Actions and Consequences || l.s. au ✔

12. BETRAYED BY BLOOD

Earlier, he had queen Annaline, who shared the burden with him. She always knew what to do. But now, he was just exhausted. Physically, mentally and emotionally. He felt like an unwanted prisoner in his own home. Was it even his home anymore, now that his mother was gone?

That's why he was shocked when the main doors of the court room banged open and Lionel marched in with a way too big smile. His light brown hair and pale blue eyes glittering. The sign of the land's essence flowing through him. Louis pinched himself just to make sure that this was real and that he was not hallucinating.

It was very real.

What had Lionel done this time?

The heir to the throne came up to him and slapped him in the back. Louis guessed he was going the brotherly greeting clap, but the force of it was slightly..... too much. The letters he had been holding, all flew out of his hand and scattered across the floor.

The twenty-one-year-old giant continued unfazed. "Hey brother! How are you?"

Louis blinked. What was going on? The situation was so bizarre that Louis stood there, gaping at him for a full minute, before realizing he had to say something. "Isn't there a battle going on near Tihana?"

Lionel went up to the unoccupied throne and lounged on it, his feet dangling over the side. "Yup!"

Louis' blood boiled. The blatant disrespect his brother was showing towards the throne, towards the people... and the guy wasn't even king yet!

Louis had never sat on the throne, but had always stood in front of it. He had definitely done more for his country than his brother and father had... combined!

But whatever he wanted to say, Louis didn't. He wasn't stupid. His brother was a dangerous man. And in Louis short but vast experience, you didn't dance with dangerous men. Louis was a skilled warrior too. But resorting to the sword was something he avoided at all costs. The amount of bloodshed he had seen all his life made him a bit vary of fighting. 

And that was dangerous.

Yes, a king should always avoid a war, but he must also be ready for it. Louis was not. But then again, he was not the king. He would never be the king. He was the spare.

So he was just fine playing the role of the sweeper. Lionel could just take care of the blood.

His brother sat up straight and looked at him. "You look a bit paler than usual!"

Louis snored. "Brother, you don't see me often enough to know what I look like in usual! I am fine!" 

He was not fine. He was alone, scared and tired. And stressed too. Extremely stressed out. The lords were on the verge of revolting for Gods' sake!

Lionel frowned. "Don't be like that Lou! You know my duties as the future king keeps me busy while you sit here all day doing nothing! I was merely concerned about you!"

I am standing. You are sitting!

Louis closed his eyes and turned away. He did not want to deal with this right now! He bent down and picked up the letters again. "Don't be. I'm fine!"

He felt his brother come up from behind him. As if on reflex, he turned around swiftly. Lionel stood there with a constipated look. "I do care for you, you know...." he said with a sigh. "During all my time at the battlefield, I have looked death in the eyes multiple times. And I have come to realize that how fragile and short life is..."