( New Readers please read from start to not get confused in the story later)

(Dreams, inner thoughts, flashbacks will be in bold italics)

......

"Your Majesty, here is your breakfast" Pete said with the weight of thousands of rocks on his chest. It was a given fact that the one who brings the partner home is naturally the power holder in a marriage. Despite being a man Pete was naturally considered to submit to Vegas with him being the power holder in this marriage . Hence the tribal people were making him do the normal gestures to his husband out of which one was to serve morning tea to him. Each second was heavy for Pete because everytime he addressed Vegas as majesty , he was pulled back to a bundle of memories which he wanted to erase. On the other hand Vegas was very proudly enjoying this helplessness of Pete. He usually never liked any childish play before but with Pete he even liked his smallest troubles hence he decided to stretch it further.

"Khun Silaph" Vegas said, addressing the senior lady of the tribe.

"Yes Khun Vegas?"
"Will it be too much if I present my wish to eat something cooked by the new member of my life?"

Pete looked at him and Vegas could hear the internal curses.

"Sure, why would you ask that? It's your right Khun Vegas. I am sure Khun Pete will be dedicated to serve you."

"Sure , but I am afraid if he even knows how to cook"

"Oh I am sure he knows khun. Despite being a man, he decided to marry and leave his home for you, then I am sure he has learned the home skills." Silaph said and instead of feeling guilty Vegas felt happy for the upcoming humiliation Pete was going to face.

"Can I demand something specific?"
Vegas said, looking at Pete waiting for an answer.

"Yes, your majesty" Pete literally wanted to punch Vegas but he kept quiet for the love of people and respect of his father in law.

"Then bring me rice and some really special kind of broth."

Silaph took Pete to the cooking area and left him in front of all kinds of vegetables,meat and spices. Pete knew some basic cooking that he used to do in forest campaigns but he was not an expert in any specific dish. Silaph came back and saw Pete jumbling through the materials not being able to figure out what to cook for his husband.

"Are you confused?"
"I know how to cook but I am not an expert. Also I don't know what he likes." Pete's voice had a hint of disinterest.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you prepare it with your heart it will be tasty. Have you ever cooked for anyone before?"

The question again took Pete back to his past where he used to sometimes prepare a special sunflower broth  for that young man who used to be his majesty that time. Who used to love it and shower Pete with praises. Pete could only scoff at the irony of his life. A majesty from past who never came back to him and a majesty in present who is keeping him forcefully. In none of the case Pete is adored or loved by anyone. None of them cared or care about his feelings, his life , his wishes. At the end Pete was still submitting to someone to whom he never mattered.

"Are you lost in thoughts?" Silaph asked.
"umm, no I was trying to remember the process of a sunflower broth I use to make sometimes. Maybe I can prepare that."

"Oh, this really sounds good. I will pluck some for you, meanwhile you can prepare the spices. And also put some rice to cook in the pot."

Pete started preparing food. He did get notions of putting some chillies or something that could make Vegas go barmy but he shed those ideas because he didn't want to create a ruckus among the common people. These small efforts as revenge could never be justified for the pain he got from Vegas. And moreover his heart didn't allow him to stoop to that level. The values he got from Dominica and his father remain deep rooted in him to forbid these kinds of unethical acts.

Pete poured all his genuine efforts into the meal he prepared and took it to Vegas who had by now taunted at least four to five times about how hungry he was and how slow Pete was in cooking.

"I thought it was not going to arrive till this evening" he taunted again but Pete remained silent.

"Is it even worth eating?"
"You need to try it first Your Majesty" Pete almost clenched his teeth while saying that.

Vegas took the first sip and his expressions were tough to decode. He silently ate all of it without even saying a word. With every bite he was lost in some kind of thoughts. His face showed confusion, his eyebrows often drew together. But not a single word.

"I think he liked it" Silaph whispered to Pete.

Vegas got up and almost pushed the dishes aside. He approached Pete with focused eyes and his first words in his stern voice were "it was horrible"

"Khun Vegas"
"Don't interrupt me Khun Silaph. I am talking to my husband." Vegas carried an authoritative tone and Silaph got tensed. Everyone around could already sense that Pete and Vegas were different from any usual newly married couples.

"You Pillock" Vegas got close and whispered that name in Pete's ears.

"How did you manage to make it so horrible that with each bite I felt like i wanted to spit it out"

"You know what? Your throat gets dry when you lie, your majesty" Pete whispered back with a smirk.

"What makes you think that I am lying?"

"The way you slurped down the last drop. By the way, do you think they will tease us later for playing whispers in front of them?"

Vegas realized he was standing too close to Pete and everyone was staring at him. He stepped back and said while fumbling and escaping eye contact from anyone.

" i...i didn't like it. It was not good. I am going to get some fresh air. Do whatever you all want to do till evening. Then we will leave" He left walking past Saksit and Kamala who were coming back from their secret hide out.

"What happened to him?" Saksit asked to Silaph
"Khun Pete cooked this broth for Khun Vegas but he didn't like it. He was really angry and he stormed off."

"Oh,then it's nothing. I am sure he liked it "
"Why do you say that phi?" Pete asked in confusion.

