~❦︎~❦︎~

Chapter XXVI - Love Potion

~❦︎~❦︎~

Henri collected several vials of herbs from the counter. He brought them to Sir Claudius who concocted a mixture in his bowl, swirling a large spoon around and around.

"Thank you, Henri. Why don't you try it this time?"

"Oh, Monsieur, I don't think I can! You do it so well!" he complained.

"Nonsense! Just try it. I've shown you several times. You put those herbs in the bowl, then combine them with this special leaf and this frog leg. You mince them up with this knife, put them in this bowl, and mix them together with this spoon. After that, you add the liquid ingredients—just some swamp water. Then, you're finished! Just like cooking." He faltered. "Or so I've been told by my other apprentice. I've never actually 'cooked' before."

"Well, neither have I, Monsieur."

Sir Claudius laughed, a deep, hearty bellow. "Please, call me Claudius. I insist. We've known each other for over two years now."

Henri froze, in the middle of picking up the knife. "Oh, alright… Claudius." He chuckled. "It's so strange to say."

"It will take some getting used to, but I insist. We're friends now, and I've been calling you Henri for some time, so why not?"

"Yes. Why not."

"Did you know that this was actually once considered to be a love potion?"

"No…."

"It was! Some old Druids taught it to me! But I know that it does not work because I later found out the old men were just teasing me. Ah… I was so lovesick as a teen boy! I should have known, because who would put frog legs and swamp water into a love potion?! Nonetheless, I tried it on a few people but to no avail." He sighed. "Now it's just another potion in my book with no usage whatsoever besides teaching proper mincing methods."

Henri nodded stiffly, his neck moving like a tree limb in the wind. He minced the leaves and herbs. After a few hesitant slices and dices, the man yelped: "Ow!" He sucked in air, putting pressure onto his thumb.

"Oh, Henri!" Sir Claudius flocked to his friend's side. "Did you cut yourself?" He fumbled around, trying to get a glimpse of the wound.

"Yes, agh…" Henri sat down, his face meshing together in pain.

"Hold on for just a second!" Sir Claudius called as he bolted out of the room.

Upon returning, the man in black held medical supplies in his arms. "I keep all of these in the room next door for emergencies! Do not fret, dear Henri!"

Sir Claudius took several tubes of ointment and rubbed them over Henri's thumb, applying pressure and yet being so tender all the while—after which, he wrapped the man's thumb in mint leaves. "There, keep those on for a day or two, and it should heal soon enough."

Henri's pain melted away, even after running his forefinger along the side of the leaves. "Thank you, Monsieur."

"Claudius."

"Claudius… I apologize."

"Well, do you agree that this lesson has been enough for today? Would you like to enjoy each other's company for the rest of the time?" Sir Claudius's blue eyes glistened underneath the chandelier.

"How can I turn down an offer like that?" Henri asked, turning paler with each passing second—but not from any amount of pain.

"Very well then! Let's go sit by the fire, shall we?"

~❦︎~

Sir Claudius poured two cups of tea, soon bringing them over on a large tray. Henri twiddled his thumbs together and watched as the leaves slowly came off. His blonde hair fell over his skin, reflecting the bright firelight.

"Here we go, Henri! I know you like yours plain, so I left it. But I can't have tea without some sugar."

"Thank you." Henri reached out to take the teacup, but Sir Claudius would not let go. The blonde man looked up into his Master's eyes, noticing how they brimmed with icy seawater—so beautiful and so chilled at the same time. They roared like oceans, frightening the small man.

Sir Claudius finally let go, after staring at Henri for several seconds, who then backed away and balled up inside himself. The man in black placed two lumps of sugar in his tea, swirling it around before sipping—all the while keeping his eyes latched onto Henri.

"So… Henri," he crooned, his voice deep and dark yet smooth like red wine, "I know we came up with that story a while ago, but… have you ever actually courted a girl before?"

Henri tensed, his shoulders rising. "No, Monsieur."

"Claudius, please call me Claudius."

"Sorry, Mo—Claudius! I mean." He tapped his fingernails on the teacup.

"It is alright. I just find it hard to believe that a man so handsome as you could not find a mate."

"I've never really been interested in women before. Even as a young boy, some part of me knew I would become an old bachelor."

A smile creeping up onto his purple lips, Sir Claudius queried, "Do you remember the first day we met? How I told you I wanted a wife and family someday?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, that is true, Henri. I do want a family at some point—would love to have one—and a wife would be lovely as well. But—" He stammered, sweat beading on his forehead.

Henri clenched his fists together, almost breaking the fine china. His wound started bleeding again. "Monsieur, I am not interested," Henri spoke, firm. He turned his head, his eyes solid as the castle's stone walls. "I am not interested in a relationship by any means, whether with a man or a woman."

Sir Claudius's jaw hung in midair. He cleared his throat, leaned back in his chair, and stared into his teacup. Something broke within the man. The flames that had been rising within him died all at once, falling back into his heart. "I understand, Sir Clermont. You need not say another word. Forget this ever happened."

Henri heard the brokenness in Sir Claudius's voice—an unfamiliar sound. "You will find someone someday, Claudius. Just not me."

~❦︎~

"Sir, look!"

The man woke out of his trance, jerking up from the chair.

"Yes, Athena?" he called.

"I did it! The potion is complete!"

"That quick?" Sir Claudius smirked as he trudged toward the mixing bowl, but, to his disbelief, a pungent smell ascended from the bowl, flowing up in green and purple fumes like the Aurora Borealis.

"Well done, my student!" he congratulated her. "I didn't even have to show you more than once how to do it! You are truly gifted in this."

"Well, it's very similar to cooking, Sir. My Mother is a wonderful cook and she showed me everything. We tend to the gardens and pick herbs and vegetables from them, then bring everything inside to cook. There's no difference here."

Sir Claudius sighed, remembering. "I wouldn't know. I've never cooked a day in my life."

"Perhaps I could teach you some time!" Her eyes sparkled blue and white. Most of the pink had returned to her cheeks, too. "I want to teach you how to garden at the very least, so you won't have to rely on the markets in town anymore. I tell you, it is much easier and less expensive to grow your own vegetables. I recommend gardening for you anyway."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Number one: you won't have to show your face in public—although I'm happy to go out into the markets to retrieve whatever else you need. Number two: those gardens need some tendin' to. Number three: you need to get some sun!"

Sir Claudius felt his face; it was freezing. "I suppose you're right. I cannot argue with that logic. I've become used to being the color and temperature of ice."

"Exactly! Tomorrow we can go outside together and tend to those nasty gardens! Then we can come inside and work on potions. Sounds good?"

He grinned. His eyes were soft and blue like the sky reflecting the ocean, though at the same time forlorn, unforgetting, and cold like river waters in the winter. "I would be delighted."

~❦︎~❦︎~

Author's Note

Just to be clear: yes, Sir Claudius is bisexual. And yes, Henri is asexual/aromantic.