A loud and clear voice came from the apricot blossom forest, “If the fourth highness is unwilling to apologize to us, I’m going to stand up to you towards the end.”
Sebastian believed firmly that the lady who antagonized him in the forest was the third mistress of the Debeur family Amy, and he let out a laugh, “How interesting. Alright, I’m too lazy to argue with you, since you’ve refused to apologize, I’m taking this drawing as a gift of apology.”
Although he had held grudges against Luna for embarrassing him in front of the crowds, he had to admit Luna was indeed a loving beauty. Hanging her portrait in his room and enjoying it every day would be delightful.
Luna panicked and wanted to cry, “Mary sis, what should we do now?”
Mary panicked too, if Sebastian did take the drawing away, the only way to get it back was going to his place secretly during midnight and stealing it.
Luckily there was someone outside who was more anxious than them. Kace patted Sebastian’s hand and said with a gloomy face, “Your Highness, it’s not something to joke on, it concerns the reputation of the mistress of the Debeur family. Please show some mercy and leave the drawing.”
Sebastian raised his eyebrow, and gave him a contemptuous stare. What a pathetic waste! God knows what that old guy Ralph Debeur had seen in this paralyzed waste that made him wanted to let such an interesting daughter to marry him. What a waste indeed!
“Why, Kace, do you pity your wife and your sister-in-law now?”
Kace blushed until his neck went red, “Please be respectful, your Highness!”
Sebastian sneered, “I am being disrespectful towards them, so what can you do about it?”
Kace fell into a sudden dismay. It was true, he was paralyzed, so what can he do anything to Sebastian anyway?
Seeing Kace remained silent, Sebastian gave a victorious smile and was ready to leave with the drawing, yet his sleeve was pulled by a slim and pale arm all of a sudden. That arm was delicate and nice-looking like a woman’s but the broad knuckles still reminded him that it was from a man.
Need not to turn, Sebastian could already tell it was his feeble ninth brother, James from the paleness and the veins at the back of the hand.
James was the one least paid attention to by him among the brothers. To him, James was a waste like Kace and their survival was solely wasting the food on Earth.
Sebastian asked impatiently, “James, what are you doing?”
James gave a weak smile, he loosened his hand and with a few coughs replied slowly, “I’m sorry fourth brother, it’s just that I have a request for you.”
Sebastian flicked away his imaginary dust on his sleeve while mumbling, “This Matucana Robe was paid tribute by the Rustica kingdom and its pattern was said to be designed by Lord Mathilda herself. Could you possibly pay for it if you tore it?”
Facing Sebastian’s merciless taunt, James did not show a slight trace of anger and was still humble, “Please don’t be angry, fourth brother. I was too reckless. The other brothers could not help me with this but only you, fourth brother.”
Sebastian loved people fawning him, he threw a complacent look towards Henry and Leonard and replied unmindfully, “Spit it out, what makes you this anxious?”
James rubbed his hands as if due to the cold, “Fourth brother, I was walking slowly just now and when I reached here, fourth brother had kept away the drawing before I saw it. You know I’m an art fanatic; therefore I always want to have a look at any drawing whenever I can. If you might, can I have a look at the drawing just now?”
Jared chuckled on time and said, “Why, it’s only a small matter, I thought you have something bigger to ask from fourth brother. James, you really are a fanatic towards art!”
Sebastian’s expression changed, Jared was obviously teasing him, yet he could not release his anger towards James in front of so many people, after all, their trip here was to display their lovely brotherhood. James was the youngest and was ill-prone, that old guy on top would only think their brotherhood was real if James was taken good care of.
Sebastian took out the drawing and smashed it on James; he replied coldly, “Here it is! Have a quick look and return it back to me later.”
James deliberately opened it in front of Kace when he received the drawing; he smiled at Kace, “Look at this, Brother Kace, what a nice drawing of a beauty underneath the flowers! The drawer actually has an excellent skill and was able to make the character of this drawing looks alive.” He called upon Iago and Jesse, and finally the rest of the princes to see the drawing. Even Ivo who was not interested in drawings and beauty also joined the fun.
The princes surrounded Kace and James while Sebastian was left standing alone at the side, still wondering why the ladies in the forest no longer replied. While he was sinking into his thought, he forgot to keep an eye on James.
James though was giving reviews towards the drawing; he was slowly rolling the drawing up at the same time. He handed it over to Hector and smiled, “Third brother, fourth brother fears you, and you’re not afraid to offend fourth brother too. You learn martial art and have strong arms, so could you help me toss this drawing into the woods?”
The princes were shocked; Kace was all gratitude while Iago was staring at James with deep eyes.
Hector asked in surprise, “Aren’t you afraid that Sebastian is going to cause you trouble?”
