The Love Potion 49 - 50 (End)

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49 Epilogue 1: 

It was a beautiful autumn day with clear blue skies. Over the capital city, the bells of the central cathedral of the Kingdom of Berhausen could be heard.

‘I swear to love and cherish…’ the bride, dressed in a beautiful white wedding dress, responded in a tearful voice to the bishop’s prompting. Her slender shoulders were trembling because she was crying, but it was not due to sadness, but great joy.

The bridegroom, dressed in his dashing wedding suit, looked at her with a gaze filled with love. He put his arm around her and stroked her back.

‘I knew this would happen, but it was quicker than I expected.’ Ernest smiled knowingly at his friend who was absorbed in his new bride at the altar. (Zuben: You should get up and roar in front of the congregation)

‘Yes well. This is the result of Rosemary’s efforts.’ Iris sitting next to him said with a happy smiled.

A year had passed since that day that she and Ernest truly connected. In the time, she had had a gorgeous wedding and was now his wife. Since she became queen, she became quite busy but in the time, her life was filled with being loved and spoiled by Ernest. And, she lived live calmly, above all, filled with happiness.

Today, Rosemary was getting married to Sirius, the Prime Minister and the Duke of Schneider.

‘Now all the girls have left the Palace at last…’ Ernest decided he may have a lot to think about now that all his sisters have left home. (Zuben: sex in every room?) He watched his sister reciting her vows at the altar.

Iris turned to look at Ernest and gently put her hand on his large one,

‘I think Rosemary will be happy.’

Rosemary employed various methods to win Sirius’ love and desire all the while complaining to tearfully to Iris when her plans failed. In the end, she accomplished her goal admirably. (Zuben: ¬.¬ that just sounds mercenary)

Iris wanted her to be absolutely happy, she wished her cute sister in law happiness from the bottom of her heart.

‘Hmm, if she’s not happy, I’m just going to beat Sirius up.’

Iris smiled softly at Ernest and said, ‘You’re a reliable elder brother.’

Ernest looked a little bashful as he pulled her closer to him and made her rest her head on her shoulder.

At the altar, the pair exchanged rings and the two of them were whispering to one another.

Rosemary was crying while gazing happily at the ring on her left hand.

‘You may kiss to seal the oath.’ The bishop told the couple.

Sirius stepped up to Rosemary and lifted her delicate veil. Rosemary was full of tears, Sirius gently coaxed her. The guests all had soft smiles at the sight of a gentle Sirius, where he was usually cold.

 Iris narrowed her eyes as Ernest stroked her waist.

‘Rosemary asked you to make the veil, didn’t she?’

‘How did you know?’

‘Sirius told me. There seems to be plans for a client in the distant future.’

Iris smiled as she remembered the words she heard in her ears. (Zuben: Once more, drink! :D)

‘Thank you Iris! Thank you! I will cherish the veil.’

The night before, Rosemary cried with joy when Iris presented her with the completed veil she had carefully embroidered. The veil was delicate with little eyelets in a cute pattern that Iris felt would suit Rosemary.

‘I will cherish it for the rest of my life and hand it over to my cute daughter one day. So Iris, please embroider my daughter’s wedding dress when the time comes.’ (Zuben: It will be a shock when she has all boys)

Iris nodded and smiled happily. The two women hugged.

Remembering Rosemary’s pretty visage, Iris’ smile grew wider.

‘Yes, I am looking forward to it.’ She said to Ernest.

Since Iris became queen, she still found time to work on making her lace. Her completed commissions were still hand delivered to the tailors and the money she made was donated to public works.

‘Your embroidery skill is amazing.’ Ernest said as he dropped a kiss on her hair.

Tears pooled in her violet eyes as she rubbed her cheek on his shoulder,

‘Thank you, Ernest.’

For Iris, making her embroidered laces was life, and she was able to continue to do it with Ernest’s understanding and cooperation. Every time Iris worked on her lace, she was filled with more affection and gratitude to him and respect for his thoughts.

‘No, it is I who should thank you.’ He said with a wide smile as he stroked her expanding rounded belly.

