axelkingly

[axelkingly]

AARON TAYLOR JOHNSON Kraven the Hunter (2024)

[axelkingly]

“I’ll put that in your file.” He let a smile crease the edges of her lips. There was no joke behind those words because the minute he returned to headquarters��his hands would grasp her file and, in bold letters, write, ‘She is not boring.’ then, returning to his line of duty, Axel inhaled her features like smoke, watching as she began to close the space between him, and he had to make a split decision whether to stay or step away from her. As much as his mind was screaming at him to move away from her touch, his body had decided to glue itself to the elegant floors as she lifted the mask from his face. “You needed to take off my mask to realize?” Handsome was the word that described him on a weekly basis, but the compliment usually came from a comrade rather than a woman. In his defense, Axel took his job too seriously and rarely took the time to admire anyone when he was on security detail. Everyone could be a threat, and distractions were not acceptable. “Only a look?” Axel carefully watched her movements, dazed eyes following the direction of her arm as he scanned over her lips, then up to her nose until his eyes were glued to her own again. “Are you trying to seduce me, ma’am?” The thought never occurred in his mind when it came to her. Axel found pleasure elsewhere on his days off, and he refused to sleep with anyone who could jeopardize his job until tonight. Before he could rip her away from the stage, another man had beaten him to the punch, and his neck was being snagged by the woman he was concerned about devouring later that night. “Did you not hear her?” He counted to three before springing into action as his hand firmly grasped the man’s forearm and, within minutes, had snapped the bone in half, watching as it fell limp to his side. “It seems you don’t understand how to keep your hands to yourself.” Axel made sure the distance between Jia and the man no longer existed as he used the same force on the other arm, crushing the bone with enough strength that would cause internal bleeding to surface. To his luck, the man was too intoxicated to understand the depths of his injuries, beginning to swing his lifeless arms at him as he brought Jia closer. This was his time to make a move, even though it could be considered bad timing, but Axel had no reason to filter himself among a woman he desperately wanted to please. “I want to fuck you.” Axel pressed his lips into the dip of her neck, teeth threatening to leave marks before he cocked his head to face the man with a smug expression. “Get the fuck out of my face before I break every bone in your body.”

“Are you calling me boring?” Jia’s features scrunched playfully although his question had also wounded her slightly; she didn’t want to be seen like these people even though she was born into a life of great riches and opportunity much like them. “If I told you why I disliked it, I’m afraid you’d think I’m a rebel and throw me to the wolves.” The rebels' ideals weren’t for her to lean on or partake in, although more than most, she could see their point on a world that relished on keeping the chosen few on top. He had caught her by surprise when it came to the information held on her, although the amusement had crept soon after. She shouldn’t have been embarrassed by the lack of entertaining done in her bedroom yet the thought of him believing her a prude was tinging her cheeks a cherry red. “A man should never ask a lady why her bedroom is empty.” She mocked her own mother’s tone, a near sing-song tone of a woman that flittered her powers into normal conversation. “I don’t give the privilege of entering my bedroom to just anyone.” A half-truth, her heart racing at the imagery of him entering her bedroom and she knew she’d be too weak to deny him. “Who said you would be the type I’d lure to my bedroom?” Jia knocked back the drink in her hand, abandoning the glass at the same time that she pulled herself closer to him, stopping only once her knee grazed his abdomen. The alcohol had numbed the desire to shy away, he was a man she would never dare flirt with on any other occasion and simply admired from afar, but he had bridged that gap she could never have done alone. Her hand rose to his jaw, a gentle and almost hesitant touch but once she’d made contact with his skin, she was swift to reach for the mask that had obscured his face and tip it back until it rested on the top of his head. “Damn, you’re handsome.” They were not the words she intended to flirt with but they were an immediate response to the rookie mistake of revealing his face. She had been aware of a disturbance to her right, a figure in her peripheral and she chose to ignore it, her gaze fixed first on his eyes and then on his mouth. “I don’t think a lot needs to be spoken to lure a man.” Her fingers rested on the underside of his chin and slowly ascended towards his lips, index finger brushing the indentation at the corner of his mouth. “It takes only a look.” She leaned forward and aware suddenly of the height the stage placed her above him, eyes half moons as they slipped their focus from his mouth to hold his gaze. If she was given another moment, she might have plucked up the courage to kiss him but it was stolen by a hand hooking the underside of her knee. “Why don’t you come down here and give me a song instead, sweetheart?” His mask concealed only the left hand of his face while the right was painted, or perhaps tattooed on a harder look, with lines akin to a sailor’s knot. Instinct had called her to kick out but he had now held her with two hands, his right locked on the underside of her thigh and he started to pull her from the stage. “Get your greasy weasel hands off of me.” The stage was gone from underneath her in one abrupt tug and she twisted away from the man towards Axel, arms winding themselves around his neck. 

