In the grand study of the Elijah estate, the atmosphere was tense. Elijah, a stern figure with a commanding presence, sat behind an ornate desk, his fingers tapping impatiently. Evreux and Elex stood before him, their expressions are serious.
Elijah leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "So, my sons, where is the Gabayan Prince? We've been searching for him for weeks, and there's still no sign."
Elex, shifting uncomfortably, spoke up. "We've been doing everything we can, Father. Even the forest has been thoroughly searched. There's no trace of him."
Elijah's patience was visibly wearing thin. "No trace? That's unacceptable. The Gabayan Prince must be found and eliminated. He's a threat to us and to the kingdom. Why haven't you located him yet?"
Evreux stepped forward. "Father, I understand your urgency, but I must speak up. I don't think we should eliminate the Gabayan Prince."
Elijah's eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about, Evreux? This is not the time for hesitation. He is a threat. He must be dealt with."
Evreux shook his head. "You don't understand father. The Gabayan Prince is innocent. His father committed the crime against our mother, not him. Killing him won't fix anything, it will only bring more trouble."
Elex glanced between his father and brother, clearly torn.
Elijah slammed his hand on the desk. "Enough with this nonsense! The Gabayan Prince's innocence doesn't change the fact that he's a danger. We can't afford to leave any loose ends. If he's allowed to live, he could become a future threat."
Evreux's expression hardened. "And if we kill him, what does that make us? We'd be no better than the criminals we despise. We should focus on finding a way to stop the violence, not adding to it."
Elijah's eyes blazed with anger. "Your idealism is misguided! This is about protecting the kingdom. If you can't do your duty, then I will find someone who will."
Elex took a step forward, trying to meddle. "Father, let's not be hasty. We need to consider all options before making such a decision."
Elijah's voice was cold. "There is no time for argument. The Gabayan Prince must be dealt with, and if you two cannot do it, I will handle it myself."
Evreux's face was set in a grim line. "Father, if you're determined to kill him, you'll have to do it without my help. I cannot be part of this."
Elijah's gaze was steely. "Very well. If you refuse to follow my orders, then you will face consequences."
" Father!"
Evreux stood firm, not backing down. "I know, my mother will understand me."
Elijah's eyes flashed with fury, but he remained silent for a moment, the tension in the room thickening. He stared at Evreux, who stood as still as a statue, his usual cold demeanor unshaken by the threat hanging in the air.
"You believe your mother would support such defiance?" Elijah's voice was dangerously calm, a sharp contrast to his anger. "She would never tolerate disobedience. Do not use her memory to justify your weakness."
Evreux's gaze remained steady, his tone flat. "It is not weakness to spare an innocent life. She would not want her sons to become killers out of blind revenge."
Elijah rose from his chair, his towering figure casting a long shadow over the room. "You are blinded by emotion, Evreux, whether you choose to admit it or not. This hesitation will cost us dearly."
Elex shifted again, his discomfort growing as he glanced at Evreux, sensing the clash escalating. "Father, please. Evreux has a point. There might be another way—"
"There is no other way," Elijah interrupted sharply. "This is not a discussion." His cold gaze shifted back to Evreux. "I've given you both your orders. You will either follow them or face the consequences."
Evreux's expression didn't waver, but his words cut through the silence. "I have already made my decision."
Elijah's jaw clenched, and for a moment, it seemed as if the tension would break into violence. But instead, he spoke with quiet fury. "Then leave. If you will not serve this family, you have no place here."
Without a word, Evreux turned on his heel and began to walk out of the room, his footsteps echoing against the stone floor. Just before reaching the door, he paused.
"I only hope, Father, that when you reflect on this day, you understand that killing him won't change the past. It will only create more enemies."
With that, he left, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud.
Elijah turned to Elex, his voice cold and final. "If your brother won't do his duty, I expect you will not follow in his footsteps."
Elex swallowed, nodding, though his face showed his internal struggle. "I understand, Father."
Elijah stared at Elex, his gaze sharp. "Then don't disappoint me, Elex. Find the Gabayan Prince and finish what your brother refuses to do."
Elex hesitated, his mind racing. "I will, Father, but…" He trailed off, his uncertainty clear.
