A Blessing and a Curse

"I'll send them, yeah," he reassured with a small smile, side-eyeing towards the hallway with a sigh. "Please just relax and try and rest. You're... fucked, if I'm to be honest, Ambrosio. I'll even bathe you myself if that helps get you... not as fucked up as you are now," he slowly explained, a glint in his eye of mischief.

"I'm glad you didn't run away again, it proves that you're actually loyal to me. Granted, I didn't want this to happen. If you know the servants, tell me and I will personally 'speak' to them myself, understood?" He insisted as he got up, all hints of teasing and joking gone, replaced with a face of horrifying seriousness that was often seen on the King, especially during executions. "I'll be back."
 
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"Oh, I'll write you a nice list and where you can find them working in the castle. There's nothing I'd like more than to see them get their heads chopped off and placed on a few spikes outside, I'd love to have tea in the morning and have that as my scenery," he grinned, though while he could drone on and on about how much he'd love it, he realised the other had other business to attend to, which is why he quickly waved him off. He may say otherwise, but he did understand the importance of attending the meetings with advisers - he had worked in the castle for three years and had witnessed the drama that arose from Dominique skipping meetings. He would be the first to encourage him to go along, just to avoid dealing with his bad moods.

Besides, he wanted to spend time with two people he saw as good friends without Dominique lingering nearby - his friends weren't going to be relaxed in the King's presence like Ambrosio was, after all.

"About time you showed up, I'm in agony here," he groaned when the two made an appearance, holding his leg up to bring attention to his swollen ankle for emphasis. "I hope you brought some herbal remedies, hm? And some tea, Dominique said you would bring some tea."

"...We brought you some cake as well, and some spare breakfast items," began Colt, the large orc quietly setting the tea tray down, doing his best to be careful not to break it in half in his hands. Ambrosio had underrepresented him - he was much larger than the demon had described, and had the unfortunate habit of clumsily breaking things as a result of his size. The castle wasn't built for orcs, after all - he had to bend down whenever he headed through a door, and he had to make sure not to sit down anywhere in fear of breaking the chair beneath him. Frankly, breaking a chair, however accidentally, would be punishable, and he wanted to avoid that.

"Come and sit down, you big lump. Honestly, you won't break anything, and Dominique isn't going to know. He's at some boring meeting," the demon yawned as he patted the space beside him, his attention turning to the nurse happily. "...Don't worry, I'm fine. The humans were... they just ambushed me. I could have fought 'em off if I knew they were coming."

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"Of course I brought everything. What sort of witch would I be if I didn't bring my supplies?" Lucy quickly replied, scampering I'm beside Colt. It only brought more emphasis to the orc's height, What with her particularly small stature, though it never bothered her. Closing the door behind her, she took in the bedroom cautiously.

She had been in the royal bedroom a few times before, though it was rare. She had proven her skills as a nurse, hence why Dominique kept her around, though the fact that even one mistake meant being set ablaze was terrifying. Holding her things with shaky hands, she spread out her supplies before moving to check the damages.

"Colt told me what he saw but... this is more extreme than I was expecting," she admitted, her feigned cherry disposition fading. "We need to clean the Woolf's quickly and set a cold cloth on his eye. Can you run the water and get the cloth as cold as possible?" She quickly asked, peering up at the orc.
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"They really did a number on me - but it's fine, Dominique is going to punish them on my behalf. It's rather adorable, I think," he snorted, allowing himself not to fuss as he rested against the pillows behind him, just happy to be fussed over for once, especially by people he genuinely cared about. It wouldn't be quite as relaxing if there were humans helping him, given the utter contempt that was mutually shown between the species.

"...You sound like you're close to him. He's still a bad person, Ambrosio. He... He's still executed our friends and... people like us. I'm surprised he's let you in his bed like this." Colt mumbled slowly as he got to his feet, obediently following the orders from the witch. He needed direction, unfortunately confirming the stereotype that his race were slow and unintelligent. It wasn't the case for all of them, but in Colt's case, it was true - he had a heart of gold and was surprisingly gentle, but intelligence and quickness (both physically and mentally) wasn't his strong suit. "...He must really like you."

"Mm. I'd like to say this was part of a grand plan, that I'm winning his affection for devious purposes, but... I don't think I can lie to you both and pretend that that's the case. I... like him, I think," he murmured, folding his arms across his chest in preparation for the inevitable horror from his friends. He trusted them not to spread word among their community, but he also knew they wouldn't just accept how he felt. "I know, I know. I'm betraying everyone. Luana would turn in her grave if she knew. I know all that - but he's so sweet and funny and... and he doesn't really have any true friends, so... I fill that role. He's... not that bad."
 
