"Canton" Tristian said.
"Sir" Canton replied mechanically.
"Tell me what you see."
"A Merlot." He said coldly, his empty eyes glued on the Merlot tied down to a chair, his mouth taped and his wide eyes terrified.
"That's right. And what do we do to Merlots?" King Alastair spoke up this time.
"Kill, enslave or torture them." Canton said coolly.
"Exactly. But this one is useless. Kill it." His father's voice was stiff.
The guy tried to scream but the tape was preventing him from doing so.
The tears were streaming down his face uncontrollably.
Canton took his gun out and pulled the trigger without a second thought, his expression indifferent.
He turned to look at Tristian and his father.
They were both smirking widely.
"How did you feel when you pulled the trigger?" Tristian asked.
"I felt nothing, sir." Dry.
Tristian wrote something down on his notebook, the smirk never leaving his face.
"And when you saw him crying?"
"I felt nothing, sir."
"Finally!" Alastair beamed. He turned to look at Tristian. "Valder, we might have had our differences considering your previous ...relationship.. with my son but I must admit that you did a wonderful job on fixing him."
Tristian bowed his head. "Thank you, your highness."
"I'm heading back to the meeting. You should accompany your prince to the rest of the castle. Guide him. Especially around that certain group of people. I'm sure you understand" he was looking at Tristian intensely.
"Leave it all to me, king Alastair."
Alastair nodded. He threw a brief glance at his son and then left the lab in a hurry.
Tristian looked at Canton who was looking back at him, the glassy green of his eyes screaming apathy.
"What's my name, Canton?"
"Tristian Valder, scientist."
"Just my name." Tristian demanded.
"Your name is Tristian Valder, sir"
Tristian sighed. "Just call me Tristian from now on, okay?"
"Yes, Tristian."
"We need to bring a part of your consciousness back and you need to help me do so, do you understand?"
"I do not understand."
Tristian started biting at his bottom lip nervously, his gaze stuck on Canton.
"Canton. Do you remember anything about me?"
"Tristian Valder, scientist."
"Damn it. Hey. Look at me." Tristian said sounding a bit worried.
"I am already looking at you, Tristian."
Tristian quickly checked his surroundings before he redirected his attention to Canton. "You and I are in a relationship." He said and gently placed his hands against Canton's cheeks. "We are secretly engaged and we are about to get married. You are in love with me."
"I do not understand."
Tristian took a deep breath.
He then leaned in and locked his lips with Canton's.
He started caressing at his cheeks, trying very hard to make him feel something.
Canton wasn't moving. He stood incredibly still.
Tristian pulled a bit away in despair.
"What was that." Canton asked.
"That was a kiss. I kissed you and you should kiss me back. Follow my lead, baby."
Canton kept looking at him in silence.
"Just close your eyes and do what I do, okay?"
"Okay, Tristian"
"And you don't have to repeat my name every single time." Tristian pointed out, a bit frustrated.
Canton blinked. "Okay."
Tristian leaned in again and this time he grabbed Canton's hands and placed them around his waist, wrapping his own around Canton's neck.
He kept kissing his lips until Canton decided to do the same.
Following his moves, the prince immediately caught on.
Suddenly Canton pushed Tristian away and let an inaudible gasp out.
"What? Did you remember anything? Did you feel something?
"I do not recognize ..this"
"What's 'this'? What do you mean."
"My heart started beating faster than normal, against my will. What is this?"
Tristian smirked a bit relieved. "That is good, Canton. That means you felt something."
"I am confused." Canton said.
Tristian placed his palm against Canton's heart.
Canton was staring at Tristian, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Tristian pulled his hand away. "Come on. Let's go for a walk. You need to get out of this lab."
Canton nodded, numbly.
They started heading upstairs until they reached the main hall of the castle.
They were both walking towards the front door when Elvina stopped them.
"Canton! Oh my god"
Canton turned towards the voice, his face neutral.
Elvina was already tearing up when she run into his arms and pulled him into a tight hug.
Canton immediately pushed her away.
"Slave. Threat." He pulled his gun out of his robotic arm and aimed it at her, his movements mechanical and his expression blank.
Elvina's eyes widened and she froze dead on her spot.
"Canton no, don't do that." Tristian threatened the moment Canton was about to bury a bullet on her heart.
"She's a slave and she tried to attack me."
