CHAPTER ONE.

The horse galloped through the bushes down the road as his long silky hair danced away with the wind, seated on the back of the white horse was lord Ace. The army general of Ashen kingdom and the king's adviser, on his body was his army uniform and he looked serious as his horse galloped away toward the palace.

Getting to the palace's huge gate, he slowed down as a palace guard approached him and bowed in respect.

"Greetings lord Ace"

Climbing down from the horse, he patted it on the back before handing the reins over to the guard.

"Feed her" he ordered and advanced towards the gate which opened immediately.

"Greetings, Lord Ace" some of the palace guards greeted again as he made his way up the stairs.

"Greetings Lord Ace, the king is in a meeting with the other lords" the guard stationed outside the throne room announced and Ace nodded before venturing into the large room.

The room was big enough to hold a ball and it was very exquisite, typical of a royal palace but as soon as some of the men seated saw Ace entered, some of their countenances changed. They particularly didn't like the army general because he was just different from the rest of them.

"Greetings my king" Ace greeted respectfully as he bowed.

"Take your seat lord Ace" the king who was not much older than Ace answered before smiling at him but the lord had an expressionless look on his face like he didn't want to be part of this gathering.

Well, he didn't want to be there. Not when he knew that everyone in the room aside from the king hated him and he didn't particularly like people.

"You are late, Lord. It seems you don't like leaving that dark castle of yours, you should invite us for dinner sometime ''one of the lords whose name was Alvanon said and the rest chuckled but the man who the statement was directed to was speechless and didn't look interested even in the least.

Turning towards the king again, Ace nodded before he began to talk,

"My king, I was in a meeting with the army commander from up north and he said something of his army joining forces with ours to defeat the rebels from the west"

"And what do you think?" King Alexander asked, eying him conspicuously.

"You can give the order my lord"

Alexander chuckled lightly, "you are the army commander Ace, you should know more about these things. You go into battle and I only sit on my throne and await the good news so you should be a better judge of that"

The other lords turned to look at themselves before turning back to Ace.

"Okay my lord, since you have given me the chance I will not disappoint you, I will have one more discussion with him and get back to you"

"As you please" Alexander replied and Ace bowed before standing up.

" I will take my leave now, your highness"

"Meet me later in the evening, I have an important job for you"

"Yes" he bowed.

"We should sit down to some wine later Ace" Sylvester said, he was another lord and almost as lonesome as Ace but he still knew how to mingle with his peers.

"I am a very busy man and I don't want to hang out with any one of you" he blurted and bowed to the king before finding his way out of the throne room.

"Why is he so narcissistic?" Alvanon snickered.

"That is why he is my army commander" Alexander replied, his eyes still lingering on the door Ace just left through.

"Is he your favorite, my lord?"

"He is my army commander," he replied and stood up. They all bowed to him before he walked out of the room leaving all seven of them behind.

"That Ace gets on my nerves," Sylvester retorted.

"He lives alone at the top of a hill, what do you expect"

"I have other meetings to attend to, I will see you all tomorrow" Bernice said as he stood up before walking out, he was also a loner like Ace but he was a bit better.

******

Ace's horse galloped through the bushes again until he came to an open space with a small stream adorning the area. Climbing down his horse, he tied it to a tree and made his way toward the stream. He wanted to have a soothing bath in the hot sun then go back to his castle, this was his everyday routine.

"I figured I would find you here" a voice said behind him and he didn't bother to turn because he knew the owner of the voice.

"What are you doing here Alexander?" He asked without turning back while removing his clothes.

"I knew you didn't want to be with the other lords so you came here"

"So?" Ace asked, finally turning to him, "you should be discussing issues of the kingdom" he added.

Alexander smiled before walking up to him, Ace was the only person he trusted in the whole wide world even if he was aloof from the world.

" I want to get married" Alexander finally spilled the beans and the other man was forced to stop with what he was doing and look at him as his own lips curved up in a little smile complimenting his already pretty face.

"You really want to get married?I thought you want to be celibate"

Alexander sighed as he slowly lowered himself on the shores of the stream, "I think it is high time I give it a try and you my good man will help me"

"With all due respect my king, I have affairs of the state to attend to and I don't have time to go bring a bride for you"

"I was your friend before I was your king Ace, you should listen to me and try to behave more humanly. The others think you may be a creature of the night"

"They should keep thinking like that" he replied and dragged his almost naked body into the cold water leaving the king sighing to himself.