ANASTASIA

VII

Mixed feelings, like mixed drinks, are a confusion to the soul.

-George Carman

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(During the three hours of Anastasia’s unconscious state)

“With all due respect, your highness.” Standing behind the king with his head held high, Gavin kept his faith in his own beliefs. “Placing 001 in the Moon’s guest room might anger Queen Mother Elysia further. You’ve already broken the imperial rules by sneaking in an illegal living condition for your peace treaty. Do not raise any more questions, sire.”

Currently gathered within the room where Anastasia was placed, King Vesper, Crown prince Gavin, and Helios, were engulfed in a discussion concerning the issue at hand—whether to allow a classified research subject in a room right next to where the king resides. The concern is under the heat of potential public risks, making it n urgent matter to attend to.

“And you didn’t even summon a physician. None of us here have enough capabilities to examine a body medically, your highness.” Getting frustrated, his tone slightly sharpened at the mention of the king. “I may be a researcher, but I don’t have enough mastery in the field of living body analysis.”

Just listening to the prince makes me scared. Aware of his cowardice that he kept hidden beneath his formal ethics, Helios stood at a far end away from the two royalties. And the king’s silence is making me anxious as well. As he kept his mouth shut, he went from staring at the backs of the royal highnesses before looking at the cause of the problem—the unconscious 001.

“I brought this woman because of my own interest.” Breaking the silence, Vesper who is sitting at a chair he placed beside Anastasia, spoke with his usual arrogantly confident tone. “If you studied Mariana’s entirety, the imperial rule states that the king can act on his own volition as long as it does not hinder political relations, disrupt work, encourage internal or external disturbances, or promote social disruptions.”

Leaning back, he crossed his arms and continued speaking. “I adhere by the laws. Therefore, the rule that you used against me, is overruled by the rule I just spoken of. Besides,” as he stared at the woman who’s breathing is a little stable than before, the memory of the incident in the dining area flashed in his mind.

“Queen Mother Elysia no longer holds authority in Kalisa Palace. The moment she was transferred to Maharlika Palace, she already submitted onto me. My decision to ignore her letters concerning my personal decisions, and my decision to place a legal living condition for my peace treaty, is absolute.”

My king has a point. As much as Helios wants to counter his seemingly illogical reasoning, everything King Vesper said is right by the records of their history. But, Queen Mother Elysia won’t sit by if she heard about having the Moon’s guest room occupied to simply heal someone. Good Lord.

“If you can reason with Queen Mother Elysia in the same manner as you do at the moment, then I will rest my case. However,” I never thought I’ll be prying over a foreign internal affair on my own. “Seeing the treatment earlier, the two of you are unlikely to converse with words. Resorting to magic might pose more threats than of what I mentioned beforehand.”

Turning to look at him, Vesper’s red orbs are blankly staring at Gavin’s golden ones. “Are you saying that I am ignorant enough to not consider the consequences, crown prince?” asking with obvious hostility, the tension between the two of them grew and immediately overwhelmed the entire guest room.

Taking a few steps towards him, Gavin spoke afterwards. “What I am saying is, you’re twisting the rules. If this goes on, you will end up arguing with Queen Mother Elysia, and the result of your violent responses to each other will ruin the foundation of Mariana. Am I not on the right track, King?”

Oh? Smirking, Vesper remained on his seat. “Queen Mother Elysia is indeed a lady warrior. But I, I don’t resort to violence. Did the memory of I countering her spell slipped your traditional mind?” he asked in a taunting manner.

Tsk. “My traditional mind can remember you waiting or the situation to escalate. I noticed how you kept prolonging it on purpose while knowing she’s struggling to keep herself sitting still in that uncomfortable dinner.” Gavin countered.

“So, can I assume that the reason you’re applying pressure on me is to get even for the test subject that failed to withstand even a simple dinner like that?” chuckling at his own words, Vesper’s expression grew more conceited. “You’re being pathetic about imperial rules and potential consequences because of her, and not because of Mariana.”

It wasn’t a question—it sounded more like an unwavering accusation.

“Again, with all due respect, please do acknowledge that the test subject we’re talking about is a living being.” Gavin replied. “I will work here for 2 years while obeying my own principles, so I expect you to respect my decision to at least treat her civilly and respectfully, especially outside laboratory concerns.”

“All I hear is a ‘yes, she is the reason’.” Vesper smirked, purposely testing the patience of the crown prince who spoke to him the longest for the first time today. “If you’re that worried to her, might as well ask me to transfer her back to the Hall of Truth.”

“I am about to bring up that matter once we settled what’s at hand.”

“No need.”

“What?”

“She will stay here. I will allow her to be served and nursed under my direct supervision. Within two days.” He suddenly announced, breaking the tension and creating a new layer of confusion in the already spiraling atmosphere within the room. “Helios will be monitoring her every three hours, she’ll be served by the head servant’s handpicked women, and she’ll be treated civilly and respectfully.”

