Chapter 354 Understanding!

[A/N: Please read till the end before making any judgment ;) A bit of dark humor!  ]

Zed stepped out of the camp house and walked towards the other camp house where Launcelot and Carmen were resting. 

In the space between two camp houses, the servants of Sophia and a few acquaintances of Launcelot were closed to finish cooking dinner.

They didn't react to Zed's presence as they were not acquainted with him. Still, as a kind and friendly guy, he greeted them while strolling around.

They were impressed by his friendly attitude and greeted him in return. By this time, he was standing close to the cloth wall of the camp. Launcelot's room was just a step from his position. 

Zed only stayed for a moment and he swiftly threw the pills to the wall when no one was noticing. It was dark and no one would bother observing his every action.

The two cyan pills evaporated as soon as they touched the cloth wall...

In the meantime, Zed walked around the camp house. He even helped in placing the dinner plates. The retinues were happy with his helping attitude. He wasn't at all arrogant and acted as if he was one of them, much to their happiness.

Five minutes later.

Sophia, Aileen, Ashlyn, Jenina, and others walked out of the camp houses for dinner. 

"Where is Launcelot?" Jenina asked Onur. 

"He is his room with Carmen," Onur answered. 

"I will get him," Jenina felt she need to show caring to Launcelot.

"I should also go with you," Onur said.

Jenina nodded and they walked forward. As she proceeded towards his room, she heard noises.

"Huh?" 

Jenina has heard similar noises a few times in her life, and usually, she would be amused at such noises. But when she heard them now, she trembled. 

"No! This can't be right! I must be imagining!"

Jenina cleared her thoughts as she moved closer. She heard more sounds of thumping and violent breathing along with the sound of flesh hitting flesh.

In fact, the noises were getting so strong that even those in distance could hear. There was hardly a distance of thirty meters of the room from the dining arrangement, so the voices could easily travel at such a distance. 

"Oh yes! Faster!" Launcelot's loud voice rang out. 

"You like it rough, bitch?" Carmen's voice followed.

"Yes! AHHHH!" Launcelot's moan reverberated.

As soon as the males heard the voices, their faces fell, and goosebumps swept over their bodies. Such words spoken by a man to a man were no less than ants crawling up their bodies, making them palpitate.

The faces of females flushed red with warm blood.

"This... Don't tell me!"

No one dared believe what the sounds implied. 

Jenina refused to believe her thoughts. She parted the cloth door and gazed inside. As soon as she watched the scene inside, she felt her guts churning. 

"NO!"

Jenina collapsed on the ground. She rubbed her eyes and watched once again, but the scene remained the same. 

Jenina was sure Launcelot and Carmen would have noticed, but they didn't stop. In fact, their actions turned more intense.

She noticed her promised man with his eyes unfocused, glazed over from bliss.

Her stomach rolled in agony that no one could understand. Unable to handle it any longer, she threw up her lunch. 

Onur, who was beside her, shut his eyes tight. He has seen things inside, and he now wished he was blind. 

Onur considered himself as a proud straight man, and the sight of two men doing an undescribable act made his eyes almost bleed.

"Slap me!" Launcelot begged in an intensely passionate voice. 

Around ten minutes ago, the two cyan pills evaporated into medicinal vapors, and were inhaled by Launcelot and Carmen. Their hormones turned crazy as if they were injected with strong aphrodisiacs.

In seconds, they were huffing, wanting to vent up their enhanced libido.

They looked at each other, felt mutual attraction like opposite poles of a magnet, and without caring about anything, they began... 

Currently, their voices of passion were like sounds of horror.

Onur and other men felt a chill down their spines. 

A few of them were secretly happy despite the uneasiness they felt from the sounds. After all, there was competition between them, and now seeing Launcelot and Carmen running their reputation, they couldn't help but take joy. 

"He would lose Jenina!"

Many of them happily wondered. A hot girl was now back in the market!

Even females who didn't have a favorable relationship with Jenina smiled secretly. They had envied her ties with Launcelot, and now, learning he was a queer, they rejoiced.

Who wants to be associated with such a man, much less be in a relationship with him? The era has changed, and despite the acceptance of sexual deviance, people were still prejudiced against such acts.

The dinner was ready but no one was in the mood to eat.

Discussions broke out with everyone stating their views. The males added fire to the oil by saying how Launcelot shouldn't have hidden his sexual preference from Jenina. The females, on the other hand, wondered aloud she is lucky to have a man who likes in both ways!

"I have always known there was something between Launcelot and Carmen," A man named Hariol said. He didn't have favorable relationship with the two, so he further added, "I have seen them hanging out with each other and knew they were close, but never thought this close!"

"Same! Carmen said he was going to Launcelot's room to check his condition... Only now I know what he meant by checking!" Another man said. 

"Given the yearning and craving from their voices... I don't think this is their first time!"

"They have been separated after coming into the forest... meeting only now. So no wonder they couldn't keep their hands from each other!"

"Not hands but...!"

"Sssh!"

"They really hid their relationship," A female remarked. 

"Are they in love?" A female friend of Jenina wondered aloud.

Jenina's eyes turned misty and tears trailed off her face. Even in her worst nightmares,

"How could he do this?" Jenina was crying and yet, Launcelot was still lost in lust.