He had cried with joy when he was told of her pregnancy. His explosive joy caused him to roar to loudly it echoed through the palace. At the time, a rumour began to spread without their knowledge that the King who could not handle women was now the country’s best spouse. (Zuben: Huh…)

‘Thank you Iris; being with you has made me so happy.’

As he spoke, the bells pealed in the cathedral, and Rosemary and Sirius kissed to applause from the audience. (Zuben: That took an age, didn’t it?)

‘You’ve made me very happy too, Ernest.’

Though it was a trivial thing now, but from an early age, she had been hurt a lot; she hated her sister, and there were many things she hated about herself. Still, she found this love. She could never have imagined this would happen to her.
She had found the best happiness.

‘I love you, Ernest.’

The two of them looked at each other and laughed. They closed their eyes and gently kissed.

The sound of the bell rang over the gentle breeze happily into the distant future.

Author: Thank you very much for taking care of me to this point. I would like to thank everyone who read the story.

50 The Demise of His Majesty:

How long had he waited for this day to arrive?

She was in the same space as he was.

They were breathing the same air.

The thought alone made his body heat up like that night. (Zuben: Careful not to stain your fancy trews)

But tonight, he could run to her, reach out and touch her. (Zuben: Reach out and touch somebody’s  hand and make this world better, if you can)

Touch her, who he had been crazy in love with for the past year.

He wanted to touch her so badly in that moment.

He wanted to run his fingers through her lustrous dark hair, kiss the skin on her back, embrace her slender waist.

He wanted to trap her in his arms and take her. Even if she wanted to hide, she would still be his.

Yes that was a good plan; let’s do that then.

Within him, the flame of desire was lit.

With that, Ernest, like a bee sucked into honey, rose to his feet. (Zuben: Say what now?!) This was because of logic pushing against instinct.

‘Hm? Ernest? Brother? Brother, where are you going?’

Behind him, his younger sister Rosemary called after him in astonishment. Though he heard her, he did not stop. He wanted to see her. He wanted to see her enter this glittering space. With that in mind, instinct defeated reason.

She was the only one who could satiate the hunger within him. (Zuben: Oh is it now a vampire love story and he feeds through his dick?)

The year had been a long one.

And he had been starving.

Instead of being able to speak to her, he had never come across her again. The only think he had to see her face was her portrait, which he had asked his friend to commission. He brought it out every night. (Zuben: Is there discharge all over the portrait?)

As a result, Ernest was afflicted with a ravenous hunger which made him move forward seeking her.

‘Help, Sirius. Ernest suddenly became strange.’ Rosemary had been surprised by her brother’s unusual behaviour; she felt she had to somehow manage him, so she went to call Sirius. At that moment, Ernest was standing still. Hearing his friend’s voice trying to calm down his little sister, Ernest felt waiting was the prudent choice.

He knew Sirius was his friend.

Yet, over his familial relationships was the hunger for her.

This woman had a high and pretty voice. The last woman had pretty wavy hair.

Maybe his friend also had a hunger that he was trying to replace with substitutes. But he had not noticed yet. When Sirius noticed that love, his reaction would be instant. His friend, who was sometimes cold-hearted and ruthless, did not have fear like him. He would not have to weave a web like a spider waiting for an opportunity to strike. He would be sure to capture his target so that they would not have time to run away.

Even if they did not love him.

And that nasty man has been blinded by Rosemary. Fortunately, Rosemary was in love with him.

 Ernest walked on, leaving the voices of his friend and his sister behind.

With each step, he was closer to seeing her, his heart beat faster in his chest. He seemed to forget breathing in anticipation of his hunger being satisfied in a little while.
But he had a beast like instinct to run to her.

The taste of his first love this year was sweet and poisonous.

Since his birth, he had never gone on only his instinct like this. However, at this moment, he was happy, so it could not be helped. It was as though he had imbibed a mythical love potion, like the one his elder sister had read of in her novel and wanted, and the potion was making him follow his instinct over his reason.

The ‘love potion’.

Yes. That was why he felt he had forgotten something important. His instinct had eroded his rationality.

But he clawed back his logic. (Zuben: Hallelu!)