Canton's empty gaze was fixed on his sister.
A now sad tear escaped Elvina's eye and rolled down her cheek, her fists clenched. "Canton.." she whispered, too shocked by what was about to happen just a few seconds ago and the cold look on Canton's face.
She then turned to look at Tristian, anger taking over her.
"You worthless piece of shit, what did you do to my brother?" One of her knives were already on her hand as she was taking mean steps towards Tristian.
ERROT
I felt a few liquid drops falling on my face.
Is it raining.
Wait.
Where am I.
I frowned when another drop landed on my forehead.
I blinked and then opened my eyes as slowly as I could.
They locked with Canton's.
Who was above my head, throwing the few remaining drops of his bourbon on my face.
"Morning."
I shot up from the couch, all the sleepiness getting washed away in seconds.
My eyes widened. "Were you just pouring alcohol on my face?"
"It was time to wake up. We are leaving." Canton said indifferently.
"Is this how you usually wake people up in the morning?"
Canton just shrugged. He looks tired.
I blinked again.
And then realisation hit me.
"Wait." I frowned.
He glanced at me. "Hm?"
"How did I wake up on the couch when I clearly remember falling asleep on the grass? Am I imagining things? Oh my god, am I going crazy?"
"Good morning." Amara smiled while approaching us.
She was holding a bag of clothes on her hand.
"King Canton" her smile widened and she took a small bow, careful to avoid his gaze as much as possible.
"Amara." Canton nodded, his face blank.
I'm now officially more confused than I already was.
Did he just call her by her name?
A name that he..remembers?
"Did you know that your Merlot friend here can actually cook incredible spaghetti meatballs with bourbon as the main ingredient?" Canton asked me while pointing at Amara.
"She can..?"
"Yeah, maybe you can learn something from her. Your cooking skills are as bad as your IQ score."
"Seriously now, what happened while I was asleep?"
The amount of times I've been freaking out the last couple days is getting out of hand.
I need to get a grip of myself.
Canton ignored me. "If the next thing you'll cook for me isn't bourbon meatballs, I don't want it."
I can't really tell if he's joking or not.
He always talks with a poker face on so it's really hard for me to know if he's just playing with me.
But on the other hand, I don't think he would ever joke about his bourbon.
It literally feels like I'm insulting someone he loves every time I talk bad about it.
I just shook my head and decided to just let it drop.
"Your highness, we should go." Amara said.
Canton nodded coldly.
He looked at me and I got up from the couch, taking my time while yawning a bit.
Canton rolled his eyes and grabbed me by the hair.
He started dragging me out.
I kept flinching and trying to stop him.
"It hurts, ah it hurts!"
Only when we were out of the house and towards the shore, he finally let go of my hair.
I started rubbing at my head in slight pain.
I threw him a side glare but decided not to comment on it.
And he might have smirked just a bit in my expense.
♛♛♛
This boat is massive.
Massive.
I don't know what I had in mind before seeing it but it definitely wasn't..that.
Amara was leading the way while Canton and I were quietly following her steps.
We walked inside the boat and was immediately greeted by a Teal lady this time.
The girl bowed. "Hello everyone! Grettings king Canton. Welcome on board. My name is Nora and I'm gonna be your assistant for today. I'm always available for your service, any time you need me. We are about to start the trip so let me guide you to your cabin."
Amara and I smiled at Nora while Canton simply nodded.
We started walking through the corridors when we finally reached our dorm.
Nora opened the door with a key and let us in. "Here we are!" She gave the key to Canton. "You can leave the room anytime you want. There is a restaurant at the back of the boat so if you feel hungry you can drop by or call me for room service. We also offer a mini lobby at the front and an outdoors deck if you'd like to get some fresh air. There are refreshments inside the fridge and we can always replace them during the day if something is consumed."
Canton sighed and laid down on one of the bunk beds.
I turned to the girls. "Thank you. We appreciate it."
"No problem! Estimated time arrival about eight thirty am tomorrow! Enjoy the trip." Nora beamed and Amara just smiled.
But she wasn't looking at me.
Her gaze was fixed on Canton.
I smiled back at them and closed the door behind us.
My smile immediately fell.
I looked at Canton with a frown on my face. "Did you make Amara fall in love with you?"
"I don't understand what you mean."