When she heard the discussion and the seemingly concerning remarks, her heart turned heavy.  She knew they were taunts and jabs, and she could imagine how her reputation would be ruined.

Not only was her heart broken, but she even has to face a cruel society. People who would love to see her go down... 

Her shoulders slumped down in despair and tears continued to drip down. Just as the hopelessness was about to engulf her, she heard a voice from behind. 

"Here," Zed's voice ringed in her heart. She turned around and noticed him handing her a tissue. 

Jenina secretly wondered if he was enjoying this. After all, just some hours ago, she has tried to insult Sophia which lead to his fight with Launcelot. 

Now, he was here to wipe her tears. 

His intentions couldn't be more obvious!

He was here to gloat!

"Please don't mind others," Zed said, his voice containing no malice. If anything, it was filled with concern and kindness.

This stunned her greatly. She took the tissue and wiped her tears.

Zed then stretched his hand for support and she took it to stand up. 

Just then, Launcelot's voice came out once again.

"Don't stop! Rougher!"

"He..." Jenina once again broke into tears. She was in a complete mess and her mascara started falling, covering her soft cheeks.

Seeing her emotional state, Zed couldn't help but take her into his arms for a hug. His heart ached to see her suffer like this for a man like Launcelot. That was not something he wanted.

"Everything would be fine," Zed patted on her back. "Don't overthink."

Some distance away, everyone was stunned. They were either busy taking pleasure in her plight or being silent spectators, and yet, Zed who has only met her today was consoling her.

Many of them noticed his face and they were shocked. His expression was that of concern and worry as he consoled her.

"But he and Carmen...they..." Jenina said between her sobs. 

"There is nothing wrong with what they are doing," Zed said much to her amazement. 

Before she could respond, he took out a handkerchief from his back pocket and cleaned her cheeks. He wiped the mascara marks along with her tears.

"Love is love... Just because our definition of love doesn't match with theirs, it doesn't mean we should look down on them," Zed explained with a smile.

"Instead of gloating or chiding those two, we should be understanding. Let them celebrate their love in ways they want; without being judgemental.

"Nature has made all types of people. Everyone is different and special... they are more special than others."

Jenina was startled and so were others.

She thought he would hate Launcelot given he has attacked him today. Everyone expected him to smash down Launcelot given the perfect opportunity, but instead, he was supporting Launcelot!

Out of everyone, he has the best reasons to hate Launcelot, and yet, he was the only one to support him!

"But he fooled me!" Jenina complained. She was happy that they never consummated their relationship as it was still fresh, but that didn't reduce the anger she was feeling at the betrayal. 

If he was a queer, he should have said from the start! Why break her heart by hiding it?!

"In our era, we are prejudiced as we look down on people with a special type of love," Zed replied, his voice soft. "It is due to us that they are always under pressure... we are responsible for suppressing their freedom to express!"

"?"

"Tell me, given their background, could they afford to tell their sexual preference to others?" Zed asked. 

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Indeed!

As they were from aristocrat families, Launcelot and Carmen were under performance pressure. If they revealed their strange sexuality, they would be obstructed and looked down upon. 

It wouldn't be shocking if the families snap ties with them. After all, such families have a reputation and status to honor.

How could they accept queers as their own?! They would be instantly disowned!!

"So please forgive those two," Zed brushed a strand of hair from Jenina's face. He tucked the hair behind her ear, and said, "Try to be a bit understanding...and if possible, forgiving."

She calmed down as she understood the pressure faced by those two. She has even heard about queers who forcefully entered into a relationship with the opposite gender just for social acceptance. 

There was no happiness for them but they pretend for appearance's sake. 

The onlookers agreed with him and acknowledged the pressure faced by Launcelot and Carmen.

"When they come out, to hide their embarrassment at being discovered, they would say they didn't know what happened...or that it was their first time or something along those lines," Zed said with a sigh. "But reassure them that it is fine. Tell them that you accept their love for what it is."

Everyone was stunned into silence. He was asking them to support, but this shocked them greatly. 

Not only was he supporting them, but he was also gaining the support of others for them!

"I would forgive him," Jenina wiped the final traces of tears. "I would also tell Launcelot that he can come out of the closet without any worries."

"Me as well," Onur also chimed in. "I would make them feel acceptable!"

He was ashamed of his behavior. He couldn't believe he was looking down on fellow humans just because they were different. 

Some distance away, Sophia was in silence. She recalled how Carmen tried to ask her out for dates multiple times, and yet, now she learned he was gay. 

"Mother once said people try to hide their real self by pretending to be what they are not! Carmen must be trying to act straight by asking me out!!"

Sophia's eyes brightened as she realized Carmen's truth.

She wasn't the judgemental type and she accepted Zed's lesson. She decided to be openly acceptive of Carmen's nature and reassure him that she wouldn't insult him! 

Aileen looked at Zed with respect. She knew he was kind, but never thought to such an extent with even those who were antagonistic towards him.

On a chair, Ashlyn was sitting, observing everything. She didn't know much about sexual relationships but she understood a bit after hearing the discussion.

Contemplating everything, she was sure if it was Kiba instead of Zed, he would have taken sadistic pleasure in Launcelot's plight. Kiba wouldn't have helped Launcelot in being accepted by society unlike Zed.

Ashlyn focused her eyes on Zed and thought, "He is truly kind!"

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