CHAPTER 2: A helper

The silence engulfs the area. Then a collected shout of confused people.

The cold, distant, Royal Madam jumped and hugged Rozel who he never spare a glance at. In turn, Rozel froze, his mind went blank.

Raine soon starts petting his son then— something growled. And there was silence once again.

...

"Ah, I'm hungry." Raine said and dusted off the dirt from his garments, petting his son's head once again.

He even forgot his manners and etiquette! What has gotten inside his head?! Is the madam sick right now?

"Madam!" Crea pants, catching his own breath. The Madam sure is energetic for someone who forgot to eat. The Rema maid panted and supported himself on a nearby tree, hand on chest, his skin pale as he thinks he is on the verge of dying.

Raine stares at his son who is now frozen like a rock, eyes in a daze and his head blank. Seeing such state, Raine panicked. 'Did I do it wrong? How do I even do this? My son! Are you broken?'

"Rozel...?"

The young boy is apparently unable to answer which made Raine frown. 'Does he not like my touches?' He stood up, unable to handle the hunger and looked at Crea. The growl got louder and Raine's face bloomed red.

'Shit. I just showed them such state. What am I doing?'

Raine stood up and coughed, looking at Crea and walked away. Crea stared at the frozen young prince and sighed. Such bold move would really render one speechless. Not long after few steps, Raine stops then looks back. His hand bid a small wave and a warm smile on his face.

He is... somewhat scary like this.

It is a known fact that the Royal Madam always held the cold gaze while looking towards anyone—except the Crown Prince. His indifference melts away immediately with just a glance at his infatuation, heart going wild. But it is also unfortunate that his feelings are unrequited, the only thing holding their relationship are their sin and the physical intimacy they shared.

"Crea." Raine called out as they passed by the large garden of the palace, eyes looking straight.

"Madam?"

"Did I scare my son?" Raine halts this time, and gazed at Crea with curiosity. "I don't know why he is frozen like that."

Crea 'ahh-ed' an answer. "Madam and His Highness don't really interact. I guess it's the first time. A-and you hugged him too, that would definitely scare me."

His answer made Raine furrow his eyebrows. "Scary? Then... What would you do?" His voice expectant.

"Huh?"

Raine, "What would you do to make your child to be closer to you?"

'I failed last time. I want to make up for all those I lack.'

"You be there for them." Crea's voice soft. "You give them time, watch them grow, teach them, show them kindness... Give them love." Raine took a moment to sink everything in.

'Ah. But I don't exactly know how. The ones who took care of us in the orphanage never really liked me in the first place.' Raine's thought spoke. His eyes staring in front of him but he doesn't see anything, lost in the moment of thinking.

"Then can you teach me?"

Crea blinks, surprised. The madam is asking him? To.Teach.Parenting. This is incredible! The maid flails his hands around. The sentence alone was an attack, he is completely flustered now.

"I-I will do my b-best, Madam!" Raine nods. "Then that's good."

As they continue their walk, Raine can't help but feel someone staring at him from behind, calculating his every move. 'Am I being monitored?' He pondered. The heavy gaze doesn't leave him, instead bore deeper, making him turn back with a glare. 'Whoever is watching me... Creep.' He turns back and hit his face into a sturdy 'wall'. Red nose, he softly rub the area and looks at the person he just bumped. Cold blue eyes stared at him. More that that, they are the familiar eyes that had gazed at him with such coldness for all over Raine's life.

"Honey!" Raine suddenly piped out, Kode just grunted and exhaled. 'Why is my husband here? Isn't he supposed to be getting ready preparing for the coronation?' Raine tiled his head. Even in the past, Kode is crowned king after few more years due to the fact that the King is still the ruler of the kingdom and the Queen still refusing Raine to be wedded to a 'King'. Although, during the coronation, Raine can't help but feel a sense of deja vu.

'I think I remember something happening during that day.' Raine tries to remember it. A cough snapped him from his reverie, his cheeks flushing. "Good mor—err I guess it is noon. Ah.. I'm hungry." His stomach growled once again. Crea stared at the couple, a sweat on his face. He had witnessed the two's relationship for over the past few years and he would say that he never seen such chilling air between any other. Prince Kode not bothering to take a second look at his husband while Raine chasing like a puppy. He can't help but pity the Royal Madam.

'It's scary how much I can stare at him like this again.' Raine caught in a daze. Dread washed over him, remembering he died and didn't even had the chance to prove himself something. He then also realized he made a promise to start over and also have a mission to complete. Determined, he gazed at Kode's blue orbs. The dull eyes still boring with no emotion.

"How is your body?"

Huh?

The deep voice left Raine in trance. "M-my.."

"Your body, does it still hurt?" Kode slightly tilted his head to the side. Raine, upon knowing what the other was talking about, flushed deep red. Heat rushing all over his face, neck, and ears. "A-ah, yeah! I-it's good." Ah, why act like a flustered virgin or maiden? You have been together for a good amount of time.

"Good. I assume you have not eaten yet. Go eat." And he strode off, passing by Raine and Crea. 'So cold.' Crea thought. Raine sighed, hopeless.

"I also need help to win over my husband." His words left Crea confused.

--

"I am clueless of what to do." Raine sat on the stone bench by the small garden by his backyard. The small space is tended by one gardener, the growing plants and grass scattered all over. The moss are growing eight about everywhere, the reason was because the gardener is blind. For someone to hire a blind gardener, that person would be so cruel. But the truth to that is because the gardener has a kid to take care of, and his handiwork in the backyard is also very pretty. The job pays quite well, not to mention. Raine pretty much like how the garden looks like, he would go there to blow off steam most of the time or just to think and be alone.

He was supposed to be visiting some nobles today, get to know connections. But after getting lost in his own head, he forgot about it and focused on something that concerns his current situation.

"I need to win my family and protect them but they clearly don't trust me. I need to earn that trust. I also need to be the one to collect those peculiar keys which I have no idea where to start." A helpless sigh.

His fingers that had been plucking the leaves, halted. A voice called out to him out of nowhere.

"Then I may help you." Raine whipped his head towards the direction of that person, his neck felt like it snapped. A tall, lean person smiled at him. He stood by the rusty fence gate of the garden, the vines growing all over it. The man wore white uniform, matching his hair. Purple eyes staring at him. His whole air spelled enigma.

"Who are you?" Raine was alarmed, his body tense.

"Servideus. Nice to meet you. I am sent by Aster to take care of you." His lips stretched into a smile.

---

A/N: I can't help but feel some parts here are missing. I wrote some a while ago but it disappeared. Ahhhh.