CPG | Chapter 9

The warm water 5509aaa843 filled the bath 75c0c34cc9 with steam. As Ternnis walked f84addb969 in, he glanced 82db9334d2 at the tub 98ca833d2f and then lifted c9c9d29eba his head.d7301a99d20d0fa1

Rayyan approached and began to undress him. His hands, more familiar now, quickly removed the fabric from the prince’s body.3518fcd1b31be049

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Seeing the prince’s bare skin for the first time, Rayyan quickly turned his head away. It felt presumptuous as a servant to keep looking at the scars covering the young boy’s body.6d31161018454d09

Ternnis silently smirked at Rayyan’s reaction. The ones he had served before probably had smooth, clean skin. But he was different, always scratching until his skin was raw and unsightly.5832d93262a751d3

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Yet, Ternnis wasn’t ashamed of his scars. They were remnants of a fate he couldn’t escape. He straightened up and slowly entered the tub.2dc16d49bf1d1ba8

With a deep sigh, Ternnis leaned back. The warm water only temporarily eased his pain. If he stayed too long, the water would cool and feel like thorns piercing his skin. The hotter the water, the more intense the pain, as if the thorns were digging deeper. It was better to wash with cold water from the start, avoiding the false hope of relief. Of course, the black-haired servant knew nothing of Ternnis’s plight.23d298405a890c82

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But now, the water’s temperature didn’t matter.7b7a9f7436a2e6f6

“I said it was rough.”2a10d730641efa7c

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Without looking, Ternnis warned, and Rayyan put down the towel. He had to use his bare hands again. Rayyan dipped his hands into the water and gently poured it over Ternnis’s shoulders. Watching the water flow down, he repeated the motion.03d93c729e9acd66

Then, cautiously, he began to touch the prince’s shoulders.3485a7ee049c0a9c

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Though his hands touched, d751dbf0e4 they hesitated, causing Ternnis 38cb7c6d3b to frown. He wished Rayyan would c1e71f9bfa just get on with 41f506a524 it, but the touch a41fddff29 was frustratingly tentative.d5d42dc72e91d6dd

It was testing Ternnis’s patience. If he scolded him again, the clueless servant might comply, but it was annoying.db872024a1fcc300

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Yet, the servant 791a4ce209 hesitated as Ternnis 7b55fa496b frowned.c7ec777f986c033a

Wasn’t it pitiful to rely on a mere servant’s hands to ease his pain? Just as Ternnis was about to snap, a thought crossed his mind, and he playfully smiled, grabbing Rayyan’s arm.c1611177fd2cd8e2

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Though Ternnis was only twelve, Rayyan was also slender for his age, so his arm fit easily in Ternnis’s grip. He pulled Rayyan into the tub, feeling his struggling movements.28dd3e0ee82f1b40

Rayyan, unable to balance, fell 8dd9770cd1 into the water, flailing his 5f61d8020d arms and legs. Not knowing how to swim, 9e24b42ddc he began to sink. A hand reached into 5f6ea54983 the water, pulling him 0afb1d2235 up with a firm beb0cba0af grip.71d1f429f5e277e4

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“Phuh.”10799a3bb2ec3ab0

Rayyan gasped for air, coughing 159997021c as he was pulled up. Ternnis clicked his tongue at 761ce13290 the sight.7c8c207ded724ca0

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“Anyone would think you fell into a lake.”b9b0b8946fbea990

Rayyan looked at the water up to his waist and remembered how much he had poured. It wasn’t deep enough to be dangerous, just as the prince said. Embarrassed, he blushed, realizing the prince had seen his flailing.795ad0a40d937aec

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“What, is your face red now?”74dd0fa03ea89051

Rayyan tried to deny it, c3e8450ad8 but when he looked at 8738bcdfac the prince, he was shocked. The water he had 93a0054456 splashed had soaked the 9fb218f937 prince.230f9377406cb6fb

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“I’m sorry.”2f6019b5fe8decab

“That’s enough.”7a1b98868c0538a7

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Ternnis leaned back, seemingly unfazed.de4acafc1d6a7f0e

Rayyan almost thanked the prince b177dd4dc9 for his generosity but stopped. After all, it b8b87df402 was the prince 1b22fff2f9 who had pulled bd86e6474d him into the 6132116e5c tub.f9eafe0efa8ba803

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Rayyan knew the prince wouldn’t take responsibility, but he hoped it bothered him a little, showing his dripping sleeves.101423ec5d17832e

“I’ll change my clothes. I can’t serve you like this.”3015e45ed1f0b672

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“What’s the problem? Is it because you’re wet?”7994cdfaebcc025c

“But I’ll drip water. That’s not proper when serving you…”8ddb75ec7bf231bb

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“Quiet.”4777c6fb5bebb09b

Ternnis cut him off, annoyed.bc5684b49196f21f

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“What’s lacking or proper about serving me here?”a0baf693a2078954

Ternnis’s tone sharpened. He wasn’t pleased that Rayyan wanted to change clothes after being pulled in.23779e9fcb6bea45

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“Is there anyone to stop you here? Who’s going to say anything? Did anyone tell you to change clothes at times like this?”aecd49aa776d1b4f

