The next morning, Severus walked through the palace hallway, still feeling the aftereffects of the previous night. Even with the pain, he tried to stay positive. The early light through the windows gave him a small hope.
As he turned a corner, he saw Evreux walking ahead, looking serious. Severus wanted to break the ice from last night so he put on a smile and greeted him.
"Morning, Evreux!" Severus said cheerfully.
Evreux, however, didn't even look his way. He kept walking, his gaze straight ahead. The coldness was clear.
Severus's smile faded a bit. He felt hurt by Evreux's clear ignoring but tried to stay upbeat.
"Guess you're in a hurry to give me single attention," Severus said, but Evreux's silence only made the hallway feel colder.
Without a word, Evreux kept walking, his face unchanged. Severus watched him go, feeling a mix of disappointment.
He sighed and walked on, trying to forget the encounter.
As Severus continued down the hallway, his mind occupied with the encounter with Evreux, he noticed a familiar figure approaching. It was one of the Eleonorin guards, holding a letter with the Zarek Kingdom's seal.
The guard walked directly to Severus, stopping a few steps away. "Severus, this letter is for you and your brother, Sixten," the guard said, handing the letter over. "It's from your father."
Severus took the letter with a mix of curiosity and concern. He knew their father was away, so receiving a letter like this was unusual. He carefully broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
To My Dearest Severus and Sixten,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to inform you that you and your brother, Sixten, have been chosen to represent the Zarek Kingdom in the upcoming dragon hunt organized by the Prialm Kingdom. This is a significant honor and opportunity for both of you.
Please prepare yourselves for the journey and the event. The details will follow soon, but I wanted to ensure you were informed as early as possible.
Though I am unable to be with you, know that I am proud of you both and have full confidence in your abilities.
Best regards,
Your Father
Severus read the letter aloud, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Looks like we're going to be representing Zarek Kingdom at the dragon hunt."
Sixten, who had just arrived, overheard and joined Severus. "Really? That's amazing! But… what about everything that happened recently?"
Severus glanced at him, "Pshh don't worry about that.
As they spoke, a servant approached with breakfast, setting down a tray of food. The siblings sat down to eat, discussing the upcoming dragon hunt.
"Do you think we're ready for this?" Sixten asked, taking a bite of his food.
Severus nodded, "We'll have to be. It's a chance to prove ourselves and make our father proud."
Severus couldn't wait to share the news. After breakfast, he set off to find Evreux, his excitement bubbling over. The idea of being part of a dragon hunt thrilled him, and despite the cold interaction earlier, he thought Evreux might be interested in hearing about it.
After some searching, he spotted Evreux again, walking down one of the palace corridors. His steps seemed off, as if he was favoring one leg.
"Evreux!" Severus called out, hurrying to catch up with him. "You won't believe it! Sixten and I are going to be in the dragon hunt for Zarek Kingdom. Can you imagine? I'll finally get to see real dragons!"
Evreux, however, didn't slow down or turn his head. He kept moving, his face still locked in that same cold expression. Severus's excitement wavered, but he tried again.
"Aren't you at least a little curious about what a dragon looks like?" Severus asked, walking beside him now. "Come on, you have to admit it's exciting!"
But Evreux stayed silent, his eyes fixed ahead, not giving Severus a single glance. His limp became more noticeable the longer Severus walked beside him, and the lack of response stung.
Severus's excitement started to fade into concern as he noticed Evreux's limp growing more pronounced. He frowned, glancing down at Evreux's leg.
"Evreux, you're limping," Severus said, his voice softer now. "What happened?"
Evreux still didn't respond, his gaze locked ahead as though Severus wasn't even there. But the limp was getting worse, and it was obvious to Severus that Evreux was in pain, even if he refused to show it.
Frustration mixed with worry as Severus stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "Alright, that's enough. You're not going to keep ignoring me when you're clearly hurting."
Evreux finally stopped, his eyes narrowing at Severus but still refusing to speak.
Severus, undeterred, folded his arms and looked at him seriously. "If you won't tell me what's wrong, then fine. But you're not walking around like this. I'm carrying you."
Evreux's expression tightened, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Severus was quicker. Without waiting for permission, he moved behind Evreux and scooped him up with surprising ease.
"Severus, put me down," Evreux said coldly, his tone sharp despite the fact he hadn't spoken a word before now.
"Nope," Severus replied, grinning. "You're hurt, and I'm not letting you keep walking around like this."
Evreux stiffened in Severus's arms, his face darkening with annoyance, but Severus could tell he wasn't going to struggle. "You're stubborn, you know that?"
Severus chuckled. "You're one to talk."
As he carried Evreux down the hallway, Severus's earlier excitement returned, though now mixed with a sense of victory. "See? If you just listened to me in the first place, we wouldn't have to do this the hard way. And hey, maybe while I carry you, you can finally tell me what you think about this dragon hunt."
Evreux remained silent, his expression icy, but Severus could swear he saw the faintest flicker of amusement in his eyes.
"I'll take that as a 'you're curious,'" Severus said with a grin, continuing down the hallway, determined to make sure Evreux got some rest.
As Severus carried Evreux down the hallway, he couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself for forcing Evreux to accept his help, even if it meant carrying him like this.
After a few moments of silence, Severus glanced down at Evreux's still stoic face. "So… are you going to represent Eleonorin Kingdom in the dragon hunt too?" he asked, trying to spark some conversation.
Evreux's expression didn't change. He kept his gaze ahead, his silence cold and deliberate.
"Come on, you're not going to say anything?" Severus nudged him, hoping for a reaction. "I mean, we're supposed to be the big dragon-hunting stars here. I figured you'd be a part of it."
Evreux's lips thinned, but still, he said nothing. It was clear that talking was the last thing he wanted to do.
Severus sighed dramatically. "You're impossible, you know that? Here I am, carrying you like some kind of hero, and you won't even answer a simple question."
Evreux's eyes flickered briefly with annoyance, but he still didn't respond.
Severus grinned, refusing to be discouraged. "Alright, fine, don't talk. But if you think I'm putting you down any time soon, you're mistaken."
They walked in silence again, the only sound being the soft echo of Severus's footsteps in the long corridor. Despite the lack of conversation, Severus could feel that Evreux was, at the very least, tolerating the situation.
As they neared the end of the hallway, Severus tried once more. "Okay, last chance. Are you going to join the dragon hunt or not?"
Evreux shifted slightly in Severus's arms, his voice low and cool as he finally muttered, "None of your business"
Severus blinked, surprised that Evreux had actually answered. "You're harsh "
Evreux's eyes narrowed, and the cold silence returned. Severus sighed, realizing that was all he was going to get out of him.
"Alright, alright, I get it. You're not in the mood," Severus said, giving up on pushing him any further.
Evreux's silence continued, and Severus, despite everything, couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. At least he got a word out of him, even if it wasn't much.