NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Courting Me!
Eros let out a long, exasperated breath. "Two jars? That's enough to poison an entire village," he said solemnly.
Kael shifted uncomfortably on the bed, avoiding his uncle's piercing gaze. "I didn't mean to. They just... tasted good."
Eros pinched the bridge of his nose and ordered Silas, "Tell the crew to boil water with mustard in it."
Silas bowed and turned to exit the cabin when Eros's voice stopped him.
"And ask my maid to carry it here," Eros said with a playful smirk.
Kael looked at his uncle suspiciously. "Why can't I smell any of the fragrance you mentioned from her?"
Eros furrowed his brow, wondering if the poison had ruined his nephew's intellect. "Of course, you can't smell that. It is called the 'Hall of Void' for a reason," he replied.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Kael asked, gritting his teeth. His mind replayed the humiliation he suffered in front of his sister and the lady.
Forget about people; he also lost his dignity in front of the monkey.
Eros chuckled, "I figured you'd come up with some ridiculous idea to find her, but I have to admit, you surprised me by stealing the Duchess's daughter's dress."
Kael's cheeks flushed red. He hadn't been able to return the gown, as there were patch marks on it. Now, the dress was crumpled under his bed in Everdale's castle. He could only hope Crown Prince Orion's guards would spare his room from being searched.
If he gets caught, his pride as the Noctaran prince would be torn, just like the dress.
"You...," Kael began, but their banter was cut short by a knock on the door.
Without opening the door, Eros already knew who it was. The thick, distinct fragrance told him Mirabella was standing outside.
"Stay here," he instructed Kael before heading to open the door.
Mirabella stood outside, holding a bowl of hot water mixed with powdered mustard. She had been informed by the king's advisor that the young prince had consumed the Hex Vermis and needed a remedy.
Hex Vermis was nothing new to her. During her journeys to Noctara, she had learned enough about these worms, which were nurtured in poison and could be lethal. Noctara was, after all, notorious for its expertise in crafting poisons.
She couldn't understand why the prince had consumed them willingly. Even though they deceived her, the prince was a young child, and she was worried about him.
As if breaking her thoughts, the door of the stateroom opened from inside, and there stood the same man with whom she had an unpleasant encounter with. For the sake of his standings, Mirabella bowed and greeted him.
"Your Majesty, the mustard water you requested is here," she informed, maintaining her bowing posture, waiting for the king's command. To her disappointment, the king took the bowl from her hands and returned inside without further words.
Mirabella stood awkwardly outside the door, her head bowed. It was impolite to stand upright without the king's command, and she didn't dare to call him out to ask for further instructions. Reluctantly, she chose to wait in silence.
With a grin, Eros came back into the room and handed the bowl to his nephew.
"Drink this," he instructed.
Kael held the bowl cautiously and sniffed the contents. The sharp, spicy aroma made his nose wrinkle in discomfort. He glanced up at his uncle, silently pleading to be spared from the bitter taste, but Eros's stern gaze left him no escape.
With no other choice, Kael braced himself and gulped down the entire contents of the bowl in one go. The spiciness hit him hard, and he stuck out his tongue, trying to bear it. But soon, a retching feeling surged in his stomach, and he rushed toward the bathtub, emptying his stomach.
His head spun, and a burning sensation spread through his lungs. His stomach continued to heave until he finally fainted from exhaustion. Eros picked him up, laying him gently in bed, before heading back to the door with an empty bowl.
He found Mirabella still standing in the same position, her spine slightly bent.
"Oh, my! Forgive me, my lady. I forgot to dismiss you," Eros exclaimed with exaggerated shock. "Would you mind bringing a basin of hot water with a cloth to wipe the prince?" His voice carried a polite smile, but the teasing was unmistakable.
Mirabella wanted nothing more than to seize the bowl and swing it at his head, but she dared not to do so. Her fiery amber eyes locked onto his as she replied, "I wouldn't mind, Your Majesty." The words that passed her lips were sharp, barely masking her frustration.