[axelkingly]

Axel made mental commentary as she spoke about dungeons and arguing with high-ranked maidens which would land him in a prison cell. It was impossible to order royals without the back talk, almost as if they were children having the need to have the last say. “Your mother must hold a lot of power for you to not land yourself in a dungeon.” He couldn’t agree with all her words when townspeople would suffer beatings for even glancing at the royal in the wrong way; The power they held was unacceptable yet accepting due to his duties as a solider. He had no right to dictate laws, and no power to stop the issues of policies. “Wouldn’t you be considered one of these boring people? I’m curious how you feel about your status. It comes with regulations, but power cannot be for anyone. Why do you dislike your title so much?” Axel turned his gaze from her in an attempt to capture the interaction between Nari and Dae, another signal for the guard to stay close, and his eyes returned to hers but not before scanning her body with a smile. “Your file has the necessary information to keep you safe. Unfortunately, it does hold information of who enters your bedroom and who leaves–which I may add is empty.” Axel blamed the liquid in his body for his snarky remarks, but it takes two to tango and he was merely matching the energy. “I thought the find of your bedroom being empty was an interesting find because you don’t lack the beauty and you don’t charm for a man to follow you into your bedroom. All you need in your voice. Why is it empty?” He thought the question was pushing boundaries, but it was small talk, and getting to know her was the goal. “Mm, a curse, I consider your ability a gift because who has the ability to lure men besides Aphrodite herself?” Axel remembered the stories of Aphrodite, read to him since the day he was born, and not only Aphrodite but every god. It was common practice in Olypums to learn of those who created and destroyed the world. “The question may be inappropriate, but how would you lure mean without your ability? I’ll be the dummy tester.”

“I think the least of my worries is a dungeon, I’ve argued with many a lady and a lord, even a prince and lived to tell the tale.” Albeit, her mother’s compelling power over those who threatened fault for running her mouth had kept her relatively safe over the years. Jia didn’t dwell on the warning that came from him, likely words that dripped from any Euda man’s mouth in an attempt to keep peace rather than a genuine care for her well-being. Her eyes fell away from him to the drink in hand, an intoxicated state would be one way to get her through a night at the hands of Strife, and without a second thought, she brought it to her lips. Warmth blooming in her mouth and throat, more amazed at how swiftly the drinks grasped a hold than what they could actually do. “It’s accepted because the lives of these people are so boring and gaudy, and they love shoving their heads up each other's asses periodically, tonight is that, the biggest night of the year for them to gather all the gossip needed to keep them going to next year.” She flicked a dramatic hand around the room, to the high society that would never change and if anything, she hoped that they would be the most embarrassing versions of themselves tonight. They deserved the year of societal torture. “I have a file?” Jia disposed of the glass in her hand in a swift movement to plant her elbow on top of her crossed legs and resting her chin in the palm of her hand. “What do files usually have? Date of birth? Where I live? How much I weigh? Even who frequents my bedroom?” The final question rolled off her tongue as a surprise to herself, eyes suddenly dropping low and much too aware of the space that remained between them, and the idea of closing it became so tantalising. No, it was as close to a scream within the confines of her mind, and she shook off the sudden desire, attempting to conceal her confusion once she caught his eyes again. His question took her aback and she straightened, accepting the glass he offered to her, although she simply swirled the deep liquid in the glass. “The call of the siren is a curse, so yes. I’d be better off without it.”

[axelkingly]

“I haven’t known Dae most of my life, but I can tell that he is madly in love with her. However, he refuses to admit that until she’s fawning over another man.” Axel inhaled sharply at the thought even considering holding back his emotions caused a throbbing sensation against his temple. His gaze followed the two bodies, signaling to Raeken across the room to follow close enough, but not to interrupt any interaction. “Your ability to argue is charming, but don’t argue with the wrong people because it can get you thrown in a dungeon.” His eyes glued on his men until he confirmed that a guard was following, returning his gaze to her as she spoke of the mysterious liquid in their cups. The idea of injecting ingredients that induced unrealistic emotions had his eyebrow-raising with curiosity. “And it’s allowed because Strife throws a party every year, it’s the biggest event of the year and no one questions the games of Prince Orion.” His fingers grasped another glass walking his way, ignoring the pigment of the liquid before throwing it back down. Axel felt his throat sting with passionfruit and blueberries which caused objects to turn into miniature clouds. His best guess was Deity of Paramount. Only for it to be validated when his eyes saw Jia as a woman with dignity and not Nari’s best friend who enjoyed high-spirited discussions. “If I’m being honest with you, I didn’t read your file. I don’t know anything about you besides that you’re the best friend of the woman Dae loves. So, I would like to take this chance to get to know you a little more.” He dropped the empty glasses on top of each other, catching two more in his hands before sliding one over to her with a sweet smile. He might as well enjoy the night knowing the Dae and Nari were together then that meant his job was done for the time being. “Do you ever wish that you didn’t have the call of a siren?”

