Charlotte gently removed the pills she had made from the mold of the container and placed them on the tray she had laid paper on. She was letting them air out before packaging. Too engrossed in what she was doing, she did not hear the knock on the door until it came a second time. She immediately rushed to the door sorry for making Maisy wait. She opened the door expecting Maisy, but to her surprise; it was Chi. Her face sagged into a sad expression.
"Charlotte" Chi called softly when she saw Charlotte's sad expression contort into a scowl.
"What do you want?" Charlotte asked her scowl never leaving. Chi nodded vigorously before answering "I just came to visit..." "I do not want you here, so leave." Charlotte ordered. It was firm and resolute, it made Chi sad and her mouth even trembled, Charlotte furrowed her brows irritated and let go of the door crossing her hand to her chest. It was Chi's cue that Charlotte was listening to her and she walked a step higher.
"We use to be best friends, remember?" She asked nudging a shoulder, but almost immediately Charlotte banged the door shut and locked it from inside leaving Chi who had staggered down the door steps in shock of the sound from the door.
" 'we use to be best friends, remember' " Charlotte mocked in the nastiest voice she could muster while making the ugliest face. She returned to the dining where she was doing her business.
Chi sighed knowing there was no way through Charlotte. She received a tap on the shoulder and shrieked scared to the death. She turned to see Maisy who was smiling with her eyes.
"Did you come to visit?" Maisy asked, Chi gave her a smile in return and nodded
"Knock then, Charlotte is inside" Maisy suggested
"I did, but she does not want to see me" Chi said as her smile disappeared. Maisy furrowed her brows "how do you know that?" She asked climbing the steps, Chi followed her a step behind
"She told me..." Maisy knocked on the door harshly almost like she would knock on Charlotte's head.
"Get lost Chi!" Charlotte called from inside
"Open the door Charlotte" Maisy ordered in a calm voice that still showed she was upset.
"Oh" Charlotte exclaimed realizing it was Maisy "Granny" she muttered leaving the dining immediately. She rushed to the door and opened it.
"Sorry Granny, I thought it was..." Chi revealed herself from where she was hiding behind Maisy
"... Chi" Charlotte muttered.
"How can she pay us a visit and you chase her away?" Maisy asked "I didn't" Charlotte lied"I just heard you yak at her to get lost" Maisy said taking Chi's hand and leading her inside the house. Charlotte watched them wearing a rictus. She shut the door
"Well, I was only trying to stop her from seeing..." Charlotte snapped her fingers "...from seeing five" she lied. Maisy gave her a side eye, and gestured for Chi to sit on the couch. Chi did immediately glad Maisy was giving her warm reception.
"Chi knows five is here, stop with the lies" Maisy ordered warningly. Charlotte rolled her eyes as Chi nodded confirming what Maisy said.
"I will be going to sleep. Charlotte be nice to to Chi and engage in a lovely conversation. That's an order." Maisy said leaving to her room. Charlotte groaned returning to the dining.
"Welcome Chi" Charlotte said sarcastically
****
Lord Lincoln paid attention to what Rufus was saying, but his eyes were far away from reality. He had been thinking about what could go wrong, and now he was living in his imaginations. "The strike has been lifted, my Lord." Rufus ended. Lincoln wore a mope; did that matter anymore? He was convinced the crown prince was silent for a reason. 'Why would he choose not to investigate his assassination? ' Lincoln asked himself 'was he shot at all? If he was, how come he survived without a doctor? Why was no doctor appearing to claim the reward he had announced? Did a doctor not treat him? Did he not take medicine to heal? How did he survive a bullet on his own?'
All these troubled Lincoln and he could not help fearing the unknown.
"We also learnt that commander Apollo was seen in Ramsbottom last two weeks...he was escorted by more of his highness's men." Rufus said. Lincoln sat up with widened eyes and nodded slowly
"Ramsbottom... Apollo was seen in Ramsbottom?" He asked Rufus who nodded and continued
"I think Ramsbottom into Garrigill in order to make following their tracks harder. It is why we could not find any traces of them from Alston to Garrigill..." Lincoln laughed maniacally to the shock of Rufus who tilted his head back
"So that is why?" Lincoln asked wearing a devilish smirk Rufus nodded although not sure about why Lincoln's expression had changed immediately.
"We could not find the crown prince in Garrigill, because he wasn't in Garrigill, or Alston...or-or anywhere else we searched because he was in Ramsbottom, the only place we ignored. The only place he could actually ever be in; Ramsbottom!" Lincoln was feeling good about his discovery, punishing the doctor who ruined his well thought plan surely would make him feel better. And the best thing about his discovery was he was punishing just who he wanted to all these while: that wretched apothecary who was always on his nerves; Charlotte Brumble.
