The Story of Dhanvanthri

six

Dhanvanthri Hates Being Caged

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Athanasia sipped her tea nervously, eyeing her brother and father who were both staring down at each with cold gazes. The only difference was that Claude had a slight frown on his face, whereas Dhanvanthri had a flat smile on his own. Athanasia couldn't help but notice that for someone who wasn't brought up in the Imperial Family, her brother showed the grace and attitude befitting of a crowned prince.

It almost made her feel a little intimidated.

But that doesn't make this atmosphere any less tense! Athanasia felt suffocated by the cold war between her father and her brother, it was so thick that even a chainsaw wouldn't be able to saw through this tension. It not only stayed in the air, it is woven around the two men like a snake coiled around its prey.

"Big Brother, how far are you into your studies?" Athanasia asked, trying to bring a topic up to distract herself from this suffocating silence. She watched as Dhanvanthri set down his cup gently on the table before his eyes turned to look at hers. How funny, even though they were twins, Athanasia couldn't help but feel that her brother looked so much more... regal compared to her.

"My studies should be... on an equal level as the fourth-year students in Arlanta's Boarding School?" Dhanvanthri tested. Then, he shook his head, "I have not been professionally tested, merely speculations. How about yourself, little sister?"

Athanasia felt stunned, for a moment. Wasn't her brother the same age as her? They were twins, right? He was seven-years-old, just like herself, right?  Unlike her, who had an adult mind, her brother was a normal child. To know that he was not only good at studying but even studied further than she had, it was brilliant.

'No wonder he was the supposed crowned prince of Obelia' Athanasia couldn't help but think. She shook the thought off, regardless of that, her brother was here right now and asking her a question. She should answer him too, this made her motivated to study!

"I haven't studied as far as big brother did," Athanasia admitted. "I've only studied half the things brother did."

Dhanvanthri tilted his head, "You'll catch up, little sister."

"Do you plan on studying at Arlanta's Boarding School?" Claude asked, directing his question at Dhanvanthri. Her brother hummed in thought, "No, thank you. I fear I would end up going mad if I were to be chained up in one location alone."

"Is that so?" Claude raised his brow.

Dhanvanthri gave him a smile, cold and unfeeling.

"Big brother!" Athanasia had to cut in again, not wanting to feel the same suffocating silence as before, "What's your favourite... flower?"

"...Flower?" Dhanvanthri blinked. Then, he frowned, staring at Athanasia with a hard look. He looked troubled, now that Athanasia thought about it. Oh no, did she accidentally asked a sensitive question? He wasn't going to kill her now, was he?

"I like... Tagetus," Dhanvanthri paused. "Marigold, the orange ones."

"They look like gold!" Athanasia couldn't help but exclaim. "Especially in the sunset."

"They do," Dhanvanthri nodded in agreement. "But they look best during the dawn. Their petals seem to glow amber and their stems disappear when you step into a field of them."

Athanasia sipped her tea again before looking at her brother. When he spoke about Marigolds, he looked a little wistful about something. She wondered if her brother made a friend outside these walls, and had to leave them behind when he returned to the palace.

"Do you like them that much?" Claude asked abruptly.

Dhanvanthri blinked, "Pardon?"

"Your Highness, what your Majesty means is that if you want them planted near your residence?" Felix translated. Dhanvanthri looked disbelieving before dissolving into doubt and scepticism. Claude saw his expression and instantly darkened, glaring at Felix.

"Felix, shut up," he snapped.

Dhanvanthri quirked his lips up, "It would be nice to have my own field of marigolds."

Athanasia nodded, "Much like a field of roses, a field of marigold would be pretty."

"You like roses, little sister?" Dhanvanthri asked.

"Yeah," Athanasia nodded absentmindedly.

Then, she cleared her expression and changed the topic. "What do you think of the tea, big brother?"

"The tea? It's cold," Dhanvanthri stated bluntly.

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Frankly, the tea was disgusting. Dhanvanthri couldn't remember how long has it been since he tasted such a disgusting brew of tea, likely it was due to the cool temperature but he felt nothing but contempt for it. The acidity of it trickled out of the cooled tea, not to mention the flower scent was faded and left a sourish aftertaste on his tongue.

It was disgusting.

But from what it seems, both his little sister and that bastard of his holds some sort of sentimental value to the tea. Either they had bonded over the tea before, or their mother liked this tea once upon a time ago. Well, Dhanvanthri wasn't insensitive enough to start criticising the tea for now.

He smiled, "But it has a unique taste." Uniquely disgusting.

"I love it too, big brother!" Athanasia beamed at him.

It's been a week since he had returned to the castle, Dhanvanthri realised. The palace was extravagant, glamorous, and filled with riches but there were humble touches in every corner. Athanasia stayed in one palace, while he stayed in another. Both of them were separated and Dhanvanthri had his own servant laid out.

Not that he trusted any of them, not as if he would in this place.

He lived in the Sapphire Palace, clean and glamourous. It was the official home for the past princes, now of his own. Despite it being such a grand place, Dhanvanthri felt that the palace was nothing but a cold building. It had no sense of life nor was there a touch of warmth, it was just a cold residence and that's it.

He felt suffocated in the place and he hated it.

Dhanvanthri finally finished the whole cup of tea and turning to look at his father, he should ask for permission out of obligation. Even if his father disagreed, it wasn't as if he couldn't do it on his own. But still, he would like to have a form of permission. Maybe he unknowingly longed for a form of parental love from this man?

Dhanvanthri ceased himself of such bullshit thoughts, ignoring it to ask his questions.

"Father," he called out, catching the man's attention. "May I request permission to leave the palace?"

The man barely blinked, "Reason?"

"Exploration," Dhanvanthri offered. "I simply wish to see beyond the castle walls."

"Bring a knight along," Claude told him, then he looked at Felix with a silent order. Felix Robane nodded before smiling at Dhanvanthri, "Your Highness, we'll visit the knights' barracks later this evening, if you're alright with it."

"Sure," Dhanvanthri nodded. At least he could go out, he might go mad if he stayed here forever to play the obedient prince.

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A/N: Heh, we'll be meeting the knights next. Will the ML be there? NOPE. *laughs*