“They didn’t come together?” Jia followed Axel’s line of sight, not difficult to find the pair creating a commotion. Nari’s aggression wasn’t new to her, watching on as if it was a typical afternoon, making no move to jolt into the business of her and the supposed love of her life. “I suppose if she’s going to murder someone, it might as well be Adalyn.” The female wasn’t someone that Jia had enjoyed the company of on the few occasions that she had been forced into her social circle. At least Nari wasn’t angering royalty this time, that’s the most that she could ask for. It was difficult to mask her amusement that she was known for evading what was required of her and for her ability to argue at every opportunity. “Arguing is my first talent, singing is the second. I much prefer to argue if I’m honest.” She failed to hold her tongue in a manner her mother would desire of her, she should have played into the role of strength, that the siren was the talent that everyone should bow to, even when it terrified her. Servants were swift with their trays, Jia swore they were choreographed to fall into the path of every person, not stopping their skipping until everyone had a drink or their trays were empty. “Do you really want to know?” Jia laughed as she watched him tip back the drink that he’d chosen. She had heard the whisper of the staff while the trays were initially lined with drinks, each of them giggling endlessly at what Strife had prepared this year. “I don’t know what’s in them but I do know what they do.” She ran a finger around the rim of the glass that she had secured from a bypassing tray, its liquid a deep blue akin to Axel’s eyes. A thought that had her raising her glass to confirm her thought with butterfly-induced laughter soon following; a beautiful matched shade, although she had no clue what was within her glass. “Supposedly, each drink is based on a house, making you feel a heightened sense related to it.” She swirled the liquid in her glass, no hesitation flittering through her as she tipped it back and swallowed. “Devotion is certainly love, right? The others? I’m not so sure.”

[axelkingly]

Her melody was intoxicating, pulling any man willing to risk it all, and Axel hated admitting her voice was dreamlike. He cursed himself regretting not reading her file, but he had no reason to background check her when Nari trusted her. Once the song was over, all the men draped over with drool snapped out of their trance and returned to their drinking games. His mask was not special, decorated with an Euda symbol to indicate his position, and laced with a unique design. Dark enough for his piercing azure eyes to outperform those around him, as suggested by a close friend, Axel raised a brow at the position Jia decided to take, and with a smile, he responded. “He seems pretty occupied with a woman named Adalyn Thiede. She has plenty of things to say to keep him busy.” Axel lifted his head, gradually moving it in the direction of Dae because he never truly took his eyes off him. “He was looking for Nari. Looks like he found her along with the man who invited her, but I rather not get involved with this situation.” His voice echoed, eyes following the movement of his head shortly after speaking. The scene unfolding was interesting, counting the minutes until someone decided to snap, but he didn’t mind as long as Dae wasn’t wandering Strife halls. “Right, back to you, siren.” Axel returned his attention to Jia with a slight head tilt, curiosity filling the gaps in his expression. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t think you possessed any talent besides arguing when given a direct order.” A servant halted in place as his words drifted off, offering him a drink which he refused until the servant came by once more. Axel glanced over the expensive glasses, picking the least threatening one as he gave a slight bow to show his gratitude. “Any information on these drinks? I couldn’t get a single ingredient.” A cautious sniff before he carefully sipped the bubbly drink, infused with a butterfly tea and thunder clouds which made for a confusing texture. “Bizarre taste.”

It didn’t matter the misgivings and the anxiety that blossomed in the pit of her stomach before stepping on stage, Jia could never deny the rush that came the moment that the lights were spun onto her. The world became hers when she was allowed to sing, or at least temporarily and the world meant the men in the vicinity that were captured by the sirens call. They were there now, men who had secured themselves to the edge of the stage and stared up at her with glassed eyes. “Oh, today I’m just a drop of water and I’m running down the mountainside, come tomorrow I’ll be in the ocean, I’ll be rising with the morning tide.” The words didn’t matter to those who listened, it was the trill of her voice that drew them forward and still, she sank herself into the lyrics without a care for those who swayed with mindless desire that would lead them to their deaths if she so desired to lead them off the nearest balcony. Her eyes flickered closed as she sang, minutes passing before she opened them again and found a familiar face on the edge of the stage and despite the masquerade, she surprisingly recognised him.. He had startled her, although it hadn’t shown in her tune. Still, her eyes widened as she took Axel in, a man that she had only ever seen in Dae’s vicinity, and while Nari had been enraptured in the latter, she had often set her focus on the former. Not that he had ever looked her way and she realised that only when for the first time, she realised his eyes were blue. A striking shade even at a distance. “When you walked into the room just then, it’s like the sun came out, and the day is clear.” Her smile edged into her voice, an action that drew further focus of the room as she rang out the final notes; and to their dismay, she made her exit. The backing singers were given a cue to take over just as Jia reached the end of the stage where Axel stood and it must have been the drifting echo of her own voice that drew her to choose to swing out her legs to sit down on the edge of the stage. “Hm, what did I do to get the honour of you taking your eyes off our dear Lord Dae?” She spoke in a sing-song tone, her power holding a devilish spark of its own that was hard to dampen her voice back into normality.

