The poison’s effect

Apollo was waiting for Aveline in the guest room. Some maids had served him tea with some cake to eat while waiting.

The man didn't take any bite of the desserts. He only poured a cup of tea for himself without sugar. He took a sip elegantly, which showed off his noble blood.

The maids were admiring the man's beauty while peeking through the half-open door.

"He's so handsome!"

"He looks so young~ How did he become a royal doctor at such a young age?"

"I heard he was the king's childhood friend. Or cousin, I don't remember."

"Oh really?~" Aveline stepped forward, getting closer to them with a smirk on her lips.

"Ah.. that is..." the maids mumbled. "W-we are sorry your highness!" They quickly stepped away to continue their works.

Aveline walked inside the room. Her blonde hair was down with an orange hairpin in the form of a flower on the left side. Her dress was round but with a beautiful orange and yellow colour.

The man was dazed into her beauty. He coughed as he came back to his senses.

"Ahem. Your highness." He stood up to bow and show his respects.

"Sit," Aveline spoke as she sat on the sofa in front of Apollo.

The brown-haired man followed the queen's order.

"So? What is it that you couldn't tell me?" She asked with a firm tone.

"That is..." he mumbled once again but his voice was trembling.

"Don't be scared. Even if I die, I wouldn't mind." She gave him a warm smile.

"T-the medicine. I mean... poison your brother has given... well... it made you..." He bugged, unable to speak straightforwardly.

"Speak comfortably," Ave said impatiently without showing it on her face.

"Y-you can't get pregnant, your highness." He spoke quickly with a sad tone. His brown eyes looked watery through his glasses but he blinked fast to not let them escape.

***

-Apollo's Pov-

Two months, when I received an order from the king to search for the queen's illness I was completely clueless about what exactly caused her body to be filled with poison. I was also ignorant of what type of poison it was.

I looked through all the books of poison I possessed in my library but couldn't find a poison that won't kill someone but will make them weak go to the point they sleep for months and so on.

Then, I had the idea to examine the poison in question.

***

The next day, I went to the king's castle to pay a visit. I was waiting inside the guest room for him to come meet me.

I waited for straight five hours then he came.

"What is it? Did you find a cure?" He asked me as soon as he crossed the door entry.

I wanted to punch him so badly but I had to hold myself back or else I would just lose my life.

"No... I need the poison to examine it." I spoke hesitantly.

The king frowned. He took a deep breath and sat in front of me calmly.

'Is it the calmness before the storm??' I thought as I carefully tried to examine his mood.

"Alright. I'll ask Sharrkan to get it somehow from the Helzon."

"Y-you will send him as spy??" I asked.

"No. Just to get Avi's belongings she forgot to bring while coming to Seldor." He said with a sneer on his lips.

"Sigh. Alright." I didn't have a say anyway.

The king could do as he wished, no one could stop him. He is strong, smart and outstanding. No one can even find flaws in him. That is probably the reason why the nobles couldn't force him to marry their daughters.

Polygamy is very common here. The only kings among the royal family that didn't take concubines were Jack Verzus and his father, the late King Accel Verzus.

I don't know why though. Jack, I can understand. He married the woman she loves but his father...

"Aren't you going?" Jack asked me making me come back to my senses.

"Yeah, I'm going." I rolled my eyes as I walked out of the chamber.

****

[Poisons that doesn't kill:

1- Lyip

Symptoms: headache, nauseous, pain all over the body.

Cure: Galza herb boiled soup.

2- Nikyu

Symptoms: Cramps, bleeding from the nose, coughing blood, heartache from time to time.

Cure: Not available

3- ...]

"Sigh." I closed the book as my eyes were hurting from reading all of the information.

"Why would the queen's brother poison his own sister?" I mumbled as I started on the paper on my desk.

I grabbed the feather pen and drowned it in the ink. I closed my eyes and started drawing.

Draw what? I had no idea.

After a few minutes of scribbling, I was shocked as I realized what was on the paper! It was the queen's face!

I slapped myself hard enough but it didn't hurt.

'Come back to your senses! She is Jack's wife. And he is my most precious friend...' I closed my eyes and landed my head on the chair, resting for a bit.

***

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Someone knocked at the door waking me up from my sleep. I looked outside, it was already peach dark. I glanced towards the door wondering who it might be. I quickly wrap the page in front of me and throw it inside my pocket.

"Come in," I spoke waiting for the person outside to enter.

It was Zain, Jack's right hand.

"Oh. It's you." I chuckled looking at my old friend standing in front of me.

He was wearing a usual outside given to the king's most trusted person.

"Yeah, it's me." He said as he sat on the table in front of me.

I looked up at him to meet his gaze.

"Why come so late?" I asked curiously. He rarely paid me any visits so he wouldn't have come here because he suddenly misses me, right?

The man in front of me reached his hand inside his pocket. He took out a bottle with blue liquid inside and handed it over to me.

"Jack wants you to check this out. It's the medicine the queen has been taking for years now." He said with his usual cold tone.

I sighed and grabbed the bottle.

"Alright."

***

After a month of research, I only found out that this poison is used to kill someone weak but it will make a woman infertile if she takes it for a long period and consumes it regularly yet with a certain quantity.

Surprisingly, the bottle contained the exact quantity needed to get a woman infertile.

"Then the queen is?.." I mumbled, dropping the drop counter from my hand. "How will I tell this to the king and queen?!" I fell on the chair, unable to accept this truth. I knew if I told Jack, my death was almost certain. He might not even care I am his childhood friend.

I held my neck while thinking of the scene of being executed for saying bad things about the queen. But it isn't my fault! Kill her brother, not me!

-End of Apollo's Pov-

***

Apollo sighed.

'Ahhh... the queen is probably angry or sad... what do I do?..' He trembled with his eyes closed.

He only opened his eyes when he heard a laugh.

The queen was laughing loudly.

'Has she gone crazy from the news or something?..' I raised an eyebrow expressing my confusion.

Aveline laughed at the news and couldn't hold herself back from it.

"Ahem. Ahem." She coughed trying to get back her firm expression.

"So, you're saying I can't get pregnant?" Aveline asked with a sneer on her face.

"Y-yes." Apollo hesitantly spoke.

"Hehe. Alright. You can leave." Aveline ordered with a sweet smile on her face.

Apollo bowed and walked outside fast. 'Should I tell Jack? The queen's reaction is a bit odd... Or maybe she doesn't want to get pregnant with Jack's... Wait, what?!' He gasped as he was thinking on his way out of the queen's palace.