Medieval College Student

Chapter Eight: Too Much of a Good Thing

"Hugo. Hugo!"

A hand lightly shook him, making him groan. "Stop it..." He wiggled his hand in an attempt to make whoever was disturbing him shoo. 

A light giggle made the brain fog clear. "You are not an early riser." A hand found his side and grabbed it quickly.

"Woah—hey!" He flailed so violently he tumbled over the side of the bed onto his ass.

"Oh dear!" Varian peeked over the side, clamping a hand over his mouth as he suppressed the laughter. "Are you quite alright?"

Hugo rubbed the back of his head while glaring up at him. "No fair. I'm insanely ticklish. Also, why the hell did you wake me up so early?" His face softened as a snicker escaped Varian's lips.

"I need help with my medicine. You must check if I am taking it correctly, also this bottle is too difficult to open." 

"Oh. That would be because it's child proof."

"Open it for me, won't you?"

Sitting up, he couldn't keep from grinning as he took the orange pill case from him. "Yeah, okay, but only if you let me go back to sleep afterwards."

"I will. Pinky promise." He thrust his hand out over the bed, his little finger out.

Hugo went to take it, but Varian swiped it out of his reach. "However, I require that you find me in my study after you awake again. I want you to show me more of that computer of yours."

He grinned. "I look forward to it."

***

Hugo left the prince's chamber with a skip in his step, off to his room for a new pair of contacts since he'd thrown out the pair from the night before. As of now, he was only able to see things clearly up close. That didn't deter him though. 

Humming slightly while strutting down the halls, he felt good. Too good. He'd just gotten back to this era, yet it felt like he'd already spent months with Varian. Just the thought of meeting the prince in his study was sending butterflies through his stomach.

The sunshine left when someone stepped out, blocking his path.

"Where were you last night, Sir Hugo?" the blob figure that sounded like Andrew demanded. Behind him, Hugo barely registered another companion peeking skeptically behind a door. Who it was, he couldn't tell.

"Uh, sorry, who were you again?" Hugo sassed, staring the blob down and sounding much more confident than he felt. "Sir Aiden or something?"

The man bristled, stepping forward and coming more clearly into Hugo's view. "Sir Andrew. Do I need to remind you of our little conversation outside the prince's chambers?"

"Hm, what was it you said again? You were begging me to take you to bed because of how dashing and well-fed I look?"

There was a snort, and Hugo realized more companions had come out to see the drama go down. 

Andrew shot who ever had laughed a dirty look that sobered them up pretty quick. "You should consider yourself blessed for having Prince Varian's favor, or I would—"

"You'd what?" Hugo snapped, stepping forward so that, one: he could see the man better, but also, two: to stand up for himself, of course. "If the prince found out you did anything to me, do you really think he'd take it well? We've already spent the last two nights together. Er, sorry, Sir Rene." 

"That's quite alright, Sir Hugo," a man somewhere in the blurry sea of shapes replied good-naturedly. "I was feeling tired anyway."

"My point is," Hugo went on, "threatening me isn't going to do you any favors. From what I've heard, you're not very popular in this wing of the castle. I've met so many guys like you. Think you're better than everyone. Bet you've tried intimidating every single companion here just so you could be the prince's favorite or whatever. Admit when you've been defeated before you get hurt, Sir Aiden. It'll only end badly for you."