Ever since he had returned from the hot springs, when Charles fell asleep, his mind would conjure a world where the cold silk of his sheets were replaced with the warmth of Benjamin's skin.

** ** ** ** ** **
In these dreams, there were only feverish, uninhibited desires that burned through the darkness. In the velvet haze of the dream, Charles's hands would move with a desperate possessiveness, tracing every part of Benjamin's body.

Benjamin would let out soft, broken gasps whenever Charles lips would press against his smooth skin. The dreams were a tangle of sweat-slicked limbs and frantic kisses.

Benjamin's lips—soft, wet, and warm—would wrap around his penis. His tongue would swirl over his skin until he would moan Benjamin's name as he came. Then, he would climb on top of Benjamin, and he could feel the friction of Benjamin's body arching upwards, seeking the heat of him as their pheromones intertwined around them.

** ** ** ** ** **
The dreams were so vivid that when Charles woke from his sleep, the sudden emptiness of the room left him with an aching longing. 

However, that night when Benjamin had gone to dinner with a doctor who was practically a stranger, Charles did not sleep well. His mind was wracked with thoughts of Benjamin sitting across a dinner table from a total stranger.

The first time I met him, he acted as if he wanted to never see me again, Charles laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. But today, a man in a black trench coat wanders by and asks for a meal, and Benjamin just says yes?

Charles turned over to his side. Then again... he did say he wanted to see me tomorrow. That has to mean something. Right?

By the next morning, Charles was in a foul mood, the "Dr. Baek" person lingering in his thoughts.

"Charles! Charles!" Calix's voice cut through the air. "You brat! Are you even listening to me?"

"Leave him alone," Felix sighed, leaning against the wall. "He's got relationship problems."

"That doesn't excuse what he did this morning!" Calix stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at Charles. "He can't suggest a morning training session at six o' clock in the morning and then not show up! If you don't show up, you don't get to set the schedule!"

"Tell me, Charles, what's going on?" Felix asked. "Is it that doctor?"

"What? The doctor?!" Calix's jaw dropped.

"Not so loud, dummy!" Felix hissed, spotting Lyra and Hana entering the room.

"Charles, why did you miss training?" Hana asked, her tone flat and challenging. She had been sparring with Charles since they were children, often winning, and Charles valued her brutal honesty. She had joined his inner circle shortly after the twins. "If you aren't there tomorrow, I'm reporting this."

"To who?" Calix scoffed. "I'd also like to file a report."

"To Sofia?" Lyra suggested with a laugh.

Lyra was the newest addition to the inner guard, but she had grown up as a confidante to Charles's sister, Sofia. 

Charles had a soft spot for Sofia. She was three years younger and the only person who could consistently bend him to her will.

"Where's Kai?" Felix asked, looking around for the fourth member of their group.

"Injured," Hana said dryly. "He tried to give us some lame excuse that you were sick this morning, even though we saw you moping around the garden."

"I did send him," Charles said, finally speaking, though he still looked like he was in a daze. "I should probably give him some time off for the effort."

"What?!" Calix cried out. "Felix and I run your errands every single day! We never get a day off!"

"I've actually started documenting them in this booklet, in case you ever need a reminder," Felix added, pulling a small, worn notebook from his breast pocket.

"Seriously, what is wrong with you?" Hana asked, crossing her arms.

"Love problems," Calix blurted out, to which Felix gave a swift kick to his calf.

"Ooooh, who is it?" Lyra leaned in, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Hana and I can give you plenty of advice."

"Unless she's a princess or high-born noble, it's useless," Hana countered. "Give up now while you can. Don't forget about Princess Shirin…"

Charles stood up abruptly, his cape swirling around his ankles. "I'm leaving. Don't follow me."

As he strode out of the room, the four guards exchanged looks of varying concern and amusement.

"This is the first time he's ever liked someone," Felix noted.

"It means trouble for us," Hana sighed.

"I think it's sweet," Lyra said, smiling.

"He's never missed a training session in his life," Calix added, rubbing his sore shin. "It must be serious. What should we do?" He clutched his hair in aggravation.

"We should be supportive," Lyra insisted.

"Why? You know the rules. He has to marry for the throne," Hana said. 

Calix and Felix shared a silent, heavy glance. They were the only ones who knew exactly who Charles was longing for and exactly how complicated that made things.

"Ah, Hana! You're so cold," Lyra teased. "Lighten up!"

While his guards continued to debate his future, Charles walked aimlessly through the palace corridors. He didn't care about the throne or the training. He just kept wondering how many hours were left until five o'clock, until he could see Benjamin.

