Bow To The King

Chapter 1 On the evening of the cruelest night of December, a man so heartbroken, a void where only melancholy blossomed, and his heart filled with withered flowers of sorrow, smiled. He smiled at the same time Aiden did. Their smiles were a symphony of unspoken words. Gelid had shown a flicker of joy for the first time in ten years since his mother had passed away. *** A cold wind blew past me as the officers forcefully pushed me forward. "Faster! We are already so late, and here you are limping." Yes, their words sounded sharp, piercing through my already wounded soul, but I had endured worse in my life. This moment is nothing compared to that. Right before me stood a towering building surrounded by green trees, pleasant weather, and officers and lawyers all rushing to get to their work. Supreme Court My lips unknowingly stretched into a bitter-sweet smile at how my life had taken such a dramatic and tragic turn. You see, I've committed a crime worthy of being tried in the Supreme Court. Framed for a murder I didn't commit, unjustly thrown into jail, and physically abused. I was a mere pawn in their cruel game of vendetta. As expected, the system favored the privileged, and being an orphan, no one came to my rescue. I was an easy target for them. They protected their spoiled children, the true culprits of the crime I was accused of. That's all that I was to them, merely an opportunity. Just a few days ago, I was an A-grade college student with hopes and dreams, and today, here I am, humiliated. I am being pushed around by a gang of self-appointed "crusaders" thinking they are the superheroes that the world needs. My downfall began when my adopted family, the source of all my pain and suffering, finally decided to sever ties completely. After enduring years of trauma and abuse at their hands, this was their way of setting me free – abandoned and left to fight my battles alone. Their aim was not only to shatter my past but also to sabotage any hope I had for a better future. "Thump!" Another forceful push from behind and we were inside the court. As soon as I stepped inside, the coldness left, and comforting warmth enveloped me. "At least some comfort," I whispered to myself. "Sit here," Chief Officer Rick, who was holding me earlier, grunted as he pointed towards a bench tucked in the corner. It was right beside the desk of a woman who was typing swiftly on her computer. "I have to submit this paperwork, and then we'll take you to the courtroom," Rick said and started walking away but just when I thought he was almost gone, he turned back, and lowered his voice before speaking again, "And I swear, if I catch you in some trouble again, I'll send you to the unseen world before the court gets to know about it, RAT." That was a threat. No, I wasn't planning on doing anything stupid, but even if I were, I would not proceed with it any longer. I slumped onto the cold steel bench that was assigned to me and slowly observed the people. All were busy at their work, oblivious to the mysteries that lay beyond the earth and what the immortal world could bring upon them. They were lucky, blissfully unaware, and worried only about what they could see, while I had come to know the unseen way too well. By unseen Rick meant death but the unseen that I am talking about is the one where immortals live. Why am I thinking about it right now? Suddenly, there was a shift in the atmosphere. It was as if everyone else knew something I didn't, and the unknown sent shivers down my spine. Out of the blue, the lady beside me shrieked, "WHAT IS HE DOING HERE!?" He? He who? She stood up frantically, desperately rummaged through her purse, pulled out a lipstick, and started applying it carefully to her plumped lips. "Ma'am, why is everyone running around as if...." With eyes glued to the scene unfolding before me, my words lingered in the air momentarily before I started speaking again "...as if the Court is about to be engulfed in flames, and they have nowhere to escape?" I asked but my voice was getting quieter. People were running frantically from one place to another, but this woman was fully immersed in her self-care. She didn't even bother looking up from the small mirror in her hands. "He is here!" HE WHO? With a mix of awe and excitement in her voice, she finally replied, "Our very own, the RAREST of them all, Prime Minister GELID." Oh, he is here. It is very surprising indeed. What he might be doing her- WAIT, DID SHE JUST SAY GELID? f**k. This can't be happening! Okay, don't panic, just look around, and you will find a way out. Focus! I raised my hand to my chest in hopes of calming my racing heart, but it had no effect. My heart was still beating as fast as it was before. Just as I was about to run for the exit door, consequences be damned, Rick suddenly appeared from the crowd with an annoyed look. "Further court proceedings in your case will be done tomorrow. There is a delay because that miserable Prime Minister Gelid, out of nowhere, decided to visit the court today and make my life worse than it already is!" Rick cried out the last part with frustration. He motioned me with his forefinger to get up and to follow him. I stood up, my hands still cuffed, and my mind racing with questions. Does he know I am here? Could he? No, it wasn't possible. I begged her to remove my scent so that he could never