"Anything sweet." Soren replied. He sighed. "I know he does. And yeah, the medication is still affecting me."
Mikhail crossed his arms. "See? Now get a handle on yourself. Take a few minutes, get yourself together, then come back." He instructed the young king.
Soren nodded. Gods, i have so much to do. He left the room.
Mikhail sighed softly, raking a hand through his brown hair.
“Anything sweet. That’s easy enough.” Celeste muttered to herself, pulling out a small worn notebook and flipping through it. “So, does the medication usually wear off by now? Or is it fairly common for it to linger in his system?”
Mikhail sighed. "It depends on the day, the dosage, and what he's doing." He replied. "He doesn't have to take it all the time, thankfully, or he would behave like a child all the time. But he has to take it in the morning for at least three days after the…incident." he looked at her. "I'm assuming he told you exactly what's wrong, because he can't keep a lid on his mouth?" He asked wryly, raising an eyebrow. The captain looked exhausted, though his movements and words were energetic.
“Something like that.” Celeste’s fingers traced the mark on the back of her neck as she looked sheepishly up from her notebook. “I told him it was fine but…I’m guessing he felt like he owed me the explanation. I’ve…never heard of a magic related case quite like this.”
Mikhail nodded. "Yeah… it's got something to do with…I don't actually know." He said, shaking his head. "It's complicated. That's all I know." He sighed softly. "I don't think anyone understands it. If anyone did, they could either fix him or bring hin to his knees."
“So it’s a secret.” Celeste nodded, sighing softly. “I’ve been reading, looking for anything about that kind of…magic. But magic is already such a complex thing that people barely understand.” She said, frowning down at her notebook. Her face flickered as her chest twinged again, but she had plenty of practice hiding pain.
Mikhail nodded. "Yes…and i have misgivings about the fact that you know. I don't know you, but I suppose I must trust that you won't use this information to hurt him or this kingdom." He looked at her levelly. "I know i questioned you yesterday, and i remember what you said. That does not mean I trust you."
“I don’t blame you.” Celeste said, shaking her head. “I’m a stranger, and after last night…the best I can hope for is you knowing that any questions you have, I will be as honest in answering as I can.” She have him a tight smile, but the honesty in her statement was obvious. “But Mikhail, I don’t want to bring harm to Soren, or your kingdom. I swear that on my mother’s memory.”
Mikhail nodded. He sighed softly. "I know you don't. However, like I said, that does not mean I trust you." He looked at her. "I believe you, but i don't trust you. Do you understand what I'm saying?" He asked.
“I do. Belief is the closest thing I can hope for now, but I hope you might be able to trust me at some point.” Celeste nodded, tracing the mark on her neck. “Trust is hard earned, I know.”
Mikhail gave a sharp nod.
Soren came back in. "Sorry I took so long. Someone was talking to me." He said, sitting down.
"Soren, i swear to God, if you just spilled more secrets to a stranger, I'm going to wring your neck." Mikhail replied exasperatedly.
"No, i didn't." Soren said, sitting down.
Celeste huffed a laugh, returning to reading through her notebook and keeping an ear on them at the same time. “Try and avoid that. You might not get as lucky and end up with someone who knows too much and is willing to spill it. That’s how Emperor Hinto of Kitchai fell. Got drunk and talked to much about things he shouldn’t have to his brother in law.”
Mikhail waved a hand. "See?? This is why you need a wife! So that there's someone talking sense into your head that isn't me!"
Soren sighed loudly. "It's the medication, and you know it!" He replied. "And no, i do not need a wife!" He stuck his tongue out at Mikhail.
"No, you need a straightjacket." Mikhail deadpanned.
“Or,” Celeste said, her eyes still on her notebook. “An unbiased advisor. Preferably with a brain, but common sense is usually fine if you can’t get both.” Her cheeks puffed up and then deflated as she tried to blow her hair out of her face, giving up after a few attempts.
Mikhail shrugged. "Yes, but a wife would be better."
"I can't hit you, because you're injured." Soren said in a mutinous tone. "But be quiet."
Mikhail chuckled. "Mm. Yes, please don't hit your captain of the guard, who got hurt protecting you." He replied, smirking slightly.
Soren rolled his eyes.
“Why not someone who’s both then.” Celeste sounded kind of far off as she wrinkled her nose at her notebook. “Like, you find an advisor who’s female and decent, and then you know, get married. That’ll give you some time to see if you hit it off first, too.” She said, shrugging a shoulder.
"Can we not discuss my doom-i mean, marriage?" Soren said with a joking smile.
Mikhail rolled his eyes. "It won't kill you to get married, your majesty." He responded.
"You never know." Soren said with a shrug. "My wife might stab me in my sleep."
"Which is very unlikely." Mikhail said calmly.
“What’s the stance on divorce in your court?” Celeste asked, easily ignoring the bickering while half focused on other things. She dug around her pouch with one hand, pulling out a pencil and scribbling something down while once again attempting to blow her hair from her face.
Soren sighed. "Depends on who you are. Why?" He asked, looking over at her. "Like if you're an important noble or something, it's frowned upon. Also if you divorce, the children are no longer eligible to inherit." His eyes flickered to Mikhail for a moment, then back to Celeste.
Mikhail looked away, silent.
“Oh. Well, I was going to suggest finding someone you can stand and getting married, and then divorcing them at a later date. If it’s frowned upon, then never mind.” Celeste shook her head, scribbling furiously. She’d glanced up just long enough to catch Soren’s look to Mikhail, but didn’t question it much beyond ‘that means something more’.
Mikhail nodded. "My parents…were higher up in the nobility, and got a divorce. I was nine. I lost… pretty much everything." He said slowly.
Soren nodded. "Yeah." He sighed softly. "But no, any marriage I get into, I'm trapped in for life."
"Then time and searching is what you need. I just wish there was something I could do to help you get that." Celeste's eyes flickered up to Soren, and then Mikhail, as she tilted her head. "Oh. That…that sounds horrible." She said, frowning slightly. Oddly, she got that. Losing all you had because of your parent's decisions.
Soren nodded. "I know. My court, on the other hand, does not."
Mikhail shrugged. "Only reason I have anything is because of him." He gestured to Soren.
Soren grinned. "Mhm. I pretty much forced my parents to take him in. He doesn't have a legal claim on anything related to the throne, but i made him captain of the guard, so…" He shrugged.
Mikhail rolled his eyes. "Mhm. I had to sleep in your room for the first year and a half. That was miserable." He teased.
Celeste huffed a laugh, shaking her head and returning to writing. So they pretty much were brothers, then. Having someone that close to you must be nice. She had friends and plenty of acquaintances, but she never stayed anywhere long enough to really make any stronger relationships. That was entirely her fault though.
Just as she was thinking to herself that she hadn’t felt any pain in a bit, a sharp flash struck her, surprising and painful enough to make her drop her notebook with a grimace.
Soren looked up, and stood, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asked, eyes searching her face anxiously. "Is something wrong?"
Mikhail sat up straight, looking worried.