[axelkingly]

The problem was as follows Axel had to clean up before any special event, taking time from his job as a bodyguard, but as the Captain ordered soldiers must be able to play the role. He hated that rule more than anything else in Euda, wearing a body vest under a suit was not exactly comfortable. However, it was the last of his problems as the random woman practically threw herself at Dae with no consent, and the minute Axel heard her voice he counted the number of exits. “She’s a keeper.” There was no use for Axel to stay by his side, returning the shoulder gestures before he left him to suffer the wrath of a woman who doesn’t stop talking. “The amount of people here is going to drive me insane.” Axel ran a hand down his features, locking eyes with a few women who would be honored to be leaving with him after long hours of dancing. His distraction had him forgetting that he was on the lookout for any threats, but it came to a halt the minute he saw a familiar face on stage. The closer he neared the stage, the better his eyesight adjusted to the woman whom he knew as Jia. He realized the paperwork on people around Nari had one titled ‘Jia Nam’ except he never had the time to read those files. The information would have helped him in this scenario, watching as helpless men gathered around to hear her sing. “Bizarre.” It was most likely the way she was glowing under the spotlight, how unrealistic her features glimmered compared to the background singers, but there was something else besides her beauty reeling these men in. Axel maneuvered around swaying humans, soon reaching the end of the stage as he propped his arms on the edge with fluttering lashes that gave away his blue eyes. “Who is she?” He asked the nearest woman, who shamelessly fell for the trap without questioning his identity. “Jia Nam, considerably the only woman who can sing in Seven Seas, she’s a siren.” Axel craned his neck to gaze up at the siren, flipping through the pages in his head attempting to understand the definition of siren. “So, she reels men in and then kills them?” His question caused a burst of laughter throughout the area, the female shaking her head as she leaned in closely. “Why don’t you find out?” Why not? Axel had time to spare, waiting for a woman who killed men by song wouldn’t be so immoral.

Dae’s fingers ran the silk lining of his overcoat, beginning to inspect the seams out of the sheer boredom that had already rattled him, and he hadn’t even stepped out of the carriage. A rise of noise and the slow movements of his transport were the telltale signs that he had arrived, if not for the dark building that loomed down on him when he glanced out the window. “I should have stayed at home.” An aggravated sigh as a footman opened the door, a reluctant return to society as he stepped forth into the faded light. Dressed in a deep scarlet from head to toe, much to his surprise that his tailor had been prepared for the instance that Dae would change his mind and attend; the finer details of the garments achieved only in the last hour. The cufflinks he toyed with once he broached the crowd were pearls sought from the family vault, the only edition of his connection to a house of the sea. Dae scanned the faces around him, flashes of various masks and face paintings that wouldn’t be so alarming if he had arrived with Nari, because they would make it all the more difficult to locate her. “If the woman attending with me is an irritation, remove her.” His attention shifted to Axel, regretting immediately that he hadn’t chosen his date with care or requested that his bodyguard choose someone suitable. “And if the opportunity arises, the shipwright too, and remember, the only thing Strife does well is turn a blind eye to murder.” Dae clamped a hand on Axel’s shoulder, squeezing a nudge too tight, while his attention was shifting to the throng of people in search of a scarlet gown. 

[axelkingly]

Axel prepared to shred the invitations, rolling up his sleeves. After all, he spent most of his days with Dae. He was proud to claim his knowledge of a man, but the words spoken caught him off guard. “Excuse me?” He didn’t understand his orders, it was unlike his employer to attend any social gatherings even when begged by his mother. Axel glanced at the pink-wax invitation, flickering blue eyes between a man and an envelope before gently grabbing the invite. “You’re serious? You want me to send an acceptance letter to this random woman?” Dumbfounded by the situation, attending a ball was not on his agenda. It was obvious his fiance was trying to play a game of jealousy, but Axel knew that Dae would never bite except when he did which genuinely had him considering a path towards romance. “She’s changing you.” Axel let out a chuckle, calling for a guard to send word that the two would be attending a ball. “Send an acceptance to this suitor, explain that we will meet them there, but send a carriage to make up for the last-minute response.” He had never stepped foot in Strife due to his obligation in Seven Seas. The area was assigned to another soldier, Axel, however, knew his way around the house even its constantly changing pathways. “I’ll leave you to get ready. I have already sent Raeken to accompany Nari, but we will be about ten minutes behind.” He anticipated Nari attending the ball, this helped him build a detail around her without any trouble, even when she shopped around for a gown. “She’ll be wearing a dress designed by Markus. Elegant, flowy, and the color scarlet with sleeves made of the finest pearl silk. The gown is designed for her, only for her, and I’m sure the man she accepted will not be able to keep his hands off her.” Axel adjusted his sleeves, laying the fabric back in its original position before lowering his head slightly. “In case you wanted to color coordinate, I have called in Markus from the designer quarters to assist you in your bedroom. I will be taking my leave now, need to plan accordingly after you caught me off guard with this order.” His feet glided effortlessly towards the doors, propping them open for the men outside to take over once he left. "The carriage will be ready in thirty."

