Ernest and Matthias had been friends for a long time. He was familiar with Ernest's sexual situation, as was Sirius. Even during the minimum required a class on sex education a royal-like he had to take, he could not carry on because he became nauseated.
Not to mention whenever he was in the presence of women during a ball, they all flocked around him trying to push their bosom, ample or otherwise, against him while their coy expressions were beseeching, he ended up losing consciousness from fear.
Ernest nodded at the comment. But Matthias looked at him sternly, 'But, isn't it too much to make her so exhausted that she can't even see Princess Rosemary?'
'How do you…' know that? But it was useless to ask, Sirius would have told him.
Amber was unable to get up in the morning because he had been with her all night. She had not been able to teach Rosemary embroidery all week. Rosemary must have complained to Sirius. Matthias smiled smugly at a silent Ernest.
'I know it's because I told you about the letter.'
Ernest sighed and replied, 'It's not your fault.' (Zuben: It is yours.)
'That is correct.'
Ernest raised a brow at him. Matthias was his friend so, he could be impertinent. But it didn't mean that Ernest was not annoyed.
'While I don't think it was my fault, Amber' letter was a shock to me too!'
Eight days ago, Matthias had shown Ernest the letter. The moment he read it, Ernest turned dark before his eyes.
She had wanted Matthias to create an antidote for the love potion, and she had threatened to expose them if he didn't. She also wanted to move to the villa outside of town after Ernest was cured.
Seeing the letter, Ernest could only ask one question: Why? Why? Why did she want to leave him?
He fell into despair.
Then foolish Ernest realized; she had never told him she loved him.
He was already feeling guilty about deceiving her about the love potion and making her sign a marriage contract she could not easily get out of. He had gotten complacent, thinking that she felt the same because she gave him her body. He had gotten in a tangle the moment he realized that her heart could have not become his.
He had been stupid.
He smiled sadly.
Yet, despite this hopeless reality, he was filled with a desperate need to keep her bound to him any way he could. Even though he hated himself for making his beloved cry, he could not let her go. He was just forcing his love on her (Zuben: Why is it that at no point does he think telling her the truth would be a viable option?)
He was a terrible man. Even though others saw him as a wonderfully wise man; he was just a poor man starving for love.
'Matthias, what would you do if it were you?'
Matthias regarded Ernest for a moment before replying, 'Me? I would probably chain Letty's ankle to the bed.'
'Hey…!'
'I have to punish my cute pet for biting her master's hand, right?' Matthias said with a dark smile. Looking at Ernest's troubled face, he said to Ernest,
'But I don't think you can do that kind of thing.'
'I don't think most people can.'
'That's true. But are you going to give up on Amber?'
He was feeling guilty forcing himself on her so much, but he did not want her to escape him. He loved her so much. He remembered the dark joy he felt inside her and shook his head. Matthias shrugged.
'
Isn't it strange? You can't be around women, yet you gave your heart to Amber.'
He gave his heart to Amber.
Ernest still remembered the first time he saw her vividly…