Stigmata

I am not Interested

I hummed lowly in response. "You seem to have a lot of feelings about me."

If my hand weren't on his arm, I wouldn't have noticed how he stumbled. But it was and I did, so I stopped walking and looked up at him. Frederick met my gaze head on, but his thick brows furrowed ever so slightly, giving away his nerves. I chuckled and looked away.

"I suggest you train diligently, cousin. You're too easy to read."

He smiled somewhat helplessly and the expression transformed his face. Now, he actually looked like his mother's child. Would my mother be like that? Plain and unremarkable until she smiled? The original novel described all the Shays that way, but the former Saintess rarely appeared, despite her status as a Royal Concubine. Maybe I should seek her out for myself, once I had the chance.

Freddy resumed walking and tugged me along. "I'll do that, cousin. I only hope it will not prove a hindrance to you." Lie.

Hah~. This boy...

I pulled my hand away from his arm and turned to face him directly. I reached out and pressed my finger against his chest in a blatant provocation.

"I will say this once and only once," I said as I glared at him. "The only throne which concerns me is the Demon King's."

His grey eyes widened almost comically and he reached up to rub at his chest where I poked him. "What do you—?"

"I said 'once', Freddy. Don't cheapen my words."

His lips thinned and his hands curled into fists. "Yes, Your Highness."

Aiyah~, it was about time. I smiled at him and was about to gesture for him to continue leading the way when someone cleared their throat.

"I was wondering what might be keeping you," my uncle said sternly from just outside a newly opened door. "I see you have finally decided to come home, Frederick."

Oooh!

I backed away from the growing tension between father and son. Taylor, who had maintained a low profile during my conversation with Freddy, returned to my side.

"Ah, yes, well." Freddy struggled to regain his composure after being caught off guard. "I missed my cousin."

"Not your mother? She will be saddened to hear that."

"Mother knows where to find me. As do you."

"Should a father have to search for his only child?"

"Does a grown man have to sit at home and await his father's pleasure?"

Taylor and I watched as the Duke and his heir talked circles around each other. It was obvious from her lack of reaction and how quickly they exchanged barbs that this was a normal occurrence. My uncle's personal hatred for my father and my cousin's close friendship with my brother had the great and mighty Duchy Montferro divided over politics. How disappointing.

For them.

I pinched the inside of my wrist to keep myself from smiling. If the men in this family were fighting on different sides of the power struggle consuming the nation, then they would each need my help to keep the other in check. I had no qualms playing both sides for my own benefit. No trick was too low if it raised my chances of survival.

"Enough!" The Duke pressed a knuckle to his forehead and frowned. "I don't have time to play around with you today."

Freddy sneered. "We'll see who's playing when all is said and done. Your Highness." With a bow to me, but not his father, he stormed away.

My uncle sighed. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

I smiled down at him. "I confess, I had some suspicions...but I had no idea things had come this far."

He winced and turned away. Yes, having the internal strife in his family witnessed was very embarrassing, especially since I was technically here as a guest. Even worse, a member of the Royal Family had seen such a glaring weakness...

He must be so upset.

"Come, Your Highness." He held the door to his office open to me. "I believe we have much to talk about."