Morons and Monarchs

Chapter Twenty-Three: Bayou🏵

𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝖆𝖘 𝖁𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖑 𝖋𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖜 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖗 𝕴 𝖌𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊.

It is quite funny, I must admit, seeing an heir fail multiple times at something as simple as cocking your arm back and throwing an object. It makes me want to laugh.

But I don't, only because I know that if I did, she would lash out and practically kill me like she did Ea last time.

I chuckle as I remember Ea's shocked face after he lost from Viviendel.

"What are you laughing at?" Viviendel asks with a glare. She has another dagger, the tree she is trying to embed it in free from any harm.

I already taught her how to hold the blade, something most people don't even realize is a necessary skill to learn. Most people just skip through that part of the training, and I will never know why.

Her footing is off balance, but that takes skill and many years of practise to learn how to master. So I don't hold it against her.

"Not you," I reply. "Just remembering when Ea died last time you two trained together."

Viviendel's glower turns into a grin as she beholds my words, "That was fun," But then- as she replays the scene in her head, no doubt- she narrowed her eyes at me. "The only problem is, you weren't there."

"I wasn't?" I croon. "Are you positive about that notion?"

Her smile falters, "I mean, yes. You weren't there, only Ea and I."

I grin, "It's not every day that somebody appraises my ability to hide expertly and spy."

Her smile vanishes, "I thought we were friends,"

I look around at the shrub and everlasting blooms around us, "Whoever said such a thing?" My eyes land on a small flower which is not an everlasting blooms- I think. I pluck it from the ground without a second hesitation, muttering an apology to the Earth for such cruelty. "Did you?" I eye the flower.

Viviendel, once again, glowers at me. "I just assumed." She grumbles as she throws another dagger at the tree.

I place the flower down and walk over to her. "That is what you get for assuming. I don't do friends, that aspect disgusts me on a good day, makes me sick to my stomach on a bad one."

She nods, her glower gone and replaced with pity. "That is just sad,"

I chuckle, "Not entirely." I pluck out the dagger I stole from Anul earlier, who stole it from Thanatos before that, and Ea stole from me before even that, and I stole it from Viviendel to begin with.

Viviendel's eyes bulge as she takes in her dagger, before she looks down and curses. I smile.

"When did you steal that?" She looks back up at me.

"I didn't steal it from you," I say matter-of-factly. I can lie. But that was true. "I stole it from Anul."

"Anul stole my dagger!" Pure rage flashes in the heir's eyes, and I have the self-preservation to step back.

"No," I sheath the dagger back. Already regretting my plan. "And you won't get it back until you embed that stupid dagger into that tree." I nod at her latest failed attempt. "And just for you to know, Thanatos was the one who stole it." Hurt flashes it in her eyes, and I almost feel bad for the heir.

Her heart will be broken, and I can only hope she bounces back from it like Anul did.

I use it to my advantage, nodding towards the tree. "Thanatos stole it, he took it from you. Your only means of protecting yourself, how do you feel about that." I fuel her anger. "Now, imagine that tree is Thanatos and imbed that dagger into the bark like it is his flesh."