"At this point, she barely acknowledges my presence whenever you're around. She just can't stop looking at you. Have you noticed how she keeps smiling at you?" I crossed my arms against my chest and kept staring at him.
"Errot, why are you acting like a jealous boyfriend right now?"
"What?" I raised an eyebrow. "Jealo- why would I be jealous?"
"I don't know, why would you?" He looked at me.
"I'm not sure why you would even think that. First of all, she's like sixty five."
He nodded at me. "Aha. Right. I should find someone my age. You know, who isn't so excessively old." Canton said, his face indifferent.
"Yeah, she's off limits."
"And you are in a relationship with Adan."
I let my arms fall on my sides again and I started chewing at the inside of my cheeks. "And I'm in a relationship with Adan."
"And you're just my slave."
"And I'm just your slave."
"And you hate me."
"And I- I..-"
Canton kept looking at me, intensely.
I gulped. "I...I don't really...hate you." I mumbled.
"Why? What have I done wrong?" He said sounding slightly desparate.
I frowned. "Wrong?"
"Can't you just keep on hating me?"
I blinked at what I was hearing.
"Wait, cause my brain isn't functioning well"
Canton scoffed. "You don't say." he mumbled.
I decided to ignore the comment. "I hated you to death and now that I don't, you want me to go back to that?"
"Genius."
"But why?"
I'm dumfounded.
This feels so surreal to me.
Canton sighed. "I don't want to tell you." He mumbled coldly.
I couldn't help but laugh at that.
Canton turned to look at me like I was an alien invading his land.
I laughed more at the expression on his face.
Canton exhaled and waited for me to stop.
"Okay, okay I'm sorry." I pressed my lips into a thin line so I could turn serious again. "I'm just- it felt like I was having a conversation with a ten year old".
"Says you."
I frowned. "You use this type of jokes so much that you're slowly convincing everyone that I'm stupid."
"You should embrace your flaws."
"But I'm not stupid!"
"That's what a stupid person would say" Canton said calmly.
I glared at him proving that he is not the only person that can glare at others.
He glanced at me. "hate me yet?"
"No. I won't start hating you again just so I can get into your nerves."
Canton started rubbing at his forehead in frustration.
"Stings, right?"
"Shut up, little Merlot."
"You're actually quite fun to hang out with" I said and sat on the bed next to him.
Canton stopped rubbing at his face and slowly removed his hand to look at me.
He blinked at me, expression unreadable as always. "For the last time, we are not hanging out. I'm your king. Your king. Do you know what that means?"
"You're not really helping me understand lately"
Canton sat up on the bed at that. "want me to? Cause it's really easy. I should just let go of my control. The control I'm trying so hard to hold on to."
I shut up at that.
Not because I got scared.
His threats aren't getting to me anymore.
But it must be so incredibly exhausting to try to control yourself so you won't hurt someone.
Especially when you're fighting against dark spells like curses.
It must have taken years for him to master this ability, never mind holding on to it.
I don't blame him for losing it sometimes.
I really don't.
And who knows what the third curse is.
He is not sleeping either.
He's barely eating.
He just..drinks.
I'm not really sure what will happen now that he lost his only chance on freedom.
All I know, is that I wouldn't want to be in his place.
I looked at him and decided to change the subject.
"Did you move me to the couch?"
"Do you remember me moving you to the couch?"
"No?"
"why ask, then?"
"Cause I definitely don't know how to teleport myself places and Amara is sixty five."
Canton clicked his tongue at that. "What's your problem?" He was furrowing his eyebrows.
"I'm just saying, she can't just lift me up and move me." I raised my voice just a bit. I then paused. "That would be creepy too"
Canton rolled his eyes.
"So, there's only one person left." I looked at him.
"Have you ever sleepwalked?" Canton asked curiously.
I felt a smirk forming on my lips. "It's kinda cute".
"What's cute" he said through gritted teeth.
"The fact that you don't want to admit it."
"You're pissing me off, Merlot." He said coldly.
"Admit it" I pushed.
He took a deep breath, his fist clenched on his side and his eyebrows still furrowed.
"Yes or no?"
His leg started moving nervously.
"Yes?"
Silence.
"No?"
"Yes, alright? Yes." He said as coolly as he could.
My smirk widened.
And it then turned into a smile that I couldn't wipe off my face.
