Praesidium (WMMAP Fanfic)

Chapter 7

"Make sure to inform all the nobles that Rabia is back... we need to pressure her in formally announcing that she has no desire for the throne and appoint me as King Regent" Azrael told his closes aide, Orto, while he pours himself a drink from his decanter.

"Of course, your majesty... you seem to be in a celebratory mood when the Princess' mere presence here is threatening your claim on the throne. The nobles can always change their mind with her back" Orto gestured to the alcohol in his hand that his Prince only drinks when something favorable is happening

"Orto, my sister doesn't care about power. That's why she didn't marry the Emperor of Obelia and that is why she will hand the throne to me willingly... and when I am King, all the nobles who sneered at me because of my mother's lowly birth will pay" Azrael said with sharp eyes. The memory of being discriminated by all the staff when he was first brought to the palace at the tender age of five still fresh in his mind and all the harsh whispers about his low status compared to Rabia's noble lineage never fails to sour his mood

His sweet sister Rabia was different from everyone, she took him under her nurturing wing and taught him everything he needed to learn to be a person befitting the title of Prince. She was the first person to show him warmth and love but even then, she also left him behind in the end...

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"How's the food sister?" Azrael asked Rabia with a smile, while they were having their lunch in the dining room

"It's delicious, I've missed the food Chef Gus... and I'm glad this hasn't changed" Rabia replied nostalgically.

The smile on Azrael's face wavered slightly, the name of the long time Chef of the royal family being mentioned brought about unpleasant memories of him giving Azrael stale bread and cold soup because it was what a peasant like him is used to eating

"You must be mistaken, sister. Chef Gus has retired a few years ago... he went to eat bread and soup" Azrael said grinning genuinely as he remembered a distant memory of Gus being tied down and force fed bread and soup until he can't eat anymore... it's a very fitting revenge in Azrael's mind

"Retiring to eat bread and soup? That's strange" Rabia contemplated but let it slide, since everyone has unique taste after all. She was about to reach for another slice of chicken but she started coughing violently

"Sister!" Azrael rushed to her side and held her shoulder to steady her and not let her fall from her chair due to the force of her coughing.

"Get the royal physician quickly!" Azreal ordered the serving staff stationed outside the dining room as he carried Rabia towards her room. The staff raced towards the clinic and hurriedly brought the physician to the Princess' room

The physician arrived and he examined Rabia immediately under the watchful eye of Azrael.

"Is something wrong with her?" Azrael asked seriously, seemingly very worried about his sister's health

"I can't find anything wrong with the Princess physically... it might be just stress due to her worrying for and personally taking care of the King" The physician looked back at the Princess who is now peacefully sleeping "I gave her something to let her sleep peacefully... we'll know more as soon as she wakes up tomorrow"

"Thank you, you may leave" Azrael waved away the Physician who quickly left the room, he wouldn't dare impose more on the Prince since his short temper is widely known among the staff of the palace

Azrael sat down on the bed and stared at Rabia with a smirk on his face, his green eyes glowed red as red markings appeared around Rabia's body making her scrunch her forehead in discomfort at the slight burning sensation due to the spell seeping under her skin but thankfully the sedative the physician gave her kept her unconscious... once it is done the red glow disappeared as if nothing out of the ordinary happened

"The spell is complete, you won't be able to leave now dearest sister"

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In Claude's office in Obelia, he broke his favorite pen that was given by Rabia unconsciously causing the ink to spill onto the important documents causing Felix who was standing before him to stare at him in shock. He had to stay up all night just to finish that particularly ruined document

"Y-your Majesty, why did you do that? I lost precious sleep because of that document" Felix cried tears of frustration

"Do it again" Claude nonchalantly said as he stared at his ink stained hand, wondering why he has an unsettling feeling in his heart

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The next day Azrael got up early to visit his father, he still does have to play the part of a dutiful son after all.

"Sister, what are you doing here? You should still be in bed resting"

"I've been checked over by the physician earlier, he said I was fine. I think the fatigue of traveling just caught up with me" Rabia waved his worry away as she continued to wipe their father's hand with a warm washcloth

"Let's go have breakfast together, sister. Leave that to the servants" Azrael tells her softly and carefully removes the cloth from her hands and putting it inside the bowl of water before pulling Rabia out of the room and into the dining area despite her protest. Azrael looked back at her with a cheeky smile

"The noble council is meeting with you later, you'll need you energy to deal with them"

"Can't they just leave me alone? I need focus in taking care of father" Rabia said with an irritated tone

"They won't leave you alone until you talk to them" Azrael told her in a matter-of-fact tone

"I know" Rabia said with a sigh "I'll tell them to appoint you as King regent just until father gets better"

"I'll do my best not to disappoint you, sister"