The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 13: Tea

"Come in."

Ralph didn't need to be told twice. The second he heard Orion's voice, he pushed down on the door handle and waltzed straight into the study. Orion sat behind the desk, Elowyn in his lap, her arms around his neck.

He immediately made a face, watching as the woman shamelessly giggled, hiding a laugh behind her hand, all while Orion gazed at her with honey in his eyes. The scene was so cloyingly sweet that Ralph had to clear his throat to garner the two's attention.

"Why are you here?" Orion asked snappishly when he finally registered Ralph's presence, as though he wasn't the one who gave Ralph permission to enter. "If it's nothing life-threatening, can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Ralph narrowed his eyes― Orion had never treated him with such rudeness in all the years that he had known him, and never had he ever declined a potential meeting report. His impeccable sense of duty was what made him such a good general who was respected by his men.

"Oh you'll find that it's certainly very life-threatening," Ralph said, his mouth twitching with irritation. "Can I speak to you alone, Orion? Man to man?"

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Orion frowned, and he peered down at the woman sitting in his lap. Elowyn stared up at him with sad dewy eyes, her lips pressed into a delicate pout as she made a move to leave. "I'll leave the both of you alone then since I'm only your concubine. Far be it from me to interfere with stately affairs."

"Don't be ridiculous," Orion cleared his throat and gripped her hands tightly, pulling Elowyn back down on his lap. He then shot Ralph a furious glare.

"Whatever you want to say in front of me, can be said in front of Elowyn. Treat her like you would treat an extension of me."

Ralph's eyes nearly bugged out of his sockets at the uncharacteristic words from Orion's mouth. "I cannot unless you would wish for me to regale her with tales of my debauchery?"

Orion let out a warning growl, but Elowyn merely tittered behind her hand and stared into his eyes lovingly. Magic seemed to crackle between them with how intensely they were looking at each other, causing Ralph's stomach to turn. Then she turned to address Ralph.

"If listening to such stories is what will allow Sir Byrone to accept me as part of Orion's life, then I'll gladly lend my ears," Elowyn said, even as a pink flush enveloped her cheeks. She was the picture of girlish innocence, and Ralph's lower eyelid couldn't stop twitching the longer he looked at her.

He had always thought so, ever since she first showed up with Orion at their camp, but Elowyn reminded him so badly of someone he wished he could forget.

Just the sight of her irritated him endlessly.

"Whatever debauchery I could come up with pales in comparison to the both of you," Ralph said with quiet anger. "Orion, snap out of it. You're committing adultery and treason over... over someone like her?"

He couldn't stop the disdain from seeping through his voice. Elowyn was a lovely woman, but she paled in comparison to Soleia's charm and intelligence. It was like comparing a stubby candle to the magnificence of the sunrise.

"Did you hit your head on every branch as you fell off an idiot tree?" Ralph continued mercilessly, watching Orion's eyes carefully for any sign of clarity. "I know you lost your memories, but surely you must remember that in Vramid, you need permission from His Majesty to take a second wife. As things are now, Miss Elowyn is no better than a mistress."

"Shut up! Don't call Elowyn that, you're hurting her feelings!" Orion roared, while Elowyn tucked her pretty little head into the safety of his chest, her eyes wet with unshed tears. Orion quickly cradled her face, stroking her cheek tenderly.

"I'll set out for the capital and speak to His Majesty first thing tomorrow. I'll make you my wife, no matter what it takes," Orion promised with fervent ardor. "Soleia has already referred to herself as my concubine, so there will be no issues."

Elowyn wrapped her arms around Orion. "Thank you... but I'm sorry for all the trouble... I know I'm not welcome here," she said sadly as she forced herself to leave his lap. "I'll prepare a cup of tea for you and Sir Bryone to drink while you talk."

Ralph narrowed his eyes as he watched her walk away. Perhaps this was the opportunity he needed to figure out what was happening. He whirled around and glared at Orion.

"Regardless of Soleia's status, surely you're not a man that would hit an unarmed woman, are you not?" Ralph retorted coldly. The image of Soleia's swollen cheek floated in his mind, causing his anger to rise. "This is barely adequate repayment for her efforts in keeping your home afloat. Even the fact that you're sitting in a room with a working fireplace is tantamount to her hard work."

He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. A flicker of recognition seemed to spark in Orion's eyes.

"Meanwhile, your poor 'concubine' is now staying in the cold damp rooms of the servants with an injured cheek she must nurse with dirty snow in a bid to save on coin," Ralph continued to speak. "Even if you dislike her, you can't deny this is ridiculous!"

"Why do you care so much about her?" Orion shot back. "Ralph, you've been taken in by her lies. I've met with the steward, and he claims that the servants' quarters are adequately furnished. She's probably acting pathetic so you'll feel pity for her."

Orion then stiffened. "Are you in love with her?"

"Don't change the subject," Ralph spat out as he stepped closer to stare into Orion's eyes. This close, he could detect the faintest trace of magic obscuring his pupils. Elowyn must have done something to him, but until he found out the hows and whys, it was best not to make any big moves.

Let them all believe he was in love with Princess Soleia. It was the easiest solution.

Orion's eyes widened. "So you are―"

"I have returned," Elowyn chimed cheerfully, carrying two cups of hot tea on a platter. "Orion, the one on the left is yours, while the one on the right is Sir Byrone's." She smiled sweetly. "Yours has an extra spoonful of sugar, just how you like it."

"Thank you," Orion said, seemingly snapping back into his usual lovelorn self as he shot Elowyn a sappy look of devotion. Before his hand could reach for the teacup, Ralph grabbed it and downed the entire cup into his mouth, coughing as it burned his tongue.

Then he grabbed his own cup and drank it for good measure.

"What's the matter with you?" Orion exclaimed.

"Sir Byrone!" Elowyn gasped in shock, but there was no denying the amused glint in her eyes. Suddenly, Ralph felt like a fox caught in a bear trap, with no way to escape. "I had no idea you were so thirsty! You could have told me earlier, so I could bring more cups with me."

"No need," Ralph said hoarsely as he felt his throat begin to burn. Scratch that, his entire body was burning up. It felt like someone stuffed a fire in his belly.

He stumbled out of the room, desperately trying to get out the moment he figured out what was happening. This feeling was all too familiar.

He had been drugged with an aphrodisiac.