Arthur waved his final goodbye as the palace he lived in slowly got more and more isolated and solitary. Now he began to truly feel like he was alone in the entire world even though there were many in his surrounding. Working to keep the palace in one piece. Arthur just stood silently at the doorstep before the Head butler approached him. He gently tapped on his shoulder. The white gloves he wore were sweating him from inside but still on the surface they were clean and pristine " Sir, your evening tea is ready." Arthur looked at the Head butler. Who had prepared a delicious tea. And once again the cycles of betrayal started spinning in his mind.
He thought that the tea might be poisoned. And since no family member is here to witness. It is the optimal opportunity to take Arthur out. Make it seem he died from natural causes or suicide. Whatever fits their agenda.
But if Arthur were to decline it would cause suspicion
Arthur tried to politely decline. " I have work right now, I can't". The butler agreed and suggested something else.
"Then I'll keep this in your study on a mana heater. That way you can enjoy the tea when your done.". Sieg was arranging the documents and sighing alone. Work is work he repeated to himself even when alone meanwhile questioning his life choices. He was called in Arthur's study where the tea was kept. Sieg entered the door as he had zero to none expectations.
"Welcome, Sieg thanks for working so hard. Here I've prepared some tea for you". Sieg saw the tea on the mana heater. He looked over the tea. And it looked like it was freshly made. Since the colour of the tea had not darkened yet. Sieg could smell the aroma of the tea leaves which were used which gave him a sense of calmness.
Sieg snapped from his calmness and once again became normal. " Is this the same tea you were supposed to drink, my King". Sieg raised suspicion on Arthur's intention and Arthur thought to himself. "It was obvious that Sieg would be aware. He's my aide." Arthur smiled and simply retorted.
" I've had my tea and I found it marvelous. So I'm letting you try it out for yourself". Sieg could have argued with hard and critical observation which was missing in Arthur's logic. But he didn't since it could affect their relationship negatively.
Sieg lifted the teacup and peered into the tea itself. It was still hot and vapours still released from it. Arthur had clasped his hands and calmly watched Sieg. As he struggled with the cup and put it down under the pretense that it was hot.
" . The optimum time at which it should be savored within a few minutes . I believe that the tea has been spoiled due to the nature of leaves which exudes pungent aroma relinquishing the taste of the tea. "
Sieg had whipped out a bag of excuses. But he was correct. The tea made was made from a special leaves called Flarva that provided heavenly flavor but excessive dipping or waiting spoils the flavor of the tea." It can't be helped then " Arthur quickly let it slide.
In the end the tea was kept there. With Arthur's suspicion of being poisoned since he was the only one who could drink it.
The head butler had come to collect the teacup and he found it still hot but untouched. So he quietly within the eyesight of Arthur and Sieg. The head butler politely asked by slightly bowing but not much " My Lord, is there something wrong with the tea. Was it not to your liking". Arthur replied " I wasn't thirsty so I decided to give it to Sieg. Why waste such exquisite tea. But it was spoiled before I could give it to Sieg". The butler carried the tea cup in his hand " Please summon me if you require anything else". Saying that the butler left and Sieg watched Arthur as he just conviniently played it off. And returned back to work
And soon working through the day. Night had come covering the entire world in a blanket of darkness. With stars as beautiful as Stellarium guiding travellers across the lands.
Arthur had asked Sieg to stay back for dinner and since it was more like an order than request Sieg couldn't decline.
He decided not to inform his family since it would be enough for him to get in his family's bad graces since he was the youngest born.
Arthur had specifically done this because he didn't trust the Chef. But if Arthur was with someone else. It might become a political issue and get investigated. Since a noble house is being tarnished. He used exquisite silver cutlery as it was believed to detect poisons. And the Royal tester had already eaten the food and deemed it safe 30 minutes ago. But his credibility is zero since he is a traitor. Once again Arthur could hold his decision of not eating. And take the same risk of suspicion.
Arthur's line of thinking was to avoid it in the first place. Because Sieg was nearby the Chef who had been cooking up the plan for weeks of poisoning him with a slow poison had to delay his plans. His plans had been foiled. And the Tea Arthur had been fussing over was just as well poisoned.