****
Tired of sitting lonely and bored in the living room, Chi decided to join Charlotte on the dining table. She peered at the pills Charlotte was packaging into small paper bags.
Charlotte was focused, and precise with the packaging, she made sure to put four pills into each bag and write the name of the drugs, the dosage and its expiry date on each bag she put the pills in. Chi watched her curiously.
"Are these drugs?" She asked even though she knew they were.
"Clearly" Charlotte replied.
Chi nodded as if just realizing. She was trying to start a conversation with Charlotte and knowing Charlotte would talk about nothing asides medicine, she decided to talk about medicine.
"What do they work for?" She asked raising her gaze to look at Charlotte whose gaze remained on the drugs in front of her.
"There are antacids, they work for ulcers" Charlotte replied dryly. Chi could see Charlotte was uninterested in talking to her but she did not give up.
"What do they contain?" She asked
"Are you planning on making them?" Charlotte asked shooting Chi a glare. Chi shook her head vigorously, she was being careful not wanting to upset Charlotte
"No, I'm just interested" she replied shrugging slightly
"You don't have to pretend to like medicine Chi, I know you don't" Charlotte said shaking her head
"You don't know that" Chi was almost upset. Charlotte rolled her eyes mockingly
"Whatever" she muttered, she told her nonetheless "they contain peppermint, white magnesia, and burnt oyster shells. Then they are coated in melted sugar" Charlotte said. Chi nodded slowly in realization "is the sugar necessary?" Chi asked furrowing her brows
"Not necessarily, it just makes taking the drugs more appealing. Why does it have to taste bad entirely?" asked Charlotte rhetorically. Chi nodded in agreement "you are a good apothecary Charlotte, you care about the interest of your customers." Chi commended
"It's good for goodwill" she said scoffing
"Who are these for?" asked Chi
"The big pharmacy at Alston square" Charlotte replied and Chi's eyes widened immediately
"Where does all your money go Charlotte?" She asked the question on her mind
"The furnace" Charlotte replied savagely. Chi shook her head raising her hands in 'i surrender'
"I simply wanted to know, I'm sorry if I went too far" "good for you" Charlotte fired
Chi shrieked, she never expected Charlotte to react like she did. Charlotte took a deep breath.
"Mind your business Chi, I do not poke..." Charlotte was cut short by the sound of gagging coming from her room where Five was resting and receiving treatment. She left Chi and everything else hurrying to him.
****
Reginald took his seat and Wilfred bowed slightly in respect. The rest of the court took their seats as well. They all peered at Reginald except for Lord Luther who maintained a straight face. He stood up and bowed.
"On behalf of the entire court; we are glad you have returned safe, hale and hearty, your majesty. We also apologize deeply for putting the crown prince's life in danger, if only we knew how unsafe it will be. We ask not that you forgive us, but that you be merciful in your judgement your highness" Luther said sounding sincere. The rest of the courtiers stood up and bowed fully
"Be merciful, your highness" they chorused in unison.
Jonathan turned to Reginald expecting a word or two but Reginald said nothing, infact he seemed totally unbothered and uninterested in their apology.
"Be seated" Jonathan ordered. They all took their seats. He continued "but I think you should apologize to the crown prince instead, he was the one affected by your ideas." He ended
Luther understood immediately and stood up facing Reginald then he bowed fully "we apologize for putting your life in danger, your highness. It is a shame that our plans for the greater good turned into something that could end you forever" he said. Reginald glanced at him then Lincoln
"It is fine, I think the fault should be on Lincoln..." Lincoln's eyes widened in fear and shock
"...he has failed to keep his county safe and now she harbours assassins. I am even much more disappointed that he cannot find those assassins for me. I truly wish to make them beg for dust, and everyone behind that assassination" Reginald said dryly. Luther smiled, and decided to play the mocking game with Reginald who he knew suspected Lincoln and himself to be responsible for his assassination, yet had no evidence except a bullet wound. But what could he do with that?
"Of course you do your highness, but I say you keep your hands clean for now in thanksgiving.
Only God can protect his chosen king." Luther said wearing a knowing smile. Reginald raised a brow "and do you agree with his decision?" He asked Luther who nodded "of course your highness" he replied. "forgiven" Reginald said a smirk on his face.
****
"Imagine Reginald saying he forgives me" Lincoln said pointing murderously at Lincoln who shook his head slowly. He was telling Luther with the gesture that murdering him would not make things better.
