Xion fumbled into his bag, his fingers brushed against a vial. He pulled it out, only to realize it was the painkillers.
Ignoring the fruity smell wafting out of his bag, he almost buried his head inside before finally pulling out the small glass bottle. Opening the cork, he tilted it, and a small pill fell into his palm.
Throwing the now-closed bottle back into the bag, he rushed over to Rael. "Eat the breakfast first, then take this pill."
Xion looked at the pancakes he had made earlier and wondered if he should go back and cook a simple porridge.
But Darius did not give him much time to think. His movements were unhurried yet effortlessly graceful.
Each piece of pancake was cut with precision, and each bite was taken with the utmost care as if he were performing for an invisible audience.
Even if he was covered with a fluffy duvet, that did not deter his inherent elegance.
Xion slid into his chair, his gaze fixed on Rael. He knew it was rude to stare, but there was something mesmerizing about the way the silver-haired boy moved, as if the world bent to his rhythm.
Damn it, how am I supposed to eat now? What if I accidentally spill something? Or worse, what if I forget to put the food in my mouth and somehow end up smearing it on my face?
Lucky for him, a knight in shining armor came to save him from the nervousness of eating with a literal celebrity.
"Your Grace, Allen is here. If you permit, he would like to examine you."
Ray waited patiently as Darius finished another slow, meticulous bite before giving a small nod.
Wearing his hood back, Xion silently scooted his chair a bit far from the table. Glad that there was something to distract Darius from his messy eating though it was not messy in the first place.
Allen, as Ray had said, was the healer specially trained to serve Darius.
The moment Xion saw a cold-faced healer entering the tent, something clicked in his mind. Wasn't this the guy helping Berry that day?
The tall healer with a slim build had soft brown hair and sunset-orange eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the dim light. Yes, he had seen this guy when he healed Berry for the last time.
As Xion took a peek at the male who was even taller than Ray, Allen too was secretly observing him.
He bowed gracefully before kneeling beside Darius, offering his palm. Darius placed his hand lightly atop Allen's without a word.
Xion tried to focus on his food but could not stop himself from sneaking peeks at the flickering tendrils of yellow mana that shimmered faintly between the two hands.
"You need to rest, your Grace. And sleep. A proper sleep or your body will deteriorate faster," A low husky voice echoed and Xion gulped his food subconsciously.
Damn, he sounds hot! Do you have to look nice while also sound nice? Where is the justice here?
Suppressing a huff, Xion took another bite of his meal, more aggressively than necessary.
"Is the bed not to your liking, Your Grace?" Ray asked cautiously. "Or shall we consult someone who specializes in sleeplessness?"
Darius shook his head in denial.
Xion silently listened to the conversation between Ray, Allen and the sick child while eating his breakfast. Though it was more of Ray and Allen speaking and Darius humming once in a while.
It made Xion wonder if Rael was in a bad mood. But then again, he was sick so he wouldn't be in a mood to chatter around.
Nodding to himself, he took a sip from the cup. The warm, sweet and sour soup slipped past his throat, and he hummed lightly in satisfaction.
That slight noise made three pairs of eyes turn to him in unison. Ray's blue eyes screamed You absolute idiot which Xion chose to ignore.
Xion could not tell if Allen was too stunned by the mana deficit in Rael's body or if he was too hungry that he kept looking at his face and then at his cup.
And then there was Rael, his silver brows slightly raised, his pale face faintly amused. Why though? Xion wondered while taking another sip.
"Do you want some too?" Xion blurted, holding up the ceramic cup.
Allen, apparently caught off guard, nearly toppled over from his kneeling position. It was only Ray's swift reflexes that kept him from faceplanting into the floor.
"Out," Darius ordered softly. A single word and tent went back to its previous silence.
The Archduke tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze making Xion sit straighter in his chair.
"Look, if you keep staring at me like that, it will make me uncomfortable," Xion spoke as he crossed his arms. "And it is never a good idea to make your healer uncomfortable. Because an uncomfortable healer might make you not so comfortable."
A loud crash echoed outside the tent, and Xion was sure it was Allen and Ray. How the trained knight and such a handsome man kept losing balance was beyond Xion.
Darius chuckled. A low laugh made his pale face light up with a red hue. "I see," his smile widened. "My healer."
Xion blinked to get rid of the fuzzy feeling crawling in his brain. "T-that pill. Take it," he added after a brief pause, "Your Grace."
As if adding the title at the end would erase his bluntness just now. It was almost comical how Xion kept staring at the boy until he ate the medicine.
Xion grinned like a drunk fool, "Good job," Xion said with a grin, reaching out to pat Darius's silver hair as if he were a grumpy child. "I'll give you candy-"
The last word barely left his lips before his vision blurred, and darkness overtook him. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious, leaving startled Darius staring at him with wide eyes.
"Ray!" A loud shout from the Archduke sent nearly everyone on the sight into a frenzy.
Black Box - Outside the tent...
Horrified, Allen lost his balance, "H-he... Did he just threaten His Grace?"
Ray pinched the bridge of his nose, "He did."
Allen hastily got up from the ground, "Is he mad?"
"No. I think he is a witch."
Allen was even more confused, "A witch? How is he still alive?"
"Yes," Ray exhaled a long, suffering sigh, "An idiotically lucky witch. But a witch, nonetheless."