Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Aster wandered around just to leave Ramuja who was shocked. Before he decisively left Ramuja, he looked back at his husband for a second and found him stunned while holding his cheek, as if Aster's slap was that of a painful one.

Aster bit his lips and could only leave if he wanted to retain his dignity, however, his hand didn't lie. The hand that had just slapped Ramuja trembled, Aster felt very guilty, because he never intended to hurt Ramuja. But what Ramuja said was indeed offensive to someone like him, he dared to question his power, and even use his status as his husband so he could suppress Aster.

"Of course, I can't let him!" Aster said loudly. He was talking to himself, of course. He just hated the fact that Ramuja looked down on him, no, he hated it if anyone dared to look down on him.

"I am Aster Di Arlingdon, Grand Duke of Stormhill, the only son of Grand Duke Harion and Golden Princess Camille, and I am a golden blood. I am also the Great Queen of Arctyr now. Why would someone so foolishly try to suppress me like that? Did he think that I couldn't do it by myself?!"

"I will not forgive him if he dares to limit anything about me, I am born to be a golden pride! E—Even if I'm married, I will not let him press me down!" Aster gritted his teeth, "Just because he is now a Crown Prince, he thought that I will be obedient and subservient to him. What a load of bullcrap!"

"I will prove to him that I don't need his help at all, I will di—di—divo—divorce him after I finished the war!" Aster said willfully, although he stammered when he was about to say divorce.

After Aster spouted all his anger, his mind cleared up a bit, he casted his eyes down to the snow on the ground, 'But he must've been feeling hurt… his expression… looks like he was too shocked to react.'

'I didn't slap him hard, at least, based on his power, he wouldn't feel pain at all. But why is he so fragile in front of me?'

'Ramuja… If—if he apologized first and kissed my feet, I will forgive his willfulness just now. If—if he kissed my feet, I might give him a smile and I will let him help me in this war, but I will still be the one in charge for everything!'

'He must've been following me, he will arrive anytime soon.'

Aster waited for almost fifteen minutes and saw no sight of Ramuja at all. He looked around he then realized that he didn't know this place at all. He was in a forest covered with snow, but it was just trees and snow everywhere, it gave of a creepy atmosphere.

He shuddered, "R—Ramuja?" he called Ramuja again, "Ramuja, come out now, I—I will forgive you this time…"

No answer.

Aster started to get scared, until a shadow appeared in front of him and he jumped out of fear, "GYAAH! RAMUJA HELP!"

"M—Milord, it's me," Nate said as he appeared in front of Milord Aster.

Aster had shown an embarrassing display of terrified noble, he coughed slightly and adjusted his posture, "A—Alright then, carry me back to Miriam Coast, I'm sure everyone's been waiting for me."

Nate nodded, but as soon as his hand reached Aster, his gaze sharped and he sensed something. He unsheathed his sword immediately and defended Aster from an incoming projectile.

CLANK!

An axe got deflected and fell to the ground. Aster was shocked as he saw ten mercenaries suddenly appeared in front of them. They were holding axes and they laughed vulgarly after he saw Aster.

"Whoa whoa, so this is the famous Grand Duke Aster Di Arlingdon. I can't believe there is a man that can be this beautiful. Although he is not feminine, he is even more beautiful than that top-class brothel lady!"

"Yeah, brother! This guy is indeed shining like a treasure. I guess there is a reason why that young miss wants us to hunt this guy and take him to her castle," another mercenary said.

"How about we kill his guardian first, and then taste him for ourselves? We can take turns on him, and then we can sell him to the brothel for a high price!"

The mercenaries laughed together, and then they saw a wedding ring on Aster's finger, his smile disappeared, "This guy has been married."

"Wait, really? Damn, what a lucky bastard!"

"He must be married to a man, I don't think any man can resist his face! Look at that face, I might want to kidnap him in the middle of the night and make him my wife in my village!"

"Hmmm… I don't know much about outside news, I just know that he is a famous beauty since his teenage years, and he is also a top fugitive for the Emperor. I heard that the new emperor, Emperor Charles will pay anything to get him."

"Yeah, I heard that too, they said that the Emperor wants to make him his Empress. What a sick bastard!"

"But, aren't they cousins? If they are first cousins and the Emperor still wants to make him, a man, the empress… I guess the rumour is true. The Emperor is mentally ill."