"What are you smiling about?" Canton asked annoyed.
"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it" I said and kept smiling.
Canton started drumming his fingers against the bed.
It seemed that something was on his mind.
But he didn't say anything else.
I waited.
And waited.
But it was eating me alive for some reason and I just couldn't get it out of my head.
So I asked.
"But seriously now." I started.
Canton groaned out loud.
I continued, a small frown on my face. "What happened during the night? Did you guys become friends or something? She's a Merlot. You don't have Merlot friends. You hate Merlots. Also, just because she can cook, it doesn't mean that she's generally great. Something's off about her."
"I never said we became friends. She's just a..not so awful company when you can't sleep."
"You should have just woken me up."
Canton looked at me with the slightest of fear on his eyes. "Merlot, what the fuck is wrong with you today?"
I looked away from him and rolled my eyes. "Nothing's wrong with me, I just don't like her."
"Don't roll your eyes at me, grandson." Canton mumbled.
"I'm not your grandson." I mumbled back.
"Your words, not mine".
I glanced at him again. "I overreacted, okay? I didn't mean it, I was trying to tease you." I snapped at him.
I feel flustered.
Slightly upset.
Annoyed, even.
I think the events of the last few days have really taken a toll on me.
I don't even know why I'm being like this.
Canton wasn't talking, he was just staring at me, unmoving and expressionless. It felt like he was studying me.
I need some air.
"Can I leave for a few minutes?"
He tore his gaze away from me. "Don't be late." He simply ordered.
I gave him a nod, even though I know he never saw it and stormed out of the room.
No one's POV
"Amara" Nora said while they walked inside Amara's cabin.
Amara hopped on her bed and looked at Nora.
She gave her a wide knowing smirk.
Nora smirked back at her.
"Dude, I almost lost it when I saw you and that boy in the same room."
Amara's face turned serious.
It turned serious as her shoulders got wider, her posture straighter, her wrinkled skin smoother, her long hair shorter and her voice deeper.
Pointed ears replaced her human ones.
Amber replaced blue.
Nora nodded, amused. "Yup, that's more like it, Tris. I actually missed your guts"
"Yeah, I missed your guts as well, if you know what I mean" Tristian smirked evily.
"Your honesty is disgusting."
"You'll get over it." He shrugged.
"How was your Saturday with those two guys? Must have been eventful."
"Well, I saw my ex fiance after so many years and officially met my doppelgänger. I'm not sure if eventful is the right word."
"If you want my opinion on the matter, both your and Canton's taste in men is on point."
Tristian rolled his eyes amused.
Nora sat on the bed next to Tristian.
"How do you feel now that you saw him again?"
Tristian took a deep breath before he started talking.
ODA
The night found Elvina and I walking though the backyard of the castle, hands intertwined.
It was the same backyard we started the training lessons at.
And the same backyard I got beaten up at.
I glanced at her, ready to playfully blame her for the bruises on my body when I noticed her troubled expression.
I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Hm?" She said, her eyes lost on something that wasn't me.
I stopped walking. "Did something happen? Did you...regret it?"
Elvina turned to look at me. "No, I didn't regret the kiss."
She said but she still held that unsure gaze.
I freed my hand from hers. "We didn't actually talk about it.." I looked down. "I'm sorry, we can just forget I ever told you anything and move on with our lives." I felt my cheeks getting heated up from the embarassment.
"Oda." She paused. "I didn't regret kissing you. But on the other hand, I don't know if I can offer you what you desire."
There it is.
Now I feel way worse.
How could I do that.
Why didn't I keep my mouth shut.
This is not like me.
This is not like me, at all.
And of course she would say something like this back.
She will never want what I want.
It's not possible for an Ink like her to like someone like me.
To want to start anything with me.
And I knew that but still chose to make a fool out of myself.
"It's okay." My face is red and my eyes are stuck on the ground.
"Oda."
"No, I get it." I threw a brief glance at her and attempted a small smile. "It's not like I'm in love with you or something."
Elvina was just staring at me while sporting a serious expression on her face.
"That sounded bad. But you know what I mean. I didn't want to sound rude or like you are not..you know..." Small pause. "you know. But I'm not. In love with you. I wanna go now." I blurted out as fast as I could and made my way towards the entrance and therefore our room, ignoring the fact that she called my name, once.
Just once.
♛