"But what?" Elijah's voice was like ice.
Elex took a deep breath. "I don't think killing him is the answer either. I'll find him, but let's consider all options before deciding his fate."
Elijah's expression darkened, but he nodded stiffly. "Fine. But don't waste time, Elex. Bring me results. If you fail…" He let the threat hang in the air.
"I won't fail," Elex responded, though doubt lingered in his tone.
As Elex left the study, the weight of his father's command hung over him. Outside, he spotted Evreux standing in the shadows.
"I assume you heard everything," Elex said quietly.
Evreux gave a barely perceptible nod. "I did. You plan to follow him Brother?"
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Elex sighed. "But I won't kill him, Evreux. Not unless there's truly no other way."
Evreux's eyes were as cold as ever. "Then find him first."
" You know him?"
"....."
Elex blinked in surprise. "You're going to protect him?"
"....."
Elex frowned. "What are you planning, Evreux?"
"....."
Elex shook his head, uncertain whether to trust his brother "I hope you know what you're doing, Evreux."
"I always do." Evreux turned, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Elex alone with his thoughts.
In the hallway of the academy, students milled about, preparing for their classes. Evreux, his expression as cold and unreadable as ever, made his way through the crowd, heading towards his classroom.
As he turned a corner, he almost bumped into Severus, who was leaning against the wall, a mischievous glint in his eye. Severus looked up, clearly curious.
"Hey, Evreux," Severus said, grinning. "Where'd you disappear to after the library? I was expecting to see you around."
Evreux his gaze settling on Severus. "I had other matters to attend to."
Severus raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Other matters? Sounds mysterious. Did you get into trouble or something?"
Evreux's face remained impassive. "Just dealing with family issues. Nothing that concerns you."
Severus smirked, his curiosity piqued. "Family issues, huh? Sounds serious. Are you in trouble with your old man or something?"
Evreux's expression hardened slightly. "None of your business"
Severus didn't seem satisfied. "Come on, you can't leave me hanging like this. If you're in trouble, maybe I can help."
Evreux's eyes flickered with a rare hint of amusement. "You're quite the busybody who likes to have fun every single time, Severus."
Severus shrugged, unfazed. "Guilty as charged. So, are you coming to class, or do you have more 'family issues' to handle?"
Evreux glanced around, then nodded. "I suppose I should get to class."
As they walked together, Severus continued to prod. "You know, if you ever need to talk or something, I'm around. I might be annoying, but I'm good at keeping secrets."
Evreux managed a faint, acknowledging nod. "I'll keep that in mind."
With that, they entered the classroom
As the class started, Severus took a seat next to Evreux. He couldn't resist teasing him.
"So, what's the big secret? Did you have to fight off a dragon or just have a boring family meeting?" Severus asked, barely keeping the laughter out of his voice.
Evreux kept his attention on the teacher, his voice cool. "None of the above."
Severus leaned closer. "Are you sure? It sounds like you're hiding something epic."
Evreux shot him a sideways glance. "If I were hiding something, I wouldn't be talking about it."
Severus chuckled. "Fair point. But it's not fun if you don't share. Besides, you're like a locked diary. I'm curious what's inside."
Evreux's face remained neutral. "Curiosity can be a dangerous thing."
Severus's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Dangerous, huh? I'll take my chances. So, are you ever going to crack a smile or do you have to stick with your serious look all day?"
Evreux's expression didn't change. "I'm here to learn, not to entertain."
Severus leaned back in his chair, pretending to think. "Alright, but I bet if I told you a funny story, you'd have a hard time not smiling."
Evreux raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that?"
Severus grinned wider. "Because everyone has a sense of humor, even if they pretend they don't. And I'm pretty good at making people laugh."
Evreux's gaze remained steady. "We'll see."
Severus seemed to enjoy the challenge. "You know, I'm going to keep trying. One day, you'll crack. It'll be a victory for me."
Evreux sighed softly. "If you say so."
Severus's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I do say so. And just think, it'll be fun for me, and you'll get to practice not being so serious."
Evreux remained silent, focusing on the lesson as Severus continued to nudge him with lighthearted comments throughout the class. Despite his cold demeanor, Evreux couldn't completely ignore the persistence of Severus's teasing, and the corner of his mouth might have twitched slightly once or twice.