"Thank you, my lady," Eros said, handing the bowl to her. He watched with amusement as her small figure exited the place with her fists clenched tightly at her sides. He chuckled, eager to see how long the little sparrow could keep her feathers from ruffling.
Mirabella took the bowl to the galley and placed it with a thud on the kitchen table. Toby, who was stirring the stew, almost toppled over, saved only by the tall figure of Alaric, who quickly caught the oversized wooden spatula twice the size of Toby.
"Mirabel, careful!" Toby exclaimed, startled by her sudden outburst.
Mirabella's brow furrowed, and she immediately apologized.
"What happened?" Alaric asked, taking the spatula from Toby and continuing to stir the stew effortlessly.
"Alaric, how long will it take to reach Dusthaven?" she asked, her voice laced with hope.
Alaric looked down at her and replied, "Two weeks if we don't face a storm after crossing the Ossian."
"Two weeks!" Mirabella exclaimed in surprise.
Alaric gave her a serious nod. "We cannot be certain. Netherveil is notorious for its unpredictable storms and dangers."
Mirabella bit her lip, but her brows furrowed suddenly. "How do you know? Didn't you say you've never sailed in Netherveil?"
Alaric blinked, caught off guard by her sharp observation. Before he could answer, Toby coughed, quickly changing the subject. "Mirabel, why are you here? Didn't the Captain ask you to take care of the king's needs?"
Mirabella slapped her forehead, suddenly remembering the king's request for hot water. Without delay, she boiled a basin of water and grabbed a clean white cloth before hurrying back to the stateroom.
Alaric sighed, "She's sharper than I thought," he remarked, watching Mirabella leave.
"Don't forget, she was raised by our captain," Toby said with a chuckle.
Just as Mirabella was about to knock on the door with the hot basin of water, the door swung open from the inside. Eros stood there, his narrowed eyes taking in the sight of Mirabella attempting to knock with her free hand while clumsily supporting the basin on her knee with one leg raised a little off the ground.
Mirabella froze, her eyes widening as she realized how ridiculous she must have looked. Her skirt had risen slightly above her ankle, and her stance felt comical. She quickly lowered her leg and gripped the basin tightly, her face flushing with embarrassment as she bowed her head.
Eros took the basin from her hands, his lips curling into a playful smile. "If not for the water basin, I might have thought you were attempting to court me with that unique posture of yours, my lady," he teased.
Mirabella's eyes widened. Court! She narrowed her gaze. "I assure you, Your Majesty, I have no such intention," she stated, her tone flat and steady.
Eros chuckled softly at her resolve. "A pity," he replied dismissively, and gestured for her to come inside.
As soon as Mirabella entered the room, her eyes immediately fell on the prince lying on the bed, his face paler than usual. She watched as the king took the cloth, dipped it in water, and began wiping the young prince's body. Her eyebrows twitched at the force he had been using to wipe the young prince's body.
At this rate, he might skin the poor prince alive, she thought.
Worried about the prince's welfare, she stepped forward and spoke with more respect in her tone.
"Your Majesty, why don't I handle the task?" she asked, her head lowered.
Eros merely glanced at Mirabella before setting the water and cloth aside. He took a seat in a nearby chair, crossing one leg over the other as he leaned back. His eyes fixed on the woman, who was now wiping the young brat's face with the care one would give to a flower petal.
At the thought of a flower, his lips quirked up at the corner.
Mirabella continued cleaning the young prince's face gently. Now that she was closer, she could clearly see that the little girl who had knocked on her door that day was, in fact, the prince. But she still wondered why he had dressed as a girl and knocked on her door.
Once she finished wiping his face, she tucked him under the blanket and was about to leave when the king's voice stopped her. Mirabella looked at him curiously as he stood up from the chair and walked over to the table. He returned holding a small wooden box and gestured for her to accept it.