A Royal Obligation -
Chapter 106: Love & Laughter
Chapter 106: Love & Laughter
The corridors of the Zephyros palace were alive with excitement as Eirik led his siblings and cousins through the grand halls, their laughter echoing off the marble walls.
It had been far too long since they had all been together, and the joy of reunion was blinding. Every room they entered sparked a new memory, a fresh round of teasing or playful banter that left Eirik grinning ear to ear.
As they moved deeper into the palace, Eirik couldn’t help but feel the warmth of being surrounded by family again. His heart swelled with every laugh, every sarcastic remark, and every smile directed his way. For a brief moment, it felt like everything was right in the world.
"Now, this is where you two troublemakers will be staying," Eirik said with a smirk as they approached the final stop on the tour, the twins’ quarters.
Before he could even open the door, Lucian and Julian, his ever-energetic brothers, pushed past him, dragging him inside with their usual boisterous enthusiasm.
"Well, brother, you’ve been away far too long!" Julian declared, throwing an arm around Eirik’s shoulders, his voice a perfect blend of affection and mock accusation.
"We’ve barely survived without you!" Julian added dramatically, eyes wide with exaggerated sorrow.
Lucian, always the more grounded of the two, chuckled and crossed his arms. "Speak for yourself, Julian. I’ve been doing just fine without him." His smirk betrayed his teasing words, the affection in his eyes clear.
Eirik rolled his eyes, laughing as Julian pulled him further into the room. "Yeah, sure, Lucian. You’re just saying that because you had Amarok here to take care of you."
Amarok, who had been sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, watching the reunion with a soft smile, raised a hand in mock surrender. "I’ve done my best, but trust me, no one can handle these two like you can, Your Highness."
Eirik smiled warmly at Amarok, grateful for the man’s steady presence in his brothers’ lives.
Amarok had been more than just a servant, he was someone who understood the twins in ways few others did. But even he couldn’t keep up with their relentless energy for long.
"Amarok’s right," Julian said with a dramatic sigh, flopping onto the bed beside him. "It’s been awful without you, Eirik. Truly, we’ve suffered."
"You’ve suffered?" Eirik laughed, his eyebrow raised. "I’ve been the one out here in a foreign kingdom, without any of you to make my life more difficult."
"You mean more exciting," Lucian corrected, a teasing glint in his eye.
Their cousins, Theo and Ella, entered the room soon after, having lingered behind during the tour to admire the palace.
Ella, walked up to Eirik with a smirk that mirrored Julian’s mischievous grin.
"Don’t worry, Eirik. We’ll get the truth out of you eventually," Ella said slyly, poking him in the ribs. "Kaelix hasn’t been giving you attitude, has he?"
At the mention of Kaelix, the room seemed to pause for a moment, all eyes turning to Eirik with curious expressions. He could feel the weight of their gazes, each one of them hoping for some juicy bit of gossip or scandal they could latch onto.
Of course, Eirik had no intention of telling them about the rocky start he and Kaelix had when he first arrived in Zephyros. The initial hostility Kaelix had shown him was something he’d rather forget, and something his family would never let go of if they found out.
Eirik chuckled, waving off their concern. "No, no. It’s been fine. Kaelix and I get along... now." He cleared his throat, hoping they wouldn’t push for details.
Julian, never one to let things go easily, narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You sure? Because if that bastard’s been giving you a hard time, you know we’ll handle it for you."
Lucian nodded in agreement, his playful demeanor vanishing for a brief second as a more serious expression crossed his face. "If he’s not treating you right, we’ll take care of him, no questions asked."
Eirik shook his head, smiling despite their overprotective tendencies. "You two are impossible. Honestly, it’s fine. Kaelix has been very welcoming. All the people of Zephyros has."
Ella, ever the sharp one, leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing. "You’re not telling us everything, are you, Eirik?"
Eirik’s mouth twitched, caught off guard by her perceptiveness. He glanced over at Amarok, who offered a silent, supportive smile but didn’t intervene.
"Alright, fine," Eirik admitted, throwing up his hands. "Maybe Kaelix and I didn’t exactly hit it off right away, but we’re good now. We’ve... worked through things."
Julian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Worked through things? That sounds like there’s a story there."
Eirik could feel the heat rising to his face. "It’s nothing, really. Just some... misunderstandings. But we’ve sorted it out."
Theo, who had been quiet up until now, chuckled softly. "Knowing you, Eirik, I’m sure you charmed your way into his good graces."
Eirik smiled, grateful for the lighter tone. "Something like that."
"Enough about Kaelix," Lucian said, sensing that Eirik had had enough of the interrogation. "We’re here to talk about you, not some random prince. So, tell us, how’s life been here? Are they treating you like the tressure you are, or do we need to stage an intervention?"
Eirik couldn’t help but laugh at that. "It’s been... different. Zephyros isn’t like home, but it’s growing on me. The people here are kind, and the palace is beautiful. And yes, before you ask, I’m being treated well. No need for an intervention."
Ella smirked. "We’ll be the judge of that. You know how we are."
Theron, who had been standing quietly near the doorway, watching the exchange with a fond smile, finally spoke up. "It’s good to reunite with you, Eirik. Even if it’s just for a while."
Eirik’s chest tightened at his eldest brother’s words. Theron had always been the steady, dependable one, the rock that held their family together. Hearing him speak so openly about his feelings was rare, and it touched Eirik deeply.
"It’s good to have you all here," Eirik said softly, his gaze meeting Theron’s. "I’ve missed all of you more than I can say."
For a moment, the room was filled with a comfortable silence, the warmth of their reunion wrapping around them like a blanket. Even Amarok, who had been more of an observer than a participant, seemed to relax into the atmosphere of love and laughter.
Julian, never one to let things stay serious for too long, broke the silence with a dramatic sigh. "Alright, enough of this emotional nonsense. Let’s talk about something important, how are the parties in Zephyros? Because if they’re anything like I’ve heard, we need to hit the town tonight."
Eirik laughed, shaking his head. "Always the party animal, aren’t you, Julian?"
Lucian rolled his eyes. "Don’t let him fool you, Eirik. He’s been whining about the lack of decent entertainment back home for weeks."
Julian gasped in mock offense. "Whining? I do not whine, Lucian."
"Oh, you definitely whine," Theo chimed in, grinning as he leaned against the wall. "We all know you do."
Julian looked around the room, aghast. "Traitors, all of you."
The room erupted into laughter, the tension from earlier completely dissipated. Eirik found himself relaxing into the moment, grateful for the sense of normalcy his family brought with them.
"I’ve missed this," Eirik said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
Ella, who had been watching him closely, smiled softly. "We’ve missed you too, Eirik. More than you know."
Lucian nodded, his usual teasing demeanor giving way to sincerity. "It hasn’t been the same without you, little brother."
Julian leaned over, resting his head on Eirik’s shoulder in an uncharacteristically affectionate gesture. "You are the only one that can stop us from killing each other. I missed you so much. "
Eirik smiled, his heart full. "I missed you all more than you can ever imagine."
As they continued to tease and joke with each other, Eirik couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of contentment.
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