find me in the mortal world. I made sure when I left that place. I wanted to disappear from his world, so how was this possible? Maybe a mere coincidence? I was going through all the possibilities of how he found me mentally when I felt His presence. It felt like everything had stopped moving and I was free. Time seemed to stand still as everyone in the room stood motionlessly, their eyes fixed on the enigmatic figure before them. Not a sound left their mouths, all in awe and wonder. This was no ordinary encounter. Something extraordinary was unfolding, something beyond the realms of ordinary mortals. The room fell silent, and as I strained my ears, I could hear his footsteps becoming more pronounced, echoing through the quiet atmosphere. I knew them all too well. I wanted to look up but was scared to my bones. 'What if we look at each other at the same time, and our eyes meet? Does he remember me still, or has he forgotten all about his worthless mortal?' I was scared but more intrigued to find out how he looked now. I naively promised myself that it would be just a quick peek, and then I would avert my gaze forever. Slowly, I pushed my head backward, and there he was. His charisma, power, glory, charm, enchantment, and seductiveness, everyone in the room felt it. He walked with the same grace and authority as he did six years ago. Elegantly dressed in an impeccable black suit and a coat to keep him warm or, rather, to tell the world that he was the boss. In his hand was the same old stick he had carried for years. His hand tightly wrapped around the small decorative serpent's head on the stick. It wasn't because he needed it, but he kept it closer to him as it belonged to his father. He was looking straight ahead as he walked. What if we walk past him silently? He wouldn't notice me, right? Just as this thought brought me hope, right then and there, his eyes darted toward me. Cold, I felt cold; sending shivers cascading all over my body, reaching even to my very bones. Before, everything felt like it was moving at a speed faster than light; now, it was as if someone had slowed time to perfection. I felt it, and he felt it, but no one else in the room did. They were all oblivious to his real identity. For a moment, his eyes left mine and followed Rick's hand, which held my collar. I swear I saw something change in his eyes. What might that be? Anger? But just as it had started, our little reunion in our very own world, ended just as abruptly. His eyes once fixated on me, now stared ahead as if I were a mere stranger. I wasn't the center of his attention anymore. And before I knew it, I had walked past him. Time felt normal again. We exited the building, joining the line of inmates being herded toward the van. Rick's frustration was evident as he kept glancing at his watch and scratching his head from time to time. "Wait! Sir, wait!" Amidst the crowd, a weak-looking constable came running towards us, waving his hand, desperately trying to get our attention. Rick's annoyance was palpable as he sighed, "What is it now?" The constable looked breathless but still spoke nonetheless. "Which one of you is Aiden? Come with me." Confusion spread through the group, including Rick. "Why do you need him?" He questioned. "All charges against him have been dropped. The Chief is asking for him." Silence everywhere. You could drop a needle, and it would probably cling so loudly that you'd lose your hearing for a week. But poor Rick couldn't believe it. He knew the ones who framed me were high-profile people, so this only meant one thing; the person who was helping me held power over all of them. Before anyone would inquire any further, the constable announced, "It was Gelid. He asked for him." The weight of those words hung heavily in the air, the realization that Gelid himself had been involved in my release left everyone in shock. "Let's go!" Before I could turn around to look at Rick's face, I was whisked away by two big, bulky men in black suits. I was being pushed back into the courthouse. I've been inside this courthouse a lot, a lot, but still, despite that, the area I was being pushed into was entirely unknown to me. Unlike the outside, the long, empty hallway felt eerie, devoid of the usual hustle and bustle. Abruptly, we stopped in front of a wooden door. "Go inside. He is waiting for you," one of them said gently. I looked at them. They weren't humans; they were his men. As I pushed open the door, the first thing my eyes fell upon was his back, and my heart skipped a beat. He sat in a chair, his attention fixed on a painting that depicted soldiers from the 1700s engaged in battle on a distant battlefield. Silently, I observed him from behind as he admired the beauty of the artwork. He couldn't see me but was aware of me. I bowed in respect, even if it went unnoticed. That's how I had always greeted him. "Aiden," his voice was as commanding and captivating as ever. He still hadn't turned around yet. "Remember when we met for the last time six years ago, that wretched time when you were going to leave me forever? I had given you two options. Either kill me right then and there or else be ready to face me again when I come back, because darling, rest assured, if you do keep me alive, I will look for you. Guess which option you chose?" I know for sure he is smirking. He isn't angry; he is amused. "The wrong one."