A Bit of Love

Chapter 7

"Axel, you don't know what you're doing," I tried to keep up with his stride but the furiousness inside him has blocked all senses completely. He was actually willing to go through with it, I thought we already had this figured out.

He continued with his pace until I yelled at him, "Axel!" which caused all personnel surrounding us to lift their heads in surprise. It was awkward at most but my brother needed a wake up call. He stopped in his tracks. I saw him breath heavily through his lungs as he faced me. 

His eyes full of hurt and sadness. "You weren't there Hugo," he said and I felt a spear through my chest with those words, because it was true. I came home late last night when I received the news from our butler. 

"Your father sire -," I didn't let him finish and proceeded to run to my father's bed chamber.

I felt the blur of my surroundings, I swear I hit a couple of ornaments around the house, but I didn't care. I opened the massive door leading to the antechamber and opened another door. 

Then I saw..

My father's bed was surrounded by doctors . Like they are pumping his chest and between the doctors I saw my father's face. Clearly ashen and ill. And everything in that moment slowed down for me. And I wished, harder than any wish I ever wished before. To give us hope.

They stopped pumping and checked his heart again. They nodded out of relief, hopefully.

My eyes searched for Axel and I saw him sitting on the couch with his head down. Obviously worried about our father. I looked at him and he caught my gaze as if in agreement of the situation. 

We talked to the doctors, but they can't give a proper medication without the

"I was late," I retorted with my eyes sharp. 

"That is not a good reason," he replied with a laugh like madness. I looked around and the maids clearly knew that they should go by now. I sighed putting my hands on my waist. Think the collar of this suit that I'm wearing is now annoying me.

I looked at Axel grimly, "We have responsibilities to uphold Axel. I just can't leave one behind, I am making time, making sure that I accomplish it all. But you, you were here yesterday, atleast your supposed to."

"What are you implying," he quickly retorted.

"I heard rumors that you smelled like booze yesterday," I heard him gasp almost. His eyes gaining to find answers in a room that was blank. "You can't reason out of this."

"I- You would believe a rumor like that?," He tried to sound offended but his manners opposed him. He was panicking and so I questioned him.

"Is it true then?"

He tried to lie, I knew he did. He was supposed to adjourn from drinking. He promised, after the last incident. 

"It doesn't matter," he tried to brush it off, but because of the situation I decided to make him see his mistakes. And I was stubborn and agitated of him right now.

"IT MATTERS!" I shouted as I felt the hall echo as my voice trembled as the breakables in it's pedestals vibrated. 

"It matters because you need to get it together, you know you need to. " I sighed and stared at him in the eyes. "You are the future king and these decisions matter, your attitude matters, your habits, your perspective, everything. You are the future of our Kingdom." I began pointing at his chest. "If you don't see a future for yourself, our people won't have one too, and all will crumble beneath your feet. You will feel guilty because you were warned before but you didn't listen. And once it is too late, you can never fix it, no matter how hard you try" I stopped talking, but not until now have I realized how his eyes widened at the truth I spoke of. Sadness.

He was dumbfounded, but of course his pride got in the way. "I need to get the knights ready." He said sternly but his voice trembled, as his eyes went a little red. Turning around with his head held high trying to maintain the dignity he has left. 

I let out  huff of air as I realized the entirety of the situation. It wasn't up to me now, it was up to him, it was always up to him. And I can only hope he sees it before it's too late. I decided to take a break as I headed to one of the balconies in the palace. As I see the pasture stretched out on the horizon. The air giving me a chance to breath again as I wasted it earlier. 

Putting my hands in the hand rail and just letting my body fall down a bit. I just don't understand why all of these is happening now. Sofia is stuck in a love spell, my father is dying, and my brother is stupid. All of it is too much.

"Prince Hugo" 

I jumped back a bit from the sudden utterance of sound from our butler. I turned around and looked at him while I hastily fixed my suit. "You have a visitor" 

My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. I wasn't expecting anyone today. Especially not this day. But luckily I was wrong.

Sofia popped her head out looking at me. As if asking if now is a good time. I nodded slightly and looked at our butler. "You can go now," I referred to our butler. He bowed and made his way out, away.

Sofia then walked towards me, and I just noticed she was carrying a picnic basket. She was stunning as always, wearing her purple dress, her pick amulet and her crown. She was so elegant even though she doesn't try to. And I just, I like her. 

"Your father asked me here early in the morning, saying you might need a friend," she said softly. And that just made me more suspicious, she was under a love potion, she won't adhere to the title of a friend. But that was not a problem for now. 

She lifted her picnic basket and looked at me in the eyes with the same adoration I saw from her since the love potion. "I have sandwiches," she said. And maybe, maybe this day won't be so bad after all.