Chapter 2: Lingering Thoughts
1253 Words
Zareth pushed open the doors to his chambers the moment he returned from the council hall.
The silence that greeted him felt heavy.
Cold.
The grand room was dimly lit by flickering candles resting against the stone walls, their flames dancing weakly beneath the night breeze slipping through the half-open balcony curtains. His dark eyes scanned the room briefly before he exhaled slowly, loosening the clasp around his neck.
The meeting had drained him.
Not physically.
Mentally.
Listening to the thoughts of the council had felt like drowning in filth.
Greed.
Fear.
Jealousy.
Disgust.
Every voice still echoed inside his head like poison refusing to leave.
He walked toward the bathing chamber connected to his room and began stripping away the rest of his clothes carelessly. His black tunic hit the floor first, followed by the leather belts wrapped around his waist and arms. Fresh scars and bruises stretched across his pale skin, some old, some newly carved from battle.
He stared at them emotionlessly.
Pain no longer startled him.
It had become familiar.
Like breathing.
The large stone bath had already been prepared by servants before his arrival, steam rising from the dark water scented faintly with herbs and cedarwood. Zareth stepped into it slowly, allowing the warmth to wrap around his aching body.
For the first time that day, he relaxed.
Slightly.
The water washed away the dried blood staining his skin, but not the exhaustion clinging to his soul. He leaned his head back against the edge of the bath and closed his eyes.
Silence.
Real silence.
No voices.
No thoughts clawing at his mind.
No fearful stares.
Just warmth.
Yet even then, peace refused to stay with him for long.
Because the moment he closed his eyes, darkness always followed.
Eventually, he rose from the bath and dressed himself in loose dark clothing before walking toward his bed. The massive room suddenly felt emptier than before.
Lonelier.
He laid against the mattress with one arm beneath his head, staring blankly at the ceiling above him.
Sleep.
How he despised it.
Most men found comfort in sleep.
Zareth found torment.
Nightmares had followed him since childhood. Endless horrors that felt too real to merely be dreams. Sometimes he saw blood flooding palace halls. Sometimes he heard whispers calling his name from beneath the earth.
And sometimes…
He fell.
Constantly falling into darkness with no end beneath him.
Though he had grown used to them over the years, that did not mean he welcomed them.
His eyes slowly closed despite himself.
Exhaustion finally dragging him under.
Darkness consumed him instantly.
He was falling.
Again.
The air tore violently past him as endless darkness swallowed everything around him. No ground beneath him.
No sky above.
Only an infinite abyss.
Zareth tried to move but something invisible gripped him tightly.
Then voices began whispering around him.
Low.
Distorted.
Ancient.
"You cannot escape—"
"He belongs to us—"
"The cursed blood awakens—"
Suddenly—
A violent shove struck his back.
His body plummeted faster into the endless pit.
And this time…
Something was waiting below.
Two glowing crimson eyes opened beneath the darkness.
Zareth jerked awake sharply.
His breathing came out ragged.
Sweat drenched his body, strands of black hair clinging to his forehead and neck. For a moment, he remained frozen, his chest rising and falling heavily as reality slowly returned.
The room was dark.
Quiet.
But his heartbeat thundered violently inside him.
He ran a hand through his soaked hair with irritation and sat up.
"Pathetic," he muttered under his breath.
Even after all these years, the nightmares still unsettled him.
Sleep was becoming unbearable.
Restlessness clawed beneath his skin, refusing to let him remain still any longer.
With a frustrated sigh, he rose from the bed and grabbed a dark cloak before leaving his chambers.
The palace corridors were quieter now due to the late hour. Servants immediately stepped aside when they saw him approaching, lowering their heads nervously.
Zareth ignored them
.
Fresh air.
That was all he needed.
His boots echoed softly against the stone path as he made his way toward the royal stables. The moment he entered, several horses stirred anxiously inside their stalls.
Except one.
A massive black horse stood calmly near the far end, its silver eyes glinting beneath the dim lantern light.
Cosmic.
Zareth's expression softened ever so slightly at the sight of him.
Cosmic huffed quietly as the prince approached, nudging his head lightly against Zareth's shoulder.
The prince smirked faintly.
"At least one creature in this kingdom tolerates me."
Cosmic snorted as though offended by the statement.
Zareth mounted him effortlessly before steering him out of the stables.
The cool air struck his face as they rode through the kingdom.
Fast.
Free.
The wind rushed past him violently, carrying away the suffocating heaviness lingering in his chest. They passed the quiet village where people happily went on with there daily activities, before continuing toward the woods stretching beyond the kingdom.
The deeper they rode, the quieter the world became.
No whispers.
No fearful thoughts.
Only the sound of hooves against the earth and the distant songs of forest creatures hidden among the trees.
Eventually, Zareth slowed Cosmic near a river hidden deep within the forest.
The sun reflected beautifully against the flowing water.
Peaceful.
Cosmic stopped near the riverbank while Zareth dismounted slowly. He walked toward the water, his dark cloak shifting behind him with the wind.
Then he paused.
Someone was there.
At the far end of the river stood a young woman.
She seemed completely unaware of his presence at first, her gaze fixed on the flowing water while the evening breeze swept through her hair. The soft fabric of her dress danced gently with the wind, illuminated faintly beneath the fading sunset.
For a brief moment…
Zareth simply watched her.
There was something strangely calming about the scene.
No fear.
No tension.
Just peace.
Then she turned.
Their eyes met.
The moment she noticed him, surprise crossed her features briefly. It almost looked as though she believed she had been caught trespassing in a sacred place.
Or perhaps he was the intruder.
She quickly picked up the basket resting beside her and began walking away without a word.
Zareth raised a brow slightly.
Interesting.
Most women either stared too long or fled immediately in terror after recognizing him.
But this girl…
She simply left.
As though avoiding trouble rather than fearing him.
His gaze followed her disappearing figure until the trees swallowed her completely.
Then he looked toward the river again and sat near its edge.
The forest air was cool against his skin.
Peaceful.
His restless mind quieted slightly as he listened to the gentle flow of water.
Does she always come here?
If so…
No wonder she did.
This place felt untouched by the ugliness of the kingdom.
Zareth remained there while the sun slowly disappeared beneath the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of gold and crimson.
For the first time in days…
His thoughts felt still.
Eventually, darkness settled fully over the woods.
With a quiet sigh, he rose and returned to Cosmic.
The horse nudged him impatiently as if complaining about the delay.
Zareth smirked faintly before mounting him once more.
Then together, they rode back toward the palace beneath the silver moonlight.
And though he did not realize it yet…
The girl by the river had already lingered in his thoughts longer than anyone ever had before.
- Writer