“Aren’t those conditions better than letting her stay in areas near chemicals and nothing but laboratory equipment?” he mocked.

Me? Helios Fritz? He doesn’t have any issues monitoring someone, but to monitor someone that somehow caused a wider gap between the king and the crown prince? That is like accepting his fate of bearing an enormous time bomb. I don’t want to report to any of them at this rate!

Gavin fell in deep thought. She’s in poor state and being in a spacious room, with servants to lessen her physical labor is the best choice for her to recover. If she’s going to be my research subject, I have to give her as much comfort as she can. But to let her stay in a dangerous room as the Moon’s is a little….

“Is my question that hard?” looking back at Anastasia, Vesper questioned him. As he stared at the unconscious woman, several questions run in his mind.

Helios listened while the two of them stirred the pot of overwhelming exchanges. When he looks at the crown prince, it felt as if anytime soon, a huge werewolf will appear and tear everything to shreds until only dust remain. And when he looks at the king, it felt as if anytime soon, hell will freeze over and no one can breathe anywhere anymore.

If King Vesper were to transfer miss Anastasia to the Hall of Truth, or if Crown prince Gavin were to agree and let miss Anastasia stay here in the Moon’s guest room, this roundabout argument is no more. He mentally sighed. Why do of all people, the two royalty that never knew the word ‘submit’ were to face each other?!

“She can stay here, if you will allow her attendants to have a means of communication with us.” Hearing prince Gavin proposing an alternative, Helios felt like a bone was picked out of his throat. “I want to monitor her condition, including her responses, actions, and behavior. It will be helpful in my research too.”

Please agree, please agree, please ag—Helios repetitive plea was stopped when the king hummed in consideration. He might agree!

“I can provide them mana-infused wands. Not a bad idea.” The king said, his eyes still on the woman who’s unaware of what she caused.

All of a sudden, Anastasia who’s peacefully sleeping on the bed moved as if she’s being strangled—her expression contorted in pain and tears fell down her closed eyes, her hands gripped the sheets and her legs moved as if she’s struggling to escape.

Gavin quickly went to aid her, but Vesper stood up and held back his wrist with his eyes warning him to not make a move. Furrowing his brows, Gavin was about to retaliate when Vesper moved closer to Anastasia and touched her forehead.

She’s cold as ice. As he examined her, the first thing he noticed is how her scent—the unique scent of red wine mixed with something he’s yet to discover, is being diluted with bitter aroma. F*ck. Biting his thumb to bl*ed, he leaned down and tilted her chin up to slightly open her mouth and allow his bl*od to drop.

In that moment, a magic circle appeared on her forehead. Queen Mother Elysia. The three witnesses thought upon the sight of the familiar shade of purple.

Holding Anastasia’s hand, Vesper planted a kiss at the back of her palm, causing for his bl*od that he made her drink to activate and overrule the poison caused by magic. While the magic circle is slowly getting burned away, he watched how her expression slowly eased as the pain is being countered.

“You might be right.” Speaking, he still kept his eyes on her. “Violence runs in our family.” Lowering their hands that is holding each other, he looked at Gavin with eyes clouded with anger. “That is more than enough to understand my point to have her under my supervision, am I right?”

Looking down at the ongoing process of fighting a strong spell that managed to slip past any of their detecting skill, Gavin knew the answer. “…at least, allow me to monitor her as my research subject.”

“No.” Vesper quickly dismissed. “I’ll give her attendants a communicating wand, but it will only be connected to me.”

While watching the entire thing unfold, Helios felt so lost. Why is Queen Mother Elysia going through underhanded mean of harming miss Anatasia? I understand the crown prince’s sentiments of life, but for a second there, why does King Vesper look…desperate?

***

After ordering Helios to handpick the attendants, and telling Gavin to return to the west wing, Vesper stayed in his seat and kept his hand on hers.

At the moment, she is sleeping peacefully as if she wasn’t in extreme pain some moments ago. That spell mother used is an enchantment, not just a simple spell. Recalling the incident, he could help but feel frustrated. I said nothing about bring in a woman with questionable traits—so what made her wary of her?

While thinking deeply, the memory of him being compelled to use his own bl*od to save her as fast as he can, just because he smelt a dangerous change in her scent, passed by his mind. And all of a sudden, an irrelevant thought appeared.

‘You, your highness, smells like the most exquisite liquor.’

The oracle said I am meant to experience the fate where there is an evident sign of an invisible string connecting me to my other half. “Why the hell am I thinking about it now?” questioning himself, he heaved a deep breath. Oracle Ophiuchus said that I will encounter a woman with a scent akin to mine.

“Anastasia…” smells like the finest red wine, but there is something I’ve yet to identify. Whether it is in line with the oracle’s reading of him, or it is an unfinished theory that might justify his unexplainable pull towards him, none of the possibilities that cross his mind is providing a safe path for him.

Fate? Other half? “That’s ridiculous.” He scoffed. I’ll live alone and reign alone for hundreds of years. I need no woman by my side.