Young Royals Season 3 (Version 3)

Chapter 41

They all lounged on the dock in their underwear.  They didn't want to pull their clothes back on over wet skin after their swim so they passed the time chatting and laughing while they let themselves dry off in the warm air.

Stella took a pull of her cigarette as she stretched out on the blanket next to Fredrika.  She exhaled the smoke away from the others and offered the cigarette to Fredrika who refused it.

Apart from Felice and Sara, the girls didn't know what Wilhelm and Simon had planned for the next day but they were aware that August deserved whatever he eventually had coming to him because he must be guilty.

Madison told Simon and Wilhelm she had an idea of how to help that happen.

"We ask for Instant Karma," she explained to them, rubbing her hands together, a look of satisfaction on her face as the others sat on the dock, watching her and waiting curiously.   

"We ask to make a villain feel the pain he's inflicted."  Madison had decided that it was the perfect time for a spell because they'd just purified themselves in the water, and though they were all slightly skeptical, they agreed to try.

Wilhelm glanced sideways at Simon and smirked then shrugged. "Varför inte då?" (Why not then?) he whispered to Simon.

Madison leaned over the edge of the dock and scooped a handful of water from the lake then sprinkled it around the outside of their circle.  Sara and Felice smiled at her as she dripped the lake water behind them.  Then Fredrika and Stella did as well.

She pulled her phone out and held it in front of her to read the spell, then sat down in the circle with the others and began.

"Let cruelty, pain, and evil ways...follow this villain all of his days..."  She paused for the others to repeat.  "Reverse the torment he creates...and turn on him a crueler fate...Not for hate, not for spite...but to correct and set aright...until he leans, he harms none...this is his fate, our will be done...So mote it be."

Simon looked sideways at Wilhelm and they smiled at each other subtly, sitting there in the near darkness next to the lake.

"So mote it be." They repeated together. 

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August sat at the campfire with a few of the other third years including Nils and Vincent who were to his right.  They shared a bottle of whiskey around, unconcerned about any of the staff showing up thanks to the usual unspoken agreement.

He sighed as he took a swig from the bottle, then passed it over to Nils and leaned back, almost melting into the folding chair, an expression of satisfaction and relief on his face.

"You seem happier...more relaxed." Nils pointed out as he took the bottle then drank from it.

August looked at him, suspicious. "How did I seem before?" 

"I mean, you were pretty stressed out...after the group chat...thing." Nils smirked, knowing exactly what he was doing.

August frowned.  He'd been convinced that no one really noticed, but he immediately recovered his former facade of being calm and collected.

"Well, the Royal Family back me, obviously, otherwise they wouldn't have invited me to sit with them and pose for photos today, so..." He shrugged his shoulders, trying to appear casual and unbothered.  "They know it wasn't me."

Nils nodded and pursed his lips. "Right."  He took another swig of whiskey then passed it to Vincent.  Vincent glanced at them both sideways as he grabbed the bottle from Nils' hand and smirked too.

August was annoyed but ultimately decided he didn't care if they believed him or not because their opinions made no difference to him or his future.  The only opinions that mattered were the Queen's and the Royal Court's in the end.