Bow To The King

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We left shortly after Gelid left. My whole afternoon was spent in haze and unexplained sadness.

It's been two months since I last saw him. Though I felt at ease here knowing I now had friends, something kept bothering me. Painful and saddening, yet something calm and tranquil. My two roommates were now more than friends, more like brothers. I never shared much with them but they did. I knew all about them yet they knew nothing about me. I kept away my past as a hidden gem that would bring forth nothing but pain.

I had grown closer to Annie too during those months. She dealt with me gently, something I had craved most since my mother left. I was now better at training grounds than Johnathan, who for some reason believed I was the enemy. He was hell bound on making my life harder than it already was. At the start, he tried to bully me, pushed me around, and made fun of me for lacking previous combat skills, but since I've made friends, he has gotten quiet on his own. I mean Nate once did warn him he'd chop off his head if he bothered me again, but he was only joking...right?

He stopped after that and minded his business most of the time. Baris did come to check up on me from time to time, yet I never caught a glimpse of Gelid again.

All of us were sitting in the lounge, chattering about who was the better chef, Nate or James, when a man entered our residence and delivered a note which had come directly from Gelid.

"What does it say?" Johnny jumped from his seat and lunged toward Nate, who was holding the paper.

"Aiden, it's for you," Nate smiled "It says 'At 9 am tomorrow be ready and wait at the entrance. You'll be informed further tomorrow." As soon as he finished reading, he jumped in the air and, in a matter of seconds, was in front of me. "I can't believe it's happening so soon. I remember it took me a year before I was given my first assignment. You've been here for a few months only and he is already asking for you. What did you do?" I scratched my head awkwardly hoping to formulate an answer. Instead, I smiled meekly at them and just shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know," I mumbled softly. "No bro, you have to tell me. Come on." Nate slapped my arm playfully but it was harder than it should've been. "Ouch!" I massaged my arm while Nate laughed it off "Such a baby, What is he going to do there? Cry when things don't go his way? That's all that he seems to do in here." Johhny whined but didn't stay longer for the response. One look from Gabriel and he ran off quicker than Usain Bolt.

"Ignore him. Let's go. Gabriel and I will help you pick out a dress for tomorrow. You have to make an impression." Nate said encouragingly and just dragged me along without my consent all the while smiling like an i***t. Ahh, here we go again...

The next morning, I was ten minutes earlier and waited at the location they had given. Nate and Gabriel spent all night lecturing me on how to manage things around Gelid. It would be an understatement to say I wasn't nervous. I was, a lot. I was sweating profoundly and tried to cool myself off by taking deep breaths, but it wasn't working. Suddenly, a lot of men, suited in black, came rushing from the mansion and stood in straight lines parallel to each other, leaving space in between for Gelid, and just after them, he walked out. All of them bowed. I did too. The very first point on Nate's what-to-do list was this. Bow to him and you'll know when. I had a feeling that this was the time to do it.

He looked straight, his face void of any emotions. When he reached his car, which was parked right outside the entrance, he looked behind. Baris walked closely behind him and stopped when he did. Gelid said to him something and Baris looked toward me. My breath got caught in my throat as he did, because soon after that, Gelid also turned towards me but only for a second, and then turned back towards Baris. I took a sigh of relief.

They talked some more and then Gelid slipped into his car without a single glance spared toward us. As his car moved, a car from behind came into view and Baris signaled me to come.

"Get in the car. You don't have to do anything, just follow Sir Gelid, and don't let him get out of your sight...and don't let yourself get out of his." Baris hurriedly instructed me and before he was even finished, pushed me inside the car, banging my head on the window in the process. The men inside the car shook their heads with disappointment, probably thinking why I was there. Nevertheless, I adjusted myself in the car and we were off. We trailed closely behind Gelid's car, turning wherever it turned. The road looked familiar yet peculiar. I had a strange feeling in my stomach but chose to ignore it, thinking it was probably because of nervousness, but oh boy was I wrong.