Nari appeared to gain a new talent for pressing the buttons that caused knee-jerk reactions. Dae hadn’t intended for himself to be warped into a new man amid an engagement and he would have been content to fall into his usual routine that allowed his siblings to take reign on socialising. Dae remained where Nari had left him, his eyes trailing from the door to the invitations that she had placed on the desk, half a mind to shred them but he kept his hands to himself. Axel had been a shadow in his life for long enough that Dae had forgotten his presence until his voice filled the void that Nari had created by exiting. “I’m reconsidering begging Queen Ahri for forgiveness.” Dae tossed his head back, viewing Axel in an upside-down blur before fully shutting his eyes, falling back into silence as he weighed his options. Any other day he’d have returned to his book yet today he couldn’t turn to his simplicities. “There will be no need to reorganise shifts.” He spoke after several minutes, tipping his head back into an upright position and straightening onto his feet, kicking up the few invitations at his feet. “You’ll be coming with me to Strife, I will need you to bring someone else to watch Nari.” Dae circled the pile of invitations that now carpeted the floor, many options that he should have considered with care and if his mother had been present would have meticulously read each one. Rather than delving in at the shallow end, he bent down and seized the first envelope his fingers brushed. The seal of Altruist was pressed into pink wax with a waft of rhubarb pressing on his senses as he popped it open and extended it to Axel without peering inside. “Please have an acceptance to this invitation returned for me, don’t make me sound too excited about it though.” 

[axelkingly]

Axel mounted his post, hands linked together in the front as his attention fell over the engaged couple with curiosity; Lowering his gaze at the millions of invitations that his employer had received with a soft chuckle. He remembered vividly the day that Nari threw a tantrum in her quarters while Dae attended important house meetings, she had forced him to sit at the edge of the bed and listen to how she hadn't been asked. He thought about expressing this, but it would only end the same way it did a moment ago. Axel noticed a couple of things while working for Dae, it was rare that he would change his mind and he was possibly one of the only royals who focused properly on the politics of each house. He was silent since the moment he was employed, strategically intelligent, and completely clueless when it came to emotional reflection. The dynamic between these two raised questions because Axel realized quickly how emotional and openly expressive Nari can be while Dae prefers short and simple. He didn't understand what she saw in him, but throughout these months, Axel did begin to see a change in Dae. "What are you planning to do?" He asked the minute Nari stormed out of the room with a letter in her hand. "As a man, I think we both know that you don't like the idea of her going with another man that isn't you." These words were short, Axel had no reason to attempt to change his mind when he knew the answer. "I can always work detail for her while she's inside Strife. I'll have one of my men take over my shift here to watch you."

Balls were often tedious in Dae’s mind, forced to be mindful of his mouth and remind himself to bow at all the right moments or receive a pinch to the back of his neck from his mother. “He might be handsome but does that make him redeemable?” His head was thrown to the side to the view of the sea, inwardly prepared to beg Poseidon to take pity on him and send a tidal wave through the window to end this conversation. He should have expected that choosing a wife would require a form of committal to social events yet he had hoped he would be capable of sending her off in his stead. He shifted his arms to let herself perch on his lap, although they drooped to his sides rather than embracing her, not risking the escalation that would force him to agree. “I’ll take you next year.” A promise he wasn’t intent on keeping, nor was he intending on being in attendance this year until the soldier became a topic again. His gaze flickered from her towards the invitations addressed to her laid out on the desk and he rolled his eyes. “I’d rather he throw you off the side of a ship that over her shoulders.” He shifted suddenly, planting both feet firmly on the floor as he straightened his back, an arm circling around her waist to stop her from sliding the floor - although he had debated allowing it to happen. “Have fun.” Two words that masked his irritation that she had chosen to jump to another suitor rather than stay home with him. Fingers trailing down her arm as she stood, tossing himself back into a comfortable position. “Don’t stay out too late, don’t get bitten by a snake and don’t let another man take your virtue.” He waved his hand nonchalantly despite the inward anger that caused fury in the pit of his stomach. She had twisted his arm and he would be forced to attend with one of the many women who were scattered across the floor.

