Ch.2.3 (Orilis)

Breakfast was of course a war zone, Aliv and Zedian went at it straight away.

According to Zedian, Aliv had been researching forbidden poisons with the royal apothecary. According to Aliv, Zedian had been smuggling weapons to start a cue. Ah, that first one was actually me and Liv. Whoops, we’d have to take far more precautions in future excursions although considering my position as spymaster I was expected to research such things occasionally. 

Still better safe than sorry. Especially when it came to Liv’s safety, I could get away with arson and be quietly handled and banished, Liv on the other hand being a commoner by bloodline would be burned at the stake. I could not afford to take any risks surrounding things I didn't have the power to control…yet. 

My brother's angry voices melted together as I focused my vision on the ceiling, mentally tracing the intricate designs carved into the stone. I leaned back in my chair not bothering to touch the food in front of me. 

They were all the same. In the end Aliv would get Calv to back his claim and Zedian would get Xi to back his and apparently this time he had roped the royal apothecary… I wondered what Zedian had done to get the royal apothecary to back his accusation up. There wouldn't even be solid evidence for either of their bullshit claims. How ridiculous. 

Who exactly do they think they're fooling? Besides father, that is.

Then again, considering how father is the pinnacle of stupid and favors the two of them for the throne that wouldn't surprise me. The third oldest, Lorcs, muttered something about needing to be at the courtyard for an inspection of some sort and excused himself quietly. As captain of the twelfth legion, Lorcs had little to no interest in the throne and made it quite clear he wouldn't partake in his older brother's feud. 

I turned in my seat to watch Lorcs exit, out of all of us Lorcs was the least manipulative, if at all capable of a deceptive thought. A true rarity in court, I thought, glancing back at my selfish, very much heartless siblings. Granted I was no exception but I knew how to appear as otherwise.

Though I could not say the same for the rest of us. Surveying the cat fight unfolding before me made me wonder why in hell's name I should be afraid of these buffoons but of course as life goes, I was given a sharp reminder as Xi, the fourth eldest, caught my fading smile.

"What's with the smile Orilis? Do you think this is funny?" Xi said coldly, icy black eyes narrowing as he took in my plain attire and unnervingly calm face.

"No, I was just thinking of who I should call to entertain me tonight," I said in a bored tone.

Xi turned away in disgust.

I was used to this, the constant critiquing of myself as a whole and the need to see past my perfect disguise. All my brothers, save for Lorcs, gave me this scrutinizing attitude. I was the perfect son, great at swordsmanship, riding, the perfect student, and never once did I cause any sort of scandal. I was quiet, non-existent in the eyes of my father, inconsequential, and while this was mostly due to being the youngest, it made it easier to do what I needed to do without drawing attention to myself. And yet my brothers, who spent so many years fighting for my father's attention and approval before I was even born, saw me as a threat. They had never been able to prove anything because their suspicions could only be chalked up to insanity or some sort of ill placed grudge to any officiator of law throughout the kingdom.

I never really tried to hide my true nature from them after an incident when I was a child but there was no point in trying to prove I was dangerous, there simply was no evidence. Understandably, it infuriated them to no end. Hence how I became drawn into their never ending war for power.

Out of my seven brothers Zedian and Aliv were the two expected to inherit the throne, who was more likely to actually succeed my father depended on who you asked. The second youngest of us, Calv, supports Aliv to inherit the throne. Xi on the other hand supports Zedian. Ior, the third youngest, supports whoever kisses his ass more and Lorcs supports whoever actually winds up with the throne when father dies. And of course there was also me, the youngest of seven who despite no one being able to prove, is interested in wearing the crown as much as Zedian and Aliv.