Tarquin stared at the glowing liquid that Geoff had presented him with. Fantasy was right beside him, looking over his shoulder, her eyes as wide as the moon itself. “Are you sure it will work?” Tarquin asked Geoff. He wanted the approval of a witch.

“I followed the instructions you so generously provided, your majesty.” He said.

“Good.” Tarquin wasn’t sure if it was. He handed the bowl to Fantasy. She should be the one who gives it to Val. “Will you do it?”

“I- Isn’t it… better if one of you do it? You lot are his brothers.” She stuttered, hiding her hands behind her back. “You should do it.”

“You do it.” Tarquin insisted. 

She looked unconvinced. “I don’t think I… deserve to.”

“Just go already! Don’t argue about it and just go!” Silas snapped. 

Tarquin watched Fantasy shot a glare before taking it. “I’ll do it, no need to yell.”

Max was already beside her, rolling his eyes as Silas. “Let’s go.”

--------

Lavinia sat beside Valentine, both excited and nervous. All the Auberjonis brothers were standing near the bed. They were fueling her nerves even more because they needed this spell potion to work than anyone else did. 

Valentine moved the glowing liquid in the bowl. “Are you sure this will work?”

Lavinia nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, I’m very sure.” She held Val’s hand. “Drink it, Val.” He drank it all in one big gulp.

At first, nothing happened. Lavinia felt her heat drop, she should have known she was going to be disappointed again- Suddenly Val curled over in pain. He tightly gripped her shoulders, grunting and screaming. Lavinia held on to him, slowly trying to guide him through the pain. She laid her hands on his, willing him to calm down to fight through the pain. 

All of this, Lavinia did naturally, as though she has done this a million times before.

But everyone else in the room and watched the magic shift. From Val to Lavinia. They were too surprised to even raise a voice at it. As Val slowly stopped panting, Lavinia realized she was the one panting and in pain.

There was a strange tightness in her chest, it made it hard to breathe or even think properly. But Lavinia saw her hands glowing so badly. The pain in her chest was suffocating her. Someone barely caught her as she fainted. 

--------

Val sat beside the bed as Fantasy slept. She had taken his pain onto herself as that damned potion made its way down his throat. It felt- the potion had felt alive. His mouth and throat still felt strange, as if he had swallowed a live bird. 

But the matter is still clear, Fantasy did have limited power. She had burned herself out when she had taken his power. 

The first time he had gotten out of bed after Max had carried Fantasy away, he had fallen face-first on the ground. His legs were still not used to his bodyweight again. He need help walking first. He was grateful that he could walk at all.

After Silas had helped him up, he had embraced him. Valentine missed being hugged by his brothers like this. Silas had taken him to Fantasy’s chambers after she was checked over by the healers.

How good it felt to walk and see other people again. The servants who had seen him were shocked, before bowing to him. Some crying, some laughing, or both. 

He felt like laughing and crying too. Tarquin had wanted to talk, but Val felt like he wasn’t ready yet. He also felt wrong about leaving Fantasy alone without ever thanking her. He knew all of them were informed all the courtiers right now of his recovery. 

After some time, Max came to join him. “How are you feeling?”

“Joyous, sad… I don’t really know.” Val replied. “I don’t know my own emotions right now.” He didn’t know if he deserved to live life again. His eyes welled with tears, he would get to live again, but Rosemary was still gone. He quietly let the tears fall.

Max came closer and wrapped an arm around him. “Hush, little brother. There was nothing we could do before. Nothing that could have been done, but now, we have a chance, don’t we?”

“We do,” Valentine said. “We will make Cythia regret the day she was born.”

“We will.”

---------------

When Lavinia woke up, she was greeted with pale light shining above her. It took her a movement to remember where she was. She sat up and regretted it immediately. A headache was already forming behind her eyes.

Neala rushed to her side. “My lady! Are you feeling better?”

“Yes.” Lavinia lied. “What about Val? Did it work? It worked, right?” She asked anxiously.

Neala smiled brightly, her pretty dimples appearing on her face. “His highness is going to join court today. Do you wish to see him in court? His Majesty has a special hidden place for you.”

Neala quickly dressed Lavinia in a beautiful crimson gown, paired with gold earrings and a pearl necklace and half dragged her to the audience hall. While the servants lining the halls averted their eyes from her, she could still feel their stares and hushed whispers.

Neala had taken her to a veranda jutting out at the top of the hall. The nobles and courtiers wouldn’t look up to where she was. This was the balcony where the queen usually sat. the queen observed court from the highest seat. There hadn’t been a queen in Jonis since their mother died, so no one would think about looking up here.

Lavinia put her hands on the railing and looked out into the fall decorated with tapestries and chandeliers. It was magnificent. At the center of it all was the much-lauded Tarquin. The other Auberjonis brothers fading into the distance so all of the attention was on Tarquin. 

The nobles and courtiers stood on the sides of the carpeted path to the throne. Excited whispers echoed between all of them. To Lavinia, who had never seen a royal court, it was amazing. Every little detail of it amazed her. In the midst of all of that, Max looked up and winked at her. Lavinia only raised her hand in greeting. 

Tarquin began speaking but Lavinia was too busy staring and noting the tiniest of details. The upholstered seat was made of pure gold, the semi-precious gemstones glowing, even in near-complete darkness. Had the place been taken by a queen, the gemstones would go to light up the whole balcony. 

“... And to celebrate the prince’s recovery, we will hold a feast! To thank all those who helped heal him.” Tarquin’s last sentence made her head snap towards him.

A feast? It must have been for Geoff. After all, he did all of the hard work. Lavinia merely knew the ingredients for the potion. Neala tapped on her elbow. “The king and the princes wish to talk to you.”