[axelkingly]

Axel didn’t feel the need to respond to Phoenix's backhanded comments on protecting, not even in his home Olympus, everything he didn’t benefit him at all besides the few women who wanted his company late at night. The situation was already weird enough for him because of the extra weight he had to watch, Axel glanced down at the woman who clung for her dear life. “It’s about a 45-minute walk without any stops and it’ll take long if you continue to pause every 3 seconds.” He was mildly impressed with the fact that she tossed shoes that could pay his salary for years, but it now became a problem of leaving footprints in the dirt. “I’ll be happy to tell your mother that you left evidence. I have come back tomorrow to pick them up,” He sighed at the thought of returning to the scene and skimming the area for a matching pair of heels. “Take these, the floor is cold.” Axel reached into his bag, pulling out a pair of cashmere socks before handing them to her. It was a rule, always be prepared for any circumstance even if it meant bringing an extra pair of socks. “Hold on.” His eyes snapped towards Phoenix when he spoke of dead bodies, Axel clenched his jaw as he continued to hear the man speak of rotting souls. “Jia, I need you to breathe.” The minute his eyes adjusted to the area, Axel saw a shadow running straight towards them and the tiniest glimmer in his hand. Axel counted the footing, the stranger would reach them in a matter of seconds and he had a choice to make between the two. “Keep her under control, Phoenix!” His fingers curled around the knife attached to his thigh, prepared to disarm the man spiraling towards them except this wasn’t a normal man. His speed was abnormal even for Axel, nothing about this man was identifiable even at a close proximity. What the hell was this thing? “Jia! Phoenix! Get out of the way!” Axel shouted towards the two, swiftly moving to the side before sprinting in the direction of his detail. He needed to reach them, he needed to be faster than him, but it was a minute too late when the man aimed the knife at Phoenix.

“If he’s with Nari, the only reason you’ve been ordered to take me home is because of her.” Jia’s tongue clicked, knowing that she was potentially being unfair when Dae had given up his own personal protection for her yet she had no warmth for him. “I am not under any delusions when it comes to Dae, and I know that’s hard to believe when every man, woman and child would line up to kiss his feet.” She hadn’t understood why she was the only person who didn’t obsess over Dae until her own abilities flourished when she learned her birthright gifts were constantly at battle with whatever power he possessed. “Don’t worry about being an asshole, I already think you are one.” He may have been beautiful, an Adonis that she spent many afternoons watching, but she wasn’t fooled by the dignified way that he spoke to her. The undertone of his voice was enough for her to understand what he thought of her, and she would never be the type of a man like him. Yet she felt secure with her hand locked tightly in his, although it meant that she was required to keep his pace and it led to her taking excessively long strides to match his. “I think you’re being dramatic about how valuable I am, but we’re clear.” She mumbled to herself more than to him, her gaze fixed on where she was placing her feet, expecting to trample on a bear trap or a land mine if she wasn’t careful. “Can I just ask how long this is going to take because my feet already hurt?” She was already breaking the rules he had given her, her head upturned and glancing behind her towards Paramount’s buildings and hopeful that Nari was on her way home too. She regretted her attire, the backs of her heels already shredded from the shoes her mother had forced onto her feet before she’d boarded the carriage. “Oh, screw it.” Impulsively, she started to hop with her hand still tightly grasping Axel's while she reached for her shoe with the other, and without much care for staying under the radar, she chucked them one after the other in different directions. “If my mother asks, I traded those hideous things for my life.”

[axelkingly]

He couldn't argue with her, there were sides of Dae that he didn't even know because of their strict relationship but he knew that he could hold himself until someone reached him. "I understand why you feel this way towards him, but I trust in his ability to keep himself safe and his people." Axel had no bias towards Lord Dae besides he was employed to keep him safe. Although, the words she spoke left a sour taste in his mouth as he prepared to clear the air. "You are his people, Jia. He ordered me to leave his side to find you, take you home because you are his people." He had talked for too long that he forgot to gather details of the area as he guided both of them towards the field, this was a slight issue until his eyes caught a glimpse of a flickering light. Another Euda soldier, Crowler, signaled passerbys that it was safe to cross. "I don't want to be an asshole, Jia." Axel planned to peel her off him the moment she attached, he refused to risk the life of someone who was supposed to be under his security. After her words, he decided upon himself that he'd leave her in that position. He was grown to never be afraid of the unknown, and never worry because those emotions would show the enemy a weakness to use against him. Axel was the top of his class when it came to Euda, his highest scores were in protection detail because he would remain focused on putting his life on the line to bring someone back home. "You better keep up because I'm not going to stop even if you beg me. I'll get you home safely, I need you to trust me without giving me attitude--I don't want you to question me, are we clear?" Axel calculated the walk back to Seven Seas, approximately 45 minutes without stopping even if the three paused for a break then it would only take away 2 minutes. "Keep your head down, you're still valuable because of your title, and don't speak to anyone passing by unless spoken to. You can't trust anyone, okay?"

