Hearts at War (AlanxJeff) VI

6

Charlie

The carriage moved leisurely, its wheels softly crunching over the dirt road. Through the window, the landscapes blurred into a wash of colors, but my eyes didn't focus on them. Pete had cornered us. He, of all people, should understand our feelings. He had been Kael's closest friend and, I thought, considered Jeff as his own little brother too.

Jeff clung tightly to me, his face still pale. "Charlie, what are we going to do?" he whispered, his voice filled with worry and fear. "We can't let our kingdom fall into ruin."

"I know, Jeff," I replied, trying to stay calm. "But we need to think clearly. Pete has given us a month to propose other ideas. Everything will be fine."

He nodded slightly. Clearly, the option of marriage wasn't viable, especially because of Jeff's problem. But we couldn't advocate for this without exposing Jeff to scrutiny and prejudice. If only he had already committed before the meeting...

"Jeff, what you had planned for tonight..." I began cautiously. Jeff had separated from me at the party to look for Bank. Then he couldn't be found for the meeting and appeared shortly after in clothes that clearly weren't his. What had happened?

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I... I couldn't do it. I lost it. I lost what I was going to give Bank and then... then all this happened," Jeff apologized in a thread of a voice, gripping the edge of his jacket tightly.

"You don't have to apologize, Jeff. Relax, when something is meant to happen, it will find a way. You shouldn't pressure yourself," I said gently, trying to comfort him. I knew how hard he had worked for tonight, but what happens in the end is always for the best.

Jeff let out a trembling sigh and then frowned. "Charlie, tell me the truth, can you perceive the pheromones I apply as if they weren't mine? I mean, like if I were wearing perfume?"

I turned to look at him, perplexed by the oddity of his question. When his social debut approached, his nanny Pean had presented it as a possible solution: using pheromones like a perfume to pass them off as his own. The scent that was designed was inspired by Jeff's natural aroma: strawberries. When he applied it for the first time, I won't deny it was strange. But the reason was that I already knew his natural scent and feeling an aroma that, although similar, would never be the same, confused my senses. Once I got used to it, I couldn't tell the difference. If I got close enough, like in a hug, I could feel it and, deep down, subtle, very subtle, his essence. They were so similar that they danced in harmony and overlapped in an apparently perfect combination. So both Kael and I assured him that no one would notice. And everything had gone well until now.

"We've talked about this before, Jeff. No, it doesn't seem like it. It feels natural, I can barely perceive a very, very subtle difference because I've known you forever and even then it's hard," I explained, trying to give him confidence.

"But... then..." he said in a trembling whisper, his lips quivering.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned.

"I hate it, Charlie, I really hate it," he burst out as his tears began to flow uncontrollably. I was stunned for a second, not knowing what to do. "That boy, it's all his fault. I lost the stone that took me so long to find for Bank and he, he was so insensitive. And then at the dance..." Jeff continued as if he had exploded, unable to contain himself, while he kept crying inconsolably. "At the dance, he... he just did everything possible to humiliate me. A dance lesson, Charlie. He dared to give me a dance lesson. I already know the obvious! I know! I know I'm not good at dancing, but it's not my fault. What isn't practiced is forgotten and I... it's not like I'm always asked to dance. And I was scared, after all, he was from the south. So everything was a disaster, but then... then he dared to ask me if I was wearing perfume. He asked me like someone asks about the weather! That's not something you ask! It's courtesy! I felt so embarrassed. I've never felt so embarrassed in my life. I... I really hate him. Yes, yes, if I'm forced to marry him and he finds out about my defect, which will inevitably happen, he'll kick me out like a dog, not without first exposing me for my humiliation and shame. But if we don't do it, then... then it will be the ruin of the kingdom. No matter what I do or don't do, I'll always be a disaster. Why can't I be useful to them? I just wanted to help, even if it was by staying away, but now... now..." he finished, heartbroken.