"You are being a baby, my love," Soteria groaned as he swung his mallet against the wooden ball. "I am concerned about the well being of my son! Any sane mother would be after there was an assassination attempt on him!" Noelle argued.
"It was not an assassination attempt. They were mere bandits looking for some gold and when they did not find any, they resorted to violence," Soteria explained casually.
"The crown prince needs to be protected!" "We have guards for that my love," Soteria swung his mallet again and watched the wooden ball roll into the hoop. "The guards are incompetent! They all got injured. What if Julian had not been fast enough to take the strike for Sorin?"
Soteria sighed. His wife was right in that regard. If Julian had not protected Sorin, his son's would have been lying in a terrible state on his bed. It was a sight he never wanted to see again.
But still, employing personal guards for him was too much.
"Noelle, I still think you are being dramatic. Personal guards for our son?" Soteria chuckled as he shook his head.
Noelle could not believe her ears. Dramatic? "Well if I am being dramatic, you are being nonchalant! And the latter is the worst!" Soteria rolled his eyes and groaned.
Tears gathered in her eyes and her voice came out shakily, "How can you be so nonchalant about your son?"
Soteria stopped his mallet halfway to the wooden ball. Is she crying? "My love, are you–" he turned and dropped his mallet. She was crying. Oh for heaven's sake.
She continued crying, "You do not care at all if your son lives or die, all you care about is the kingdom. I am quite sure if Sorin dies, you will take up another woman and bed her. Just know that if you do that, the kingdom will be in ruins! Sorin would make a perfect king and a better–"
Soteria enveloped her in his arms and gently patted her head. He internally rolled his eyes. Noelle knew his weakness was a woman's tears, and she used it to her advantage in situations like this.
"There there, my love," he consoled her and her crying turned to sniffles, "Does that mean we can employ personal guards?" she looked up at him, all teary-eyed and he felt weak in his knees.
This woman... He smiled and pecked her lips, "Whatever makes you happy, my love," he said and hugged her again.
Noelle smiled, feeling quite satisfied with herself.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Astra gently bit her fingernails as she watched Zori practice with his wooden sword, while Avriel watched from the sidelines.
He looked at her, "I shall let you know something, our abilities do not allow us to grow our nails faster, so if you chew everything off, it will take quite a while for your hands to be pretty again."
Without looking at him, she quipped, "I shall also let you know something, mind your bloody business!"
He smirked, "You have become pricklier than usual, lately." She did not reply him. He looked at Zori, then he looked at her and sighed, "If it is about the Sarissa, I apologize on his behalf. He is just trying to keep us safe."
This time around, she looked at him, "And what do you think keeps us unsafe? Thurtian! I do what he has always told me to; the Thurtianians are our enemies and I need to take revenge for my parents!"
"Perhaps you were a bit hasty..." he said gently and she scoffed, "Defend him all you want! I am clearly not at fault!"
She continued biting her nails, while he watched her.
Suddenly, Zori's wooden sword fell from his hand and then he slumped.
Astra rushed to his side, "Zori! Zori!" she shook him, trying to wake him up, but he wasn't moving.
She felt a part of her breaking. Zori was the only person that made her smile. Losing him would shatter her.
She looked up at Avriel, "What's wrong with him? He's not waking up!" Avriel reached out to touch her shoulder, but she turned back to Zori and saw blood coming out of one of his nostrils.
Her grey eyes widened in surprise. Blood? There was only one reason why blood would flow from someone's nose in Holeian. That person was being experimented on.
She knew it was bound to happen. Her grandfather was experimenting on all of them—Astra did not know why, but she had heard Cato mumbling about batteries—so she knew Zori would be experimented on, sooner or later.
Her only vexation, was that she was not informed. Was she not his guardian? Was she not meant to be informed?
"Did you know about this?" she asked Avriel, without sparing him a glance. He knew what she was talking about, and yes he had known, actually, everyone but her had known.
"Astra..." he began, his hand reaching out to touch her shoulder, but she glared at him, "Get away from me!" she screamed and the wind picked up and flung him to a tree, along with fallen, brown leaves and debris.
"Astra..." Avriel moaned in pain.
Astra gathered the little boy in her arms and gently raised him up, then she ran to the infirmary.
After she had dropped Zori and the infirmary and had made sure he was alright, she marched to see her grandfather, no, the Sarissa.
When she got to his room, he was penning something down. "Why did you not inform me that Zori has begun the experiments?" Astra asked calmly, but she was far from calm.
Cato ignored her and continued writing. Astra pushed her tongue against her cheek and chuckled lowly, as she bent her head. She raised her head and walked towards Cato who was writing on his table, then she pushed all his papers and stationery down.
She slammed her hand on his table and glared at him, "Why did you not inform me that you had begun experimenting on Zori?" she seethed.
Cato sighed and dropped the pen he was holding, then he slowly turned to her, "This is why I did not want to tell you. You are easily influenced by your emotions!" he got up and walked away from his desk.