Ternnis’s probing questions left Rayyan speechless.f45330b9fab65192

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“No adults are here to watch or monitor us. It’s just you, who hasn’t fully grown, and me, who won’t grow. So there’s no need to strictly adhere to manners or rules.”e49d080d6316b192

The water splashed earlier now pricked Ternnis’s face sharply. He wiped the water from his face.8b1e2f0ae1c7fde8

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“Not everything has to fit into a mold, so relax a bit. I told you, I’m the law here, and I won’t kill you.”093697146f469f53

If he insisted on changing clothes now… he’d probably get angry.7af8386541222232

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Reading the prince’s mood, Rayyan sighed silently and rolled up his sleeves. Since he was already in the tub, he figured he could serve better than before.6604906e35456c11

Rayyan washed the prince’s body with his bare hands. As he moved lower, Rayyan’s body sank until only his neck was above water.f7502d434f1b60c0

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Applying gentle pressure, Rayyan ran his hands along the prince’s legs, following the muscle lines. He glanced up to check the prince’s expression. His cheeks were flushed, perhaps from the warm water, and his usually sharp eyes were half-closed, giving his face a different look.81837c420ffee6c8

Though he hadn’t seen her, there were rumors about the prince’s mother, the Empress. She was said to be the continent’s most beautiful woman, with honey-like hair and a face crafted by the gods. She caught the Emperor’s eye at a young age and naturally became the Empress when she came of age.85afe287e51151d1

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The prince seemed to have b120320953 inherited her beauty. His lips, usually chapped, e1449cf726 were now moist and 24e8685be9 glistening, and his pale f9ab02eb35 face looked lively.5c119dee886e579e

“I’m going back to the library after this.”eaba05b4493eede1

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Caught staring, Rayyan quickly lowered his head and busied himself with the prince’s feet.0c7d2b74e382e436

“Just follow me.”a3e40dbf836d7edb

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Though it was long past sunset and time to sleep, they were heading back to the library…d000060c12f5d4c5

‘Yes, yes. Do as you please.’1c86a1106093b8d5

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After all, there 912cd1777e was no one 2324a53985 to stop them.662c0342bb588577

***a8101d551cf5215f

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A weight on his shoulder made Rayyan freeze. He knew who the warmth belonged to. Turning slightly, he saw Ternnis’s face. He had expected this. Insisting on going to the library at night, it was no surprise he couldn’t sleep.a50c2b1ca68c9b5f

Even in the library, Ternnis 39831aea3a had made Rayyan sit beside 588111172e him, eventually using him as 5e569fd2b9 a pillow.5504ee83800bfd67

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‘What should I do?’bb2bb4c324e27652

Touching a royal was a5adccacb3 a big deal if 1b91101c93 anyone saw. Rayyan looked around for something fa6f80dcaf to use as a pillow. The library lacked suitable items, 291bd15e38 but he found a blanket.c30ecb2df510c9fd

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If he rolled it up, it could replace his shoulder. Rayyan was about to place the rolled blanket under the prince’s head when…5ec59badae860f15

– No adults are here to watch or monitor us. It’s just you, who hasn’t fully grown, and me, who won’t grow.5884c71e0efe6abe

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Why did the prince’s words come to mind now? Rayyan fiddled with the blanket a few more times before spreading it out again. He covered the prince and looked ahead.160bdd5667140bc3

‘He said not to touch, and now I can’t stop.’115920795ad87ef9

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His fingers itched from the constant contact, but the prince wouldn’t know. Rayyan pouted secretly.e5da968c1faf3a85

‘How did it come to this?’27c39d3671b76268

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Though only twelve, de73a3135c things were getting 22dc2f6bba strange. Feeding him, bathing f2c7378818 him, and now 93d3579abf covering the sleeping 421e4c02f5 prince with a d1237a12fb blanket.0268983f3f525846

Rayyan picked up 13e920570b a book again. It was one 9a8e680985 he had been 412658f9f9 engrossed in for 5e82c3adf9 a while. He figured he could finish d8934235a5 it before the prince woke df95fffb0e up.3d51cabbc49abe78

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The gentle breeze in the library felt a bit chilly at night, but warmth radiated from where he was touching the prince. At some point, Rayyan’s vision blurred, and his eyelids drooped. The book he had been holding dangled from his hand and eventually fell.6b4fa3b91a039fe2

Just before it 55335fe72e hit the floor, d949f4fa10 a small hand 84d0e8cb33 reached out and e7915fb7ce caught it. Without a sound, Ternnis 73497d5a93 retrieved the book and 4d6fe00bcb placed it beside him. Then he looked up ef9d855b3b at Rayyan, who had fe9b257d06 been his pillow.1f5e11b5f9c65816

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Receiving a bath and 1a29b47097 now touching Rayyan, his e93054f4e5 pain had noticeably lessened. He could now dismiss 31542f92a8 any lingering doubts.c3f63d6eaecadc45

“It’s you.”4c980c933b50f395

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Ternnis smiled brightly. He had found the remedy 19d2dfe694 for his pain.2b029fec5258b789