LOVE UNREFINED

CHAPTER 19 : TOGETHER

Keera walked into Fitz's room looking for him but couldn't find him, the only person she found on the bed was Cessy, she climbed into the bed as she sat beside him staring as him.

Fitz came into the room, he was done with the call he was having with Eldon, he was shocked to see Keera on the bed.

" My queen what's wrong?" he asked moving closer to her, Keera looked like she'd been crying, which got Fitz very worried.

" Talk to me, what's wrong, did you have a nightmare" Fitz asked as he sat together with her on the bed.

" I'm fine, I just missed you" she said with her eyes still on Cessy who was sleeping.

" Are you sure? you look like you have been crying"

" Oh this, I was practicing for my online drama class" she explained with a smile, Fitz's worries immediately vanished on hearing that his sister was alright.

" Isn't this Cessy?" She asked the question that had been on her mind since she entered the room.

" Yes that's Cessy" Fitz replied.

" Isn't this cheating to Aine?" She asked, even though she didn't really understand anything happening but she was aware that her brother got married to Aine, Fitz let out a little smile.

" My queen, you're way too young to understand these things, when you get a bit older you will understand your brother more" he explained

" Trust me, I may understand more than you do" she said staring at Fitz, waiting for his answer.

" Hmmm, how about we go prepare breakfast, Cessy is actually sick and he needs a lot of food and rest, okay?" He explained trying to run away from Keera's questions.

" I know you're trying to runaway from my question but I wouldn't ask anymore since you're not comfortable talking about it" she said standing up

" Shall we?"

Both Keera and her brother walked down to the kitchen hand in hand.

" What are we going to prepare?" Keera asked

" How about pancakes?"

" Yes I'll go get the flour and eggs" cooking with her brother has been something she missed.

Fitz broke up the eggs pouring them into a bowl and stirred them.

Aine got ready for the day, he left his room going down the stairs towards the kitchen, he needed a drink of water.

" It'd been long since we did something like this" Fitz said

" That's because you're always more concerned about Cessiar than me" she said rolling her eyes, one of the major reason Keera didn't like Cessy was because she felt he was sharing in the love Fitz was given to her.

" Are you jealous?" Fitz asked with a smile as he set the pan on the fire.

" No why would I, you're mine and only mine, nobody can take you from me, that's clear" she said as she shifted her eyes towards the door where Aine stood

" Aine" she called out rushing towards him, Aine opened his hands ready to hug her.

" Keera how many times do I have to tell you no running" Fitz said ignoring Aine's presence.

" Sorry" she apologized almost immediately before turning her attention back to Aine

" What brings you here?" She asked

" I am a bit thirsty and I ran out of water in my room" Aine explained

" Ohh, well we're making breakfast, Cessy is sick in bed and Fitz wanted to make him feel a bit better" Keera explained

" Cessiar is sick? He was just fine yesterday'' Aine said

" Well he is and Fitz is worried"

" Is there anything I could do to help?" Aine asked

" No"

"Yes" both brother and sister chorused as the same time.

" There's no need for you to help, we're almost done here" Fitz said, Keera stood there just watching them start another one of their arguments

" Oh I see, then I'll just grab a bottle of water and leave"

" No, there's something you can do" Keera said dragging Aine towards the table " Here slice this, I can't do it I just remembered that I have an online drama class" she said smiling

" Didn't you already have drama class before now?" Fitz said remembering their conversation earlier on.

" Well this is another one, you two have fun, call me when breakfast is ready" she shouted rushing off, she knew the both of them needed space to talk.

Aine chopped the onion in absolute silence, he couldn't help but cry.

" Here" he said passing the chopped onion also picking up the chilly.

" There's no need for you to be here, Cessy is my responsibility"

" And he's my friend, I’m not sure you know but yesterday, when I went into his room, he had his clothes off and there was a huge bruise on his back, he said he fell but I have doubt although I didn't ask him about it because he was feeling a bit uncomfortable" Aine explained

" I’m aware, I also saw them too. I can't help but wonder who would hurt him in sure a way, Cessy has never been anything but nice, even as far down towards insects, he prefers to set them down outside than kill them" Fitz said a small smile coming upon his face as he remembered an incident where Cessy actually did it.

" He is really kind indeed, I hope he gets better" Aine added

" It's just a fever, he's not dying" Fitz corrected

" Yeah right" Aine felt like he sounded stupid and was about to throw his right hand to his face when Fitz stopped him by holding his hands.

" Are you a child, even Keera washes her hands after chopping up chillies, do you want to get blind?" Fitz asked staring at Aine.

