The Forbidden Light [BL] Chapter 19: Congratulations And Nightmare Echoes

Haru and Shion woke up at the exact sa ti, their eyes eting instantly.

"Shion... I totally forgot I was supposed to do my punishnt. Sorry, everything happened so fast that–"

"Forget it. You’ve already made up for it," Shion said with a teasing smile.

"Huh? What’s that supposed to an?" Haru asked, his cheeks turning red.

"You tell ," Shion replied, leaning in to kiss him.

"Shion... I don’t even recognize you anymore," Haru murmured shyly after a few intense kisses.

He felt Shion’s large hand slide around his waist, pulling him closer.

They started the new day the sa way they’d finished the previous night.

*

A few hours later...

"Maldie, is this really necessary?" Haru asked, a little embarrassed.

" A queen has certain responsibilities," she said, padding the bra to make him look busty.

Haru was all dressed up: a cherry-red and gold kimono, bold red lipstick. Maldie had used gold eyeshadow this ti and even painted his nails to match.

She was doing it all in Shion’s room this ti. As she worked on Haru’s hair, she glanced toward the bed.

"You should probably swap that for a bigger one, Shion. You’ll both sleep more comfortably and, well, have more room for your little love gas, heh."

"Maldie!" Haru shouted, his face burning.

"Oh, co on. We’re all adults here. I’ve known Shion since he was a kid, so I tend to forget the whole royal etiquette thing around him."

Shion, who was ditating in front of the ancestral tree, smiled.

"I already ordered a larger bed from my most trusted carpenters. They’ve been working on it since last night."

"Good. I’m sure your new wife will be pleased," she said, giving a final flick of her brush.

"M-Maldie!" Haru stamred, still blushing.

"Alright, alright! Jeez, you’re so sensitive to that topic. Can’t even joke about it. There, all done."

"Wait, where is Gari?" Haru asked, looking around.

"She’s probably still getting into her new royal guard uniform. Promotions co with extra prep ti, after all."

"And you? Didn’t you get a promotion too?"

Maldie smiled.

"I’m fine where I am. At least I won’t have to run all over the palace taking care of you two and Aya, who, by the way, didn’t return. That’s starting to worry ."

"I already told you why she left," Shion said calmly. "It’s a sha she couldn’t be at our wedding, but I’m sure she had a good reason. I know her — she wouldn’t skip sothing that important without one."

"You really should share all the knowledge you got with Haru," Maldie said. "You’ll have to eventually, since he’s your key."

"I know. For now, his touch is the cure to my pain, and because of that..."

"Shion," Maldie cut him off, her tone grave, "you two can’t just keep ssing around all the ti. I get it, you’re a young man in your pri and all, and now that you’re finally not celibate anymore, you’ve got... needs. But for heaven’s sake, try to think about so long-term solution."

Haru blushed even harder. His mind instantly jumped to the idea of him and Shion doing it all day.

What the hell am I even thinking?!

Maybe when we get a day off we could actually –

No, stop it, Haru! This is so not the ti or place for that kind of daydream!

"I know," Shion replied after a mont.

Haru looked at him, surprised. There was a hint of irritation in Shion’s voice that he hadn’t heard before.

"So, what are you waiting for? After the formal post-wedding congratulations, you should probably­-"

"Maldie, I don’t need the reminder. I’m not a child," Shion said sharply. "I’ve planned this day in every detail."

"I hope so."

A knock ca at the door, followed by Gari’s voice. Haru invited her in. The half-dragon stepped inside, wearing an intricately crafted silver-and-gold armor. Her dragon wings were decorated in golden silk ribbons.

"Ugh, this outfit is so stupid and ridiculous," she muttered, clearly annoyed. "I look like so trashy birthday party decoration."

"Don’t worry about it, you don’t look like a birthday party decoration" Maldie said.

"Thanks."

"Your outfit is even worse," the maid shot back with a playful grin.

"Huh?! Since when did you get so sharp?" Gari snapped. "And thanks for wrecking my self-esteem, by the way."

"Well, now that I’m the personal makeup artist of Her Majesty the Queen and forr caretaker of our king, I guess I’ve earned the right to a little sass, heh."

"Don’t listen to her, Gari, you look great," Haru said.

"Thanks, boss. At least you’re nice," the half-dragon smiled faintly.

"Alright, since we’re all here, we should probably head to the throne room, right?" Maldie suggested.

Shion stood up and turned to face them. Until now, he’d been sitting with his back to the group. He walked up to Haru and offered his hand.

"So, are you ready?"

Haru placed his delicate hand in Shion’s, blushing hard.

"Y-yeah."

*

On the way to the throne room, Shion led Haru through several passages that only the royal family could use. Haru couldn’t help but look around in amazent.

After the formal post-wedding congratulations, Shion guided him down into the palace’s underground chambers, a place where Aya often stayed. The prince carried a torch; the flickering light cast long shadows on the damp walls. Haru, a bit uneasy in the darkness, held Shion’s hand tightly as they moved forward.

They passed through a dark, empty chamber with a cracked stone block in the center – a hollow in its surface shaped like a sword. Haru wondered what kind of purpose that strange structure had, but didn’t have much ti to think.

Shion took him into another room, this one resembling a small library with a desk and a chair against one wall. Mounting the torch on a wall sconce, Shion said gravely,

"This room holds every book we’ve got about divine curses. Sadly, Aya was the one who studied them. I could barely make sense of the terminology the mages used. I only know the basics of the curse’s history..."

"Shion, what’s that notebook?" Haru asked, pointing to sothing lying on the desk.

"That’s Aya’s notes."

Haru stepped closer and dared to peek into the open notebook. One page was filled with a grotesque drawing – a monster with tentacles, spikes, and teeth, towering higher than the sky itself. Scribbled across the page, again and again, in manic handwriting, were the words: ’I HAVE TO FIND IT.’

The next page was blank.

A sudden, sharp pain hit Haru’s head.

Shion caught him just in ti or Haru would’ve hit his head on the corner of the desk.

"Haru! What’s wrong?! Haru!" the king called out to him, panic flashing in his eyes.

Right before losing consciousness, Haru smiled.

He never thought the ruler of the country would worry about him so much.