“I have to get out of here,” Izik whispered to himself as he pressed himself to the door. He looked left and right; his mind jumbled to decide what to do next. Izik heard some loud whispers from within , and his heart pounded. Before he knew it, Izik heard some rustling inside the room, and the door handle started to rattle.

  "Izik," Jon's voice crept from the room. "I know it is you." The rattling of the door stopped. "Let us talk so I can explain myself to you.

  Izik gulped and thought about what to do next. Not only was he supposed to gain the goodwill of the family for a marriage he did not want, but he was also in the middle of House Beel's very, very dirty laundry. Should he let the family know about this affair? Should he extort Jon Beel into cancelling the wedding but leveraging a business connection, rendering the marriage useless. Izik thoughts spun round and round in how he could play this out.

  Izik opened the door, and the old man Jon with ruffled hair and wrinkled nightclothes walked out with his head down.

  "I know how this seems to you, but let me explain…" Jon said quietly, his eyes targeting everything except for Izik's eyes.

  The door opened again moments later and Asteth emerged, looking as if she just finished dinner. Izik was baffled at the speed in which she organized herself. She locked eyes with Izik for a brief moment as she walked away, as if passing by the two.

  Jon took Izik to his study, where books that seemed untouched for ages and paintings that are different of those around the castle. If memory served Izik well, it seemed entirely different than the rest of the castle; It seemed interesting. Jon offered Izik a seat and a wine in order to explain his ordeal. Not once has he locked eyes with Izik. That is, until he drank an entire bottle's worth of wine.

  "How do you like this room?" Jon hiccupped. "It was my father's study, unchanged since. I've told my father to change it as a young’un and he beat me for it." He swayed as he surveyed the place. "I keep it as a reminder of what an arse my dad was…"

  Izik had his eyes fixed on a painting of two kids standing side by side. It resembled the one the maid held. "Who are those in the painting?" He pointed at it.

  "That one?" Jon poured some wine into his glass. "That's me and Hump when we were young. Even though he is just a servant, my father always took a liking to him." Jon then burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Did you know his name wasn't even Hump? I had him change it."

  How low can this old man get, Izik thought as he sighed heavily.

  "Listen to me, Izik." Jon's reddish head swayed. "I cannot deny what you've witnessed with Asteth. I am ashamed of what I have done." He gulped a glass of red wine. "But I am a man, I have needs!" He hiccupped. "I am sure you understand, my boy."

  There was no denying it, Izik thought with a fake smile drawn on his face, this man is scum. "I'd love to say I understand," Izik paused for a moment. "But your own daughter-in-law?"

  "Only the gods can judge me, son," Jon smiled. "In the olden days, the head of the tribe would have more than one woman to call his own! Even in the Center Eastern land of Sennet employ a harem for their king!" He laughed.

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  "What about your wife?" Izik asked. "Your son?"

  "She can't do nothing." He mumbled as he swayed. "I am the head of the house, and she doesn't need to know everything." He somehow retreated himself and became smaller. "She is already intruding on my business along with Ruber…" He grumbled. "That kid only has business on his mind. He barely even looks at his own wife and she's a spitting image of the Goddess Emilyn herself… No sense of priorities."

  Izik stayed silent; he felt a lump stuck in his throat. Disgusting, he groaned inwardly.

  "Hey, between you and me, I wouldn't be bothered if you took a mistress when you marry Azeri." He smiled. "We are men; we are always hungry." He winked at Izik.

  Izik stood up abruptly. "You should consider your options for what happened tonight." He spoke down on the Lord of House Beel. He forced his mouth shut before he said anything too rash. "Have a good night, my lord." He stormed out of the room."

  Izik gritted his teeth and still felt that lump in his throat. "You have to do something about this." He mumbled to himself. "But what?" He slowed his pace as he rubbed his chin. He did not believe that there was any good way to resolve this; someone will get hurt by this. Who would be affected? How would Bon feel? Ruber? Azeri? Izali. This would also ruin the arrangement, which Izik wanted but could not do. He had enough troubles with his father as is.

  Izik sighed and thought of one way to do it: write a note anonymously. He needed to get a pen and paper from the study, but Jon is in there. Izik went back to the study quietly and leaned into the door to see the insides of the room. Jon was sitting at the desk with his face on a stack of paper, snoring with the bottle of wine glued to his hand. Izik tip-toed across the chamber and searched for the pen and paper.

  The floors creaked as Jon croaked. He slid his hand to the paper and grabbed one from the middle of the stack. He pulled it for a lifetime, Izik felt, as Jon snored louder with each pull. Izik pulled faster and pulled the other stacks of paper, making Jon fall and bang his head on the floor.

  Izik gasped as silently as he could and leaned to see what happened to the drunken old man. After a brief moment, the snoring continued. Izik took a pen from the desk and wrote a simple sentence:

  "The Lord of House Beel is having an affair."

  Izik quickly tip-toed out of the study. The note was folded and had "To Lady Izali Beel" written on it. Izik groaned when he remembered that the hallways were a labyrinth to him. However, a smiling Hump appeared in front of him as Izik sighed with relief.

  "Can I help you, my lord?" Hump rubbed his hands together, his bald head reflected light like the moon itself.

  Shiny, Izik thought for a brief moment. "Can you help me deliver this letter to Lady Beel? It needs to be sent anonymously."

  The smile faded from Hump's face. "Is something the matter, my lord?"

  "No," Izik cleared his throat. "It is information my father, the king, wanted to pass to his old friend." Izik chuckled nervously.

  "I see." Hump smiled again as he extended his hand. "I will deliver it to my lady's door instantly."

  Izik placed the folded note to Hump, and watched the bald man walk away. "Wait." Izik called.

  "Hmm?" Hump turned his head.

  "What was your name?" Izik asked. "Before Lord Beel changed it?"

  "I am Hump," he smiled. "As the Lord of this House wishes it." He started walking away.

  Izik later dropped down when he remembered that he does not know where his bedchamber was.

  After what felt like ages of searching for his bedchamber, a servant assisted Izik to reach his room.

  "What long day…" He dropped on the bed. He knew he was not going to sleep well, but he still needed whatever rest he could get. As he closed his eyes, his mind wandered to any other reality it could go to. Something sweet this time, Izik thought. He always liked imagining he was a goose flying in formation with his fellow geese. The freedom of flight and having no restraint.

  "Resting, are we?" One of the other geese told him.

  Wait. Geese can't talk, Izik thought. His eyes opened and his mind returned to reality. He surveyed the room and a silhouette hanged from the window. Izik lit the lamp, next to the bed, and the fiery hair flowed. It was Azeri.

  "Come along with me, prince." Azer smirked. "I have a proposal."