"You made me the boy's guardian!" she screamed at him and he snapped his head at her, "I made you responsible for the boy!" he yelled back, "You were the one who brought him! I did not give any orders about bringing any survivors. My orders were; Kill every single soul in that household! You had compassion!"
He sighed and his voice lowered almost to a whisper, "You had compassion...for a Thurtianian. The same people who had killed her parents."
All fight left Astra as she remembered how Cato had described her parents gruesome death to her, when she was just a child.
Cato smirked. It was just too easy. All he had to do was remind her about the history he had made up, and she was completely under his control.
Astra clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, "Regardless...Zori did not kill my father, nor my mother. The people we should be going after are the royal family! We are killing innocent families on the outskirts of Thurtian! Why?!"
She got really close to his face and raised her eyes to meet his.
Cato's eyes widened in fear. Astra's eyes now reminded him of Isander's own when he had just escaped from Dune, carrying his lover's corpse.
Though Cato had been the one to give Isander his abilities, he was scared of him. He was just good at hiding it. But now, looking at the girl in front of him, with the same eyes—just different colours—made his hands shake.
Astra smirked on seeing his fear, "Are you perhaps scared of the king of Thurtian?"
Soteria, Cato thought and remembered the battle between Thurtian and Oculus. He shuddered at the thought.
"So you are all bark and no bite?" Astra asked and moved away from him. "I shall let you know that I alone can take out their army. With Avriel and our soldiers, the kingdom will be at our feet."
She walked towards the door, "So do something to harm the main culprits, because I will not be taking my soldiers to kill innocent families anymore! Oh, and one more thing..." she turned around to look at him, "I will be present when you perform experiments on Zori," then she was gone.
Cato released a breath he did not know he was holding. With a shaky hand, he held his other shaky hand. What was this? Fear? Impossible! He was afraid of the little girl he had once killed? It sounded like a joke to him, but yet it was the truth.
He pushed down the feast which was laid for him on the table, angrily. The plates clanged noisily to the ground as the food spluttered all the over the carpet.
What was it she had said to him? Do something to harm the main culprits? Was that an order? Was she ordering him around?
He pushed down a vase and memories of how Isander had ordered him around, came to him. He was the one that was meant to give orders, and not take them.
"How dare she?!" he huffed.
This time around, he was going to make sure he was the one on top of Thurtian and the Monterey's.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sorin walked down the hall thinking about the grey-eyed lady. He had not seen her face, but yet, he was so sure she was Astraea. But if it was her, why would she attack him?
Was it because she had not recognized him? He had not changed much though. He still had his golden brown hair, green eyes, his olive skin had gotten a bit darker, but that was not enough change for her not to recognize him. Sure he has gotten a lot taller than they last saw each other, but he was still the same.
So why had she attacked him?
"Ugh!" he groaned as he held his head. He could not think of a reason as to why she would attack him and the soldiers.
He raised his head and saw Noelan walking in his direction, with his head in the book in his hands.
He stood in front of his brother, obstructing his path. Noelan lowered his book and looked up at his older brother, "I am quite sure that you saw me walking this way," "Yes I did!" Sorin smiled.
Since he had left for Guire, his brother had not spoken or even spared him a glance, even after he had returned, his brother was still indifferent towards him. He had not even checked up on him after what had happened with the masked lady. So he was happy that Noelan had said something to him, even though he was not happy.
On seeing that Sorin was not ready to move, Noelan passed by him and continued reading, but Sorin held him back, "Wait, Noelan!"
Noelan brushed Sorin's hand off his shoulder, "What is it?" he asked and Sorin looked at him, then at the book he was reading; it was one of the books he had brought from Guire.
He grinned, "I see you have taken a liking to the books I had brought for you all the way from Guire." Noelan looked at the book and nodded. Although he was angry with his older brother, he could not deny the fact that Sorin had brought good books.
"They are alright," Noelan acknowledged and closed the book, "If that is all, I will be on my way," he said and turned to go, but Sorin held him again.
Sorin removed his hand from Noelan's shoulder, "Apologies..." he chuckled nervously. He wanted to say something to his brother. He wanted to ask why he was keeping his distance from him. Had he perhaps done something wrong?
"Did I do anything to you Noelan?" Sorin finally asked and Noelan remembered Bithia in Sorin's arms.
He smiled broadly, "Why would you ask that?" Sorin nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, you have not spoken to me for a while now. I feel you are avoiding me. Are you perhaps upset with me over something I did unknowingly?"
Upset? Yes, he was upset that Bithia was crying in his older brother arms. His older brother who was always seen as the better one, despite what he did. Sorin could burn down a whole forest and yet his parents, especially his mother, would find a way to make it seem like it was not his fault.
Sorin also got what Noelan wanted. There was a time, when they were children, Sorin's wooden horse had gotten broken because he was rocking it recklessly. His mother had given him Noelan's wooden horse, promising Noelan that she would get the toymaker to make a better horse, a silver horse for him.
That day, as Noelan had watched his older brother sit on his wooden horse, rocking it back and forth, tears had welled up in his eyes. He did not want a better horse nor a silver horse, he wanted his wooden horse.
