Xanxier sat up properly and checked the foot of the candelabrum, he removed the piece of clothing that got stucked to it. It was dark brown in colour with poker dot of black. It was a cheap material, he opened his locker and dumped it in it.
He could still remember the hazy figure of someone struggling with her cloth as her long braided dark hair fell out of her helmet, he doesnt understand why she brought the antidote with her. He had felt something sharp and bitter on his tongue forcing all his senses to wake up. He could swore she gave him something but what baffled him was why she brought the antidote when she was supposed to kill him. Who was she?
He was actually feeling alot better, he should have asked Daminas to bring the report on the Kingdom.
His ears picked out some ruckus and it grew louder and louder coming towards his chamber. He turned to the entrance now regretting his decision of not installing a door leading to his room.
"Get out of my way!" He heard someone yelled and Vane came to view as two guards suddenly blocked his way.
"Lord Vane his Majesty is resting you will have to visit in the day." Kale said behind him.
Xanxier spotted Vane and he almost couldn't recognised him with the beards and mustache. What was he doing in Autumnshell after five years. When did he arrive.
Xanxier's eyes widen as he recalled the conversations he heard when he was unconsious. He heard Daminas talking to someone now it seems that person was Vane.
"Let my brother come in." Xanxier told the guards, they bowed but Kale still lingered at the door way beside the lantern.
"You are awake." Vane turned to glare at Kale. Xanxier almost chuckles at Kale protective stance.
"You can go Kale." Xanxier dismissed him but still Kale was reluctant to go. Xanxier knows he wasn't going to be resting anytime soon. It was dead in the night but they all looked so energetic.
"Your Majesty, Lord Vane." He bowed and shot a weary look at Vane before leaving.
"Can you hear that, they refers me to as a Lord now, a Lord." He places emphasis on the last word as he shook out his sleeves clearly annoyed before taking his sit on the chair few feet from Xanxier.
Vane had always acted spoilt, while Xanxier was being drilled in government affairs and war tactics, Vane had always been bullheaded and being neglected by their father he developed some sick behaviours which involved killing Xanxier's doves and he would demand people to start and end their sentences by 'Your Highness' and when Xanxier started using his veil Vane left with their mother to train as the heir of Trenor's house.
"When did you arrive?" Xanxier spoke softly ignoring his complaint.
"This evening, I brought gifts." He said proudly as he straightened his back like he was sitting at the highest table.
"It is I Laile." A servant called out before stepping through the entrance with two others holding bowls which steams could be seen excaping from them. "Your Majesty, your Highness." She bowed.
"Your Majesty, your Highness." The other servants said before moving to the bathroom clearly to fill the bathtub.
Xanxier could see how Vane looked so pleased with how they addressed him, his eyes glinted mischievously as it tailed them, he almost stretched his neck till they disappeared into the closet. Xanxier knew his brother had not change with his act of womanizing.
Vane turned to see Xanxier watching him, he coughed to masked his embarrassing.
"Why are you here?" Xanxier decided to go straight to the point.
Vane looked hurt. "Why do you and Daminas have to be so suspicious of me if you suspect someone it should be Daminas, he was the one here when you fell unconsious." He shook out his sleeve making Xanxier wondered why Vane had to wear cloths with large sleeves.
"You shouldn't speak bad about my guide Vane." Xanxier warned him.
"The harvest at the Trenor's farm was very good this year so I decided to check on you and to share a potion with you since you are also the son of Trenor's house." Vane watched him trying to catch a little change in his expression just like how he predicated Xanxier doesn't looked pleased with his explanation.
Xanxier eyes tinted with a layer of red, he closed his eyes as he tried to control bursting out in anger at his insensitive brother. "I will hold a feast tomorrow to welcome you." Xanxier opened his eyes to see Vane staring at him.
"A quick recovery." He mumbled not intending Xanxier to hear but he heard him.
"Whats with the excessive beards and the mustache." Xanxier had to ask.
"To show I am matured." Vane said like Xanxier just asked the stupidest question ever.
Xanxier noticed how supercilous Vane had been acting, he refused to acknowledge him as the King and how he sat on the chair like he was the king while Xanxier was only a subordinate. Vane even made himself looked older than him and had been acting rude since he barged into the room in the dead of the night not considering if he was decent enough to see him or if he was resting.
"It is I Daminas." Daminas walked in and gave Vane a quick disapproving look. He was carrying a tray containing a four plates covered and a jar. "I prepared it personally your Majesty and the physician gave me the pill you will take tonight after your meal." He placed the tray on the table.
Xanxier noticed how far he placed it from where Vane was sitting as he stood near it like he was protecting the meal.
"Uh." Vane grunted since Daminas didn't acknowledge him.
The servants walked out. "The bath is ready your Majesty."
"Leave." Xanxier waved them off his eyes shifted from Daminas to Vane.
"Your Majesty." The servants bowed before leaving and like someone compelled Vane watched them.
"They won't help you with your bath?" Vane grumbled as Daminas glared at him. "I heard they have rounded up the suspects and even some spies of your neighboring Kingdom." He short a dissaproving look at Xanxier like he was silently judging him of his incompetence to manage Autumnshell.
"Vane you have to not bother yourself with Autumnshell, I need to rest." Xanxier told him.
Vane stood up. "Fine." He walked out in a hurry. They did not have to tell Xanxier Vane hurried off to chase those servants.
Daminas eyes widen at how rude Vane was, he quickly turned to see Xanxier was looking at him.
"Speak Daminas."
"Forgive me your Majesty but I don't trust Lord Vane, he showed up when you were unconsious after five years and he even knows about the suspects rounded up and even the spies too." He tried not to speak too bad about the King's brother since he knows better than getting Xanxier angry, he never questioned Xanxier's judgement since there was always a reason behind every action but since Xanxier decided to ignore Vane's rude behavior it only pointed to Vane having some privileges above him.
"Stay while I take take my bath."
Xanxier walked into his bathroom and quickly undressed. He stepped into the bathtub and couldn't help but relaxed at the warmth that spread through his body as he sat down and leaned backward, he closed his eyes and lowers his head till the water flushed over his face, relieved he surfaced again and opened his eyes.
He wiped his face with hand as his thought drifted back to the woman that saved him. He wondered if she was part of the suspects they rounded up. He quickly finished washing up and tied a towel round his waist.
"Daminas!"
"Your Majesty." Daminas rushed in and quickly looked away to avoid looking at Xanxier's face.
"Bring the reports on all the suspects rounded up and the spies, I need to know why those spies are here and also a detailed report from Duren since it seems the minister of Justice have been slacking off only to take action when I fell into a vegetative state." Xanxier took a towel to dry his hair.
"Actually about the spies they seems to have some certain drug in their body that seems lethal if they don't take an antidote and I found out they died except one." Daminas fell on his knees. "Lord Duren just reported to me when I was making your meal and I told him to wait till dawn before bringing the report to you your Majesty.. Forgive me your Majesty for my incompetence."
"Bring the report about the suspects and about the spies, leave it on the table also if you knee one more time today I will cut off your legs."
"Your Majesty." Daminas said as he rose to his feet.
Xanxier noticed how tired Daminas looked and he spotted the dark circles under his eyes. "Just leave for tonight."
"Your Majesty"
"Leave and don't let me catch you in my study or meeting room or anywhere near my quarters, have a good sleep and if you can't sleep let Bezel give you one of his sleeping potion or pill." Xanxier told him.
"You are very kind your Majesty." Daminas bowed before leaving.
Xanxier took a deep breath knowing it would surely be a long night.