Stolen by the Rebel King

The mini cauldron placed on the stovetop behind the two people suddenly let out a soft pop. Green fumes started to rise and Sirona was the first to snap back to attention. She quickly grabbed the wooden spoon from Jonah\'s hands, stirring the contents inside the pot to stop it from bubbling over.

"Oh my," Sirona laughed cheerfully, a contrast to Jonah\'s shamed surprise. "It seems like we have been found out, Sir Jonah."

She casually leaned over, grabbing a handful of a green fern-like ingredient before dropping it into the mixture. That caused the fumes to immediately stop rising.

"Your Highness," Jonah started, "we can\'t possibly―"

"I don\'t mean kill him." Daphne swiftly cut in, stomping over to where they stood in front of the stove. She took a look at the ingredients laid out. Close up, the smell of the prescribed tonic was even more disgusting than from where she was prior. She turned to Sirona. "Is the tonic ready?"

The smile on Sirona\'s face was easygoing. "Almost, Your Highness. It just needs to simmer for a while more."

"What\'s this tonic for?" Daphne shot Jonah a stinky glare. "Since it\'s not meant to serve as an antidote after all."

"Oh, many things," Sirona said. "Support overall health, boost his immune system―" she paused and smiled cunningly, "and strengthen his vitality in the bedroom."

Daphne ignored her playful jab.

"What else can you add inside to make it even more vile?" she asked.

Jonah furrowed his brows, speaking as though he was a small animal afraid of being crushed by a boot. "Your Highness…"

"Quiet, you."

He obediently listened, his head hanging low.

Sirona chuckled heartily. "Well, there are many things. Perhaps you would like to add briscusberries? When mixed with aedrove vines, it would make the bitterness much more pronounced and could become a very effective―"

"Do you have any here?" Daphne frantically looked around. When she noticed a couple sitting on the counter a short distance away, she went and grabbed some. "Is this it?"

"Yes," Sirona nodded, "but Your Highness, this could―"

"It\'s not life-threatening, is it?"

"Well, no," Sirona instantly answered. "The king will not die from it, if that\'s what you mean."

"We\'ll add this, then."

Sirona sighed. Yet, she didn\'t bother trying to warn Daphne again, since the latter was obviously not receptive to her words.

Instead, she dutifully prepared the ingredient before adding it to the broth. While the berries had a mildly sweet fragrance on their own, when mixed with the rest of the ingredients, the outcome was something so repulsive that Daphne instinctively reached up to pinch her nose.

Jonah was one step ahead. He had even grabbed a clothespin to pinch his nose shut.

The healer calmly portioned out the boiling hot tonic before placing it on a tray with a small wooden spoon left on the side.

"Be careful," she warned. "It can be hot. He needs to consume this before it cools down too much for the best effect."

Daphne nodded, picking up the tray before making her way back to Atticus\'s room. She was gone quickly, even the echo of her footsteps did not linger for long.

"You were trying to warn her about something just now," Jonah said. "The tonic is still safe to drink, yes?"

"Of course," Sirona responded. "I would never suggest anything that might be harmful to His Majesty."

Jonah\'s head tilted a little to a side in confusion. "Then what is it that you wanted to say?"

A slow, mischievous smile started to stretch Sirona\'s lips. It was almost sinister.

"Briscusberries and aedrove vines can be mixed together to form a very powerful aphrodisiac. You did a smart thing, using the clothespin, because even the smell of it can be infectious if you\'re not immune to it."

***

Daphne returned to Atticus\'s room with the tonic still piping hot. Before she even stepped into the room, she could hear muffled conversations from behind the door.

For the second time that day, Daphne peeped in to eavesdrop on the people inside. She carefully opened the door quietly, allowing just a small crack for the sound to channel out a little louder and for her to peek in. She saw a flash of pastel blue hair and pale, thin hands that belonged to none other than the princess of Nedour.

The sour feeling in Daphne\'s heart worsened.

This evil man. She had barely even left for a few minutes and he already found a new person to keep him company. What happened to all the sweet words he had whispered about him being hers?

"Are you sure you are alright, Your Majesty?" Princess Cordelia asked, her voice soft as though she was a delicate flower.

"Perfectly so, Princess Cordelia." Atticus\'s voice was polite, almost curt, even. That tone of his eased the ache of Daphne\'s heart a little. Just a little.

"Perhaps you would like a Nedish doctor to look over your condition?" Cordelia pressed. "I heard that you had nearly drowned as well. Other than poisons, the healers from Nedour are extremely skilled in water-related injuries."

Daphne\'s eyes narrowed when she noticed Cordelia inching forward in her seat. Her hand moved over and hovered above Atticus\'s, nearly touching his. Lucky for him, he was smart enough to shift his hand away before she could touch him. If not, it would be one more stain added to his list of crimes in Daphne\'s records.

That was enough spying.

Daphne pushed the door open and cleared her throat, standing there with squinted eyes at the way Cordelia was leaning a little too closely to Atticus on the bed. Her chest ― or at least whatever there was ― was basically spilling out into his face, almost in a sad attempt to push him into her cleavage. Such low-handed ways of seduction had already been tried by Cordelia more than once tonight, and Daphne had grown immune.

On the other hand, once Atticus noticed his wife standing there, he nearly jumped out of his bed. It also didn\'t take long for the putrid smell to waft through the room to where they were. Immediately, his face scrunched up as though he had just bitten into a lemon.

"Hello again, Princess Cordelia," Daphne greeted with a smile so fake that even her family would applaud her for it. She then turned her attention to her husband. The poor man visibly gulped. "My darling husband, it\'s time to take your medicine!"