That day that he had seen Bithia and Sorin holding each other tightly, he had felt the same way he had felt about the wooden horse.
He was jealous of his brother and he felt inferior, which was why he picked up hobbies his brother did not do, like reading and gardening, just so his parents could notice him.
Noelan smirked, "Do I have to be upset with you to avoid you?" Sorin blinked and chuckled, "Why else would you avoid me?" he asked, trying to reason with his brother.
"Did I do anything to you when you stayed in art room, avoiding me and everyone else?" Noelan retorted and Sorin was too stunned to speak.
"I...um...that was different," was all he could say. Noelan threw his head back in laughter, then he looked at his brother, "It is the same thing, brother. You did not do anything to upset, I simply do not want to see you. Now, excuse me," he said and walked away, while Sorin stared at him.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Noelan kicked a stone and watched it land next to an apple cart. He sighed as he watched the dark-haired twins in front of him, buy apples from the seller.
His day had been going great; he had started a new book, soiled one of his brother's paintings with fertilizer he had gotten from the garden—as revenge for taking his wooden horse, years ago(Also, for being with Bithia)—trimmed the rose bushes and had felt better about himself. He was just about to take a nap to make his day perfect, when his mother had told him that she had invited Elysia for tea, and that she would like for them to go on a nice stroll through the market.
Noelle had meant for it to be a romantic stroll where Noelan would talk to Elysia and buy her gifts, to show that he was benevolent, but Elysia had brought her twin brother along, so now, it was just them conversing.
Although Noelan was grateful for Elysium saving him and his twin sister from an awkward stroll, he was not pleased that he was walking behind them like their servant, without having anyone to talk to. He was not pleased that he was a spare tyre.
"Noelan!" someone besides him called and he turned and saw her, then he felt a rock in his heart. Guilt.
Bithia smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling with delight. "I have not heard from you for a while now. What have you been doing up in that palace?"
He tried not to look at her, "Miss Oprah, I have a life outside your shenanigans." Bithia was surprised. Noelan had addressed her so formally.
"Miss Oprah? Why are you calling me that?" she asked and Elysia turned her head and saw Bithia, "Oh hello, Forget-me-nots," she smiled and her brother rolled his eyes, "Her name is Bithia, Ellie," he said and took a bite out of his apple.
Bithia forced her eyes from Noelan and looked at the twins, "How do you do?" she smiled, "The three of you are on a stroll together?"
Elysia looked at Elysium then at Bithia, "The three...of us?" she gestured to the three of them. But we just met you now? she thought and Noelan slipped his hand into her bag of apples and took one, "Yes! We are on a stroll together," he said after a bite.
Elysium handed Bithia an apple, "You are welcome to join us," he offered with a smile. Bithia smiled and took it, then she looked at Noelan, "Shall we?" she asked sweetly and the four of them continued walking; two at the front, and two at the back. Both pairs had reasonable distance between each other.
Noelan groaned internally. He did not want to be around Bithia, after what he had done. He had done it out of anger and...
"Why did you call me Miss Oprah? You never do that?" Bithia asked, breaking into his thoughts. "Perhaps I want a change, Miss Oprah," he replied without looking at her.
Bithia grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. He gulped nervously. That afternoon, she was wearing a lavender frock which had white sleeves, and a black laced-up bodice. The bodice had pushed up her breasts and he found himself staring at her cleavage.
He had never looked at Bithia that way, so he was obviously flustered. He looked away from her, hoping no one would notice his flushed face.
"Why are you not looking at me when you speak?" she asked. "You are a midget. I find it tiring to look down all the time," he replied and she scoffed.
Midget? She turned his head to face her then she stood on her toes, getting close to his face. "Well now you do not have to look down!"
She was so close to him that he was sure she could hear his heart beating fast. Her perfume was overwhelming his senses, and her breasts were almost touching his chest. He needed to get out of there.
"I..." he staggered back and tripped over a stone, which made him lose his balance, making him fall to the ground.
"Noelan!" Bithia screamed as a horse squealed. The horse had almost stepped on the young prince, fortunately, the rider had been quick to steady the horse.
Bithia rushed to Noelan and inspected him for bruises, on finding none, she turned to the rider, "Can you not be more careful? This is a market place!" she chided.
The rider doffed the hood on her head, "I was peacefully riding, he was the one who fell in my path."
Grey eyes with amusement bore into blue eyes with anger.
"Liar! With the way your horse squealed, your riding speed is quite obvious!" Bithia seethed, but Noelan held her shoulder, "I am alright, Bithia."
Bithia? The name seemed familiar to the rider, but she could not tell why.
The rider glanced at the shaken up twins beside Bithia and she smiled. She knew her stay in the capital would be worthwhile.
"I would have loved to continue this...banter, but I have pressing matters to attend to. See you...Bithia," she smirked and kicked her horse.
The horse and the other horses behind her rode away, leaving a trail of dust behind.
Bithia kept on staring at the horses as they rode away, and all she could think of, were the rider's eyes; grey like the clouds before rain. They were oddly similar to that of the Viscount of Damodar's.