The Royal Renegade #5

A Chapter by Eogin

Surrounded by his dead father's enemies, Barnaby, the heir to an outlawed throne, is pulled into a dangerous game of power by the most feared man of a newly formed nation.

Hours passed in a joyful banter, with most of what was said shouted or sang barely registering as information to be remembered. So, within that fogginess, there was just one thing Barnaby found to be undeniably true. The potion Theodore had gifted him was nothing like the one he had drunk years ago. That green liquid had tasted and burnt like poison, and it had set in motion one of the most dangerous and embarrassing nights Barnaby had lived.

Then only ten years old, Barnaby had had his pride destroyed by the girl he had become most infatuated with. Grace, for the laughter of many, had defeated him in such a crushing manner that Barnaby could barely remember the duel. That shame, mixed with a potion of unknown origins, had led him to share his aggressive and illegal ideas about the United Government with anyone who stuck around to listen.

That could have been a prison sentence right there.

But what he regretted even more was confessing his love for Grace Le Grand to Augusta. She was his best friend, but also the greatest hater of all ruling families. Weeks passed before she talked to him again. Months before things started to feel normal.

Theodore's yellow potion was nothing like that. It was as smooth as air, as tasty as dreams, and most important, it didn't make Barnaby feel like he should tell anyone anything. He just looked around, to the multitude of colors which seemed brighter, all the while feeling like he was in the embrace of honey-sweet wonder. Even the inanimate objects, unlike how they behaved normally, seemed to come alive just to smile.

"This," Benjamin spoke slowly, eyes closed and lips ear to ear, "is, amazing. Thank you, Barney. This is what I needed."

Augusta, behaving least affected by the drink, stared at Benjamin curiously, as if he was about to do something highly interesting. But as Benjamin just kept smiling, she called to him.

"Ben!"

Benjamin opened his eyes.

"Yes, my dear?"

"Tell them!"

"And what shall I tell them, dear?"

Benjamin kept smiling, but Augusta fell back in her seat, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

"About the tower."

Benjamin's eyes narrowed suspiciously, not much movement behind them. But a moment later, when the lightning struck, he looked hyper-energized; body jumping and head turning left and right.

"Yes!" He called loudly, sipping the potion which no longer calmed him down. "The tower. So, I talked to my grandpa a while ago, and he told me that back when, before the United Government, it was a tradition for every Brawling graduate to climb the Bell Tower the night before the Ceremony." He drank from his glass fast until it was empty. "And I'd be damned if we're not doing this because of the government. Alright?"

Maxim swallowed uncomfortably.

"But your grandpa, he's not... He's not really trustworthy, is he... I mean, he's in the Health Tower?"

Benjamin shook that off carelessly.

"Bah, he was vivid enough. So, Barney, are we going?"

Barnaby, drinking that potion and feeling like nothing could really go wrong, found it hard to justify not following a tradition, especially one in which his father, well known for his bravery, would have certainly taken part in.

"It's illegal for a reason!" Maxim went on shakily looking Barnaby strongly his eyes as if trying to cast a spell of reason. But unlike every other day of his life, caution wasn't on Barnaby's mind. He wanted to do something exciting, something dangerous. He took a deep breath, hands forming fists.

"Okay, let's do it. Tradition is a tradition."

"YES! That's my man." Benjamin pushed himself up. "We're going Max, get moving."

Augusta, eyebrows raised, finished her glass and stretched toward Barnaby.

"Barnaby Brawling, up for mischief?" She whispered playfully.

Barnaby, unexpectedly excited about having made a decision without weighing every pro and con of it, shrug his shoulders.

"Yeah!" He finished his potion as well, wiping the last drops from his chin.

"Why the hell not? I am the king."

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