Caliber.

They were already in front of the Palace door, but he was still deep in his thoughts.

He finally realized it. How could he be so stupid?

All this time, he kept denying it.

His heart finally opened, making him realize what his heart really wants.

The door opened, with all the maids bowing to them, welcoming them back from their rough journey.

Across from him was the Prince of Canopus, Caliber Stein. Waiting for his return.

They looked at each other in the eyes. After days and days of being away from each other, they finally met again.

Chance finally accepted that he loves Caliber.

From the moment that their eyes met in the garden, he fell in love with him, unknowingly.

But now he knows.

He loves him, and his heart wants him.