Royally Screwed

Chapter 7

LOUIS

"Is my Mom home, Dominick?", I ask him as I stroll inside the house. I usually don't come to Cordelia during the term, normally on holidays only, yet I needed to clear my head after my trip to Deauville. And doing it right next to the brother of the one who caused me the trouble didn't seem like a good idea.

"I'm not quite sure, Sir", he answers.

I nod thanking him regardless, and try to sneakily make my way to my parents' study, where that good cabinet is. We have several cabinets of liquors in the castle. But the one in my parents' study holds the best whiskeys.

I am so close to take out my favourite bottle, as a familiar voice interrupts me. "If you plan on skipping classes, maybe stealing alcohol ain't such a good idea."

Sighing, I turn around coming face to face with my Mom. Her brown hair is held together with a clip, she's wearing a black blouse with some white pants, and she's mustering me with her blue eyes.

"Hi, Mom", I say, ditching the bottle to come hug her. She lets go of her annoyed act and pulls me tighter in her hug. I really missed this. I missed home.

"Sweetie", Mom begins, kissing the top of my head. As she lets go, she can't help but kiss my cheek again, before heading to her desk. "Your Dad is meeting with the Dutch Ambassador now. I'm sorry he isn't here. Want me to call him?"

"No, it's fine", I answer. "I think I'll be staying for dinner anyway. I'm leaving tomorrow." My mind wonders at Sylvie. And the last few days spent with her. "Just needed some time to...breathe, after Deauville."

"No, baby, what happened?", Mom ditches whatever paper she was looking at, her gaze now solely on me. "You know what?", she begins. "Let's go out. You and me. Let's go grab coffee or something at a coffee place. Then you can tell me everything that happened in Deauville."

"Are you sure you have the time?", I ask her, pointing with my finger at the huge pile of papers on her desk.

"I'll get it done later", she assures me. "What I need right now is some quality time with my son and for him to tell me what gave him that frown." She stands up, grabbing a coat that was lying on the couch, and places an arm around my shoulder: "Want me to place someone in the dungeon, baby?"

"Mom", I let out.

She only snickers, leading us towards the exit.

~

"How did it feel like when you fell in love with Dad?", I ask her. "I mean, how did you know?"

Mom's eyebrows rise minimally, clearly not having expected this question. It's then she takes her spoon and starts stirring in the coffee with a dreamy smile on."I mean, you have to know that your father and I have always been best friends. Ever since we were small. So for years, I have only seen him as my best friend. But at one point, I found myself thinking about him. All day. He was my thirst thought when I woke up, he lived in my mind during my dreams. When I was near him, my world seemed to be alright. When we were apart, it hurt. Like my body would physically hurt. When we first said I love you, I knew that there was no other man I would like to say those words to. Because deep down, my heart knew he was the one." She takes a sip of her coffee, then continues. "Your Father and I were away from each other for some time, so we broke up at first. But true love makes people find their way back to each other. And that kind of love doesn't fade away. Even now, every second spent away from him, it feels like my heart doesn't beat fully. Like part of it is stopped, and it only starts beating when I'm with him again."

After another sip. She asks: "Why do you ask, Louis?"

"I was just curious", I mumble.

Mom knows me better than to buy my shit. "Did you meet someone while in France?"

"It doesn't matter", I begin. "She hates me anyway."

Her lips form an "Oh". It's then I know she knows. "So, it's Sylvie then."

I deny it, although my heart starts beating like crazy just at the sound of her name.

"I am not in love with her or anything, just so you know", I tell her. "I just can't help...I can't help-"

"Thinking of her? Wanting to be with her?", Mom finishes for me with an understanding glance. She smiles as I nod. "It's okay, baby. I have been suspecting it for a while now."

"How?", I ask, not daring to look up from my coffee.

"I mean, you always seem different when you're around her. But good different. Not to mention the way you look at her."

"How do I look like her?"

"Well, see it like this. When you look at her, it seems like you could be in a museum with the most beautiful masterpieces to ever exist, but she would still be the one you would be looking at."

I sink my head in my palms, this whole thing being too fucking much. I knew Deauville would be a bad idea. I knew being left with Sylvie would be a bad idea. Sylvie makes me lose control. And I don't lose control. But she makes me. And it's fucking messing with my head. I hate her for making me look at her. She's so pretty. She's magnificent. She's so smart. So kind.

And I hate myself for wanting her. Because I know Edmund would never allow it.

"She's Edmund's sister, Mom", I let out exhausted. "And Edmund would never let me date his sister."

Mom only nods. She met my best friend too. She knows I'm right. However, she still speaks: "But you also can't slowly kill yourself from not being able to be with her, Louis. You have to figure it out: you either chase her, or you let her go. That's the only way it works."