After two days in the Penitence Hall, Thalric was finally released but whatever the priests claid had been cleansed inside that sanctified chamber had only fernted into sothing far more volatile.
There was no lightness in his chest. What lingered instead was a coiled, blistering rage, tightly leashed and directed squarely toward the High Priest.
The Penitence Hall stood deep within the inner sanctum of the temple, a place most clergy spoke of only in hushed reverence. Its stone walls were etched with scriptures of rcy and judgnt alike, towering figures of the Goddess Mirath carved to loom over the kneeling sinner.
Candles burned day and night, their smoke thick with incense ant to dull the senses and sharpen the guilt and only those of rank like the inquisitors, and the High Priest’s chosen were permitted to cross its threshold, for what happened inside was deed too holy for ordinary eyes.
It was there that Thalric had been punished for a cri carefully worded as negligence but rooted in politics which was allowing the favored bishop of the High Priest die.
During the whipping, Thalric just endured it all in silence. He did not cry out and did not beg. He knelt, back straight despite the tremor in his muscles, teeth clenched hard enough to taste iron.
To show weakness would have been to admit guilt beyond what had already been forced upon him.
Now, standing outside the hall with fresh bandages hidden beneath pristine robes, his face was once again the image of composure expected of him. His expression was controlled with steady eyes and posture impeccable.
But the truth betrayed itself in subtler ways as the veins standing out starkly along his temples and forearms, the rigid set of his jaw as well as the way his hands curled slowly into fists before he forced them still.
The pain had faded to a dull throb. The humiliation, however, burned bright and sharp.
And beneath it all, his fury simred which was contained for now, but only just waiting for the mont it would finally be allowed to erupt.
As soone punished ordered by the High Priest himself, he was not supposed to be allowed to heal his own wounds as he was also an exceptional healer himself but he just healed it secretly.
Now, he was heading to the one person he could vent his anger on.
Aria.
Just as the High Priest had taken Thalric in only to use him, Thalric had done the sa to soone else.
He had taken Aria under his wing not out of affection, but necessity.
From the very first eting, Aria also knew that Thalric felt nothing for him beyond a need for control and power. Thalric required soone he could trust completely, soone willing to handle the dirty work without question and Aria beca that person.
Unlike Thalric, Aria was never blind to the truth.
He understood he was being used, yet he accepted it.
Coming from nothing, with no status or protection of his own, Aria gave up his pride and allowed himself to be shaped into whatever Thalric needed, simply to have a place where he belonged.
Unbeknownst to Thalric, beneath Aria’s calm, obedient exterior was quiet ambition, one born not from greed, but from survival.
"Ugh, Your Excellency... Hngh!" Aria moaned while being thrust into, his leg lifted and robe having fallen completely to the ground.
"Shut up, you slut. It’s all your fault. It’s all your damn fault!" Thalric grabbed Aria’s hips and suddenly pulled out his cock, then grabbed both their bodies and threw them onto the bed. He shoved Aria onto his back and spread his legs aggressively.
Without warning, Thalric thrust into him so deep that it made Aria shiver and tremble. While also being choked by him, Aria couldn’t do anything but lift his head with teary eyes and feel the pleasure despite the pain in his neck and bottom.
"Y-Your Excellency, please... it hurts... Hngh! Ugh!"
While thrusting inside him, Thalric continued choking Aria’s neck, but since Aria was also a healer, he just constantly healed himself, making his body glow and his pain go away while patting Thalric’s wrist as he gasped for air to breathe.
Seeing how Aria’s body glowed, Thalric removed his hand, which made Aria cough.
Now, Thalric grabbed both his thighs and thrust into him with a more aggressive rhythm.
"You, ugh! Slut, hngh! You like that? Aside from being a good receiver of my cock, you have no proper use to . Just why did, hngh, I have to take soone as useless as you? Because of your incapability, that geezer High Priest has his damn eyes on now! Just because that bald bastard died? Is it my fault that he fucking died? It’s not! Fuck!"
Thalric tightened his grip on Aria’s thighs so much that it left marks, and when he finally reached his orgasm, he pulled out and stared at Aria’s bottom dripping with his sen, as well as his stomach, which was covered in his own.
On the other hand, Aria instinctively closed his legs while still trembling and panting because of what they had just done, especially since he had just reached his climax and didn’t have strength in his legs.
"Your Excellency, my a-apologies. B-but I don’t understand why you’re upset. Did I make a mistake?" Aria showed his teary and innocent face while sitting on the bed, covering his body with a blanket and staring at the naked body of the bishop.
