The Prince (WMMAP FanFic)

Ch 49 : Barbarian

"Your Majesty, Do you like Countess Lennox?"

Claude twitched his eyes at the question and looked Arius with a serious stare.

He's hesitating...

"Why are-"

"JUST ANSWER ME." Arius shouted and clenched his fists. He had enough of this. He was tired. He was tired of his thoughts, he wanted an answer. It was a simple question with a yes or no answer. He hung his head low in misery.

So please, just tell me.

"...Why would I like a barbarian such as her?" Claude asked, causing Arius to jolt up in surprise.

Her, a barbarian?

Did Arius hear right?

He looked at Claude, confused. Claude sighed before leaning on the bed.

"She's titled the 'Dancing Lilac' but she doesn't even know how to dance. She doesn't have the slightest manners and is not well versed in academics either." Claude kept going on about her flaws, "During our time at the academy, she would keep dueling Felix and lose everytime, and she knew nothing of personal space and kept clinging to me everytime she saw me. She's quick to use her fists than her tongue. She-"

"W-Wait hold on!" Arius rose up his hands as a sign to slow down.

"S-So , you don't like that woman at all?"

"Why would I? As I just said, She's a barbarian, she might be a noble but she knows nothing about acting like one."

"H-Huh??" Arius was beyond confused.

He doesn't like her...

He...doesn't like her...

He was super confused but he was relieved as well. He could feel his body relax as he processed what his father had just told him.

Arius gave out a sigh of relief and layed on the bed, beside Athanasia, closing his eyes and focusing on that one sentence.

"You don't like her?"

"I don't. " Claude repeated, but his voice was closer than before. Arius opened his eyes to see Claude sitting beside him.

"Huh? Weren't you there just a moment ago?" Arius pointed towards the other side of the bed.

Claude ignored his question and began stroking his hair. "Now, why did you think I liked her? Or...did you want a mother?"

"NO, NO, NEVER!" Arius shouted and sat up straight. He clenched Claude's robes tightly.

"Vincent...said that Vivia liked you. And then she came to the Palace. And you had lunch with her..."

"You don't usually have lunch with nobles. And she mentioned having a crush on you. And she was being causal with you and you said nothing. And, and she kept coming every day, in your office." Arius kept the complains coming. He wanted to tell him. He had this chance to tell him. Tell him everything. He didn't or he couldn't keep it hidden anymore. He wanted to pour out all his feelings and thoughts and tell them to Claude.

"And...and I don't like her...Athy didn't either..." His voice began to crack, he was happy. He was happy to be able to talk freely with him like this. How long had it been? How long since he talked with his Dad like this? He didn't know but it felt like weeks had gone by.

Tears fell down as he kept telling him. "We... don't like her. We don't... want a new mom, we just want you...dad. We want you to spend time with us. Just us...as family."

Arius stretched his hands around his dad and buried his face in his robes. He didn't want to be a crybaby in front of his Dad. He hugged Claude tightly and trembled slightly as he cried.

Claude who had been quiet, remained so, but he extended his arms and wrapped his son's tiny frame. He hugged his son back, gently he stroked his son's hair.

"...I'm sorry, Arius." Claude tightened his arms around Arius.

"I hurt you."

"Again."

No reply came since the little prince had fallen asleep in the warmth of his father. Claude decided to take a break along with his children and the whole family turned into sleeping beauties with Claude in the middle, comatose Athanasia on the left and Arius on the right.

----

The first to wake up , was suprisingly, Athanasia. Yes. Athanasia de Alger Obelia. The comatose princess. How? Well, Lucas saw the whole heart touching scene of Claude and Arius, and concluded that it was safe to heal her.

That doesn't sound like him, now does it? Well actually he wanted to get mana quickly. And Athanasia was basically tempting him with all the excess mana she was losing control of. He was gonna take just a little bit but it was such a pure and strong form of mana that he couldn't help himself.

And Athanasia was shocked to death to see Claude sleeping right beside her. She almost fell out of the bed.

She spotted Arius across the bed as well and was further confused.

She decided to lay in bed and pretend to be asleep, while thinking about what in the actual hell was going on.

----

Finally, her brother woke up not too long after her. And he almost jumped to hug the awake Athanasia, but realised Claude was in the middle.

"What's going on? " Athanasia whispered over Claude.

Arius signaled for them to get out and talk, which they did.

They quickly tiptoed to the door and left Claude sleeping alone. They weren't going to go too far away, instead they were gonna stand in front of the door and talk.

After all, Claude would be surprised to see Athanasia out of bed and Arius as well.

"Okay, now, What. is. going. on?"

"Welp, Athy, a lot happened."

Arius explained every little detail to her, he even mentioned the skilled mage he met in the forest and that he was willing to lend help, as well as the bad effects of mana beasts.

And of course , most importantly, Claude de Alger Obelia does not. like. that barbarian, Vivia Lennox.

Arius had found his new favourite word, 'Barbarian'.

Just when their little talk session ended and things finally became peaceful, footsteps were heard from the side halls. Since Athanasia had just been a sleeping beauty, anyone seeing her standing in the hallway might pass out from a heart attack.

So Arius decided to walk up to the hallway and deal with the person responsible for the footprints.

"I greet his highness." Gunther bowed.

"Oh Gun, what's up?"

"Uh, Countess Lennox along with her son are requesting to see His Majesty and the Princess..."

Them again?

"I see, take me to them, I'll meet with them since his Majesty is busy right now." Arius declared.

Time to tell them. once and for all.

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