A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 105 | The Cost Of Happiness ❤️

"We humans are so tortured by not properly guessing what will make us happy."  Teddy once told him

Matthew, barely seventeen at the time, had furrowed his brow. "What does that even mean?"

"Humans, Matthew, will let happiness slip through their fingers, tortured by the concept of it."

"What does that have to do with me?" Matthew had asked, his face scrunching up in confusion. Teddy had watched the medics insert the replacement rod into Matthew's arm in the infirmary, the same rod that controlled the breeding of the soldiers at Allegiant.

"This lifestyle is not sustainable for happiness, and you need to see how your capabilities are affected by the way you close off and sleep with women," Teddy had replied.

"So this is about sex?" Matthew had grinned, amused by the way Teddy rolled his eyes. "My sex life?"

Teddy had leaned in closer, his expression serious. "Listen to my words, boy. One day, you will understand the difference between this conversation and my advice to you. You are so tortured by not properly guessing what will make you happy."

***** *****

The memory of that conversation now echoed in Matthew's mind as he stood outside the club with Eko, his heart still pounding from the confrontation and the kiss. Teddy's words resonated more deeply than they had back then.

Was he truly letting happiness slip through his fingers? Was he, like Teddy said, tortured by the concept of happiness, unable to grasp what it truly meant for him?

Matthew looked at Eko, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the streetlights. She was more than just a fleeting desire; she was someone who stirred something deep within him, something he hadn't fully understood until now.

***** *****

As the crisp air brushed against Eko's face, she pulled away from him, spinning into the street amidst people still attempting to enter the club and amidst dancing, intoxicated couples who had lost themselves in the moment.

The only sober individuals were soldiers and cadets who had witnessed their headmaster leave the club with Eko in tow. In a matter of minutes, their relationship had become viral, captured by soldiers with their phones and shared on their social media accounts.

As the couple moved away from the crowd, the soldiers gawked, stared, and pointed, while Eko twirled and danced farther away from the prying eyes. Matthew urged her along the streets, desperate to escape the growing crowd's raised voices, now cheering them on with wild whistles.

They were now exposed, out in the open, and he knew that by morning, a plethora of rumors about them would spread, with the fan club likely hunting her down like wild, erratic creatures.

But that was a problem for tomorrow. For now, it was just the two of them, and he needed to address their relationship once and for all.

Breaking away from the crowd, they put much-needed distance between themselves and the onlookers, moving out of earshot from his soldiers. Eko stopped, feeling nauseated and her head spinning uncomfortably. Matthew quickly noticed her unsteadiness, her vision affected as though she was seeing double of everything.

Matthew swiftly wrapped his arm around Eko's waist, guiding her down the street until they found a secluded alleyway, away from prying eyes and ears.

"Eko," his voice was gentle, "don't faint on me, okay?"