Chapter Eight

O  P  E  N  I  N  G    A  C  T : TABLE OF SINNERS

P  O  U  T : BONDS OF A FAMILY

“Come OOOon Luella, I want to make sure the gift is perfect.”

Mercedes was anxious. She never got to meet him, not even after her birthday. A lot has happened since then. 

Dad said he was sick. Is he still sick?

“Please.”

She would need to wear a mask if he was still sick. 

“Enough.” 

Luella bit out. 

Mercedes immediately settled. It was hard to talk to Lue these days and today seemed to be no different. Luella slammed her hand on the vanity, startling her maid. 

“First Mother with that incompetent brother of mine, now Father with his little half-breed.”

Mercedes fiddled with her cup of tea. Mother has been more focused on her brother since his crowning. Axel was the Crown Prince now, Luella just barely missing the mark to be Crown Princess. Axel just happened to have more political power than any of them.

“Axel, with his damn academy friends-”

Mercedes looked out the window. Lue’s garden was always green. Lue was an ivory sort of girl. She loved green as much as the King. 

“-oming of him. Mother won’t even look my way after Axel won over a majority of the Houses-”

Luella started biting her nails. Her maid worried at her side. Not much to do but wait out Luella’s fit. 

“Then Father showed up with some pink abomination.”

Mercedes frowned. Her words were a bit harsh.

“With that nasty ashy pink hair and those bicolored eyes-”

Bicolor?.. Is she talking about Osiris’s heterochromia?

Osiris was an odd child. He looked nothing like their Father, or her Mother, which was a fair assumption since her Father never gave any signs about liking… pink hair. The only thing that was of their Father’s was that single green eye. The shape of his face, his lashes, hair, everything was different.

The only reason she did not question it was because her Father said so. 

Her sister and older brothers’ on the other hand…

Mercedes looked at Lue as she put her elbows down on her vanity and sighed. 

“Mother is worried the boy is after the crown.”

Mercedes was shocked.

“Mother? But how-”

“Mother and Father are both hiding something, and it sounds like it has to do with the him.”

Lue sat up. Her hair was a bit disheveled. 

“Father kept that boy a secret for years.”

Luella paused. 

“Well a secret from us for years. Mother has known about him since day one.”

Luella scowled. 

“Whatever they compromised on, Mother is worried about it.”

“But-”

“Enough. Go finish getting ready.”

Mercedes felt a bit hurt, but did what she was told. As she was about to walk out the door her sister left one last parting message. 

“The boy has dirty blood. Don’t get too close to him.”

U  N  J  U  S  T : BONDS OF A FAMILY

Prince Zayd was irritated. 

“I really don’t see why we all have to be there. I’m sure the boy would be happy with just Father, and maybe Mercedes, if she’s up to it.”

The Third Prince, Darwin, did not respond. He rarely responded and that always irked Zayd. 

“Will you stop trying to tie the stupid thing yourself.”

Zayd looked at a maid and flicked his finger Darwin’s way. The maid scurried forward and Darwin looked unimpressed. 

“It’s just one dinner.”

“One turns into two then three.”

Zayd began to pace. 

“I don’t get it. Dad was mad at the kid not even a few months ago for ruining Mercedes birthday-”

“He didn’t ruin the party.”

“Well kissing another boy while dad was busy is just...”

Darwin glanced towards Zayd before looking back at the maid who was fixing his mess. He really thought he had it this time. 

“We don’t even know if it was an accident.”

“Who accidentally kisses boys?”

Darwin stayed quiet. 

“I don’t think dad punished him enough actually.”

“He was locked up in prison, how was that not enough?”

Zayd paused.

“I thought he was grounded?”

“By grounded you mean solitary confinement, then yes. He was ‘grounded’.”

Zayd’s face pinched. 

“Where did you hear that from?”

Darwin was standing with his arms held out like a cross before he paused to think. 

“Around?”

Zayd seethed. 

“I’m serious.”

Darwin looked out the window. The sun was going to set soon. 

“Leave and go get ready.”

Zayd rolled his eyes. 

“I’m already ready, YOU need to hurry up. There’s only an hour left before dinner.”

And the sun began to set. 

B  E  L  O  N  G : BONDS OF A FAMILY

“Everything is fine, Mother.”

Queen Claudia sat with a fan in her hand, eyes running over Axel’s suite with a pinched face. Axel sighed. 

“About the affair-”

“If only it was just an affair.” The Queen whispered. 

Axel sighed. He had known about Osiris for a few years now, leaving him the only one his mother could talk to. 

“Father’s affair-”

The Queen scowled. 

“Has been going on since you two were in school, right?”

