Vows of Silence

XV

The twins proposed marriage to Alver at the end of the banquet. The entire hall had fallen silent, and even the king seemed to be having a good time. The twins simply smiled as innocently as they always do, as if they hadn't just dropped that mega bomb out of nowhere. Looking at them, he noticed their mischievous grins and realized they were just playing with him.

"Keh! What are you? Cut-sleeves?" Neo Tolz snarks while laughing at them.

*thud!*

"W, what...?"

Cale kicked Neo Tolz's knee. "Compared to our Alvery..."

Rok snickers, "Your face is that of a squid."

"We like pretty people..." Cale once again clings to Alver's neck. "And you're not on the list," Rok continued.

"Well, good-looking people," Cale says, creeping them out, and Rok adds, "should be with good-looking people."

Both look at Alver and say, "Right?" before clinging to his neck.

Neo Tolz flushed violently. Everyone who was listening to the creepy twins shivered.

"And..." Rok smiled innocently viciously once more, "I hope I don't hear any more rumors about our Alvery..."

"What can an illegitimate—!"

Rok locked his gaze on him. They all noticed the golden turtle on their pins that only legitimates wear.

"Say it again... I hope your family business thrives after that..." Cale grins and leans against Alver's chest, while Rok does the same.

"If he can finish his words," Rok says, "Dad will undoubtedly flip things up once we say a word."

The hall fell silent. Every noble family within the hall has some sort of connection to Henituse County. They simply stated that the count would go to any length for them. Rok and Cale were confident that, given their upbringing, they would be on the lookout for anything concerning them. One bad decision can cost their entire family a fortune.

"This tastes good." Rok breaks the tension.

"Watch out for cavities," Cale says, taking what his older brother offers him.

"Hm... this is good," Cale said as he took one, and the two of them went to feed Alver.

"Try it, wifey!" they both said, smiling. Alver could feel the problems coming his way.

They have no shame, don't they? He praised their attempt to annoy him. He only needed to steel himself for whatever shit was coming his way.

He didn't expect to be contacted by Deruth Henituse through a video communication device brought by the twins. Zed Crossman offered the twins a room in the main palace, but they chose to accompany him to his palace instead. The twins happily looked around.

He simply did not anticipate the move made by the Henituse family.

"Are you going to support me?"

"Do you not want to?"

"Ah, thank you very much."

"However."

Alver paused and listened to the count.

"You must earn my trust before I will make a move for you."

[***]

Deruth looked at the letter that Zed Crossman sent him before he sent the twins to the capital. He planned on following after a week or two. The one-month celebration at the palace will determine the power and stability of both the royal family and the nobles.