The King's Beloved

"That's a … ," the sprites chorused. They were all flabbergasted with Elliot's gift.

Elliot shoved his gift into Rania's hand. She then opened it to reveal a very beautiful silver ring with a large blue diamond at its center, surrounded by smaller white diamonds all around it.

Rania opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again. She suddenly remembered Zeid's confession before. Just a few more months and it will be a year now from the day that they have been captured. Almost a year … that Zeid died and she couldn't even visit his grave. Was he even properly buried? What about his parents? Were they doing okay? And her family, too, and friends, and everyone she knew of. Were they all still alive?

The ring that Zeid offered her when he proposed, a pink diamond ring, she wasn't even able to hold it for a second.

As Rania remembered this, and thoughts kept circling in her mind, she frowned. Her eyes reflected longing and sadness … so much sadness that she couldn't hide it.

Luna and the sprites noticed it right away and reprimanded Elliot.

"You - you - you ….pure boy!" Luna couldn't think of any names to give him. "You don't really think much do you?"

"What now?" Elliot sighed and raised his eyebrows again in confusion.

"Rings are for proposing, not a gift!"

"Proposing what?"

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Luna was appalled. "Seriously?!"

"Why did you think of a ring, Elliot?" Ducis joined in the fun.

"Well … I read it in a book before. A man was looking for a gift for his friend and he gave her a ring. So I thought she'd like it. Was the book wrong?"

"A friend, huh? Did they kiss in the story?" Ducis asked mischievously.

"Kiss is the touching of two lips, right?"

"Yes, it is," Ducis held back his laughter.

Annoyed, Elliot answered, "Yes, they did. How did you know? Did you read it too?"

The other sprites burst in laughter. Ducis couldn't hold his laughter anymore so he sniggered, too.

"Ugh, what now?"

Rania chuckled as she saw them all laugh. She realized that she was thinking too much about it and Elliot never really meant anything about it. He was simply giving a gift in the way he knew of. Her heart was warmed by his sincerity, especially considering his lack of understanding about emotions. At the very least, he listened to all those lessons she told him before and he's changing. That's a good thing, right?

"Elliot," she called her softly. "Thank you for your gift but … I'm so sorry I have to decline it … This ring … you shouldn't just give it to any girl".

"But … you're not just ANY girl. You're Rania".

"!!!," Rania was startled. So were everyone else.

Luna flew towards Ducis and sat on his shoulders.

"You're little kid talks smoooooth, doesn't he?"

"I never taught him that. Blame it on the books. He read too much," Ducis defended himself.

Rania burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha! You're so cute, Elliot".

"W-what?! I'm not a girl!" His cute face was now pissed.

"Hahahaha! But honestly, you really shouldn't give that to me. What you're doing is what we call 'proposing'. And a man only proposes to a woman he loves - not to a friend. But I'm glad you consider me a friend".

"Ugh," Elliot's face grimaced upon hearing the word 'love'.

He suddenly remembered all those cringey books he stumbled upon before and never read again. He got chills trying to read and understand those 'stupid' stories - according to him.

Why would you kill yourself if your lover die? Why would you go so far to save someone even if it meant your life? Why would you forgive a person who betrayed you? Why do they go through all 'foolishness' - in his understanding - just to be with their lover? Why not choose someone else who's more convenient if you really need a mate? What the heck was love anyway? They all just said it so easily in those books. 'I fell for you because ...blah blah blah' and all other stuff like that. It was a nightmare for him. And since then, he vowed never to read those kinds of books again.

"Love, huh?" Elliot mocked. "I don't know what that is, and I don't care".

Then, he walked nearer to Rania and conjured a silver lace on his left hand, took the ring from the box, and inserted the lace through it, making it a necklace, with the ring as its pendant.

"Here, you can wear it as a necklace instead". He stood tall in front of Rania, like a captivating model, with his left hands stretched out to her. His poker face was as nonchalant and cool as ever. If he would just stop speaking, you'd think he's the classy, bad boy type. But as soon as he talks, you'll discover he's the other way around.

Giving up, Rania held out her hand and Elliot dropped the necklace on her palm. Then, she put it on herself. She had a bit of trouble so Elliot helped her raise her hair by lifting it through his magic and making the necklace lock itself.

"There, I guess I chose right. It looks good on you"

Rania was startled again. "You're giving me too much heart attack today, you know".

"Huh? What?"

"Before you always just used to -" Rania tried copying Elliot's behavior before. "Either you just nod, -" then she nodded, "Shake your head -" then she shook her head, "Or just simply slap my hands away, saying 'Don't touch me' or 'Go away!' -" then she chuckled. "And now this … seriously, Elliot, you're like an onion. There's always something new about you. I'm shocked and thrilled at the same time! Now, I feel like a mother whose son just grew up a bit and became a teenager. So this is how it feels, huh?".

"Huh?!" Elliot was baffled, "... you're not my mother". He and humor never really got along with each other.

The sprites chuckled as they watched them and Luna continued teasing Ducis.

"You sure you didn't teach him any of that?"

Ducis was getting annoyed now. "I told you, I didn't. Now screw off you little midget!" And he shooed her off his shoulders.

"Before I forget," Elliot interrupted everyone's laughter. "I made that necklace with my spiritual energy. So in case you got separated from us, I'll always know where to find you".

"Oh, wow! That's convenient. Thank you so much!"

"Wait, we're travelling in different dimensions, right?" Luna asked.

"Yes".

"Then how in the world will that work? Do you have Ducis' powers, too? Time and space? Can that necklace detect beyond time and space?"

Elliot and Ducis looked into each other for a bit and looked back to Luna.

"Right, we haven't told you before".

"Told what?"

"Ducis is my contracted Guardian".

"HUH?!!!" Rania, Luna and the sprites chorused.