Cassian Valmont
Early the next morning, Cassian was eating breakfast even before his father finished getting ready for the morning court and when everyone finally came downstairs to have breakfast, his father kept staring at him with a suspicious tint to his eyes.
Cassian smirked as he raised his gaze up to his father.
“Father,” He began and once again, the Count felt like that particular title this boy just called him seemed to be laced with a whole lot of mockery as he cringed.
And every single time the boy smiled, the Count felt a headache coming on.
Yesterday it had been scandal involving him almost killing a commoner.
Today… who knew?
He had ruled his territory for decades, negotiated with nobles twice his age, and survived political schemes that would have destroyed lesser men.
Yet somehow, nothing exhausted him quite like breakfast with this his third son.
“Staring at me won’t ask your questions for you.
So what is it?
Hmm?
What do you want to know?” He finished and his father sighed as he gently laid down his cutleries and asked.
“I hope you’re not thinking of causing more trouble today at court?”
“At court?
I have never caused trouble there.
Why…what makes you think I did?” Cassian asked, genuinely curious and his father sighed as he glanced around, his eyes flitting over the seat that was normally reserved for his concubine.
Ever since he found out that she had always been cheating on him behind his back through this boy, he had dealt with her and his brother and made sure that neither of them would ever live a carefree or comfortable life ever again.
He eyed his third son for a long moment as the boy shook his head and then stood up to which he followed also.
“Meh, don’t answer if you don’t want to.” Cassian pushed the question away as he waved his hands and his maid stepped forward instantly, the girl trembling as she raised a tray up with a singular item in it.
He sighed as he picked it up and glanced down into the mug with a small smile playing on his lips.
He really loved taking this drink in the morni—
[New Gossip Discovered.]
[Concubine Elena Poisoned The Mug You’re Currently Holding With NightRoots Poison.]
[NightRoots Poison: A single drop of NightRoots Poison spreads through the bloodstream like creeping vines, silently devouring the body’s life until the heart can no longer beat.]
[Or you can explain it this way:]
[Feared across the continent, NightRoots Poison invades the victim’s body like invisible roots, slowly paralyzing the organs before claiming the heart.
No known antidote exists but it is said that a new antidote has been created in the north western parts of the kingdom.]
‘Poison?
Elena?’
‘Really?’
‘Right after breakfast?’
‘Did they want to help him digest his food or something?’
‘But frankly, he almost wanted to applaud the dedication they put into doing this.’
Staring down into the cup more clearly, my eyes narrowed as I caught sight of some tiny floating white balls that hadn’t mixed in correctly.
‘And by the sides of the mug, there was a wet white substance clinging to it.’
‘How fun!
‘
But seriously, at least if they were going to poison him then they should really have a professional do it themselves.
Why are they trying to cover up the scent with jasmine?
He lifted the mug slightly, swirling the liquid beneath the morning light.
Whoever prepared it had gone overboard with masking the scent.
It was way too cloudy and way too fragrant.
Amateurs.
He hated jasmine, always has since he realized that if you poisoned or drugged a drink or food, making use of jasmine passes off as spice or something and the person taking it in would never notice anything at all.
“Don’t you think my drink smells really good this morning?” He asked offhandedly as he turned to the girl that was still trembling beside him and she quickly nodded.
He beamed.
“Yeah, I find it quite interesting that jasmine was used for my drink.” He turned and began to walk over to a certain someone right around the table.
When he got there, he stopped in front of his father’s second concubine’s son, concubine Elena’s first son of sixteen called Darius.
“Darius my boy, I remember you really love jasmine…”
he trailed off, his eyes watching his mother instead of the boy and the boy nodded with an unsuspecting look on his face and Cassian almost laughed as he watched concubine Elena’s face contort into panic and fear as she watched the scene unfold.
Elena’s fingers seemed to tighten around her napkin as her breathing became uneven and Cassian watched carefully as she opened her mouth once…then closed it again.
Surely…surely she wasn’t actually going to watch her son drink the poison she had made just for him?
“Here, enjoy this.
It’s something I have my maids make every morning.
Don’t worry, you’ll love it.” He promised and the boy nodded as he leaned closer to take the mug from his outstretched arms.
As soon as she saw Darius reaching for the mug, Cassian grinned internally as her composure shattered and his plans began to come into fruition.
“No!
Don’t drink it!!”
Concubine Elena rushed forward with panic, opening her mouth wide as she cried out and Cassian’s lips curled cruelly as he expertly flicked his wrists and the contents in the mug went flying outwards.
The drink washed over the face of concubine Elena but most of them…slipped right into her open mouth as she wrenched herself backwards way too late.
The dining hall froze for a moment as not even a servant moved, everyone knew not to cross concubine Elena, so why was the third son of the Count so hell bent on going against her today?
One maid dropped a spoon with a sharp clang that echoed through the room before hurriedly kneeling to retrieve it.
Everyone stared between Cassian and Elena, unsure who should speak first and of course, it was concubine Elena who did because one other thing to know about her was her lack of patience and some might say….intelligence in situations like this.
“Cassian!
How dare you?!”
“Y-you…..”
Concubine Elena went rigid with shock at the unexpected turn of events and Cassian chuckled as he dropped the mug to the table with a soft thud.
“The next time you think about poisoning me, evil woman.
Try making use of someone who actually knows what they’re doing.” He said as he straightened up and turned to his father who had heard quite a lot of things right before any of these happened and had just chosen to remain silent after coming out of his shock from when he heard it.
“Poison?
I don’t know what you’re talking about!
What poison?!
How dare you insult me?” Then she turned to her husband, her face turning red with anger.
“Will you stand there and not do anything about your son for this insult?!” She asked and the Count sighed.
“I’ll investigate properly.
Cassian, let’s go.”
Concubine Elena’s eyes widened a fraction at those words as anger replaced them.
“That’s it?
You won’t discipline your son?!”
“Mo-”
“You won’t do anything to him for this disrespect?!
You have to give me an explan—arrgh!”
She gasped as she bowed, her eyes closing as she raised a hand to her chest and Cassian chuckled as he what he had been waiting for finally began to happen.
“Mother?
Are you okay?” Darius stood up in alarm and concubine Elena raised a hand to stop him.
“I’m f-fine.” She gritted out as she raised herself up an straightened, something akin to pain flashing in her eyes as she turned to the aching who was staring at her with question and something else in his eyes.
“Since you won’t be doing anything to this godforsaken child, then so be it.
I’ll be taking my leave now.” She swiftly turned and walked out of the dining hall with unstable steps.
“Well, that went well.
Father?” Cassian asked as he stared at the corner concubine Elena had disappeared into.
“What is it?” The count asked.
“Do you think she has the antidote?
I mean, considering the fact that she had it planned for me and all.
I’m sure she didn’t expect this turn of events after arranging for my death…even though the ways in which she carried it out was amateurish at best but still…”
The Count’s eyes constricted at that as he as he stared at his son before shaking his head, he had nothing to say to something like that because he was still processing everything that had happened just now.
And all these happened under the span of an hour.
Last night, he had spent a whole lot of time trying to keep shut what this his son had done so it wouldn’t tarnish his reputation and now this?
The Count pinched the bridge of his nose.
He suddenly understood why the palace physicians insisted stress shortened a man’s lifespan.
If that was true, Cassian would surely see him buried before his fiftieth birthday.
First, it was adultery and now?
Attempted murder.
At this rate, tomorrow someone would probably try summoning demons at breakfast.
He wasn’t even sure that was an exaggeration anymore at this point.
Was there any rest for him at all?
so sorry for the slow updates.