"Not that bad? Not that bad?" Snorted Lucy in disbelief as she rummaged through the ingredients. With a mortar and pestle, she quickly began to crush the magical ingredients for a proper paste to at least cover the wounds. "He killed Luana, Ambrosio. He's killed many of my sisters, I've watched them burn myself. You must be babbling on because you have a fever," she sighed, shaking her head in disbelief, pausing to hand over the tea he had forgotten.

"He's manipulating you, Ambrosio. He... must have some devious end plan. Someone like him has no sympathy for our kind so, no offense, but why would you be any different?" She questioned critically as she watched the other, her expression of concern. "Look, it... doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that he's willing to take care of you now, right? Let's... not focus on the long-term. We gotta get you up and walking again," she explained before rubbing the magical paste over the wounds. "This'll hurt a little."
 
"...I know all that, I just-- he's the biggest jerk I know, and he's done horrid things, but people can change," he mumbled, cringing to himself at how pathetic he sounded, defending the very teenager who killed his best friend and countless others from their community. Deciding not to perpetuate the defence and cause an argument, he sipped at his tea and let the witch do what she needed to, forcing himself not to wince at the faint stinging sensation.

"The garden's looking spectacular, Colt. I was stuck out in it for a few hours. It's all incredibly beautiful - I love those flowers you've planted in. I'm sure Dominique will praise you once he sees the effort you've gone to. I'll nudge him into giving you some praise, you deserve it," he continued with a wide grin at the awkward orc, who was hesitating behind the witch in case she required his help at all. The tools and the bandages were too small for his large hands to successfully grab, but he wanted to offer his assistance in any way possible, even if that was just by lingering around to show his support.

"...I like gardening, it's peaceful. It helps me think," he replied, fiddling with his hands as he cast a glance outside over said gardens, admiring his own work. "I don't think I'll be a gardener long, I'm filling in for one of the elves. Orcs like me are used for the heavy work, you know? Or guard work. I figure I ain't gonna be working in the gardens long."
 
Taking the cold cloth from Colt, the witch carefully set it on Ambrosio's forehead. After waiting a few moments for the paste to do its magic, it eventually disappeared once sinking into the demon's skin. Smiling at her work, she moved to rummage through her things to pull out some bandages.

"It's beautiful outside, yes," she agreed quietly as she covered the wounds, only to stare at the broken leg warily. She had a splint to work for it and could wrap it but her magic wasn't nearly as strong as other witches, which was another reading for her to not be killed. She couldn't do much damage.
 
"You're amazing, Lucy. I already feel much better," he breathed, closing his eyes -at least, the ones that weren't already swollen shut- in response to the cold cloth. If he didn't move his leg, he could fool himself into thinking that he was perfectly healthy and as fit as he normally was. "Could you feed me that cake, Colt? I'm hungry, and my arm's hurting too much to lift a fork."

"Oh-- Oh, of course. No problem," the orc smiled, too naive to realise that Ambrosio could manage it; he just didn't want to if someone else could do it for him. Besides, Colt wanted to feel helpful - the demon was giving him something to do, so he didn't feel too guilty about it. "...Your ankle looks painful. How can you fix that? Is there a remedy for fixing a broken ankle, Lucy? I suppose you'd know - you witches are so smart, it amazes me every time I watch you work."
 
"He's not a baby, no need to feed him," scolded Lucy, albeit lightly as she poured herself a cup as well. As she took a sip, her cheeks grew rosy at the compliment. Being a witch, being complimented for her magic was a rare case. More often than not she would be scolded or beaten for her abilities so the fact that Colt was always so kind to her naturally made her flustered, as was obvious by her bashful giggles.

"Colt, there's no reason to flatter me," she whispered, her stern and motherly tone being replaced with her usually shy nature. "It's just... some basic stuff. I haven't had much free time to hone my skills since I'm usually just doing the usual dusting. I bet that if I studied a bit more and actually practiced, I could fix it. For now, you'll have to work this out on your own. I have a few things you could take to lessen the pain but nothing for a quick fix. Sorry, Ambrosio.'
 
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"Oh, it's fine, I'm just thankful you came to help me. Besides, I can handle the pain, that's not what's annoying me.What is annoying me is this; you two. When are you both going to take the plunge and get into a cute relationship? If I have to sit back and witness all this bashfulness and compliments a second longer, I'm gonna be mad. Just tell her you think she's beautiful, Colt; she'll tell you you're handsome and then I can stop listening to you both nervously skittering around the issue. I know romance; I'm good at it. I've had dozens of boyfriends and girlfriends," he boasted easily, his eyes lighting up at the mischief. He hadn't had the chance to have fun like this for a while, though he wasn't saying it all to be mischievous. He genuinely wanted the two to date, if only to stop having to listen to Colt whine on about his feelings to him.

