169: Mood swings (part 1)

Mood swings (part 1)

Aldric sat on a tree log as Adela bent over next to him, carefully applying the crushed Arnica onto the young King's face.2

"I'm sure his hand is broken," Aldric sounded cheerful as he said that.

With Adela by his side, Egon was fine. But the mate bond was something neither one of them was willing to discuss right now.

When Aldric smiled mischievously at Egon, she deliberately increased the pressure on his face.

Aldric looked at her patiently, showing no signs of pain or complaint. "Your father was right, you're truly skilled in herbal medicine,"

She continued to spread the mixture across his cheek. "I am a Healer. It comes naturally to me."

He winced slightly as he half-smiled. "...It's not the same. Being a Healer and having extensive knowledge in medicine," 

Adela couldn't help but notice the similarity of his statement to what Egon had once told her, and the irony wasn't lost on her.

She sighed.

"Are you trying to tell me that you can trap someone in an air cage next to a tree, but you couldn't prevent them from falling and hitting you?" She cringed at the memory.

"I did push him with air, but I did it too late. No one had ever escaped one of my cages before. I let my guard down, that's all," 

Adela was horrified.

"How many of those cages have you made anyway?"

He patted his thigh twice, then stood up next to her. "Now... Can we continue with our inspection? I dread Kaiser's scolding more than anything."

"I told you, there is nothing in the western part of the forest for you to see. An industrial zone can't be established here," Egon suddenly looked professional. "Between Lanark and Latora, there are vast flat and barren lands. It would be best to conduct the construction over there."

Aldric let out a laugh. "Now you're saying this?"

Egon stared expressionlessly at him. "I needed to test your intentions first."

"Adela," Aldric turned to her, "What do you think about that?"

Adela remembered galloping behind Egon on the long road and realized it was indeed much better than a forest full of trees.

"I agree," she replied.

"Well then, allow me a few moments inside this forest... I'm doing this out of sheer curiosity. I'll be right back," Aldric's light suddenly split, with one hovering over Adela and the other taken with him.

Once the young King's light faded from sight, Egon appeared in front of Adela, his eyes smoldering with anger.

"Think twice before partnering with a person like him."

"...I have already thought it through,"

"...You were supposed to come to me with your business plans. We could have explored other options and discussed it together," 

That was a low blow.

"I didn't realize it was so easy for us to have open discussions," she retorted.

He looked at her with a wounded expression, reminiscent of the one she had seen in her father's study.

She suppressed a scoff.

"Lanark's economy is my priority. I plan on dedicating all of my time to it," she threw his own words back at him. "I don't need to talk to you or seek your permission. I can solve my problems on my own, just like you."

"Really? Well, from the outside, it seems like you're solving them with another man's company," he glared down at her with his hawk-like eyes. "Did you take one look at his face and decide he is trustworthy?"

"Yes!" she snapped. "I find him trustworthy. He doesn't strike me as the type of man to waver with changing circumstances."

He averted his eyes, and she, in turn, adjusted her posture, regarding him with coldness. "My goal is to see my land thrive. I won't stop until I accomplish it."

As they stared deep into each other's eyes, the young King made his way back to them.

He rolled his eyes at Adela. "Yes, just like any other forest out there. Absolutely nothing special to see."

Egon frowned as he noticed her struggle to conceal a smile.

"Yes, let's see the land that both of my partners agree is better for the business project than this one," Aldric said with a half-smile.

"I can't," Egon said with a low tone. "My family is waiting for me."

"...Are they in your house by the eastern entrance?" Adela couldn't help but inquire. Egon's face initially showed surprise, then softened. "Yes, they are," he confirmed, coughing unexpectedly.

"Are you alright?" she asked, startled, not knowing what to do. A strange notion struck her—Egon's eyes glistened as if he was about to cry.

Ridiculous. 

"Last I checked, vampires don't fall ill," Aldric chimed in, coming to a halt next to Adela.

Egon's eyes measured the distance between the two of them disapprovingly.

"...But then again, you're not a vampire, are you?" 

"I'm not. But you're right. I don't fall ill," Egon responded.

Adela had her doubts. The man's scars caused him pain, which meant his body was capable of showing signs of discomfort. She didn't see why someone like him wouldn't get sick, just like any human.

"Food is being prepared at the empty houses near your carriage. We left so early, and you probably haven't had time to eat anything," Egon said.

Adela's head spun as she observed his increasingly erratic mood swings today.

Aldric rubbed his lip with his thumb and smiled, the improvement in the swelling on his face evident.

"I never leave my location without eating first. That being said, I am undoubtedly famished!" He looked down at Adela. "Aren't you, partner?"

Remembering how Egon had cooked for her in his now-empty house, Adela's stomach heaved rejectingly. But her dry throat could certainly use something to drink.

"Thank you for the generous invitation," she replied to Egon politely.

"...I shall leave first, then," Egon said before disappearing from their sight.

"I hope it's fish," Aldric murmured.

"...Excuse me?"

"The river was full of fish, just saying..." Aldric explained.

She weakly smiled up at him. "Once we're back, I'll ask the kitchen to prepare a variety of fish for you, Your Holiness."

She gazed in the direction she presumed the three cottages had stood, despising her weakness toward him and how she kept expecting things that would never come true.

Feeling uneasy, she looked at her bracelet, deciding that it was time to make a clear statement to Egon.

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