Maledictus

Ch. 11 - Ritual

"Look you're the one who isn't opening the letter, a letter adressed to you" she stated as she shoved a large spoonful in her mouth, broth dribbling through her lips. Eric looked at her funny. "What? You wanted me to eat! Jeez child make up your mind"

"I'm not a child" he mocked her tone from earlier which rewarded him with a smile. "I asked you to eat, not be a fucking animal"

"Humans are techinally animals"

"Terrestrial animals"

"I did say techinally King"

Eric glanced down at the letter. He would've rather gorged his own eyes out than read the contents of it, but even so he slid a finger under the crimson red wax seal that bore his family crest.

Alice watched has his eyes read through the two lined note a dozen times before he crumpled up it up and threw it into his water goblet.

"Charming news I suppose" she commented.

"Oh just divine"

"Need to talk about it?"

"No Alice, I don't" he retorted sharply. It took Alice by sudden surprise and slid a few inches down the bench. It was old habit and she couldn't help it.

"You promised to warn me before an emotional outburst King" she smiled goofily, hoping to rise his spirits. "Is this one of those times?"

"NO ITS NOT" he yelled. "I'm not like you Alice, I don't need constant attention, I don't write awful things about people and I'm certainly not a liar like you"

The words that flew from his mouth were words he'd never thought of thinking let alone saying them out loud for prying ears. He knew instantly from the look in her eyes that they had left a mark, whether he intended them to or not.

"Indeed you aren't, I'm sorry I ever doubted the fact" Alice replied calmly, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment.

"Good" he said shortly. He knew what he said was untrue, but that didn't matter. He had transferred his pain onto some seemingly weaker than him.

But he was wrong.
She was stronger than he thought.

Alice reached over him. "Apologises, I just need to grab the-"

"ALICE THAT IS MY LETTER YOU ASSHOLE, GIVE IT BACK. ALICE!"

She had grabbed the water goblet and began to rush out of the great hall.

As much as she deemed it rude and invasive before she even attempted the idea, she uncrumpled the piece of parchment and began reading.

Two lines were written.
Sadly written, she could almost feel where the tears had fallen on the mis-coloured parchment.

Don't come home.
He found the letters Eric.
I cant help you anymore.

Alice was faced with Eric once she turned around. It was only now she noticed the red marks under his eyes that indicated he had been crying.

"Eric I'm so sorry"

Eric ripped it out of her shaking hands. "You're an asshole, you know that?" he retorted.