A Royal Obligation
Chapter 63: Life Before Amarok (3)

Chapter 63: Life Before Amarok (3)

The late afternoon sun poured through the high windows of the twins’ grand chamber, casting long shadows across the marble floor.

Lucian lounged on a velvet chaise, his dark hair falling over his forehead as he leafed through a book of military strategy.

Julian, reclining on the bed they shared, was idly tossing a golden coin into the air, catching it each time with a flick of his wrist.

The sound of the coin’s soft clink and the rustle of Lucian’s pages were the only noises in the otherwise silent room.

"Lucian," Julian drawled, his voice tinged with boredom, "how long do you think this one will last?"

Lucian glanced up from his book, his sharp green eyes meeting his twin’s with a smirk. "This one? Not long, I wager. He’s already trembling whenever we call for him."

Julian chuckled, flipping the coin again. "They always do. I think we might’ve gone too hard on him yesterday. Did you see the way he almost dropped the tray at breakfast?"

Lucian’s smirk widened. "That was amusing. But honestly, I’m getting tired of breaking them in just to have them break down."

Their current servant, a young man named Loris, had started serving them just a few weeks ago. Like the ones before him, he had entered their service full of hope and determination. But the twins were demanding, more so than any servant could anticipate.

From the moment a new servant arrived, the twins tested their resolve. They expected their clothes to be laid out with precision, their bathwater at the perfect temperature, their meals served exactly when they ddesired

But it wasn’t just the perfection of the tasks that wore their servants down, it was the fact that these tasks were doubled.

Serving Lucian and Julian was like serving one person with two minds, two bodies, and twice the need for attention. What one twin wanted, the other would demand in equal measure, but they always wanted it simultaneously.

For Loris, the strain was beginning to show. Just this morning, he had barely managed to keep pace with their breakfast routine.

Julian had insisted on freshly squeezed juice, no pulp, of course, while Lucian demanded his eggs be poached to the point of perfection.

Loris had run back and forth between the kitchen and their chamber, sweating profusely under the twin’s expectant gazes.

"Do you think Father and Mother suspect we do it on purpose?" Julian asked, his tone teasing as he rolled onto his side to face his brother.

"They must have their suspicions," Lucian replied, closing his book with a satisfied sigh. "But they’ve never said anything directly. And as long as they keep sending us new servants, why should we worry?"

Julian grinned. "True. But did you see Theron’s face when Loris spilled the wine last night? I thought our dear brother might finally ask what we do to make them all so nervous."

"Theron wouldn’t understand," Lucian said dismissively. "He’s too busy being the perfect heir to question our methods. Eirik, on the other hand..."

Julian laughed. "Eirik is just as mischievous as we are, even if he’s better at hiding it. He’s always asking why we can’t keep a servant. Poor boy thinks it’s something wrong with them."

"Perhaps it is," Lucian mused, though his grin betrayed his true feelings. "Or perhaps we just haven’t found someone who can truly serve us as we need."

At that moment, the heavy wooden door to their chamber creaked open, and Loris appeared, a tray of refreshments balanced precariously in his shaking hands. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear as he approached the twins. Lucian and Julian exchanged a quick glance, amusement flickering between them like a shared secret.

Loris stepped forward cautiously, trying to place the tray on the low table beside Lucian. But as he bent down, the tray wobbled, and a delicate porcelain cup toppled over, spilling its contents onto the table.

The room went silent. Loris froze, his breath hitching in his throat, his eyes darting between the twins, waiting for their reaction.

Julian was the first to speak, his voice deceptively gentle. "Loris, was that the tea I asked for?"

Loris nodded frantically, wiping at the spilled liquid with his sleeve. "Yes, Your Highness. I... I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to..."

"You didn’t mean to spill it," Lucian finished for him, his tone cold. "But you did. Now, what do you think should be done about this mistake?"

Loris opened his mouth to stammer an apology, but Julian cut him off. "Go fetch another cup. And make sure it’s hot this time."

The servant scrambled to his feet, nearly knocking over the tray in his haste to leave the room. The door hadn’t even fully closed behind him before the twins burst into laughter.

"He won’t last another week," Julian said, shaking his head. "We’ll have to be careful not to break him completely."

"Perhaps we should ease up," Lucian suggested, though the gleam in his eye showed he had no intention of doing so. "Mother and Father are starting to wonder."

"They always wonder," Julian replied, waving a hand dismissively. "But they never do anything about it. Besides, what can they do? We’re perfectly behaved in every other way."

Lucian leaned back, his smile fading slightly. "It does get tiresome, though. All this breaking in, only for them to break down. I wish we could find someone who could handle us, someone who wouldn’t wilt under the pressure."

Julian considered this, his fingers idly tracing the patterns on the bedspread. "Perhaps we’ve been looking in the wrong places. What if the perfect servant is out there, just waiting for us to find them?"

Lucian raised an eyebrow. "You think we should start searching ourselves?"

"No," Julian said, shaking his head. "But we could make it known that we’re looking for someone special. Someone who can keep up with us."

Lucian smiled again, a slow, thoughtful smile. "It’s worth a try. But in the meantime, let’s see how long Loris lasts. I’m curious to see how he handles tonight’s banquet."

Julian laughed, tossing the coin into the air one last time. "Let’s make it interesting, shall we? Whoever makes him crack first wins."

Lucian’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "You’re on."