"Besides, you'd make adorable babies. I've always wanted to be an uncle. And the population in our community is on the low, you'd be helping solve a lot of things if you have a few cute little half-orcs crawling about," he beamed, knowing that he was only causing the two to get more embarrassed, but if someone didn't nudge them in the right direction, who would? "Mm, it's not my business, not really. You both mean a lot to me and I'm just trying to help. Now, Colt's, what? Seven foot? Seven and a half? But he's probably really gentle; I bet he's a real romantic, Lucy. And gosh, look at him, isn't he just dreamy--"

"Shut up. You're so... you're supposed to be hurt. You should get some rest. That's what inured people do; they rest quietly," grimaced Colt, nervously taking a step back to create some distance between him and the witch. "...Drink your tea, Ambrosio, s-stop meddling."
 
Lucy's entire face grew beetroot at the suggestion, especially at the idea of children. She loved children, for sure, and definitely hoped to have some in the near future... but her life was too busy at the moment, not to mention how much trouble she would be in with Dominique if he were to find out. Looking away from the demon, she decided it was a good time for revenge by snapping the break into place.

"There, it'll heal normally," she whispered under her breath, hiding the amusement that she knew the other was in pain. She wasn't a particularly cruel person but that didn't mean she wouldn't give Ambrosio some scolding. "Just... listen. I-I don't think you should comment on our business. You of all people, too. Y-You have feelings for the man who would gladly chop our heads off and display them on the gates if we disobeyed, don't you remember?"
 
"...You could have warned me, th-that fucking hurt," he whimpered, after releasing a string of loud cusses in an effort to deal with the sharp pain he was dealt. He knew it was something the witch had to do, but he didn't appreciate the way she did it with such relish... though he figured, after teasing her about her close friendship with Colt, it was the least he deserved. Especially when his own crush was on a man who was responsible for the deaths of their community.

"Lucy, the heart can't help who it falls for. Blame Dominique. If he wasn't so handsome, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Besides, I think I can change him. If a miserable bastard like him can fall for a demon like me, there's hope there. I can turn him around, make him an ally-- it might save our community. It's a good thing, Lucy. You're both so fucking negative."

"...You don't need to pursue a relationship with him to have an influence," reminded the orc quietly, grimacing nervously at the pain the demon was in, even if he knew it had been necessary to put him on the path of recovery. "I... guess that doesn't matter, though. I... I don't know. He likes you, but he hates the rest of us. You should have seen the way he glared at me and Lucy when he called for us."
 
"It was incredibly rude," she agreed, moving to drain out the towel once again and motioned Colt to rinse it with cold water. "To be honest, I think you're just running a fever. I wouldn't be surprised, the wounds were pretty tough. I healed them up but that doesn't mean your body suddenly gets rid of all of the bad gunk that was in their before," she explained before moving to pull the blankets up once she had raised the ankle a tad.

"I'll have to leave for a bit to get a proper splint to keep it in place. You can babble on all about how cute I am to Colt in the meantime," she whispered, her blush returning before she headed out. It would only be ten minutes as to fetch the proper supplies, the time lasting as long as it would simply because she had to scurry to the other side of the castle.
 
And, predictably, Ambrosio was eager to do just that. He knew he shouldn't meddle in his best friends' potential love life, but he also knew that, without pressure, they wouldn't actually get anywhere, at least not anytime soon. He was almost desperate to see their underlying feelings be out in the open, if only because it might distract them from the relationship he was eager to pursue himself. If they were happy, they'd be less likely to criticise him for seeking happiness, right? At least, he was clinging desperately to that hope.

It was why he failed to mention that Dominique would be back at any second, choosing to let Colt and Lucy linger around. He wanted them to see Dominique's other side, the one that was funny and amusingly arrogant and just good company.

Though, Colt was less enthused about the idea, freezing at the sound of footsteps. He was considerably taller and physically far more intimidating than any human could ever be, but he was admittedly terrified of Dominique. Colt might have the ability to crush his skull in his hand, but he would be killed before he could even attempt it. He had seen many of his kind brought down and killed just for defending themselves, so of course he was frightened, despite Ambrosio's helpful reassurance.

"...Nice meeting?" He called out to the young King from the bed, eagerly grinning across at him. "Bet you missed me advising you, hm? Lucy's healed me up, sort of. She's really talented," he drawled, doing his best to boost his friends' reputations. "And Colt here's been really helpful too, they've both been great, Dominique."
 
