Red Riding Hood | BoyxBoy | COMPLETED

Spewed Tea

Duke Kellen's POV

My brother and I watch as Prince Alex and Cassidy leaves and Councilman Laren enters. It does not escape our notice that the Councilman sneers very minutely at the foreign Princes. But now is not the time to reprimand him. Not when he believes himself the majority in the room.

Councilman Laren was almost a good twenty years younger than us, but he still carried the same puritanical mindset his own father had instilled in him. Disappointing, but not unexpected.

We do not stand when he stands before us.

"Alpha," he said, head tilted to expose his neck in a gesture of subservience.

Ollie motioned for Laren to take a seat.

"How is your health, your majesty? I'd heard it was getting better."

"I do feel better today," said my brother.

Small talk was a huge pet peeve of mine. Which made it rather unfortunate that my job required copiously gratuitous amounts of it. Even so, I let Ollie handle all the chatting with Councilman Laren. It wouldn't be long now anyway.

My brother had found it incredibly useful to bore people with his ability to maintain the inane chatter until they got frustrated and blurted out their motive for showing up. On my part, I simply let him work his magic, interjecting when I had to so it looked like I was listening.

As expected, Councilman Laren looked ready to tear his hair out, though he kept his claws in. Quite admirable.

"Your majesties," he said. "I was wondering if you remembered a woman called 'Annabeth'."

"Annabeth?" Ollie wondered. "Kellen, do you know?"

"The name is familiar, but I haven't met any 'Annabeth's in a while," I replied.

"My apologies, I should have been more specific," Laren said. "It was about twenty years ago if I recall. Before your mating ceremony to Queen Tasha."

Ollie hummed thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose I did know an Annabeth a long time ago."

"I wonder what happened to her," I added lightly.

"I suppose it doesn't quite matter anymore," Laren reluctantly admitted. "I was only reminded of it all because of Prince Alexander."

"What would Prince Alexander know about this kingdom's tumultuous past?" I enquired irritably. Councilman Laren was fishing.

Taken aback by my sudden moodiness, Laren hurried to clarify. "He wouldn't. I just thought Prince Alexander looks strikingly similar to the girl, no? Of course, she wouldn't look like that now, but back then..." he trailed off.

"Is there a point to this discussion, Laren?" I asked pointedly.

He shakes his head. "No, no. Not at all. I was struck with a sense of nostalgia is all," he smiles thinly. "I wonder what happened to—"

Councilman Laren is cut off by Olcan's breathing. My brother gasps shallowly before our eyes.

"Your majesty, are you alright?" he says with alarm.

I refrain from actually offering assistance. Ollie knew what he was doing when he took the tea. Laren makes abortive movements to do something, but it's clear he doesn't know what's happening. Or how to handle it. I wait.

Dispassionately, I watched as the Councilman cringed away from the splash of vomit. His nose scrunched at the sour stench of stomach acid and bile and the discoloured slosh of what had been tea, the foul odour more so on our enhanced senses. Ollie and I have had multiple chances to overcome our natural aversion.

Laren gagged. I did not look as repulsed. My brother was too busy coughing up more vomit.

I didn't bother pulling out any handkerchiefs. Past experiences had taught me that they were more likely to be ruined than to be effective anyway. I waited until Laren was openly trying to get before I spoke my next words.

"Please send the healer in on your way out," I said.

He nodded immediately, hurrying to put the furniture between him and his Alpha. I hid my smirk of amusement. It was funny. Just a little.

But it was also mostly revolting and when I turned to Ollie to survey the mess, I sighed loudly. My brother was slumped on the couch, sweaty and pale.

Stepping over the puddles, I wiped his face. He grinned faintly. "Third best, I think," he whispered hoarsely.

"Perhaps fourth. I maintain that Councillor Pense had a better expression, but her escape was more dignified," I replied as I helped him to the bath. "We won't be seeing him for a while now at least."

Healer Trish joins us while Olcan is bathing and makes a face at the mess. We proceeded to open the windows while the rest of the chambermaids come to clean up. I considered that perhaps it would be wiser to do this in a different room next time. Or the smell of vomit would start becoming ever present in this chamber.

Trish comes to me when the servants leave. She hands me a pouch.

"Charcoal tablets will help to neutralise the toxins," she says. "Get his majesty to take them as soon as possible."

I nodded in thanks.

The healer side-eyed me. "I want you to know that as a healer, I do not approve of this. There will be long-term consequences," she warned.

"Your concern has been noted," I replied neutrally.

The healer sighed and left.

With Trish gone, only Olcan and I are left. He is still washing up and I am no keener to stay in the empty room that was only recently cleaned. I go to my brother.

Ollie is soaking in his bath. I hold out the pouch. "Take the charcoal tablets now."

He made a face at me. "They taste funny."

"Everything tastes funny to you."

He sticks his tongue at me. "It's because of the tea."

"I know, Ollie," I sigh. "Please take the tablets."

He opens his mouth and swallows when I drop two inside. "Thank you," he says with a grimace. "How long more?" he asked after.

I sit very heavily on the stool in the corner. Ollie is weary when he looked at me. I feel wearier.

There are countless words and emotions burbling in my chest, my throat. It hurts to contain them. "I'm sorry," I said.

"Me too."