The Crown's Entrapment

Clara kept up her verbal poking and prodding as she chatted Xenia up a storm. It was clear that the human princess was a poor drunk, especially as the night went on. They were only halfway through their bottle when the princess’s words began slurring.

“I-I think… I’vvve had enoughhhh…” the princess swayed ever so slightly, her cheeks flushed red as she struggled to keep herself upright.

“Nonsense,” Clara smiled, her own cheeks starting to burn from all the alcohol she consumed. “The night’s young, my friend. And there’s more wine for us to drink.”

Pouring themselves yet another round of drinks, Clara was starting to struggle with the alcohol herself even as she did her best to act as the ever friendly companion. Then again, she was starting to forget why she was even talking to the princess at times as she found herself genuinely enjoying her company.

‘F-Focus… You’re here on a mission…’

Shaking her head, Clara flashed the princess a smile as she gave her yet another glass of wine. “Here.”

Wordlessly, Xenia took the glass into her hands, the reluctant look on her face was being replaced with a spot of courage as she kept on drinking. Clara couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of it. The Princess was such a lightweight that she didn’t even need to force her to talk.

“Ssso, what brought you here anyway?” Clara almost slurred out, her own cup already half-empty as she asked. “Shurely there’s more to you than just being Darius’s mate.”

“W-well, thisss isn’t the ff-first time I’ve been here,” Xenia drunkenly admitted, a loopy expression coloring her features as her face burned red. “I d-didn’t wanna be heerree in the fffirst placcee…”

Clara blinked at what she just heard. Even in her semi-drunken state, such a piece of information burned itself into her head.

“Y-You didn’t wanna b-be here?” Clara curiously hiccuped, her glass completely empty as she downed her drink in between phrases. “H-How in the h-elll did D-Darius find you then?”

Xenia let out a hic of her own as she aimed her hands at the half empty bottle on the table. Pouring herself her own gold cup, she swirled her drink as she replied, “I… He ffounnd me while I was-hic-running awayy from a…”

“Running… away?”

“Y-yeah!” Xenia almost yelped out in her drunken stupor. “I got into annn arrranged marriage with the vVVampireee King…”

This was yet another piece of information that rocked Clara’s alcohol-addled mind. The princess didn’t want to be here in the first place? Just what in the world happened?

“I ssee…” Clara slurred out, her right hand already outstretched to pour herself another drink. “Sso you don-hic-don’t… have any feelings-s for him-m? W-Why not run-n away?”

It was the simplest conclusion that she could get to in her current state. If the Princess says that she was here against her own free will, then all of her troubles would be all the more easier to solve.

“I-I tried… but he wwoulldn’t let me lleaavee…” Xenia drawled out, her tongue practically slipping from her lips like a true drunk. “Alwaysss saying that he owwnnss mee…”

As if to emphasize the fact, Clara saw her point lazily at the king in question, the man completely unaware of the fact that he was being gossiped about by two of the more important women in his life.

“Constantly pesstering me… Constantly making me do… do…”

“X-Xenia?”

To Clara’s utter surprise, the princess began tearing up, her face contorting into something that was far from befitting a noble of her stature. It was honestly heartwrenching. Added in her own drunken state, she couldn’t help but empathize with what she thought was her enemy all along.

“Okay, ladies. I think you two have had enough.”

What?

Before Clara could react, Gideon had already walked towards them, a worried look on his face as he snatched away the bottles of wine that she didn’t think they’d go through.

“B-But…”

“You’re both clearly drunk,” Gideon cut Clara off. “It’s getting late anyway. You two-”

“Wait a second here, Gideon.”

Clara couldn’t help but gawk as yet another person came into her and Xenia’s conversation. This time, it was Darius as he stood over all of them in all of his imposing glory.

“I want Xenia to finish her thoughts,” Darius stoically instructed.

She didn’t know what was happening anymore, but it was clear that Xenia also didn’t care as she spoke out anyway.

“H-He… I ddon’t know whyyyyy…” Xenia slurred out, her words barely intelligible as she swayed where she sat. “Nno matter how harrrdd I tryyy…. I c-can’t get awayyy…”

Clara almost felt her heart sink in empathy. So Xenia wasn’t here of her own free will…

“I… I…”

She tried her best to stay awake for her new friend, but with all of the alcohol in her system, Clara felt her consciousness slip away.

*thunk…*

***

With one glass after the next, Xenia could slowly feel her sense of self slipping away from the realm of reality. She was never the best drinker, so she did her best to keep away from any alcohol unless she was with people she truly trusted.

‘This is a mistake…’ she inwardly thought but the alcohol was somehow making her feel wonderful.

Ignoring the suspiciously close sound of someone’s head hitting the table, Xenia finished off her drunken thoughts. “I… I don’t wwannt… to runn awayy ffrroomm himmm?”

It was a mystery to her… She wanted to run away, but she couldn’t? Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but a part of her always wanted her to stay whenever she thought about leaving him? She didn’t even know anymore. All she could feel at the moment was a burning sensation in her chest, and growing nausea in her head as the world began to spin around her.

“N-No more…. C-can’t…”

“It seems they’ve both finally hit their limits…” Gideon worryingly commented.

“Get Clara to her room….” Darius instructed, “and prepare a glass of water for her ready come tomorrow.”

Xenia felt as if she heard the two men around her say something, but it was all mumbled and hearsay to her as her vision finally started to black out.

“W-Wait… C-Clara…”

“I’ll see to Xen myself… well… at least they got along smoothly…”

*thunk…*