The leaves danced on the branches of the tree, bathed in the golden light of the sun, while the cheerful chirping of birds created a serene ambiance. Inside the greenhouse sat Sebastian, his brows puckered into a scowl, baffled as he burrowed a hole in their faces with his arms crossed and a sharp gaze fixated on his cousin, Ciarán Asael de Lacharrière, the son of His Majesty the King and the only heir to the royal throne, who was leisurely savoring his tea, unconcerned by the tense atmosphere emanating from Sebastian.
"I would be delighted if you would feign ignorance about what you have seen today, milord."
Keith's deadpan expression mirrored the monotonous tone of his voice as he raised his fork to take a bite of the cake, nearly choking upon hearing Sebastian's response.
"Yeah, that was quite an UNINSPIRING sight."
Sebastian replied, his tone dripping with mockery while a slanted smile curled at the corners of his mouth.
"That's—cough! Cough!"
As Sebastian enjoyed watching Keith's desperate rasp for air Ciarán interjected. A loud, hollow thud echoed in the silence as he forcefully hit the thick wooden table with his fist, while his pair of amber eyes gleamed with cold intensity, devoid of any warmth, like a predator ready to pounce.
"MIND YOUR TONGUE WHEN YOU'RE IN FRONT OF THE PRINCE!"
Ciarán's frigid tone, like ice, was fused with authority as his veins carved into his neck and hands like vines. His cold demeanor, which was meant to send shivers down the spine at a glance, had no effect on Sebastian. Instead of showing a hint of fear, Sebastian simply scoffed, as if he were staring at a fuming, unruly child.
"So, you've already learned to USE your POWER TO THREATEN someone. HUH?!"
A sly grin tilted on his lips.
"TOO BAD WE'VE SHARED THE SAME BLOOD—
—which I HOPE I DO NOT!"
Ciarán said it firmly, startling Keith when he heard it.
"That's lèse-majesté, Your Highness... You could be punished by the king."
Keith's words immediately clouded Ciarán's eyes. His non-existent tail, which had been wagging earlier, now hung low as Keith took a sip, looking utterly calm. He didn't even spare a glance at the prince before Sebastian added a reply to his words, like adding fuel to the fire.
"And you must be forgetting that you are speaking to the HERO of the empire."
Ciarán groaned, frustration bubbling within him as Keith unexpectedly took Sebastian's side.
"Wait! Why are you siding with him?!"
His voice roared like thunder, while his sharp amber eyes pierced through him like daggers.
"Isn't it obvious? He's part of the Dukedom… MY LOYAL AIDE."
He boasted, pausing before uttering more words, pushing Ciarán's anger to its limit.
"I thought you were already aware of that, considering you keep following us around the academy like a puppy with its tail tucked between its legs."
Ciarán fell silent for a moment as shadows flickered across his face, darkening his features.
"I COULD HAVE HAD YOU EXILED BACK THEN."
As their conversation spiraled into a verbal duel, dripping with acidity and mocking as they trampled on each other's pride, Keith simply stared into his cup, quietly seated like a volcano on the verge of eruption, tightly gripping the handle, ready to snap at any moment.
"Is that how you speak to someone OLDER than you?"
Sebastian taunted, raising his brows in delight as he kept burbling words towards Ciarán, whose face was contorted into a mask of rage with his nails digging into his palms.
"You spoke so arrogantly when you're barely five years older than me—
-Tssk! A KID."
Sebastian interrupted with a sneer, causing Ciarán to snap, pulling a revolver from the pocket of his suit as he pointed it at him, ready to pull the trigger when Keith erupted, his voice echoing inside the greenhouse, preventing the bloodbath from happening.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Keith then slammed the cup onto the saucer, smashing it into pieces before he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he wiped the spilled tea from his hand, leaving the two stunned, their eyes wide as circles, freezing in place with their mouths zipped shut.
"Huff—"
He puffed air through his nostrils, his breath coming in ragged gasps that sounded like bellows.
"I hope what happens today never reaches anyone's ears."
He paused, his eyes locked on Sebastian.
"Can I trust you with that?"
Sebastian's lips twitched, his eyes crinkling at the corners before a contemptuous tone of his voice blended into the air.
"Maybe if that mosquito doesn't make it so obvious as to leave a bruise on your neck."
Keith stiffened like a rock as he slowly tilted his head towards Ciarán with glowering eyes, where a smug smile rested on his lips. Instead of feeling guilty and embarrassed, he looked rather proud as he stared at the bruise-like mark he had left on Keith's neck.
"Well, that's normal between lovers—
-We don't have that kind of relationship, your highness."
Keith cut in, his candid response mixed with evident disgust on his face.
"Tsssk!"
He sneered, sulking beside him as Sebastian's silence caught his attention.
"Cat got your tongue? You're acting as if you haven't done it to your previous lovers—"
Ciarán paused, a mischievous smile dance on his lips, ready to start another war.
"Don't tell me—Pfft! HA!"
He chuckled, as if his suspicion confirmed that the rumored ladies' man of the Ashbourne family was nothing but an inexperienced bachelor.
"Mind your words, your highness-Ugh!"
As Keith warned him, Ciarán swiftly took his hand, pressing it against his lips while his tongue playfully slid between his fingers, licking them seductively. Although Keith tried to push his face away, it wouldn't budge despite his desperate efforts.
"Stop it at once! Your highness! This—this is—Argh!"
When Keith finally summoned all his strength to pull his hand away, Ciarán suddenly yanked it back, kissing him passionately.
"Ugh...!"
Their tongues entwined in a heated dance, sucking every bit of fluid from his mouth, making Keith struggle to escape from his fervent embrace as one of his hands tangled in Keith's hair, unable to break free, savoring the sweet taste of dessert lingering on his lips.
Sebastian just watched; the expression on his face was unable to paint, frowning as Keith gasped for air, his breaths coming in quick bursts. Struggling to breathe, but Ciarán, fully aware of it, showed no mercy and continued to steal every moment of breath from him. He even glanced at Sebastian before returning his full attention to Keith, where he found his alluring hazel eyes squeezed shut, becoming moist as he stared into them, just like his lips when he parted from his.
"OW!"
Ciarán scorned as he wiped the blood using the back of his hand that streamed down from his mouth when Keith bit his tongue.
"HA!"
His lips broke into a sly grin as he watched Keith aggressively wipe his mouth, his red, puffy eyes hardening as they pierced through at him.
Just then, Sebastian stood from his seat and left without a word. But looking at his dull expression, a word slipped from his tongue.
"What's with him?! When he's already done it with a couple of whores?"
Ciarán was baffled, as Sebastian, who was a known womanizer of the empire, stealing hearts and the first nights of ladies from various families, looked at him with cloying eyes like he was about to barf. Upon hearing it, Keith immediately stood from his seat, his face stern and his voice was sharp, shooting a poison dart from his eyes that pierced Ciarán's chest, leaving him speechless, unable to meet his gaze.
"Speaking ill of his young duke tarnishes the Ashbourne family."
Ciarán withdrew, as he did not dare speak further.
"I'll have you mind your tongue next time, your highness!"
His frigid gaze made Ciarán bite his lips, frowning as his hand trembled at his side.
******
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