Augustin knew this playful smile of Edgar, the brown curled man in front of him thought he tricked him but what a fool he must be to think he could trick a future King. Augustin started smiling too.

Edgar’s smile vanished and a painful grimace took its place. They young Earl knew he couldn’t lie to the prince but if he didn’t try, he would risk the young princess life. Now caressing Philomenas small face, just not looking at his old Love. Her skin was soft and slightly tinted showing that she was only part Nefarian. The young Earl saw the doubt already in her blueish- green eyes lighten up, when she is older and standing in front of a pond seeing that her skin wasn’t as light as the other children in her future kingdom. He strokes her face over again, silently wishing that she never had to go through such gruesome acts of thinking.

Augustin brought him with his almost loving tone out of his world of thinking. A little buzz went through the young Earls body and his head shot up to look straight into the now darkish blue of Augustin’s eyes. A painful smile graced his face, thinking back to the days these eyes belong only to him.

“I will see you in the rose garden. I think we both have to tell each other a lot.” I trusting expression lit up the Princes face. Giving Edgar the strength to nod in silence.

“And YOU!” He was pointing at the soldiers still standing around them, like nothing happened.

“If I see only one of you touch him or the Princess, I will behead you personally and in front of every realm that ever existed!” Augustin’s voice could bring every human on this earth to their knees. The burning strength behind his words, the way his gestures made his words even clearer and then the unintentional promise that he would protect Edgar. All this made the young Earl feel and think things he shouldn’t, but still did. With his eyes he followed the leaving Prince, till the one turned around, catching the young Earls gaze.

More than embarrassed the brown hair man started talking, only nonsense left his mouth.

“I think we have more than talking to do, iliaktida mou.” With a winning expression in his eyes Augustin turned to one of the maids, gesturing that she should take care of Philomena. With a nod and fast hands, the maid took the baby and left the chambers. Seconds later the soldiers followed the prince and an alchemist started to examine the late princess body.

Edgar still stood at the same spot Augustin left him. His burning cheeks and red face told everyone in the room what had happened just seconds ago.

The young Earl knew that his slip with their save word was more than not elegant. But who would know what ‘Apples’ means out of context if not the fruit? And he also didn’t know any other way to stop Augustin from throwing him into the dungeon and killing Philomena. But did the Prince had to call him by his love-making-nickname for that instance? The whole castle could have heard them and know a bunch of soldier knew the source of such screams of pleasure and joy came from.

With question marks all over his face and a last glance to the late Princess, Edgar finally left the chambers. Walking through the labyrinth of castle to finally get out to the rose garden.

He knew exactly where Augustin would wait for him and when he saw the golden hair in the midday sun, his heart started pounding faster.