Finally Sieg departed from the palace on his steed named Parla which meant trust and unwavering. He ran the steed as fast as he can back home. And when he did. He left parla and opened the door of the mansion. Where his brothers were waiting for him. Sieg tried to ignore them and move ahead. But he was kicked in his abdomen by one of his brothers before he could even get to his father.
One of his brothers Gunnar Volsung was the eldest son and the one to Inherit the family. While besides him was Hagen Volsung. The second child. He always stays with the eldest and acts as his bodyguard or guard dog. While the eldest handles all the legitimate business with his father. The middle child controls a faction in the underworld. Ranging from drugs, poison, mercenary supplying to even stockpiling stellarium and selling at a high price point. And lastly murder and assassination. He is known as Hound of the Volsung.
Sieg was much hurt but his clothes had been soiled and he had prevented his fall on his face by holding his hands towards the ground and balancing his body. Sieg fallen looked over his brother's standing towering above him flexing their power and authority. The Hound spoke with such disdain for Sieg " You're not even going to greet your brothers little Sieg. Or is the dog of the Crown has become so high and mighty after eating feed besides his master". Sieg kept quiet and spoke nothing he knew that they had just come here to bark and nothing else. He looked at his hand there was just a small cut but it was not bleeding.
Sieg just picked himself up even though the blow was hard. But because his tolerance had developed even higher because of the brothers abuse. Sieg looked at the eldest and with a straight face said " I urgently need to speak with father". The eldest heard his words but the hound was not tolerant of his action he once again got up near Sieg as Sieg felt his breath of anger. The hound punched him in the stomach. But anticipating this Sieg had already tightened his stomach thus he was able to take the blow even if he spat fluid from his mouth and that fluid unfortunately landed on the Hound. And his anger exploded he started hitting Sieg left and right, bruised his face and even took up his flintlock which was strapped to his side and was about to shoot Sieg in cold blood.
But thr eldest stopped the hound " Hagen, I'm sure our beloved youngest has something to tell father, we can't keep father waiting can we".
Sieg was now limping even struggling to stand up. The eldest summoned two servants and had them carry Sieg to his father's study. The two servants grabbed Sieg by his hands supporting him on their shoulders and slowly walking towards the study. The servants when before the study knocked the door and we're granted permission. Sieg asked the servants to return and he entered the study where his father was working on the county tax reports and calculating the profits he had gained from selling water to the faraway Baron Laron.
Sieg grabbed the doorframe as he forces himself in. And he shut the door with his body instead of his hands. And he faced his father with a bruised face. Just as the siblings even his father looked down upon him " Arthur's loyal dog, Serpent of Volsung are you tired from playing fetch for your master today". He was used to hear being called dog but Serpent really pierced his heart so hard that he felt like drowning himself in his own tears but he was feeling the pain of being beat up even more. " Father, Arthur has evaded both attempts of poisoning and I think he is suspicious of me." His father calmly kept his hand over his cheeks and then grabbed them hard and pounded his head on his desk. Enough to punish him and preserve his face structure. He couldn't even lift himself as his father exerted even more pressure on Sieg's head.
" Fail me again and I will make sure your corpse will be desecrated and hung on the streets ". Fury was seeping from his mouth. His brain was flaring with wrath.
He had held down his hand pressing Sieg's face hard on the desk and he pulled him by his hair and stared deep into Sieg's lifeless eyes." Don't show yourself before you clean my tarnished reputation" The head threw him by his hair as he landed on the chair. And he left the room in disgust.
Before leaving the head looked at Sieg and his lifeless soul and scoffed at him. He ordered the servants to clean him and bandage his wounds. While Sieg just watched himself. Even a single shred of thought won't come to life in his mind.
When he was being sanitized with alcohol he was feeling the stinging sensation but he didn't react. It felt like he was dead inside. After he was bandaged his body was cleaned by the servants then night clothes were put on him before they carried him to his room and left his on the bed.
The servants felt sympathetic for Sieg but they were also just as helpless.
Finally ignoring the pain Sieg was able to atleast sleep. And thus the day had ended for Sieg. Meanwhile Arthur was holding his father's book. But he was afraid that if he opened the book. It would mean that his father would never return thus he was very hesitant about it. But finally he decided to open it's secrets once and for all.