Poisoned Fruit

Chapter seven

"Don't you worry about Calix," the king reassured Juicelynn. "He's always had a bad temper," he chuckled. "Since he was a child, But it just seemed to get worse within the years."

Juicelynn nodded. She was happy to know she wasn't going to be around when Calix was any older. She didn't want to be stuck with that bad attitude of his.

"Tonight," the King bellowed out to the room. "We feast like kings, celebrating the happy and long lives of knight Calix and Juicelynn!" People cheered with their glasses in the air.

Seated at the table, Juicelynn looked up when Ophelia did so. The woman saw her friend walking to the table.

"Where have you gone run off to?"

Ophelia asked her friend, who slyly, in return, smirked. "Ugh," Alora started, sitting down.

"Well, I've tried to beg Calix to come back, but he just wouldn't budge'!! " The woman irritably rolled her eyes as she threw her hands in the air.

"You know Calix," Ophelia said, clicking her tongue at her friend. "You know he wouldn't have listened to you."

"Maybe, Juicelynn's should try and get her husband to return," another mutual friend of Ophelia and Alora stirred the pot, enjoying the little banter. She known Alora had a crush on the knight for years now. It wasn't exactly a secret anymore. And, just like everyone else in the room, they were cheering for Alora and Calix's love story.

"By the way, the summer hunt is coming soon," the mutual friend changed the subject.

The summer hunt was held every month at the first day of summer. It was the oldest and biggest ancient event in Wisteria.

Countless aristocrats gathered from all over the world to participate and try to win. Besides carrying the name of the dark knight, the winner was also able to give the beasts to the woman they are interested in, making her the "golden crown." They got the golden coins and expensive jewelry as a win.

It was quite simple, though. The event would be held for three days straight. The women would sit at tables, gossiping and waiting for the men to return with the beasts they killed.

The men got points for how rare the creatures were.

Their size and how many. For example, if the men decided to kill twenty Relvaxor, –a rabbit that lures its victims by being dainty and cute until they have you close enough and would change into a creature with four eyes, razor-sharp teeth, and enormous claws,– then you got two hundred points.

But if you got one Gornaron, that would result in five hundred points already. That was because a Gornaron was harder to kill. And it was much bigger.

"Knight Calix always participates," Alora giggled behind her hand. "I wonder whose this year "golden crow" would be."

Alora turned to Juicelynn. "It was me, the last two years." She bragged. "Calix won and had given me the beasts as presents." She pouted, but Juicelynn saw she was playing around. "I guess this year, you'll catch attention as the golden crown."

Juicelynn threw back another glass of wine. "Pardon me, ladies," she told them, standing up from her seat. She had been feeling dizzy and fuzzy from all that drinking. She was never allowed to drink liquor. So, she took her chance as soon as she saw the liquor. But, Juicelynn just found out she had a low tolerance for it.

"I'm going to catch some fresh air."

Without as much as waiting for an answer, Juicelynn walked outside. It had gotten darker already. The young woman walked to the fountain, sitting there, feeling mesmerized by the dark water.

Out of nowhere, a face appeared in the reflection of the water. It made Juicelynn jump up, a small shriek leaving her body, feeling herself stumble into the fountain.

The man who had appeared behind her stiffled a laugh. He then helped her up, going back to a serious tone.

"The day of the hunt," he informed Juicelynn. "That's when Fera expects you to poison Ophelia."

Juicelynn nodded. She was new to this. She didn't know what to expect. But she knew she had to thread carefully.

The man clicked his tongue, looking at the shaking Juicelynn. The woman did fall into the dark and cold water. The man kept to himself,turning around before he blended in with the dark.

Juicelynn sat by the fountain, wondering if she was really cut out for this mission.

She let her face fall into her hands. She couldn't fail. She had a feeling it was either failing here or failing at home.

It didn't take long before Juicelynn was approached by a knight. He sneered at her. "Sir Calix is searching for you," he announced, glaring disrespectfully at the young woman. It made her hair on her neck straighten.
He had blond, short hair and electric blue eyes. He looked to be on the younger side. Juicelynn concluded the man belonged to the junior knights. He had a tall and lean build. His hand rested on his blade as he talked to the young woman.

"Are you by any chance Alora's brother?" He looked like a male version of the woman. The man raised an eyebrow. "She's my older sister," he nodded.

The two stared at each other for a while before the junior knight started to speak again.

"So, aren't you going to get up?" He asked in a hostile tone. Juicelynn clenched her fist. She wasn't this helpless girl anymore who couldn't stand up for herself. So she stayed seated.

"If Calix wishes to talk with me, he can come here himself."

The junior knight sighed loudly before he turned his back to Juicelynn, walking away.

It hadn't taken Calix long. He walked with long strides to Juicelynn, grabbing her tightly by the arm. He frowned for a moment, noticing she was soaked. "You're wet," he grumbled. "Why are you wet?"

"I fell in the water," Juicelynn admitted, rolling her eyes. She looked in the other direction at Calix's face.

"You wanted to speak with me for the first time ever?" The young woman brought her attitude back. She hadn't forgotten how utterly rude her husband had been to her.

"We're going home. This has been enough public humiliation; for both of us," he grumbled. He moved his hand close to Juicelynn's face.

The action made the young woman flinch, closing her eyes.

"..What are you doing?" The deep voice of Calix was close by, a little too close for Juicelynn's comfort. She opened her eyes, noticing how close he was standing. Frowning down at his woman.

"Quit acting, pretending you're innocent," Calix crumbled his face. "It's not like you, the daughter of the pope, has known any hardships. You're just a little spoiled brat."

If only you knew. Juicelynn bit her bottom lip, keeping quiet as she bowed her head slightly, trying so hard to keep her tears at bay. She felt her nails tear into her flesh, controlling herself.

"If you keep acting like a cat, I won't have to act like a caught mouse, " the young woman said, her body trembling as she looked up.

"And you should learn your knight's manners! I'd be ashamed if they were my mentee. Speaking down at me like I'm some disease!"

Calix sighed, pinching his nose bridge.
"I'll take care of it," he nodded before he grabbed Juicelynn's body, throwing his wife's soaked body over his shoulders.

The young woman had kicked and screamed, slamming her fists against Calix' muscular back.

"Let me go! I can walk!" The white-haired woman even went as far as biting his back but stopped as she felt a soft, yet firm smack on her behind, stopping her actions.

She then decided to hang like some dead weight, hoping to be too heavy for the knight to carry. But it didn't work, as he placed her in her carriage.

Juicelynn thought Calix would join her, but instead he closed the carriage door in front of her face, telling the man who controlled the horse she was ready to go.