"Of course, he is mentally ill, he is a golden blood! All golden bloods are mentally deranged by nature!" the leader finally spoke and he continued, "It's unfortunate that we can't taste him, but that Miss already promised us a lot of money and food in exchange for this guy. If we give him to the Emperor now, we will also die, I guarantee that."

Nate found out that these ten men were discussing what they should do. Nate found a chance to grab Aster's arm and was about to disappear, but an axe was flying at a high speed towards Milord Aster, thus, Nate let go of Milord Aster's hand and deflected the axe once more.

CLANK!

The mercenaries finally shifted their attention towards Aster and his guardian. Aster's face paled, he had guessed about the identity of these ten mercenaries.

He had read about some mercenaries who were ignorant about state matters, they hid and plunder from one place to another. They were more like bandits who would also work for money like mercenaries. Although they were criminals, they didn't plunder much and they rarely killed anyone, they just took some gold and then left. They are also very hard to arrest. Thus, the state didn't really take them seriously.

The mercenary leader smiled at Aster, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, "My Lord, please follow us peacefully, we will not hurt you."

Aster was on guard immediately, he hid behind Nate and then replied, "The court will not forgive you for your heinous crime if you dare to do anything to me."

The mercenaries laughed, "Do you think we care about those old bastards?! We've been living as criminals for years! C'mon beauty, I will take you to young miss. I need money."

"Money? I can give you a lot more money," Aster said, "Just name the price, I will give double the amount."

The mercenary leader replied, "We are bound with contract to that young miss. Also, we cannot trust you at all."

"Who is that young miss?" Aster tried to interrogate.

"She is a beautiful lass, she is a new noblewoman and sings very well too. But she also looks crazy, damn, why are all beautiful people always looking crazy," the mercenary leader complained, "Anyway, surrender yourself now or we will use force."

Nate gritted his teeth, "I will not let you touch Milord."

"Oh, what a brave young man. Did you fuck that Milord of yours already? If you haven't, what a pity, because you'll die a virgin here!"

The mercenary leader charged towards Nate. Aster took a few steps back, and two swords clashed. If it was a fair fight, Nate would've won obviously. But these are bandits, they grouped on Nate and soon, Nate was beaten to the ground.

"Nate!" Aster called. The mercenary leader saw this young man was beaten until he was dying, he laughed, "Such a fine young man, you should've followed us instead."

The mercenary leader raised his sword, about to end Nate's life. Aster decisively yelled, "WAIT!"

The mercenary leader paused, then glanced at Aster. Aster clenched his fist and said, "I will follow you, but do not kill him."

The mercenary leader finally sheathed his sword and forcefully pulled Aster to his side. Aster frowned as he got pulled with force. Aster's hand was tied and the mercenary soldier carried Aster on his shoulder, "Ah, you are so lightweight. What a pity that we must give you to that crazy lass."

The mercenary leader glanced at the unconscious Nate again, and then he slipped a paper on Nate's pocket, "I know you're not dead yet, go give that note to Aster Di Arlingdon's ally."

The mercenaries finally left the unconscious Nate alone. Aster was silent, but he was incredibly scared at this point, 'Ramuja, save me!'

***

Ramuja was frantically searching around the forest with his soldiers. He returned to the base after he calmed himself down, he thought that Aster would've returned. But soon, the soldiers also asked him the whereabouts of Milord Aster.

Ramuja had just realized that Aster didn't know how to return back. Ramuja basically brought him to the middle of a forest, and then left him alone there.

Which led to Ramuja frantically searching the forest. He was followed by his soldiers, and he was so anxious, he didn't control his strength at all. The soldiers could only stand from afar, because right now, their prince had unrooted many big trees with his bare hand. As if he was only pushing the trees gently, and the trees instantly came crashing down.

After almost an hour of searching, Ramuja finally saw someone laid on the ground. His face was covered with snow, but when Ramuja checked, the man was still alive.

However, it was not Aster. It was Nate, Aster's bodyguard.

"WAKE UP! WHERE IS ASTER!" Ramuja shook Nate as he was panicked. Nate finally regained a bit of his consciousness and he said in a low, almost inaudible voice, 'Note… pocket…'

Ramuja took the note in Nate's pocket:

He is with me, come if you want to see how his slutty face got ruined for life. I will make him know that he shouldn't mess with us, I'm sure you will never love him anymore after you see his disfigured face.

- Your Beloved, Lady Merry Belleresse. 

Ramuja crumpled the paper, his eyes were red. He was so furious that the dark crimson aura around him thickened immediately, "I will crush her to dust if she dares to do something."