When Thalric grabbed another blanket that was placed by the bed, he then grabbed his cigarette too and sat on the chair by the bed and glared at Aria, which made Aria flinch while thinking what he must’ve done.
"Hah... this is really irkso."
Thalric clicked his tongue, frustration clear as he stopped moving. "I barely managed to stay out of that old geezer’s sight, and now he’s checking on again. I never should’ve accepted that bald man’s favor."
His expression darkened. "He made it sound simple. Just grab that healer who was with His Highness. He even said he’d take responsibility if anything happened. That’s why I trusted you to handle it and bring the healer into the room quietly."
He scoffed, anger slipping through his composed tone. "But how was that bald bastard supposed to take responsibility when he’s already dead?"
Thalric clenched his jaw. "Now everything’s fallen on , and the High Priest is watching my every move."
"I-I’m sorry, Your e—"
"Shut the fuck up and think of sothing." Thalric snapped, cutting him off without hesitation. "Now that that healer has already caught his attention, the least I can do is make sure they et. I need to appease him even a little or I’ll be kicked out again to so other damn temple."
He then let out a harsh click of his tongue. "I barely managed to secure my footing here. This place is the only ground I have left." His voice dropped, edged with bitterness. "If that old geezer stays irritated, he won’t hesitate to get rid of ."
"Tch."
At a loss for words, Aria stayed where he was, seated on the bed, his posture ek and compliant. Outwardly, he appeared calm and harmless, but his mind was already racing far from the innocence he projected.
’What a useless thing to worry about. If he was driven out, I would inevitably be forced to follow and that was not an option. Then, should I handle the healer myself?’ he concluded. ’I’ll get close to himsince he seed naïve, trusting, and easy to approach. Winning him over shouldn’t be difficult.’
He then glanced at Thalric, noting his agitation. ’He really panics too easily.All that energy wasted on anger.Why react like this when the solution is obvious? For the goddess’ sake, think.’ he thought, still wearing his mask.
anwhile, with the ritual completed three days ago, Soren and Caelius took their ti leisurely touring the temple.
As usual, Soren remained quiet, matching Caelius’ calm deanor. He wore his newly delivered white robe adorned with golden accents as the temple uniform but with a distinct design that marked him as a visitor to other healers.
As they walked, Soren’s gaze lingered on the temple gardens, fountains, and statues of the Goddess Mirath. The sight stirred sothing in him, recalling the warmth she had shared and the gentle tone of her voice.
’Hm, that’s odd,’ he thought, pausing mid-step. ’When I was in a daze that ti, I didn’t see her face... so how did they know what she looked like for her statue?’
He was so absorbed that he completely stopped walking, catching Caelius’ attention so Caelius glanced at what had drawn his focus, then looked back to Soren’s face, silently noting his distraction.
"Uhm, may I ask a question?" Soren spoke cautiously, his voice barely above a whisper.
Caelius froze, montarily caught off guard as it was the first ti Soren had initiated a conversation, and the suddenness left him speechless. Seeing the hesitation, Soren quickly added, "Oh, but if it’s not comfortable for you, please forget it happened. My apologies."
"No, no. What is it?" Caelius finally said, regaining his composure.
"Well... is it possible to et the Goddess herself?"
Caelius flinched at the question, his expression tightening.
"I don’t know if it’s possible," he admitted slowly, "but in all the hundreds of years, I’ve never heard of anyone eting the Goddess."
"I see. I’m sorry for asking then, my lord," Soren replied softly, bowing his head slightly.
"Uh... alright," Caelius said, "but why do you ask?"
"Oh, it’s nothing, my lord, really," Soren said quickly, trying to ease the tension.
"Alright. Anyway, how do you feel now? Are you doing alright?" Caelius asked, his tone gentle.
"Ah, yes. My lord," Soren replied, nodding slightly.
"Well, that’s good to hear," Caelius said with a faint smile.
"Uh, yes, my lord," Soren echoed, still careful with his words.
"Alright, would you like to see more of the temple?"
"Uh, yes. That’s fine, my lord," Soren answered, keeping his tone polite and reserved.
With Soren’s obviously chanical responses, Caelius chose to remain quiet, letting them wander through the temple at their own pace. Behind them, Aria moved among the other healers, speaking casually but stealing discreet glances in their direction.
anwhile, back in the capital, within the palace of Elarion, the crown prince sat in his study, flipping through stacks of reports.
"Hmm... so you’re saying so of our healers are even injured? How did this happen?" he asked, brow furrowed as he scanned the papers.
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