Salty Tea

Charlotte served tea to everyone in the living room. Édouard waited for Charlotte to sit and when she took her seat, he picked up the tea cup. The rest of them also raised their tea cups. 

Marcus took a sip, and his lost energy was replenished. Charlotte's tea had this magic, which was sufficient to make the person feel energized. Her brothers and sister-in-law also praised her.

Édouard smiled to hear that and sipped the tea. He looked at Charlotte, whose eyes were fixed on him. His brows flinched as the tea tasted salty. Marcus noticed the strange expression on Édouard's face and asked him if everything was good. 

"Yes," Édouard said and put the teacup down. He saw Charlotte smiling and it made him wonder why she put salt for him. Since everyone was drinking tea while Édouard wasn't, Hayden asked him about it. 

"Prince Édouard, the tea will get cold. Please drink it," Charlotte said in her soft tone. She thought if she disobeyed him and made him furious, he would probably change his decision to marry her. However, Édouard smiled and picked up the teacup. He finished the tea and she looked at him in astonishment. 

"The tea was special and unique. I never tasted such tea in my entire life," Édouard's words seemed to be a compliment rather than a complaint. 

"Charlotte, shall we take leave? We have a long distance to cover," Édouard said, and glanced at Marcus. Charlotte hummed, and they all stood up. Marcus hugged his daughter and assured her that he would get well soon. Fleuretta handed the hat to Charlotte, who wore it. 

They saw Édouard and Charlotte till the carriage. 

"I will see you after two days. Charlotte is now my responsibility and I will always keep her happy," Édouard told them before getting into the carriage. Charlotte opened the window, waved at her father and Butler Roger.

After a while, she closed the window and looked in the other direction. 

"I never tasted salty tea," Édouard said, "until today." 

Charlotte didn't reply to him and ignored his presence. Édouard decided to sit next to her and quickly sat next to her. 

"Why did the Prince change his position?" Charlotte asked and clutched her gown to slightly rise. She thought to change the seat when Édouard caged her by placing his hand on the side of the window. Her back hit the back of the carriage's wall, and she gaped at him. 

"I asked you something, Charlotte," Édouard softly said. 

"I don't want to talk," Charlotte replied, and looked away. 

Édouard didn't say another word and sat straight. Charlotte quickly turned her face away and looked outside the window. She had clasped her hands and put them on her lap. 

Édouard didn't feel good drinking that tea and felt a dull pain in his stomach. He had a headache because of the lack of sleep. He closed his eyes in the hope that he would get some sleep, but that moving carriage made it even more difficult to sleep. It would have been good if he had rode Tornado all the way to the palace. He would have felt better. 

Six hours later, they reached the Palace of Wexnon. Charlotte was astonished to see the palace. It was bigger than the Palace of Beromont. The carriage halted inside the main gates and it was opened. 

Édouard stepped out of the carriage and then gave a hand to Charlotte to help her step out of the carriage. Charles and Sarah greeted them and welcomed Charlotte. 

"Charlotte, this is the butler of the palace, Charles Bentimore. He has been with me for over twenty years." Édouard introduced them to each other. 

"This is Sarah Loughty. She is my personal attendant, and looks after the palace matters with Charles. Sarah, make sure to appoint a responsible personal attendant for Charlotte," Édouard said. 

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Sarah bowed as he obeyed his orders. 

"Please follow me, My Lady," Sarah told Charlotte. She nodded and, for a brief moment, glanced at Édouard before leaving. 

"I would like to rest for a while. Don't disturb me for a few hours and keep an eye on Charlotte. She is not in her right mind and may harm herself. So, keep watching her until I will rest," Édouard instructed Charles, who obeyed the command of the Prince. 

"There's a message from the King, Your Royal Highness," Charles informed the Prince. 

"Later," Édouard said, and headed to his room. The first thing he did was vomit in the washroom. The tea he drank badly affected him. He could have refused it, but since Charlotte made it for him for the first time, he didn't want to. He opened the tap and cleansed his mouth with the water. 

After freshening up, he went to the bedroom while wiping his face with a towel. He opened the drawer on the bedside table and took out a pill from the glass bottle. He tried not to take such a drug, but it was the only option to put him to sleep. He got into bed after removing the waistcoat, and he closed his eyes.