“Will you stop calling it an affair?”

“Is that not what happens when a man beds another woman when he is married?” 

The Queen rolled her eyes. 

“Enough.”

Axel shook his head as he held still for the maids to pamper his coat. His Mother and Father’s relationship has always been shaky. Always fighting, bickering, screaming, controlling… 

Axel let the women spray him down. It was a bit much. 

“That’s enough.”

The maids all left. 

Axel turned back and forth in front of the mirror. He felt silly, but catching a glimpse of his Mother’s face made him smile. They were becoming rare these days. 

“You look like your Father when he was younger! And my brother as well!” 

Claudia laughed. Axel hummed in reply. Claudia watched her son, her beautiful prince. Then she remembered why they were dressing up. 

The air became rancid. 

“Let’s go.”

B  E  L  O  V  E  D : BONDS OF A FAMILY

Mikael sat alone with a beautifully set up display of foods, drinks, and wines. All of the plates were made to be soft, filling, and delicate enough for a healing body. The food smelled great. 

Mikael fiddled with his set.  

More food arrived. 

Lazily the King cast Detect over the new arrivals. It was always better to be safe about poisons. Finally the food was set and the Queen and Crown Prince were the first to arrive. 

“Announcing the arrival of The Queen Claudia De Lux and Crown Prince Axel Von Lux.”

“Punctual as always.” 

Claudia walked up to the King and kissed his cheek. It was more air than skin, but who could tell? She sat beside the King, right where she belongs, where she’s always belonged. 

Mikael couldn't help but sigh. He always wished he wasn’t born the first son. Images of pink hair and silver eyes running with him through a river bed came to mind. She was so powerful the mana around her lit up a trail as she walked. 

She was vibrant. 

“So when does this son of yours arrive?”

The King raised a brow. 

“Hopefully after everyone else arrives.”

The Queen scoffed. She knew the little cretin was running late. 

‘Complications have arisen-’

‘Deal with it.’

Claudia looked around the table. Effort. She could see the King’s effort across the entire table. There was love, and thought, and-

“Announcing the arrival of Prince Zayd Von Lux and Prince Darwin Von Lux.”

In the two came, shoulder to shoulder, as close as always. Claudia’s heart warmed. Her smile was even softer than before, Axel noted. 

Then again…

His Mother has always favored Darwin over them all. 

Axel looked at the King. Even he was not a favorite amongst the two. Axel’s chest ached. 

“When is this thing going to be over?”

It was Zayd, it was always Zayd. 

“It ends when it ends, Zayd.”

The King long ago learned not to be bothered by that boy’s mouth. Mikael waved him off to the Queen. 

“Hush. It’s just a dinner-”

“Just a dinner?”

The Queen slightly faltered. 

The King’s voice was serious. Everyone in the room paused to look at the King. 

“Announcing the arrival of Princess Luella Von Lux and Princess Mercedes Von Lux.”

Unease. 

Luella’s smile strained as they entered the room. 

How the hell is the mood already this sour. 

Mercedes stepped behind Luella, face half hidden with a small plated mask. She didn’t want to get sick. 

“Luella, Mercedes, how are my two beautiful girls?” 

Luella took the hint. 

“Mercedes wanted to bring a gift.”

The air immediately lightened. 

“A gift?”

The Queen stared at Mikael. 

She then looked at the door. Her stomach dropped. She has known this man since they were children. The more protective he is about something, the nastier his temper becomes.  

If that boy has even a scratch on him the repercussions are going to be catastrophic. 

She had miscalculated. 

Claudia scowled, face still looking towards the door. The King was too busy talking with Mercedes about the gift to notice. 

But the other children did. 

Claudia wanted to bite her nails. She had assumed the King would forget about that boy, like he had done before. It was one thing to keep your own flesh and blood in prison for a day or two, or ten, or a few weeks, but months? 

Claudia schooled her face. 

She had told her men to run that boy near death. 

She was hoping to beat obedience into him before he reached the age of ten. 

She had moved too soon. 

Claudia straightened up her posture. There was going to be a lot of blood tonight. 

Luella and Axel could not read their Mother’s face this time around as it went through an array of emotions within the span of a second. Anxiety tickled the backs of their necks. Darwin sat at the end of the table, eyes focused on the bread. It looked warm. 

The Family sat in a brief silence as Mikael looked over the gift. It was a small little green diamond cross. The King smiled. 

Conversation picked up after that. 

The children started to banter and rant, each about their day, what they were doing, who was right and who was wrong. The same song, different day. 

Mikael wondered if Osiris would one day join them. 

Wistful thinking for a wistful man.

Then the door opened.