บท 56: Spring Festival

Aster stood awkwardly inside his room. The spring festival would be started soon, and he still had to use this special garment for spring festival. It was a white robe specifically made with eastern silk, adorned with various blooming flowers and scented with many floral fragrances that made Aster a bit dizzy.

He refused wearing powder or any make up. He hated the feeling of it. However, the tailor who dressed him nodded deeply. He picked up the flower crown and put it on Aster's head. It was a flower crown with many blooming white gardenias as decoration.

The tailor took a step back and stared at Aster absentmindedly. Aster frowned and looked at the mirror. He was wearing a white silk robe embedded with real flowers, each flower had its own unique fragrance which intoxicated people. His golden wavy hair was disheveled. He had white gardenias flower crown sitting on top of his golden hair, making a good contrast.

To the tailor's eyes, he was amazed to how perfect this man was. This man wasn't even using any make up, but all his facial features were perfectly lined, his slim figure, his small straight nose, pink lips, and deep blue eyes that seemed to drown people into their daydream. He didn't look feminine, but he looked soft enough to make people went crazy on him.

The tailor was drowning in his own fantasy until he heard someone opened the door. Crown Prince Charles with his handsome face looked scary. He saw the tailor staring at Aster dumbly and he rushed to their side.

The tailor tried to back down, but Charles gripped his neck, "Who allowed you to stare at him?" he asked.

Aster looked at the tailor who was struggling trying to release himself from Charles' grip. Thus, he tapped Charles' shoulder, "Charles, let him go. He did his job just fine."

Charles shifted his gaze to Aster and his eyes immediately softened. He released the tailor. The tailor scurried away immediately, afraid of unknowingly provoking Crown Prince's anger once more.

Charles observed Aster's appearance with the Spring Goddess Garment. This garment was a ceremonial garment worn by selected noble young lady each year. The garment never changed, maybe a bit of change in the decoration, but it mostly stayed the same.

Since every year, he had to escort the spring goddess around the city square. Charles always hated those spring goddesses who would use thick make up and tried to seduce him. Those ladies would try to throw a wink at her, or giggled coquettishly, trying to get his attention. Though, Charles was mostly annoyed. He had to smile and acted as if he was willing.

However, when he saw Aster with the same garment, he felt something brewing in his mind and heart. Soon, he realized that feeling was jealousy and hostility. Jealous because people would see his Aster with this garment, and he felt extreme hostility to them.

'Maybe I should lock Aster in his room and say that he is sick. So I can be the only one who sees and taste this perfect spring goddess in front of me.' Charles thought.

Aster saw that prickly gaze and walked to the door, "Charles, if you have some indecent thought, this is not the right time." He said coldly.

Charles took a deep breath few times in order to calm his mind. "Yes, I'm sorry."

"You sure that everything is in check?" Aster frowned. Charles wasn't someone incompetent. But sometimes he had the moment of illogical behavior, especially when he's around him. Thus, Aster was somewhat concerned.

"Trust me, everything is in check. I will protect you when my subordinate does his job."

"Then, how about you? Will he injure you for real?" Aster asked.

Charles smiled widened. Aster did really care for him even in this situation, "He wouldn't, because I will block him."

Aster nodded. Charles smiled, he took Aster's hand and guided him to the carriage specifically prepared for them.

About thirty minutes passed and they finally reached the city. The city was really lively with people from various places gathered around the city. There were many food stalls, toys, people with their garment decorated with flowers. It felt like a festival.

'Maybe it is... I've never went to a festival before.' Aster's mood was a bit sour. This was his first time to attend real festival, because most festival was held during summer, his skin would really burn under the sun and heat. He also never went to spring and autumn public festival because of his task with Grand Duchy's various matters both in economy and politics that he needed to sort and handle carefully.

'I've always stayed up late in the duchy.' Aster saw couples holding hand, wearing the same flower bracelet, and enjoying the festival. His mood turned even worse. He couldn't help but think about his servant, 'If I go to festival with him... how incredible would that be.'

As Aster absent-mindedly observed the surrounding, he suddenly noticed someone. Tall figure with glistening brown skin, sharp straight nose, and the face he dreamed every night was standing with a girl, holding hands together.

'Ramuja?!'

Aster jolted. He leaned his face to the carriage window, but the carriage was moving too fast that he lost sight to that figure. His heart raced. If that was really Ramuja, then did he come to this spring festival just to see him?

'Ramuja... is that really him?'

'He come to this festival to meet me, right?' Aster was ecstatic for brief seconds. Whenever he thought the possibility of Ramuja personally looking for him in the festival, he felt like today's plan wasn't as hard as he thought.

However, that fleeting moment of happiness disappeared instantly. He shook his head lightly.

'No. That couldn't be Ramuja. That man was holding hands with a woman. My Ramuja would never do that...'

'Ramuja would only see me, and follow me. So that cant be him...'

Aster's expression dimmed. Charles noticed the change of mood in Aster, thus, he held his hand gently, "Are you uncomfortable or anything? Or do you fancy something in this festival?"

Aster was too occupied with the thought of his servant, thus, he just shook his head lightly, "Nothing, I'm just a bit nervous." Charles smiled and gave some pacifying words to calm Aster down.

The crowd grew denser as they were near the city square. However, the carriage went on smoothly using the pathway created by the soldiers. The carriage stopped in front of a huge stage under a big tent. This stage was for the monarch and they high aristocrats. Aster saw faces that he knew, Lady Merse, Emperor, Empress... and his mother.

The carriage door opened. Aster gritted his teeth.

'No matter what shame I have to bear, as long as I can escape and see my servant again...'