As the class progressed, Severus's teasing didn't let up. He nudged Evreux occasionally and whispered more playful comments.
"Hey, if you're going to be so serious all day, at least try to stay awake. We don't want you to be mistaken for a statue," Severus joked, barely containing a smirk.
Evreux kept his focus on the teacher, his expression unchanged. "I'm perfectly awake."
Severus snorted softly. "Sure, but I bet even a statue would crack under my relentless charm. How about this: if you don't smile by the end of the class, I'll perform a stand-up routine just for you."
Evreux's eyes flickered slightly. "I doubt you can make me smile."
Severus's grin widened. "That's the spirit! But don't worry, I'm not giving up. I have a whole arsenal of jokes. This is just the beginning."
Throughout the lesson, Severus continued his lighthearted barrage. He whispered jokes, made silly faces when the teacher wasn't looking, and even tried to make sound effects for some of the more mundane classroom activities.
When the teacher asked a question, Severus raised his hand and, with exaggerated seriousness, answered in a dramatic tone. "As the wise philosopher once said, 'The meaning of life is…' to make sure Evreux laughs today! HAHAHAHA"
Evreux's stoic facade wavered, and he shot Severus a brief, annoyed look. "Boring."
Severus leaned closer, whispering, "That's the idea. But don't worry, I promise to stop if you just give me a little smile. Deal?"
Evreux sighed, his eyes briefly meeting Severus's. "Deal."
Severus looked triumphant. "Perfect! Now, let's see if you can hold out till the end of class."
As the lesson continued, Severus kept up his antics, though he did manage to tone it down slightly. Evreux, despite his best efforts, found himself struggling to maintain his composure. He occasionally caught himself almost smiling, but he quickly masked it with his usual cool demeanor.
By the end of the class, as the students began to gather their things, Severus leaned over with a satisfied grin. "Looks like I'm one step closer to winning our little bet. How about that smile, Evreux?"
Evreux shook his head, a hint of reluctant amusement in his eyes. "You're impossible."
Severus beamed. "I'll take that as a victory. Maybe next time, I'll aim for a full-on laugh."
As they left the classroom, Severus's cheerful demeanor didn't falter, while Evreux's stoic facade seemed just a little less solid than before.
As the students filtered out of the classroom, one of Severus's classmates, a tall, boisterous boy named Adrian, approached him with an excited grin. Adrian had a reputation for always seeking out fun and mischief.
"Severus! You've got to come with us. I just bought some liquor, and we're heading to the old tavern. It's going to be a blast!"
Severus hesitated, casting a glance at Evreux, who was already gathering his books. The thought of breaking Eleonorin Palace Rule No. 6—drinking liquor—was risky, especially with Evreux around. The idea of getting caught and punished was not appealing, but the lure of the tavern and the excitement of the evening tempted him.
Adrian noticed Severus's hesitation. "Come on, Severus! It's just a bit of fun. You're not going to let a little rule ruin the night, are you?"
Severus glanced back at Evreux, who was now standing by the door, looking detached. A quick assessment told him that Evreux was too focused on his own matters to notice or intervene.
Severus bit his lip, wrestling with his thoughts. On one hand, the risk of punishment loomed large. On the other, the chance to join the fun with his friends was tempting. After a moment's hesitation, he made his decision.
"Alright, Adrian," Severus said with a grin, trying to appear casual. "I'm in. Just let me grab my things."
Adrian clapped him on the back, clearly pleased. "Great! Meet us at the old tavern in thirty minutes. It'll be worth it."
As Severus quickly gathered his belongings, he threw a final glance at Evreux, who was now heading out of the classroom. Severus made sure to keep his expression neutral, not wanting to give away his plans.
Evreux glanced back once, but his attention quickly shifted to the hallway. "Bye, Severus."
Severus nodded, managing a friendly smile. "See you, Evreux."
Once Evreux was out of sight, Severus hurried to meet Adrian and the others, his mind buzzing with a mix of excitement and anxiety. He was determined to enjoy the evening while hoping, fervently, that his choice wouldn't come back to haunt him.