"Because Vegas never says anything about food unless he finds it really tasteful. He just eats a few bites quickly and gets up. But if he cleans the plate like he did now, and puts emphasis on how bad it was then he definitely liked it. Be ready, he will definitely finish all of it once he gets the chance to enter the cooking area." Saksit said laughing.

"Let me tell you an odd secret about him, he is a big foodie at times" Saksit whispered in Pete's ears but Pete shrugged it off as a joke.

"Please sit. I will bring breakfast for you all."

"Let me help you Khun Silaph"
"No khun Pete, I am okay. You are our guest here. You must enjoy it with your family. I will be right back."

Silaph insisted but Pete anyways joined him.

"Khun Pete, may I ask you something?"
"Yes, sure"
"Is this marriage between you and Khun Vegas just an alliance? You have not chosen each other?"

"Why are you asking that?"

"Have you been forced to marry him?"
Pete hesitated. With all the emotions that he had bottled up and had no one to share with, he felt he wanted to flood out everything. But then he remembered King Rama and his honour hence he concealed everything behind a fake smile.

"No Khun Silaph, it's just that the marriage and stamping happened because our families felt that we will be good together. He marked me respectfully in front of everyone, not by force." It was strange but along with Rama's honor, Pete felt the need of upholding Vegas's image too. But before he could start questioning his feelings Silaph spoke again.

"Oh, then I am sure this is the best decision. King Rama is always right about what is good for his sons. If he has chosen you for Khun Vegas then he must be really sure about you bringing good things to him. Especially after all that he has been through" Silaph sounded low.

"What has he gone through?"
"I am afraid I cannot say anything further. Only Khun Vegas has the right to tell you everything and that too if he wants to, but khun Pete, don't worry. I know all this arranged marriage with a man and coming to a new place among new people must be really daunting on you but you will start feeling at home in no time. Khun Vegas is a really nice person. You will be really happy with him"

"Why does everyone say that to me, Khun Silaph?" Pete asked, almost zoning out.

"What?"

"That he is a nice person."

"Because it's true"

"Then why don't I see that goodness?"
"Huh?"

Pete alerted himself. "I mean, I am not saying that he is bad. I am still trying to discover him. But there is definitely a stiffness between us. He often gets rude to me. Maybe he is also trying to understand these new dynamics of our relationship but why haven't I been able to see his good side yet?"

"Maybe he hides it from you or maybe he has shown but you have kept your heart locked to see it"

Silaph left after saying that and Pete kept recalling all the moments he has had with Vegas.

"He did stitch my wound but that's because he gave me that wound. Then? Today when he fixed my hair , my lip shade. That was really unexpected." Pete found himself smiling softly

"Don't be a fool Pete. He was the reason that you messed up your make up. Obviously he is bound to mend his mistake." Pete could not prevent the hotness he developed while remembering that moment.

"No, I am not avoiding anything. Maybe he acts too well in front of these innocent people. He fools them by his fake acts. He is not at all a good person. Not that it matters to me. But still I won't be naive to believe this false narrative. You can act in front of anyone but me. I will never forget that you married me to fulfill your selfish motives of becoming a king."

.........

"I will never forget the insult, the humiliation that boy gave me and you want me to attend his reception ceremony? Remember Khun Kim my father may have surrendered his rule to you but I am not among his surrendered possessions. I am not here to take your orders" Prince Decha said to Kim who came to visit him and was now having a drink with him.

"Prince Decha, when did I tell you that I am ordering you? I am inviting you instead. I know I conquered your territory but that doesn't mean I will take you as Alcazar's subordinate. You still hold the same position and respect."

"And why would you say something which is completely contrary to what your father and brother thinks."

"Because I don't believe in slavery. Yes I believe in battles and winning over too, but that's enough to establish my victory. Beyond that only a clever and good partnership can help us lead our rule. And maintain our position"

"But as far as I know, you are not is any authoritative position to ensure that Maiyutakat remains sovereign and not under the mercy of Alcazar"

" I will soon be there. There is going to be an announcement soon for who will hold the throne after King Rama. There will a few parameters kept and once I meet them , I will ascend the throne."

" Is this some kind of brother's rivalry?"

"Oh , certainly not. I love my brother. But it's totally fair to fight for your chances and my brother still needs to be more cruel if he wants to be the king. But with his sensitive heart, he often ends up deciding wrong things. For example his latest endeavor to close the brothels and generate new work for refugees."

What? Is this some kind of joke?"
"It's the truth"
"Closing of brothels will not only give us a large number of unemployed population but also it will be an insult to the ages old rules and regulations. Is your brother looking forward to letting these refugees and rejected partners stand at the same level as us?"

"Seems like it. More than being a king, a ruler, he is more suitable for social responsibilities. Moreover his decisions will cost us both royal, moral and financial standings. That's why my process is to build close relationships with my fellow rulers. Tomorrow when I make a decision which benefits us all, I will need your support. We can only exist as rulers when we stand by each other for the glorious past and promising future of our royal life. State people are important to us, but we need a clear boundary. They are state people and we need to treat them like one, not as a family. That's why I wish to fight against Vegas for the leadership"

"Hmm, I think our friendship can go a long way, Khun Kim. You are the kind of leader Alcazar needs. But I still don't understand why you want me to attend the reception ceremony of Vegas and Pete?"