Oh dear, what had he being trying to do? He could have done something stupid. At the thought, his face paled. Because of tonight, Ernest had put in so much effort. Even though, he had endured his hunger and deep love for her, just to catch sight of her, he had nearly ruined all his plans.

For this night, Ernest had put in a lot of effort. He had endured his hunger for her (Zuben: why is it that these writers can repeat one word in one chapter for so many times!!!!!), his all consuming love, but the moment he caught sight of her, he instinctually wanted to be near her. It would have become dangerous.

To be honest, if this was his private rooms, he would have rushed headlong to her. But this was a ball, he had to think of his image as King. He had to think of the future; he had ambitions, and there were a lot of nobles here looking at him for opportunities to take advantage of.

That was as usual.

He knew it was his duty as King, but he would like a reprieve this night.

Still, he straightened his expression and suppressed his desire to see her and turned on his heel to return to Rosemary.

‘Hm? What happened why did you stop?’ A male voice approached.

‘Matthias.’

‘Are you giving up on forced capture?’

His friend had been watching him; maybe from the start? He may have wanted him to stop, but Ernest also knew his friend was not so kind. He’d prefer not to be directly involved, sitting on the sidelines observing until the end. (Zuben; Matthias, just because he used deceit instead of rushing up, throwing her over his shoulder and running off into the night, does not mean it is not forced capture)

Matthias looked unworried at him, while Ernest’s face was pale with tension.

Leticia is beloved wife was not beside Matthias, which was not unusual.

‘Try not to look so relieved,’ Matthias said, ‘Letty is my lovely wife.’

Matthias knew that Ernest could not stand being near his wife. Ernest growled and turned away from his aggravating friend,

‘Hm, is she really a wife?’

‘Hmm? Are you saying that again?’ Matthias replied with a laugh, ‘Well, Letty is human, I can’t call her a pet now, can I?’

‘Probably not.’

‘Hmm, well it is a public arena after all, but there isn’t really a difference to me.’ (Zuben: This is it? He thinks of her as a pet?)

Ernest pretended he didn’t hear Matthias.

Looking around, he found Leticia immediately. As was customary at balls, she was surrounded by many good looking noblemen.

‘Is it alright to leave her alone?’

All the men around Leticia had at one time proposed to her. And they may still be in love with her. Their actions disgusted him; they were slavering over Leticia, despite having respective wives and fiancées at the ball as well.

‘As it is, I wonder if she wouldn’t be poached soon.’ Ernest said trying to incite Matthias.

‘How interesting. Do you think I would allow that to happen?’

‘No, I don’t think so…’

At this moment, Ernest could tell Leticia was buying Matthias’ anger. But the person herself was oblivious. She would pay for it later.

Ernest did not like her. Looking at the form that was made to be praised, he felt even more murderous. He should feel sorry, but he didn’t. But she was his love’s elder sister. But because of her, who would only be hurt, he would let her live a little more. (Zuben: Ya know she’s your friend’s wife as well, right?)

‘You’re anxious, aren’t you? It will be alright.’ Matthias said behind him.

Ernest turned to him and raised a brow. He turned back to where Leticia was holding court. Leticia was now talking to the wives and fiancées who had surrounded her before she knew it. Their behaviour seemed unexpectedly calm, from his view. But Leticia shoulders began to tremble and she cast her gaze about like a frightened animal. The men around her noticed her change in behaviour, and turned to look at their respective wives and fiancées with disdain, then turn back to console their beloved Leticia. (Zuben: Are Leticia’s actions really unconscious?)

She really was poisonous.

She didn’t even think that her actions were seen by the other noble ladies.

As it always was, Leticia never understood any situation. She looked around and caught sight of her beloved husband, and ran out of the circle of people, crying. She looked like a puppy who had found her master. Ernest tried to suppress the wave of nausea.

‘Because, she always runs to me in the end.’

‘Is that so…’

Matthias had a calm smile.

Ernest wondered; was it attachment or dependence between his friend and his wife?

Or was this also a kind of love?

Either way, he wasn’t one to criticise.

Ernest walked away as Leticia came close, behind him, Matthias whispered as he went, ‘Good luck. I am looking forward to your success.’

