Chapter 49: The truth finally revealing itself II
"What is it now, my son?" Aria asked with raised brows as she saw the look of disarray on Ceremus' face.
The man in question ran his fingers through his hair as he let out a sigh of exasperation. Coming to visit his mother was the last thing he wanted to do, but it was also the only solution to his problems.
He tried various methods to rid himself of his woes; he tried sparring with one of his more resilient knights early in the morning, but the poor man was too afraid of losing his life to put up much of a fight. The spar was fruitless and only made the King more agitated. With no way to release his tension, the only solution he had left was to talk it out, something he would've never done before.
Ceremus was a man of action, not of words. If he wanted to convey what he felt, he did it through his hands and fists. Unfortunately for him, this was not a problem he could solve through pummeling a poor and unassuming knight. The only person he could turn to was the goddess, who was happy to see her son after so long. Since their last interaction, he had made it a habit of blocking off any point of contact with his mother. She was both surprised and relieved to see he was no longer angry. It worked out perfectly since she, too, wished to speak to him after the news she had received concerning him.
"Mother," he said, "I have no idea what to do about these feelings I harbor."
Aria gave him a knowing smile. She knew the time would come when his connection with his destined one would start to take form, but she didn't know it would happen this quickly. It must be her doing, she thought.
"It's quite simple, my child. All you need to do is accept them."
Ceremus scoffed when he heard this. "Unfortunately, that's easier said than done, goddess."
Aria's face softened as she looked at her child; mixed emotions swirled through her golden eyes.
"I know you find yourself unable to move on after your father left this world. Your love for Peleus was so strong and irreplaceable that when he passed, it felt like a part of you had died along with him...But Ceremus, you must understand that your inability to let go only hinders you. How are you supposed to be happy if you keep holding on to your grief?"
Ceremus' eyes glowed with inexplicable emotions as he bowed his head in frustration. He knew perfectly well that he was his own enemy. The obstacle that kept him from accepting his fate was to remove himself, and yet Ceremus couldn't do so himself.