Chapter 47: The Confession (1)
Cedric was sitting on one of the sofas available in the waiting room of the Guest Hall, a building available for those who were visiting current students and staff. An open book was perched on his lap as he flipped through the pages. His younger and more idiotic twin, Brayden, was pacing back and forth.
"How come that moron was allowed to go to dinner but not us?"
"It was a privilege that he earned," Cedric replied without looking up.
"Yeah? He probably cheated his way into higher levels! That moron couldn’t even do the homework from the in-home schooling!"
That’s only because you would tear up his work before he could hand it in, Cedric thought to himself.
The doors to the Guest Hall opened and their mother strode in.
"Mother!" Brayden stopped his pacing and ran over to their mother. He wrapped his arms around her.
"Brayden, you’ll smash the cakes," their mother warned while trying to save the cardboard box in her hand.
Cedric closed his book and stood up. "Brayden," he warned in a sharp voice before taking the box of sweets from their mother. "You need to watch your strength." Brayden, the sword-wielding maniac, was on his way to becoming a Spellsword, though he still had a few more years before he could actually channel enough Mana into his sword to become one.
Brayden took a step back with a sheepish grin on his face. "I’m sorry, mother." He then looked behind her shoulder toward the entrance. "I thought father came along too?"
"He’s having a talk with Adrien. He’ll be along once he’s done."
"Ah! He must be scolding him! I knew Adrien didn’t deserve this lunch! He must have cheated!"
Shut up, you brainless maniac! Can’t you see the frosty look on mother’s countenance?!
"I have noticed during my last few visits to the manor that you boys haven’t been getting along with Adrien. I know that the three of you do not share any common interests, but he is still your younger brother. I need the three of you to overcome your differences and try to get along."
Of course mother would take up for Adrien, she always does. Even though she tries to treat all of us equally, she has always coddled Adrien the most.
Cedric knew why their mother favored Adrien more, he had found that out by accident during one of his father’s drunken ramblings.
When he had been fifteen, he had gone to his father’s study late one night to ask him a question regarding one of the problems on his assignment. He had found the study door ajar and his father sitting on the leather sofa with a drink in his hand. It was then that he had found out that Adrien did not possess the type of Mana found in the Mallorne line.
Ever since that day, he had grown distant from his mother. He had even taken to bullying Adrien. Though he had never actually laid a hand on Adrien, he had used Brayden to instigate the attacks on their younger brother. It was his way of getting revenge for his father, who he admired the most in the world.
"Why should we get along? Even father doesn’t like him."
Their mother sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose before speaking. "Your father and I had a very long and serious conversation after you boys left. Your father made a promise to try to do better with Adrien."
Did mother finally admit to father that Adrien is a bastard child?
"That we did," their father answered, having heard the end of their conversation as he walked in. "I made the mistake in trying to force the boy into joining the Physical Department so that he could one day become a knight, since those who have been knighted are given a title of their own. But now that your maternal grandfather is passing on his title to him, there no longer a need for me to be so strict," their father explained.
"But there is a need!" Brayden whined. "He’s going around with that prince!"
"I have already given my blessing on the matter." Their father’s word was final.
Brayden finally shut his mouth even though he looked like he still had a lot to say.
"Another thing, we will be supporting the first prince, so please stop messing with his fiancée."
"Why are we supporting Prince Nathaniel, now? I understand why we can’t support Prince Mikyle since he is currently courting our brother, but there is still the third prince." Cedric in all honesty didn’t care who they supported, it was just that they found fault with the fact that the first Prince’s fiancée was a lowly noble that did not match the royal family’s prestige.
"I’ve received word that the third prince has accepted an arranged marriage with the daughter of a foreign Duke," their father explained.
Their mother looked at all of them, her face contorting slightly. She clapped her hands together to draw their attention. "Shall we put all of this talk behind us and have some cake?"
. . . .
Adrien felt like his blood had drained from his body as a severe case of exhaustion swept over him. His legs became weak and he felt himself swaying with the effort to stay upright.
Right when he thought he was going to collapse, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him, covering his waist and back. The warmth from those arms gave him a sense of familiarity.
"How long have you been out here to make yourself like this?" Mikyle growled, his breath warming Adrien’s ear.
"I’m not sure."
Mikyle pulled him closer and Adrien could feel the warmth of his body radiating through his clothes. "Can you walk back to the dorm or do you need me to carry you?"
Adrien’s face blushed a scarlet red, making even his ears burn. He wasn’t sure if he could handle the embarrassment that he would face if he was caught being carried by Mikyle. And who knew what kind of strange rumors would crop up or how twisted the actual truth would become?
"I’ll be able to walk back if I rest for a minute first."
He felt more than heard the sigh that Mikyle released. "So be it." Mikyle’s hand then slid lower until it was against Adrien’s butt, and before he could say anything, Mikyle picked him up.
"I said I could walk!" And why am I being princess carried?! Adrien’s hands automatically went around Mikyle’s neck when it finally hit him just how much taller Mikyle was compared to him. "Please, don’t drop me!"
Mikyle chuckled and Adrien could feel his chest rumble against his side. "I won’t drop you."
Adrien chanced a glance up and saw the smirk on Mikyle’s face. Mikyle’s red eyes look down at him and Adrien could see the humorous sparkle that would appear in them right before Mikyle would tease him. Adrien suddenly had a bad premonition.
Mikyle’s arms around his butt and back loosened and Adrien felt himself slide down a centimeter. Adrien tightened his grip around Mikyle’s neck and twisted his body until he was pressed flush against Mikyle’s firm chest.
Mikyle’s arms tightened around him. He looked down at Adrien with a pleased smirk on his face. "Hmm. I think I quite enjoy this."
Adrien realized that in his haste to secure his grip on Mikyle, he had twisted his upper body so that his chest was pressed closely against Mikyle’s. His face had also moved closer to Mikyle’s neck and his lips were almost touching the smooth skin that was peeking out. "You did that on purpose!" How do I always manage to fall for his tricks?! Do I have a sign on my forehead that screams ’tease me’?!
"I did."
Mikyle finally came to a stop and sat down in front of a large tree. He carefully positioned Adrien so that he was sitting snug on his lap. He then brought his thumb up and gently rubbed it underneath Adrien’s eye, following along the path of his cheekbone. "Are you feeling better now?"
Adrien’s eyebrows scrunched together. There was no way Mikyle was asking if he was still exhausted since they had just sat down only a few seconds ago.
Mikyle removed his hand from the side of Adrien’s face before pressing a finger between Adrien’s brows. He then smoothed out the wrinkles that had formed there. "You looked as if you had something on your mind. Did something happen while you were with your parents?"
Adrien’s eyes widened. Am I that easy to read? Feeling embarrassed for some reason, he hid his face. Maybe this is a good chance to talk, to sort through things. It’s not like I’ll be able to figure out everything on my own anyway. But can I trust Mikyle. . .I mean, I still don’t even know what this weird connection is between us?
"You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. But when you do, I’ll be there to listen."
Adrien unburied his face from Mikyle’s shirt. The eyes that were looking down at him were filled with so much emotion that Adrien realized that he was over thinking things.
Why am I so worried over this? The simple fact of the matter is that Mikyle is my boyfriend. . .and he obviously trusts me enough that he was willing to share even his own secret with me. . .so I should be able to do the same. . .though I probably shouldn’t tell him everything.