James smiled lightly and replied, “Don’t I still have brothers who would protect me?” He winked at Henry and Leonard and smiled, “Could brothers possibly see fourth brother bullying me?”
The princes could not allow that for sure, especially Hector who was mad at Sebastian’s behavior in the first place. The lady in the forest was the daughter of his teacher; he would have given Sebastian a blow in the face if they were not brothers.
Taking the drawing, Hector strode towards the forest. He walked a few steps towards the direction which he remembered the sound came from and tossed the drawing afar while saying, “Little sisters, I’m the third prince Hector, sorry for the offense just now and I hope you could tolerate that.”
Mary did not know the reason behind his action; therefore Luna explained to her softly, “Mary sis, you were not informed back then. The third prince was actually the disciple of father, therefore it’s normal for him to call us ‘sisters’.”
Hector had a nice hearing and a sharp mind; he listened to all of Luna’s words and realized that the one having a sharp tongue just now was the fifth mistress of the Debeur family. It looked like the rumor of the fifth mistress becoming intelligent after being cured was true.
He also remembered how the fifth mistress used to chase after Sebastian and despised by him. If Sebastian knew the one hiding in the forest was actually her, god knew what he would think.
After Sebastian brought his mind back to reality, Hector had already returned to the middle of the crowd after tossing out the drawing.
Sebastian went into rage yet he was slightly afraid of Hector. Hector had a pure heart and had achieved great deeds in wars. He was not only loved by the emperor but had used to beat him up too. Sebastian did not dare to offend Hector therefore he vented all his anger towards James who was easy to bully.
“James, what is this? Are you having a grudge against me?” Sebastian questioned him in an aggressive way with his finger almost touching his nose, “I was only lending you the drawing to let you have a look, why did you hand it over to third brother and let him toss it away?”
James’ face flushed, he gave a few hard coughs and replied, “Fourth brother, I was just thinking bullying those two innocent ladies is not how a true man should behave.”
“How dare an invalid like you lecture me?”
Sebastian gave a grim smile, “James, you better take good care of your health; you thought you’re a hero trying to rescue damsels in distress? Don’t be silly; even if you did win the damsel’s heart, you might not have the ability to enjoy the happiness with your ill-stricken body.”
Mary who was hiding in the forest picked up the drawing, noticing that Sebastian was embarrassing James who had helped them earlier, she picked up a stone from the ground and threw it hard aiming at Sebastian’s forehead.
With an “Ouch”, Sebastian felt a pain in his forehead and covered it with his hand as a reflex. He found his hand covered with blood and immediately wanted to sprint towards the forest, “Bitch! How dare you hit me?”
Not knowing whether James did it by accident or not, James who stood in front of Sebastian seemingly wanted to pull him back yet his leg which extended slightly forward had tripped Sebastian over. Poor Sebastian fell on the ground hard in front of the crowd and he shrieked in pain when one of his front teeth was knocked out.
James was ‘nice’ enough to hold him up and said, “Fourth brother, please get up. I’ve brought a doctor with me all the time as my body is not well. Let’s hurry to the doctor’s to let him have a look at you,” while turned to Kace, “I remember Brother Kace know some medical skills, right?”
Kace was having a good time seeing Sebastian embarrassed himself, he would be delighted to see him die of pain and a smile appeared on his face, “Old illness makes a good doctor they say, so it’s natural for me to have some medical knowledge.”
Hector wanted to beat Sebastian up just now, yet seeing him being pathetic by tripping himself down, he spoke crossly, “What a useless embroidered pillow, how could you manage to trip yourself down this way? If this is spread out, you’re going to embarrass us Stuart family!”
Jared was used to make fun of people; he guffawed at the side and said to his brother Jesse, “Look at fourth brother, he looks like he has put makeup on his face! Hahahaha!”
Sebastian was so angry that he wanted to shove a punch into Jared’s face yet he could only mourn out of pain. Iago on the other hand was kind enough to ask Ivo to look for the doctor.
Yet Ivo did not want to listen to Iago and he replied with an uncanny voice instead, “Let him suffer the pain, he deserves it!”
Hector as if thinking the situation was not chaotic enough pat hardly on Ivo’s shoulder and smiled, “Nice one, Ivo!”
Henry only carried out his duty as the eldest brother at this moment, he asked his servants to come carry Sebastian away—-Sebastian did not know why his heel could no longer move though it was only a light trip, therefore he could only depend on others to carry him away.
Henry was looking for help at one hand, but thought that the situation before him had become too difficult for him to handle at the other. He could not dare to offend both Concubine Gerita and Sebastian yet Sebastian had triggered anger among the crowd and he could not dare to protect Sebastian and offend the rest of his brothers too. So he chose to evade the dilemma using searching for help as an excuse.