Chapter 73: The woes of fate and destiny I
From the minute Apphia saw Hael, she knew he could be a useful asset to their kingdom.
She had already dug into King Ceremus and learned about Hael's identity in the process. Though Leacus was a prospering nation, it lacked good warriors, unlike Trojas.
Most of the people weren't keen on becoming strong warriors, which meant that they were lacking in terms of physical power. Apphia thought that perhaps having someone strong in their ranks could motivate their people to grow stronger and not have to rely on their allies when they needed help. What she failed to realize was that Ceremus was a stubborn man—a man who did what he wanted and wasn't someone good to negotiate with. He was labeled a tyrant for a reason.
King Aeson turned his attention to Hael, the subject of the discussion, and realized that throughout the entire conversation, the young man only had his eyes on Ceremus. Not once had he glanced their way. A sudden idea came to his mind.
"Sir Hael," he said, addressing him directly for the first time. Hael's gaze moved to King Aeson, and the smile finally returned to his face.
"What do you think about all of this? Would it interest you to stay here in Leacus and serve the kingdom?"
Hael didn't even need to think about it. He shook his head, his expression stern and resolute. "I'm afraid I have no interest in serving anyone else but my king. I've sworn all loyalty to him."
The king and queen were taken aback by his firm tone, leaving no room for discussion.
"A-Are you certain? We could give you a few days to decide," the king said.
Hael shook his head once more. "I am certain. My answer shall remain the same even after a few days."
Aeson couldn't bring himself to argue back with him, and Ceremus, though still livid, had a pleased look in his eyes. The two men were finally excused and shown to the chambers that had been specially prepared for them. Though they had two separate rooms, they were quite close to each other, which Hael appreciated.