" I didn't realize" Aine said almost red as he stared into Fitz's eyes, it felt like he could see his soul.

" Be more careful next time" he advised before letting him go.

Aine went straight to wash his hands before leaving Fitz to his room, he closed the door immediately staring at himself in the mirror

" What was that about, I thought he hated me, why on earth would he hold me like that" Aine asked himself feeling rather uncomfortable with the strange feeling he felt.

" And I was so stupid to forget I was holding chillies" he said almost screaming.

'' it's fine, we'll go back to our bickering soon enough" he smiled at himself in the mirror.

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" Aren't you going to ask me where I got these from? I know you've seen them" Cessy asked

" So you could lie to me again?"

" What makes you think I'm going to lie?"

" Then tell me the truth, what happened?" Fitz asked getting pissed with the conversation

" It's complicated" he replied with his head down, telling Fitz the truth could also expose the fact that his father killed Fitz's parents.

" Complicated? I thought we trusted each other, enough not to keep secrets, someone's actually hurting the man I love badly and you're telling me it's complicated. What if it's worse than bruises next time? what would I do if I lose you?" Fitz asked

" You're not going to loose me, I’m here and I'll always be here with you forever" Cessy said

" I’m beginning to doubt anything you say"

" I want to tell you, I really do but I just can't"

" Then don't tell me, I don't care about what ever is happening, make sure you take your drugs" Fitz said before leaving Cessy.

Aine was right at the door, he came to see Cessy and make sure he was alright when he over heard the entire conversation, Fitz stormed off pass him, Aine could feel the heat from his anger, he proceeded to see Cessy

" Hey" he called out with a smile

" Aine" Cessy smiled back

" I got news that you were ill so I decided to come visit, how are you feeling?"

" A lot better, sorry we couldn't talk about the banquet yesterday"

" Ohh that's not a problem at all, are you alright?" Aine asked once again.

" I am, really. What did you want to talk about yesterday?"

" I want my people to take part in the banquet but I don't know how to make Fitz change his mind"

" Hm, well that's easy. You just need to make him see reasons as to why and then make a fair deal, for example the kingdom of Ulster has two clans; Mealth and Leinster, it won't be fair that the people participating are just Leinsters or Mealths only. That's going to be biased in a way, if you point these out, trust me you have a strong case" Cessy explained

" That's actually nice, thank you"

" Aine, you're a king now, everything you decide should be in the best interest of your people both Mealth or Leinster" he added

" I understand, sorry to ask because I know it's a bit personal and I have no right to but why can't you tell Fitz who hurt you, someone who can hurt you in such a way can also kill you without second thought" Cessiar knew Aine was a hundred percent correct but regardless of everything happening he still respected his father.

" It's not that I don't want to… I just can't tell him, Fitz sometimes act like a child and does things without thinking, I don't want him causing trouble and it was by accident but he doesn't want to understand"

" That's because he's worried and scared, he doesn't want to loose you. Just that thought scares him. That’s why he wants to protect you"

" I know that but I don't need protection, I can protect myself" Cessy said

" I can see that from the bruises" Aine pointed out.

" Did your have to do that?"

" Yes, so you realize you need protection. I'm going to speak with Fitz, I hope this works, take care of yourself" Aine said before finally leaving.

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Fitz was at the stable with Gràinne

" She's beautiful!" Aine complimented

" What do you want" he asked noticing Aine's presence

" I came to see if you were alright"

" Just because we made breakfast together doesn't mean you can talk to me when you feel like"

" That's not what I’m doing I just want to talk"

" About what?"

" I came to talk about the banquet" Aine said moving closer.

" If you want me to let your people participate then no, you may leave there's nothing to talk about" he said still pay attention to Gràinne.

" I know you don't want my people by at least hear me out" Aine said

" You have 5 minutes"

" Don't you think you're dividing the kingdom just by choosing just Leinsters to help out"

" Can you go straight to the point"

" Ulster is a kingdom, Leinster and Mealth are under that unity, but if we fail to see them as one, we become divided and that's what you're decision is going to cost, the people of Mealth will see it as you been an unfair king and that alone can bring war itself" he explained hoping to change Fitz's mind.

" Go on" he instructed

" I would suggest to take 25 servant each for Mealth and Leinster, we can train them to your taste" Aine suggested.

" And if anything go wrong?" Fitz asked finally looking at Aine's face

" Nothing will go wrong but If anything goes wrong, I will take responsibility for it" Aine added

" Very well then, do as you please but let me warn, if anything goes wrong you will pay darely for it, now leave. The banquet is in 4 days" Fitz said finally agreeing.