" My invitation to you is a gesture of friendship. To treat you as equal and not under our authority. You will be given the utmost respect and you will be welcomed there as my friend. Not to mention, you can have your fair chance to watch Pete in a devastating state as you are aware, this marriage is forced on him. Or if not that, then you can offer a supportive hand. After all, didn't you like him in the past?"

"I smell some personal agenda too. But anyways, I accept your invitation. Let's see how Pete is suffering after rejecting me. And let's see what Vegas has , that made Pete uncover himself in front of him but not me. Humiliation or sympathy whatever it will be, i will enjoy this meet up.with him. I will surprise you Pete Sangetham."

"Cheers" Kim Haan smirked. All he wanted was for Decha to bring with him support of not only Maiyutakat province but other neighboring provinces too, the more support he gets the more chances of being a king will be there. He also wanted Decha to create an opportunity where Kim Haan would save Pete from him and that's when he would befriend him. Pete was entering Kim Haan's mind like a slow but sweet poison. He was definitely mesmerized with his beauty from the first encounter and Pete's brave and stubborn nature and his mysterious life pushed Kim Haan more and more towards him. His mind was getting obdurate to make Pete like him. Deep down he knew that was not right because Pete was his brother in law but he would counter that with the fact that Pete was forced to marry Vegas. Kim was ready to pull Pete towards him, first in his friendship and later maybe more than that. Not only would he get a beautiful prince in his life but Pete's strong support for his leadership of Alcazar too. All he needed was to make Pete trust him more than Vegas.

..........

"I feel sorry for her."
"Why are you saying that?"
" Just , I know Khun Saksit is a really nice person and he will love her a lot but in the end every girl wants a handsome and powerful man. Khun Saksit is kind, humble, intelligent but he has no quality of becoming a king , he doesn't even want to. How will he fulfill her wishes then? Also he is not that good looking either."

"What are you saying, he has a handsome face"
"And what about the body? He doesn't have a build like his brothers. On top of that, those burn marks? Any woman would be put off by those ugly scars. I don't know how she even said yes to this marriage."

"Leave it. It's not our matter to discuss. If she married him, then she definitely took many things into consideration. If not him then maybe the royalty, money and position. No matter what, he is the eldest son of our king, we need to respect him."

Saksit heard the two girls talking when he was heading back towards the cooking area. He felt insulted, sad and more ugly at that moment. He looked at Kamala from afar who was blossoming in her youth. Smiling and shining like gold as the sun sheds its light on her. Not a single flaw on her smooth skin and Saksit was covered in scars. He couldn't prevent the feeling of inferiority that hit him but he looked up and Kamala was gesturing to him to come back. He recalled what she had told him the other day that he is like her moon. Kamala didn't back down in telling Saksit that he is her choice and she is happy about this marriage. He once again breaths in, finds his courage again and puts a smile on his face before going back to his wife. Before he walked away he heard a sound , looked back and sighed.

"Pete"
"Yes Phi Saksit"
"I think you need to see the cooking area"
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"Yes, i think so"
"Okay , let me check. Khun Silaph?" Pete called but Silaph was not there so he went alone. When he entered the kitchen, it was something he never imagined.

Sitting there , completely unaware of his surroundings and loudly slurping on that sunflower broth was Vegas Theerapanakul. And when he looked up while licking his fingers and saw Pete standing right in front of him, he was sure this was the most or probably the first embarrassing moment of his life. The naughty smile Pete had on his face was proof that he was going to tease Vegas for it. Vegas looked at the dishes and he couldn't believe he finished even the last drop.of broth and last piece of rice.

"I thought it was worth spitting?" Pete said in a teasing tone and cheeky smile.

"I...i just ..I ate because...."

"Because??"

" I...I didn't want to feel weak. Breakfast is important. And what can I do if there is only one thing to eat? I have to take nutrition even if it's bad in taste"

"Oh, so you take nutrition by eating the portions of at least five to eight people?"

Vegas wiped his mouth with his sleeves, he was fidgeting, fumbling a lot but could not say anything mature.

"Yes, so what ? it's needed for battles and fights"
"And may i know what war is going on right now?"

"Shut up, I am leaving"

"Aaa...wait. How can I not let the people know that how my majesty loved my cooking and finished everything secretly like a thief. Let me boast a little."

"No, I am telling you. Don't try anything funny with me , you will regret it"

"Why are you getting serious, I will just let everyone see how you much you loved it"

"Listen, you pillock, don't...i said don't...what do you want? You want me to say that it was tasty, I will say it. You will not call anyone here. Listen it's..."

Vegas kept getting nervous as Pete started approaching the door with that teasing smile

"Phi...ummm"

Pete half opened the door and was about to call Saksit in the kitchen but Vegas held him from behind, covering his mouth.

"Uumm umm, let me..let me"

"Pillock no, I am telling you I will be really bad if you do that" Vegas's warning sounded more like a friendly plea.

In their little struggle