Rosemary was angry with him when he returned to her side. Over her anger, she had been worried. His sister complained, and Ernest promised to buy her whatever she wanted later as recompense. He stuck to his sister’s side from then on.

It was now time for dancing, as the host of the party and as King, he was obliged to dance the first song. Seeing as he had no ladies he cared for, Ernest danced with Rosemary. Rosemary was satisfied that her brother cared for her, but in truth, it was only half of it.

His sister had an important mission.

Ernest looked for her as he danced with Rosemary. He quickly found her where he wanted her to be. He had changed the arrangement of the refreshment tables with his plans in mind. He wanted to make it easier for her to make the love potion. She was sitting in the corner of the large ballroom behaving surreptitiously. Perhaps she was convinced that no one was watching her while she mixed the love potion, and had begun to get read.

Ernest was relieved that he was able to safely watch her outside her wise vigilance. But just then, a shitty man came up to her.

What did he want?

He had hurt her, that pest had no right to talk to her. Ernest’s killing intention rose. But no matter how much he wanted to kill the shitty man, he could not erase the past. It was rather disappointing that he had no sword in his hand…then again, maybe that was a good thing. Even if he had his ceremonial sword with him, it wasn’t as though he could exterminate that pest in full view of the ball.

With his heart mildly saddened, he turned back to Rosemary, and regained control of his runaway thoughts, desperately suppressing his desire to exterminate the irritants. The dance ended, before the next one began, he moved Rosemary out of the dance floor toward the refreshment table.

‘Rosemary, I’m a little parched, shall we take a break?’ He said.

This puzzled Rosemary; Ernest would not normally say such a thing. His was a strong man who had trained with the Royal Knights, he had abundant physical strength. She blinked in astonishment.

‘Very well, but brother, you are being a bit strange. I’m rather worried.’

Hearing that his sister was worried about him, Ernest thought himself rather pitiful. But he had a wicked smile on his face,

‘You’re so lovely, Rosemary. Thank you for worrying about me. How about we make time to have tea with Sirius?’

‘Really? Thank you, I want lots of sweets!’

She dived right into what sweets she wanted, what tea to brew…with her suitably distracted with Sirius, Ernest drew her to the refreshments table where she was.

He could see her retrieve the bottle from her pocket.

He smiled and watched as she put the sweet into the wine. She was waiting for the potion to dissolve.

He moved closer, so he was standing off to her side. He could see the contents of the glass change colour.

‘Rosemary, my dear, could you bring me that glass of wine.’ He said indicating the glass she had dosed. Rosemary was a bit unsure about taking a glass from right in front of a lady. What was wrong with her brother? She wondered.

Maybe it was best to go with the flow.

His sister was sincere and easy to understand.

Her thoughts were easily readable on her face.

‘Please,’ he said pressing her. He stood at the spot. And waited for her to bring it to him.

So she went, ‘Pardon me,’

Her slender shoulders jumped at the sound of a stranger’s voice, but Rosemary did not pay attention and picked up the wine glass for him and apple juice for herself.

‘Here you are, Ernest.’

He smiled his thanks and placed his lips at the rim of the glass. The scent of the rich wine teased his nose, as he waited for her to turn.

The moment she was facing him, he drank the wine, while looking at her meagre attempt at stopping him. He watched her like a ravenous beast.

He lowered the glass and looked into her eyes. She looked stunned.

God, she was beautiful.

I knew her face well from the portraits, but seeing the real thing was completely different.

Her lovely dark hair, her violet eyes, her determined face – she was unbearably beautiful.

And finally, she was his.

Ernest held his hand out as he walked to her.

He would be able to touch she who he loved in - three, two, one…

THE END.

Whomever took the picture for the linked site

Zuben: C'est fini! Congratulations everyone who made it to the end. You have achieved something - I dunno what it is but yeah! I don't even want to over think it. Maybe in a few months time, I will re-read it and think, 'Awww, it wasn't so bad.' On one hand, I'm thinking I would love to translate a better book, alas, a perverse side of me want to make snarkies - shitty books produce snarkies, but then that would be like shooting fish in a barrel. I need to decide before I choose my next book.

In any case, I hope the story was enjoyed, nonsensical behaviour and all.

Be well all x.

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