"A bastard forgives me" now Lincoln pointed at himself "and it is all because you failed to do your job right Lincoln"
"I am sorry my Lord" Lincoln apologized, but Lincoln ignored him turning away. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Although Lincoln is at fault, I say you forgive him my Lord. Although the crown prince might suspect us, I do not think he has any evidence to put us on our toes, Lincoln destroyed all evidence" Lord Anthony said trying to be assuring. The rest of the courtiers present nodded. But Lincoln was the least assured
"He is too relaxed. You do not know him as much as I do. God knows what he is planning" Luther was frustrated and all his cohorts could see it clearly. Yes, Luther knew the crown prince more than anyone of them, but did that mean anything?
****
"Make sure to burn all the letters I sent you, Edna" Lincoln ordered Edna who peered at his face keenly "Did something happen?" She asked Luther who shook his head. Edna continued to ask worried "did Reginald accuse you?"
Luther chuckled at her question then shook his head "he wouldn't dare, he has no evidence." He said assuringly. Edna nodded "I will burn them nonetheless brother, better safe than sorry." She said. Luther was impressed, his sister and himself always had one mind and nothing had changed.
"Keep a low profile for now."
****
"Grand prince Mason, your highness" a servant informed Reginald who waved
"Bring him I..." The door opened and Mason walked inside. "Greetings your highness" he greeted Reginald who scoffed, why did Mason always do that? He wore a mope "sit" he said pointing at the sofa across him. Mason sat down "thank you"
"Bye-bye" Reginald said waving at the servant who left immediately after bowing. When the servant was gone, Reginald turned to Mason.
"Here to chastise an elder brother?" He drawled
"For being drunk on a normal day, yes. What would people say if they see you like this?" Mason asked rhetorically
"What?" He asked tipping his head right, he sounded like a spoilt twelve year old to Mason. Reginald continued "who told you I'm not celebrating?" He asked pushing his face forward.
Mason shrugged "what is the occasion?" He asked Reginald who picked an envelope on his right. He waved it lazily "I just got a letter that my evidence would be on its way soon, how can I not celebrate?" He asked "congratulations" Mason muttered unsure of what next to say. Reginald chuckled
"Should I pour you a glass?"
"No. And you informed me four days ago that your doctor recommended you stop alcohol..."
"Oh come on Mason, you didn't even ask why she said I stop... it's so I don't age" Reginald said shrugging, Mason moped
"You do seem irritated looking at me, I am not half as good looking as you are..." "No you drunk"
"Oh okay" Reginald seemed contented with Mason's reply "I was thinking about it you see, after my fourth glass..." Mason smiled thinly, Reginald did not have a pleasing thing to say and he knew it.
"...if Coral isn't more sane..." Mason almost tutted, he knew Reginald was a bad drunk.
"... she is a lot like Charlotte. Dead on the inside, her father and mother were poisoned to death by a friend, and she claimed her grandfather lost his job because of circumstances best known to no one. She is overly intelligent too, so she understands people's intentions and sees through people...so no one likes her. Given that reception, Charlotte likes no one in return except her grandmother who loves her despite her quirk" He explained Mason nodded raising an eyebrow
"She is as insensitive as Coral. As much as she is harsh, it only because she wants you quiet than because she is hurt." Reginald ended
"So how does that make her similar to Coral?" Mason asked wanting Reginald to hit the nail on the head
"I am saying is I made Coral the way she is, she use to be full of life..." "Wow your highness, alcohol sure does make you smarter" Mason muttered clicking his tongue. Reginald wore a frown, but it disappeared almost immediately
"She...'admires' me" he said making Mason chuckle dryly "what? You do not want that?" He asked
"No..." Reginald said almost irritated "...even mother admires me Mason..." "You want something else then, something more" Mason was picking his fingers now
"Yes-yes, you get it..."
"I don't" Mason muttered quietly, more to himself than Reginald. He looked up at Reginald
"You taught her to admire you liked mother does, because loving you would be a waste of her time" Mason said clearly not enjoying their discussion.
"Can I not change that?" Reginald asked shutting an eye. Mason shook his head vigorously "you cannot. You cann..." "But I lo..."
"You don't" Mason cut Reginald short with finality. He stood up "It must be the wine, I will get you something to sober up, lest you say something you regret" he said avoiding looking at Reginald
"Would you not listen to me?" Reginald asked pitiful enough but Mason did not have pity.
"No, I would not."
****
Chi hummed walking out of the door and almost immediately she was covered a clothe bag and carried away.