“I didn’t agree to not asking questions.” Jia’s words were muffled in the forming of a pout, speaking out of the corners of her mouth. Her eyes didn’t meet Axel’s directly, settling either on his chest or on Phoenix, unable to meet his gaze despite the situation. It wasn’t the time to be distracted by his handsome features. “I wouldn’t trust Dae to protect a toad, let alone the people of the Seven Seas.” It was an instant snap that came naturally, although she shouldn’t have spoken so openly in front of a man in Dae’s employ, but it was the truth. Lord Dae was not a man she would have put her life in the hands of if she was given a choice. Axel’s instructions were simple and direct, it was as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, but once she took those few steps, what he wanted of her felt impossible. Despite Phoenix’s presence, she was still terrified to move forward as if she would accidentally stumble on a land mine or trigger an alarm. Phoenix was indestructible as far as she was concerned, whereas if a threat leapt at them, she would be the first to hit the ground. She had made a total of five steps when she came to a halt, looking ahead into the dark abyss in front of them, a darkness that competed with the depths of the ocean. A heaviness on her chest, struggling to draw in enough oxygen to catch a full breath. Rather than moving forward, she retraced her steps instead, her arm extended until there was heat under her fingertips, brushing against Axel’s palm and edging her fingers between his. No doubt in her mind that he would find the desire to hold his hand childish and pathetic. In fact, she expected her to break the contact and push her to move along like an adult would. “I don’t want you getting lost.” A feeble excuse to save her the embarrassment of vocalising her fear, squeezing his hand as she made to step forward. Darkness not only a cover to escape, but to conceal the heat that had spread wildly over her cheeks and ears. “I’ll let go when we get to the Seven Seas.” She still didn’t look at him, eyes fixed ahead and to her surprise, her feet were striking a rhythm on the ground.

[axelkingly]

jianam​:

The snipe in the tone was not unlike what Jia was used to but the effort of returning it died on the tip of her tongue, realising that picking a fight at this moment perhaps wasn’t appropriate. Especially not when he was filling in the blanks of what Phoenix had told her and the details that drew her closer to his side, the toe of her shoes scuffing on his heel. “Dae asked Nari to marry him?” Several details went over her head for the one singular fact, grabbing a hold of his sleeve and beginning to shake his arm. “And she said yes? Oh, oh, this is… are you sure? Did Nari tell you this? Maybe she hit her head and has officially lost it.” It felt like a dream that Nari had scribbled in the back of a notebook that had, by some twisted fate, conjured itself into reality. Her mind struggled to focus on the second confirmation of war when she was concerned with her best friend’s engagement with the man of her obsessions. Feet failing to keep in a straight line through Paramount’s terrain, her eyes darting from Axel to their surroundings, the unease of the current situation beginning to grow again. “I don’t know.” It wasn’t a helpful answer, but she wasn’t typically focused on the who or what that was paying attention to her. “I don’t think anyone but those from that also came from the Seven Seas even looked at me, but oh, I made eye contact with the Queen’s bodyguard earlier after Nari knocked over all those stupid glasses. Does that make a difference?“ She doubted she made an impression on his mind when the moment was so brief; a hiccup in his day when his lover had gone on to declare war. The grounds of Paramount made it difficult to ease her heartbeat, the noise that surrounded them so unlike home, she found herself leaning so close that she may as well have sewn her shoulder to his. “You know what, my mother’s going to find a way to blame me for all of this, so maybe you should just leave me here. They can send my head back in a box.”

Axel scored high in every physical test that Euda had thrown at him and even endured torture to ensure he wouldn’t leak out any vital information. The one thing that he scored low on was keeping the peace, Axel failed miserably explaining to someone in panic that everything would be okay. He refused to lie and it nearly cost him his job for these beliefs; However, he felt somewhat obligated to express to her that all is well. “What did I say about asking questions?” As he spoke, Axel roamed ahead to gather enough scenery before returning to Jia with a softer tone. “This all might seem surreal and difficult to grasp, I understand that more than anyone, but you have me to make sure you get home safely. This is my job, ma’am and I know Lord Dae quite well to the point that I know he’d do anything to protect the people of Seven Seas.” His eyes hovered over the extra person, Axel was made aware of Phoenix and his games except he seemed harmless for now. “If you’re certain that no one followed you then go ahead, I’ll be right behind you.” This part was tricky Axel had to keep his eyes on two potential targets and his surroundings at all times. One person with two duties was difficult for anyone especially after a Queen declared war. “Avoid any lit areas and make way towards the darker sections.” He simply reminded himself that this was apart of his job, but a tinge of fear fluttered through him when his thoughts wandered to Dae. All he could do is hope that Dae could handle himself, but the hope was slim if Nari was around to distract him. “Avoid making visible footprints, don’t walk to heavy—keep moving.”

