Lovino took a deep breath "there's no turning back now" he whispered, took a spoon, and stirred. The powder dissolved in the wine, until it was part of the liquid. He gave the tray to a butler "here, now remember, the wine is for Arthur and the rum is for Antonio" he watched nervously as the butler walked off with the tray. He could feel his heart beat fast, guilt tried to wash away the envy within him. Lovino refused to let it. Of course, this was the right choice, there was no other way… right? Lovino took a huge sip of the rum bottle beside him.

It wasn't long before the whole castle was turned into pure pandemonium. Servants rushed around, trying to figure what to do with themselves. A doctor came running, hurrying to Antonio's bedroom. The sound of footsteps echoed all around. People talked to each other, all trying to understand what had happened. In the midst of all the chaos, stood Lovino. He could barely process it all. He wanted cry, he wanted to laugh. It was so surreal to think he had caused such a gruesome situation. He had poisoned someone. The realisation hit him harder than he had expected. He saw Antonio walk out of the bedroom. He looked to be in shock of what had just happened before his eyes. He looked at Lovino. Their eyes locked together, and for a moment Lovino feared Antonio knew. Antonio then turned and kicked a table, causing the vase on it to fall and shatter. "I demand to find out who did this!" Antonio yelled, his voice echoed loudly in the hallway. Lovino watched as he collapsed on the ground, crying. The butler from before took a step forward and Lovino's stomach tightened with anxiety. "I know who it was" he said. Antonio looked up at him. The butler pointed at Lovino "him, he handed me the glasses, it took him an awful long time to prepare it." Antonio turned his head to look at Lovino. This was it, Antonio was going to send him away, he was never going to look at Lovino again. He would probably send him to prison and never ever forgive him. Lovino's heart was going to crumble more and more for every day that would pass by behind bars if he wasn't executed. Lovino was so certain of it, but to his surprise, Antonio turned to the butler.

"How dare you insult Lovino that way? He would never do such an awful thing!"

"But sir, I am only telling you what I saw- "

"I don't want to hear such lies, out, out of my castle and never return!"

Lovino watched as they escorted the butler out. Relief threw away all the worry. To think Antonio had that much belief in him. If Antonio ever found out what really had happened, he would be heartbroken. Lovino couldn't bare that thought.

Lovino felt a mix of disappointment and relief when he was told Arthur wasn't dead. He was hospitalised in Antonio's bedroom. He was currently in a coma, but alive. Antonio barely spend time away from him. The days passed by, dull and quiet. No one else than Antonio normally spoke to him, and with Antonio grieving on the other side of a locked door, Lovino was all alone. But after all, wasn't that just what he deserved? Lovino wasn't sure. He wanted to convince himself he had done the only logical thing to do in such a poignant situation. He knew it wasn't the truth though, and he was too tired to convince himself the opposite. He lay awake at night, thinking about everything at once. Whenever he did fall asleep, he had nightmares about Arthur falling unconsciously to the floor. He saw those pale, lifeless eyes stare into the nothing. The feeling of guilt was unbearable. It was in his gut, in his stomach and Lovino constantly feared he was going to vomit. He wanted to tell Antonio what had happened. He imagined Antonio pulling him into a warm embrace, one that wasn't platonic, one that wasn't one sided. He imagined Antonio tell him it was alright, and that he wasn't angry. Of course, Lovino knew that was only in his head. If Antonio found out, Lovino would end up beheaded.

Arthur was awake. He stayed in bed most of the time though, and whenever he took a walk around the castle, Antonio would go with him. All Lovino's guilt had almost disappeared. He now wished Arthur had passed away. He had never felt his kind of hatred before. It ate him up and Lovino feared himself, because he felt he had lost control. At the same time the nagging guilt still lingered in the back of his mind and pleaded him to tell Antonio. The voice of it grew louder with every day that passed. He couldn't tell Antonio, but he had to tell someone else. No matter how many times he thought it through, there was only one person he could think of who deserved to know.

Arthur.

Lovino made his way down the hallway. His whole body trembled with anxiety. The thought of turning around and go back again was so alluring, yet Lovino knew he had no choice. If he turned around now, he would never be able to look himself in the mirror again. A knot in his throat formed as he stood in front of the door to Antonio's bedroom. He feared he wouldn't be able to speak when it came down to it. Out of habit, he did not knock and just opened the door to the bedroom. That turned out to be a great mistake.