Both of them were given a place to stay, not far from the castle. Betty treated him for a month before he was healed.

"How are you feeling?" Scarlet said.

"Normal," Asher replied.

Betty slipped her hands into the pockets of her white coat. "He's cured, my work is done," she turned to leave, and Scarlet escorted her to make sure she didn't steal anything.

Tristan averted his eyes as Asher stared at him, choked by his intimidating dark aura. 

Tristan walked to the door, he hesitated for a while. "It's not your fault, the blame is on me."

Asher scoffed. "Well, thanks for stating the obvious."

"I'm sorry," Tristan murmured then left. 
Maybe I am a bad person after all.

Asher sighed.
I don't understand what he does sometimes, I don't think I'll ever understand him.
…

Asher got back to the throne and everything began to run smoothly. He darted as they dragged a teenage girl, with her dirty patched dress and worn out shoe, he knew she was a commoner. They were forbidden to enter the noble's territory. 

They bowed. "Your Majesty, we caught this peasant girl roaming around," the guard at the right said.

"If I remember correctly, she was looking for you," the other one muttered. 

Her eyes illuminated at the sight of him, Asher raised a brow at the girl's strange behaviour. 
Everyone is spooked when they stand before me, so why are you different?

"Pretty mister, do you remember me?" she grinned.

Asher froze, chills electrified his body, and his eyes held up tears that threatened to fall. He recalled the child he saved years back. 
Control yourself, don't show emotions.

Asher cleared his throat. "I don't know what you're talking about, you've got the wrong person."

"I couldn't thank you properly that day, I recently found out you're here, so I came to thank you." She fell on her face, bowing fully.

"Thank you, I will never forget the kindness you showed to me," she said.

"You may rise," he said. "Guards, escort her, make sure she gets home safely."
…

Asher walked to his room and turned the lock. "What have I done?" he pulled on his hair.

Asher's brain was about to explode, screams of the deceased echoed in his ears. He gazed at his shaky hands in horror— dirtied, filthy, and tainted red. The blood he spilled in anger, the blood he spilled in frustration, the blood of the innocent he spilled.

He slowly turned to the mirror, his reflection revealed a stranger, a stranger he accepted to numb the pain, a stranger that imprisoned his former self, a stranger that promised to heal his broken soul.

Who am I? I-I can't recognize myself anymore. What have I become?

Asher gritted his teeth as the sweet memories with Tristan played in his head. "It's your fault, everything is your fault," he whispered. Asher leaned on the wall and crouched to the floor, he wrapped his arms around himself, sobbing.  

He raised his head as the presence of another person overshadowed him. Asher's teary eyes switched to rage-filled in a nanosecond.

"You're not leaving with your head this time!"

"Hmm... blueberry called me," Tristan looked at the bird on his shoulder.

Asher wiped his eyes. "Blueberry! How many times do I have to tell you, he is the enemy." 

She flew inside her cage.

Asher sighed. "I'll get you later."

There was a pause before Tristan spoke. "Do you mind if I stay for a bit?"

"I don't care," Asher mumbled, turning his face.

Tristan sat a bit distant from him. The silence lasted for minutes then Tristan spoke. "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that! The damage has already been done."

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. I can't even forgive myself."

"I don't understand you at all, you took everything from me, what else do you want? I'm tired," he said in a broken whisper. 

Tristan lowered his head. They took another interlude of prolonged silence, then Tristan spoke.

"I joined the gang, even though I messed up my final test to kidnap you." he exhaled. 

"I felt so worthless that I tried to redeem myself by fulfilling my mother's wish. I was selfish and evil for dragging you into it. I'm sorry."

Asher cracked a smile. "You looked so confident in yourself to ever feel worthless. I wished to be like you then."

Tristan stared wide-eyed. "Really? I thought you never cared as long as you were protected."

Asher looked at him. "I call myself a king and I can't even wield a weapon, of course I feel useless," he said. 

"At least we have something in common," Tristan shrugged.

Asher chuckled. "You can say that."

They stopped as the atmosphere became too friendly. 

"I need to go back to the throne room, you should get going too," Asher said with a straight face.

"Oh, right," Tristan got up and glimpsed at Asher. "Can we chat again sometime?"

"I don't know.”

"Okay, I'll come tomorrow," Tristan jumped out the window onto a tree.

Asher's brows rumpled as he glared at Tristan.
Is he daft? Can't he take a hint?
...

They spent half of their time drowned in awkward silence the next day, but were able to talk about how their day went. 

Tristan came often and Asher would constantly rant about his bad days while he listened. 

With time, they began to talk about their likes and dislikes. Asher learned that being teased about his sexuality made him insecure, and Tristan learned about Asher's love for flowers.

Tristan leaped into his room with a bunch of flowers the next day. "Should we play a game?"

Asher stiffened, he gradually looked at the flowers, then at Tristan. "S-Sure."

"Okay," Tristan said, and they sat next to each other.

"I'll pick a flower and you have to guess their names."

Asher glimpsed at him.
Why is he trying so hard?