[axelkingly]

jianam​:

Paramount was beautiful, it was an undeniable fact once they had broken from the suffocation of their interiors, whoever curated their gardens had done it with love and a keen eye. She wished she had the time to bask in it, to wander through it, but at that very moment, she was loitering on enemy soil. Even Phoenix wouldn’t be guaranteed to soften the blow if she were discovered outside of the zones they had herded the Seven Seas guests into. The events of the night and its revelations had left her somewhat numb to the danger, at least until a voice paired with the march of footsteps called out, and she could only suspect that it was meant for her. “I wasn’t wandering, I was leaving.” Her indignation was evident, the response was past her lips before she had even turned to face the man that swore at her. A light hitch in her breathing when her gaze locked on Axel, she hadn’t connected the voice to the face. The heat was rising to her cheeks despite the chill of the air and she couldn’t help but send her blessings to Poseidon for the clouds concealing the light of the moon. “And what do you mean by life-threatening? Are they going to kill Dae? Is that why you’re out here? Where’s Nari?” There wasn’t a breath between each of her questions, although she had taken a step closer to him with each, her eyes shifting between him and the palace that was alight with figures from nearly every window behind him. Whether it was staff peering into the night or guards lingering in the backlight, she didn’t know, but it was an unnerving sight. “Also, who said you could swear at me?” 

“Apologies for swearing at you, my lady, but who said you could wander the fucking halls of Paramount without a guard?” Axel failed to have the patience when it came to asking questions, obviously, he wasn’t one to answer them but the plethora of wonders caused a migraine to appear. The problem with this one was that she stared too long, Axel never knew what her eyes had glued themselves to and at times even turned his head to ensure no one decided to sneak behind him. “I’ll make this brief and if you happen to get confused then it’s not my problem. I won’t be answering anymore questions regarding the situation, got it?” He made himself clear as the night sky, covering his tracks as he made way to stand beside her. “Nari had an altercation with the Queen.” Nothing out of the ordinary, clearing his throat as he began to walk towards the hollow fields of Paramount. “Lord Dae asked for her hand in marriage, not the Queen, but Nari from what I’m understand is that she said yes.” His fingers wrapped around the weapon hoisted on his side, eyes scouting out the area before he signaled it was safe for them to proceed. “Paramount declared war of Seven Seas. Your friend Nari is marrying Lord Dae. He made it clear to me that I should come fetch you before the Queen realizes your relationship with Nari.” The briefing was short and sweet leaving bits of detail, but getting straight to the point regarding the war that was upon them. “I need you to tell me if anyone saw you. Both of you because this is crucial to everyone’s survival tonight.”

“This was supposed to be a fucking easy job,” Axel grumbled under his breath, tossing the cigarette onto the gravel before he pushed himself through anxious bodies. “This is not an easy job.” His orders were clear, protect Lord Dae no matter the costs even if that meant his own life, but those orders changed the minute he caught a glimpse of the missing friend. “Can you find Jia, please?” Axel already planned to decline the offer until his eyes met with his employer; He understood the assignment, nodding towards Nari as he spun on his heels heading in the opposite direction from everyone. “Find my friend, find my lover, find my fucking payment.” Axel brought this upon himself being good at his job would cost him, and he had no issue protecting those around him, but taking nonsensical orders was what prompted his anger issues. His lengthy legs ran in every direction, traveling ends of the earth for this woman before stopping in front of a wooden door. “Fuck me.” His fingers carefully wrapped around the strand of hair, eyebrows raising in annoyance as he pushed past the rustic scenery. It only took a couple of steps before his eyes targeted the back of her head, Axel gathered enough information on his surroundings before picking up speed to catch up to her. “Why the fuck are you out here? You know better than to wander around during a life-threatening situation.”

[axelkingly]

“This was supposed to be a fucking easy job,” Axel grumbled under his breath, tossing the cigarette onto the gravel before he pushed himself through anxious bodies. “This is not an easy job.” His orders were clear, protect Lord Dae no matter the costs even if that meant his own life, but those orders changed the minute he caught a glimpse of the missing friend. “Can you find Jia, please?” Axel already planned to decline the offer until his eyes met with his employer; He understood the assignment, nodding towards Nari as he spun on his heels heading in the opposite direction from everyone. “Find my friend, find my lover, find my fucking payment.” Axel brought this upon himself being good at his job would cost him, and he had no issue protecting those around him, but taking nonsensical orders was what prompted his anger issues. His lengthy legs ran in every direction, traveling ends of the earth for this woman before stopping in front of a wooden door. “Fuck me.” His fingers carefully wrapped around the strand of hair, eyebrows raising in annoyance as he pushed past the rustic scenery. It only took a couple of steps before his eyes targeted the back of her head, Axel gathered enough information on his surroundings before picking up speed to catch up to her. “Why the fuck are you out here? You know better than to wander around during a life-threatening situation.”

[axelkingly]

War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers (via lunam-et-atticae)

[axelkingly]

AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON in KRAVEN THE HUNTER (2023)