You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 635

"My~! Even as a jest, that is too much to say, Princess Jasmine." — Interferring, the princess came to the rescue. Making me relieved since the situation did not seem favourable given the fame of my suitor and his frozen stance that watched Latrishk’s prince intensely.

"Thankfully a simple jest it is. Your Majesties, time is hast and few ceremonies must be held. You should go ahead." — Linking her arm with mine, she then smiled. Whispering to my ear the reason for her delay. — "Goodness, the marchioness was difficult to escape. Sorry to make you wait, Lady Marianne."

’Pff! I know~ haha~ yet you managed to escape at the right time princess~’

"Brother, I shall stay with Lady Marianne. Hopefully, the Empress will understand I cannot wait after the ceremonies are done to converse with our appreciated Ninth."

"Oh dear... I suppose I forgot how eager you were to meet Lady Pristina again too. This works perfectly!... Shall we go, then, your majesty?"

"Yes... Let’s go, Zeleskiaz."

"..."

"Son. Let’s. Go. Yes?" — The empress insisted on his silence and somehow I could tell they were biting their tongue not to say something uncalled for in front of the foreign prince.

"... My lady Marianne. A moment it will be... I will return shortly."

There was a distance between us. He had a severe demeanour even while his sound was gentle... It was an invisible, untold wish... yet I felt within how my being wanted to come closer to grant a small embrace instead of ephemeral words.

’I am unsettled.’ — I acknowledged as I barely placed my attention on the Princess’s words that followed. Swallowing the inexplicable need to go with him even though I was not needed for the ceremonies.

’I want to be with him... but now I chain myself from doing so...’ — Feeling a tad of shame I could not hide my frown. — ’I once was cautious yet still did as my instincts wished... this change in myself... I dislike it.’

*******

"Therefore, I am to simply enjoy this event, Sverre? There is nothing special I need to do since no word from your trusted accomplice came, correct?"

"Indeed. Continue as carefree. When needed I will surely tell you how you should behave."

"That is fine by me... So that one beside your brother is the ninth, huh? He does seem possessive over her. It is impressive he has so much composure."

"Don’t provoke him too much... Ever since she came into his life Zeleskiaz has become more difficult to read. I continue to act indifferent, even lacking in the tactics so he believes he still has a grasp of every detail in the Empire... although that is soon to change."

"... How thorny a relationship to have with a sibling... Thankfully I am an only child. I find it distasteful to want my blood’s death."

"I don’t consider him my blood. That dissolves any distaste."

"... how cold... Zeleskiaz would cry~"

"... He wouldn’t... if anything he does not even care." — Sverre said plainly, while he watched his brother be welcomed in the distance by their Father. Annoyed by the good air revolving around him and his partner. — "You should have some fun tonight, Niccolò. How about you go meet the ninth? I you are near her, I assure you will have some nice entertainment."

"?? Isn’t she mute however? How am I to feel entertained with boring silence?"

"It is up to you. I have to take care of other matters." — Sverre lastly told the Prince of Latrishk, going separate ways to observe the assistants and calmly think through the schemes ahead.

A quiet and independent prince he was. Compared to his siblings Sverre had a great thirst to govern over what he never could in a family ruling the Empire’s royalty. The good behaviour, patience and intelligence were the sole gifts the blood in his veins had blessed him with fully, unlike it did with his older brother, who even if threatening to anyone’s safety managed to outdo any of Sverre’s achievements, leaving them meaningless, for his beastly force and love for conquer was what the Empire so admired as it signalled to it’s people that the nature of their First Emperor was still vivid in his descendants. The acknowledgement was infuriating for Sverre... for the times had changed, little need was there for the Empire to conquer more lands and for the ruler to be into savagery... yet greatness was still praised by the masses. And so, the fight for the crown had always been deadly for those who wished for it while looking for such greatness... the greatness to get what is wanted, the intelligence and skill behind it... was what the Emperors to come should prove to their people and Sverre was being left behind and eclipsed by his brother’s huge shadow.

... At least such was the belief he had come to understand when placed aside by the family and sibling he at a point in time... far, so far in the a past he could now barely recall nor trust the veracity of it; doubting if it was simply a daydream his emotions from time to time tried to revive so some warmth could still be summoned for his own blood in his current cold heart.

’It would be delightful for the plan to go smoothly... Although... If he is not here to see it, it will be a pity.’ — He thought, focusing on tonight’s event. A lot of expectations were placed in the schemes he developed with an evil one. Ever since meeting the bitterness of his new partner to steal the Empire there was some anticipation born within whenever the second prince thought of what they could achieve.

There were things only the ominous corners of the realm were aware of and the partner had grown within those dark ends waiting for the moment to reach light and swallow it at its despicable pace... Sverre appreciated the ominous. Too naturally. For evilness was a blessing his blood granted and his insecurities easily fed throughout the prince’s uneventful life.

The steps they had taken until now were shown to him as a show of trust to earn his assistance in vengeance. Nonetheless, the schemes had faced difficulties in gaining the evil’s goal and yet...

— I have tried innumerable ways to deal with this splinter stuck on my foot in the most peaceful and harmless way... yet I am growing tired of it, Sverre... the more it remains in there where it shouldn’t be the more I feel like its dismissal cannot be as simple as pulling it out. —

— If it is a simple splinter, the task is taking you too long even though a child is capable of dismissing one quickly enough with a proper tool. —

— ... It is not a small splinter... One could even call it a stake. If I pull it thoughtlessly... blood will be everywhere. My walk will be harmed... It will be messy to clean my path. —

— A deathly splinter it is then. If so much blood will be spilt from your wound. —

— It is not deadly. Although I don’t want it to be messy, I am very fond of blood, Sverre... It makes my destined one very happy after all. Its scent and taste. — 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The smile in the evil’s eye showed an innocence that was nowhere in their being for the darkness in the hues advised him no word should come out from his mouth back then. A shiver advised him to continue listening, and grateful he was afterwards for the timely instinct.

— I will have to use more straightforward methods... You will be favoured if you cooperate with me... I will be counting on you with setting the stage and cleaning a tad of the mess... if you do... only your blood won’t be spilt. —

’... I have cooperated as instructed... not much of the plan was told but... the orders and tasks were so direct it was easy to deduce what the goals are. Much more after being targeted so many times... the splinter’s identity is so very clear to anyone’s eye.’ — Sverre, holding a glass of wine similar to the one the woman was known for liking, grinned, thinking to himself how interesting an outcome the schemes promised. — ’She is the so-called chosen... the mess I am to clean... will probably be of a divine difficulty.’