"Great," the king replied quietly, his brow furrowed in frustration as he ran a hand through his hair. Giving the orc a glance, he took in Colt before moving to take a seat by his desk, folding his leg. "So, you're the orc that helped Ambrosio? Thank you," he replied genuinely, though waved the other off nonetheless. His attention then landed on Lucy who, much like Colt, froze in fear once noticing Dominique casually pouring himself a drink. Her smile dropped instantly as she cautiously approached.

"Ah... haha... sorry, sir," Lucy quickly whispered as she clutched the splint and proper tools. She then bowed obediently before quickly tending to Ambrosio's leg. She wanted to leave as quickly as possible, her face beetroot in fear.

"Thank you," Dominique murmured before pouring the demon a drink as well. "Both if you, leave when you're finished. I need to speak to Ambrosio in private," He sternly demanded... though the fact that he never raised his voice or showed any real anger was a good sign at least.
 
"...I'll speak to you guys later, yeah? I'll come and sit out in the garden while you tidy up the flowerbeds, Colt. I'll meet you both out there later on," piped up Ambrosio, waving his friends off before his smile dropped. As great as things seemed to be going, Dominique could easily have changed his opinion on the demon and suddenly want him to suffer like others of his kind. It wasn't likely, but it didn't stop the worry sinking in.

"Have I done something wrong again? I... they're my friends, they were just helping me, Dominique," he began cautiously, his hands grabbing the duvet tightly. "...You're kinda scaring me now, aha... C'mon, what could be so serious that you needed to talk to me in private?"
 
The minute the door closed did Dominique chug down the cup of scotch and bury his face in his hands, sighing deeply. It would be a long pause before he peered through his hands with a deep frown.

"I don't... I don't know if I can keep doing this," he eventually whispered. "The meeting - it was just a bunch of old men yelling at me, saying that I haven't been taking this future marriage seriously or how I haven't given any thoughts to my birthday. Then another one was angry because I said no to another kingdom's request to offer food when they don't realize our own resources aren't enough to take on their own. It's just - it's fine. It has nothing to do with you, my life doesn't surround you."
 
"It does have something to do with me. I work for you. If they make you miserable, I have to deal with you afterwards, hm? Just... marry that girl, Dominique. If you want to keep running the kingdom with support and backing, you have no choice. I can make some plans for your birthday and you can pass them off as your own, alright? I know what you like," he reminded as he pushed himself up in bed, smiling supportively across at him. The last thing he wanted was the other to get married because it would place a huge difficulty over him getting close to him, but he realised his preferences had no importance.

"...You'll need to come to the cottage with me, where Luana lived with me. I hid the books under the floorboards, we'll need them if you want to break the curse. Mind you, I've been vocal about how I'd prefer you to let the curse go ahead, I think it'd be awesome to see you become, like, a centaur or... or an orc, like Colt. I dunno. If you're so determined to stay as a weak, vulnerable, mortal human, we'll have to head there soon before your birthday," he pointed out, cracking his knuckles with a tired groan. "Just relax, honestly. Fuck all those old guys, they're basically idiots. Don't let them get to you. Now, I have a list of those humans who hurt me. We could have some fun thinking up punishments for them, that'd be cute, hm~?"
 
"I can't just relax, Ambrosio. If I Relax, half of the kingdom will start an uprising," he tried to explain, his frown only growing... until the mention of the servants. Running a hand through his hair, he took in the demon's appearance with a small smile.

"Your friends did an alright job but you still need a bath. You're covered in dirt and dried blood, that isn't very good, huh?" He commented before getting up to walk to the bed. "I think I'll give you the chance to let me wash you up. I mean, I can't have my best advisor getting sick, huh?"
 
"Woah, hold on - I get to lay in a hot bubble bath with some nice bath salts, maybe a glass of red wine, and you'll help wash me? Nice role reversal, hm? I'm down for that," the demon inevitably agreed, pushing himself up and managing to swing his legs out of bed. He didn't want to put any weight on his ankle, understandably, so looked up at the other expectantly. He probably could manage to hobble to the bathroom, or, if he had to, hop the short distance, but why would he struggle like that when he could have the teenager wrap a strong arm around him and help him instead?

"You know, my friends aren't too happy with me and my affection for you. I never said you liked me back, they don't know that, but they're pretty certain I have feelings for you. They aren't best pleased by it, I'm sure they think I'm concussed. Or going mad," he shrugged, waiting patiently for the assistance he was unsubtly gesturing for. "I dunno. It's not my fault you're so darn handsome, is it? If you were some ugly ogre of a man, we wouldn't be in this predicament - though I also quite like your personality too, annoying as it is."
 
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