SWNOVELS Chapter What You Do To Me
Conaan felt his breath catch in his throat as he took her in. She wasn't quite ready yet, but her hair, red and luscious cascaded down her back in beautiful curls. A few strands framed her face, and highlighted the blue in her eyes. He swallowed, willing himself to stay the same, so she doesn't see just how bad an effect she had on him. Just how much he still found her beautiful after so long.
"You are here. Again."
She nodded, then slowly sat opposite him, her eyes lowered. "I brought this for you."
His left eyes twitched as he looked down to the ceramic bowl. "You brought me what?"
She slowly stretched her hand, then placed the bowl on the small table in front of him. He looked at the pudding, then back up at her. The silence dragged on for a minute, and she swallowed hard, then looked up.
"It is a sweet pudding. Just to keep peace."
"Were we ever at war?" He asked, then slowly straightened and took the bowl in his hand. He twirled it in his fingers, then looked up at her again.
She immediately lowered her head. "No, but...well I just..." Her voice trailed off.
He wouldn't eat it if he knew it was from Alexander. And she had accepted to do that favor, so she could as well go through with it.
She swallowed again. "Will you not eat it?"
He gave a small sigh, then carefully placed it on the table.
"Brandon?"
The assistant immediately walked in. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Bring me a silver spoon. Eleanor has brought me a pudding."
Brandon turned to her, then gave a small knowing smile as he walked away. Eleanor sat there, her nails digging into her palm, as she stole small glances at Conaan.
His eyes were fixed on the pudding, however, and a small smile played on his lips.
"What are you thinking?" she asked, more out of curiosity than the need to start a conversation.
He looked up to her. "Nothing."
She nodded, then lowered her head as Brandon walked back in with a clean silver spoon. Conaan accepted it as Brandon walked away again.
He straightened, then let his robe spread around him. Reaching for the bowl, he slowly put the spoon in, then stirred.
Eleanor watched as he removed the spoon, holding it between his fingers for a second as he pushed his hair away with the other hand.
Suddenly, Conaan's eyes caught the spoon, now blackened to a rust like color rather than the shiny silver. His brows furrowed as he reached for a napkin, then carefully cleaned the spoon away. He wasn't mistaken. The silver had rusted.
He looked up to Eleanor who hadn't been paying attention to him, her head lowered as she busily nipped away at her own nails.
His lips parted as he took in a deep breath. "Eleanor?"
She looked up to him, her eyes curious. "Yes?"
"Did you...make this?"
She swallowed, then immediately nodded. "Yes. I already know how to since..."
"And what resources did you use? I mean, you simply went to their cook house and thought to cook for me?"
She swallowed. "Well, yes. I only needed it for a couple of minutes. It isn't so hard to make."
He smiled. "And I assume you are sitting there, waiting for me to eat?"
His voice had gone extremely low now, and his eyes ruined to show only the green in them.
She slowly nodded. "I want to make sure you eat."
His smile faltered and he blinked rapidly, then turned to the pudding again, stirring it with the now rusted spoon slowly. Poison. He could tell, and it hadn't been subtle too.
He gave a small snicker as he looked up to her again, then ever so slowly, took a spoonful and brought it to his lips.
His gaze fixed on Eleanor as she watched him with a rather neutral expression. Without a word, he ate it.
"Thank you," he told her as he took another spoon, then another, till it was finished. He then set the spoon down, now completely black, then gently pushed the bowl towards her.
She picked the bowl without really looking at it as he adjusted back to his normal sitting position, his hand rested on a padded pillow, his hair falling on the other side of his shoulders.
She slowly stood up and started to turn away when his voice stopped her.
"Are you not curious?"
She turned, her brows furrowed. "Curious?"
He closed his eyes as the first jolt of pain sliced through his stomach, making his eyes water. "Are you not curious to see just what you have done to me?"
Her brows furrowed as he smiled again, his lips slightly quivering. Her brows furrowed as she stood watching him, and for a second nothing happemed. Suddenly, he coughed, a few drops of blood falling to coat his lips red.
Her eyes widened as she turned to the bowl she was holding, and she gasped at the sight of the spoon.
By the time she turned back, Conaan's face was stained with tears of pain, and he could no longer hold his position.
"Conaan!" She yelled, dropping the bowl on the floor.
She ran to his side just as he fell off the pillow, his breaths short, his eyes closed tightly. She held on to him, bringing his head to her lap, her hand checking his forehead, quite clueless on what to do.
"Conssm. Why did you do it? Why did you eat it?" Tears streamed down her face as she looked around, looking for something, anything that would alleviate the pain he was in.
His eyes opened for a second, before he suddenly coughed up blood, his body writhing in pain.
"Help! Somebody help! Brandon, please! Please help!"
Brandon ran in, and his eyes widened at the sight. It didn't take much to sum up what had happened, and he ran over to where Conaan was now lying, his eyes closed, blood staining his lips and the upper part of his robe.
Without a word, he roughly pushed Eleanor of him, casting her to the side. He leaned to Conaan, then hoisted him onto his back.
"Brandon..." She started to say as he backed Conaan who was now limp, his hand dangling off Brandon's side, then grabbed one of the large quilts on the far side of the tent.
"Just stay with your lover. We still need our king."
Eleanor's lips parted as Brandon sped out of the tent at inhumane speed, leaving the realization of what she had done slowly dawning on her.