** ** ** ** ** **

When Benjamin saw Charles step into the clinic, he noticed that the Prince looked unwell.

"Are you alright, Charles?" Benjamin asked, setting down his ledger. "You look unwell."

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You don't look fine."

Charles didn't answer immediately. "How was dinner yesterday?"

Benjamin told him about the mediocre food, the overly sweet homemade wine, and the general flow of conversation with Wren. As he spoke, he noticed Charles looking distracted, so Benjamin kept the details brief.

"Is something bothering you?" Benjamin asked gently.

"I wish you'd tell me more about yourself," Charles said.

Benjamin chuckled, "If it will make you feel better. What would you like to know?"

"Did you ever go to those dangerous places? Like the border towns?" Charles asked. He wanted to hear the truth from Benjamin, a piece of his history that hadn't been shared with Dr. Baek.

"I don't really like to talk about it," Benjamin admitted. He paused, then added, "I didn't even tell Wren." He saw the way Charles's posture relaxed slightly at those words.

Somehow, knowing he was the only one being let in made Charles feel better.

"Are you going to tell me?" Charles asked, bumping his shoulder into Benjamin's with a boyish persistence.

"If you really want to hear it."

"I do. I want to know you better."

Benjamin took a breath, the memories resurfacing. "I spent some time in Gris working at a public hospital. It was a whirlwind, but I'll always remember working with the Nagan students when I first started. It was quite memorable. After that, I traveled to Xenos and worked my way through a string of nameless border towns before eventually ending up in Mong La. The last place I stayed before arriving here was Dar-al-Aman."

Gris was an independent territory sitting at the jagged intersection of three kingdoms: Zephyr, Arcadia, and Naga. The Naga Kingdom was a land of shadows and secrets, its borders closed to almost all outsiders. Little was known of them beyond their tradition of intricate facial and body tattoos, carried by the few who traveled beyond their walls.

"I've spoken to a Nagan tribe leader before," Charles said. "They have a hall at their border for meeting officials. They are incredibly respectful but very guarded. They gave us jars of palm wine as gifts before we were sent on our way. I always thought their tattoos were beautiful. As a Prince, I don't think I'll ever be allowed inside their kingdom. I wonder why they're so closed off."

"One of my guesses is that they're protecting their ancient traditions from being diluted by outside cultures," Benjamin said. "I was actually invited by one of my students to visit, but by the time my permit was approved, I had to leave."

"That's a shame. It would have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Charles said. He paused, nodding his head in awe that Benjamin had secured such a rare permit in the first place. 

Recovering his composure, Charles continued, "You also mentioned you worked in border towns? And you were in Mong La, as well. The border towns are dangerous enough on their own, but isn't Mong La the most notorious of them all? It's a place known for gambling and drugs. It's well-known that money is the only law there," Charles asked. 

"Mong La was depressing," Benjamin said, his voice dropping. "I was supposed to be there for two years, but I took leave after one. Drugs are everywhere. I remember treating children who were forcefully drugged. They were used as drug mules and some forced into brothels by their own parents who had gambled away everything. Eventually, it all became too much for me... I still feel guilty for leaving earlier than I was supposed to."

Benjamin continued, "I was sent to Dar-al-Aman in Arcadia after that. They thought I needed to be in a more peaceful region. Most of my patients were religious scholars, some of them extremists. I remember one man with a large growth on his arm. He refused treatment for months, insisting only God could cure him. Eventually, his wife had to sedate him and bring him to me with his brother's help just so I could remove the growth. We had to restrain him when he woke up."

Benjamin leaned back, looking out the window. "While I was there, I realized it was time to come home. I was supposed to go to Zephyr next, but I was just tired of moving."

Charles listened intently, realizing that Benjamin had experienced the rough underbelly of the world. 

"Thank you for telling me," Charles said. "Despite the injustices you've seen, you remain so compassionate. Some people who see that much horror become numb, or they become perpetrators themselves. You shouldn't feel guilty about Mong La. You have to take care of yourself too. If you don't, who will be left to help the next person in need?"

"I've never really spoken to anyone about these things," Benjamin admitted. "Thank you for listening."

"If you ever need to talk, I'm here, too," Benjamin teased, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "But I don't think I need to say that. You'd come over and talk to me regardless of whether I wanted to hear it or not."

Charles laughed, the tension finally leaving his face. "I'm not good at bottling my feelings. You shouldn't bottle yours either, Doctor. It's not healthy."

"I think I'm plenty healthy," Benjamin said cheekily. "On Sunday, once I beat you in our duel, you'll see for yourself."

"We'll see about that. I'm not going to go easy on you."

"If you go easy on me, I'll be mad!"