Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Not Supposed to be Here

Go ahead and pretend that you like it, Nillin. You don't like me being nice so I'll treat you like how you want.

"Just stop it, you two," Trieu relaxes his posture after a deep sigh. "We have two more days to go. Make sure you two make up before then."

After saying that, Trieu leaves with a plate of food in his hand.

For others who also feel the painful tension between Nillin and I leave shortly after Trieu including Caria and Carcyne.

I act as if none of these buildups affect me by simply enjoying my dinner as is. Nillin, however, takes my plate from me. The development displeases me but I stay quite.

There is no way I am talking to him first, childish as that may sound.

"Why are you doing this?" He finishes his and my food in one gloup.

I ignore his question and reach for my tea which he snatches and finishes it as well.

"Alright. What is it that 'Your Majesty' wants?" I speak through my clenched teeth.

"Why are you doing this?" He repeats while appearing a little rather drowsy. Which make me wonder, what did Trieu poison him with this time. Trieu just need to learn that this won't work every time.

I am not as kind as I wish I am, and my interests have change. All I want is for Nillin to apologize for... telling Lexin and I to sacrifice ourselves for his own selfishness.

"Do you want to know the truth or the lie?" I continue to try and sound cool.

"Both."

"The truth, I don't like you at the moment. The lie, I want you to apologize."

"You flipped them," Nillin reaches for my hair which have grown to my shoulders. "You want me to apologize because you still love me."

I move away from his grasp. Alright. If Nillin knew, why don't he just apologize? I hate this side of him. I wish I never see this side of him, but rather be lost in his false embrace.

The love he show to me in front of others.

"Let me tell you one thing, brat," Nillin sounds completely different. "Don't believe you're the center of attention and everyone have to love you unconditionally. I'm not apologizing for loving the person I want."

This man needs a piece of my mind! He just makes me so angry!

My heart tightens. My mind keeps on repeating the same phrase, 'I'm not the bad person here'.

"We're practically the same age, 'old man'," I choose to answer him. "Why are you lecturing me? I won't feel guilty for wanting mutual respect from my spouse."

Nillin climbs onto the round table and pulls on my hair closing in the distance between my face and his.

"My let hair go of," I grab the hand that grab my hair. My nails dig into his arm but he doesn't flinch. "If I'm not married to you, my hair wouldn't grow this long for you to abuse."

He spats on his other hand and wipes it onto my hair, "Your hair only match something like this, privileged brat."

Me? Privileged brat? See who's talking! The son of a bastard is always a bastard!

Control, Maeve. He's not worth getting angry over.

"Oh poor you," I say sarcastically and then kiss him on the lips. "As a privileged brat. This is the only way I can show my pity."

Nillin's white skin turns pink to red to violet. He falls asleep on my shoulder.

"Sir Caria, please call for Sir Borscht and Sir Kay to take Prince Nillin back to his room." I somehow feel empty, "Carcyne, please come help me. I can't move."

I can hear Caria's footsteps rushing further and further away and Carcyne enters the tent with widened eyes; she comments, "How did Prince Nillin lose consciousness on top of the table with his chin resting on Milord's shoulder?"

"It just did." I roll my eyes in disgust. I don't want to be this near Nillin any second longer than I have to, "Come help move him."

The moment Carcyne holds Nillin still, I move away and rest on my bed.

"Milord?" Carcyne is on one knee, "Prince Nillin is a little heavy. I know I shouldn't ask for your help since you're with child, but..."

What a cute girl. My fowl mood is lifting and I help carry Nillin onto my bed, "Prince Nillin is pretty light."

"No he isn't." Carcyne looks away, "I'm sorry that I'm so weak. I don't even know why the Queen chose me."

"But you know when to ask for help," I smile to comfort her. "Identifying your weakness, accept it, and asking for help is already half the battle. You're also very compassionate, the perfect companion for me."

"Thank you."

Then Cassiopeya and Lesly rushes into my tent with Caria, Borscht, and Kay behind her. They quickly notice Nillin sleeping sickly beside me on the bed, "I won't allow it!"

"Allow what? Princess and Noble Lady." Everyone else is too scared to answer them so I did.

"Y-you and him sleeping on the same bed," Lesly replies.

'Then take him' is what I want to answer, but I know I will regret it. If I get angry when Nillin is with Xielle and not when they are Cassiopeya and Lesly, I'll see myself as a hypocrite.

"Please leave. Nillin and I are husband and wife by law and social standards. We can sleep on the same bed and share a single pillow," I lie next to Nillin.

I can see their sulked expressions unable to say anything back. They rush out as angrily as they rush in.

Wait! Why is Lesly here?

I place the back of my hand on Nillin's forehead and it burns immediately, "Carcyne, do you think you can do something about this bag of meat?"

"Mischievous Saint," Caria and Carcyne chuckles while Borscht and Kay are confused by the changes in development.

Carcyne asks that the rest of us stands away from Nillin with screens dividing the tent in two.

Borscht clicks his tongue at Kay's face, "I didn't think the Princess has it in him."

"Yeah. Apparently he can talk trash too," Kay smirks back at Borscht.

"Oh yah. T'is ya first time hear'ng Loord Maeve. T'is m'second time." Caria has an accent?

Let me try that accent-but maybe not. It'll be rude, so instead, "Guys, I'm human too. I slip up and can be in a bad mood like everyone else."

"Yeah," Kay sounds. "It's just, you surprised us that's all."

Oh damn. I must've come off as lecturing. That's not what I want. I just want them to see me like someone like them and like be their friend. Laugh and joke around together.

It's alright. I was never good at making friends to begin with.

"Prince Nillin is fine now," Carcyne comes out from behind the screen dividers. "We will stay quiet on this side so that Milord and the Prince can rest for the night."

"Yes, thank you." And I go to the other side where Nillin's face is pale like how it always is and sleeping soundly.

Again, I place the back of my hand on Nillin's forehead. It's still a little warm, but at least he's sleeping.

Seeing him like this, it's almost like he's a normal man who caught the flu.

I sit on the bed and try to engrave the structure of Nillin's face into my mind. There aren't that many opportunity for me to.

However, seeing that Lesly is here with us, I wonder... "Where's Lexin?"