Chapter 163

Chapter 163 A sweet offer “You called for me?” Doris asked hesitantly as she entered the emptied kitchens. It smelled like vanilla and cinnamon, it was almost enough to distract her from the fact that William wanted to meet in the kitchens of all places.

“Daniel has already found out about the war.” William said. His back was to her and she couldn’t see what he was doing or why he was in here. She hadn’t seen him since the day before when he told Martin of his plans to take the crown. She figured he was preparing his side of the war and didn’t want to disturb him.

“Oh no, how did he take it?” She asked with a frown.

William’s shoulders rolled a little. “Not well. He confronted me a few hours ago. He doesn’t want us to fight over the crown. He thinks it’s forcing him to choose sides.”

Doris said nothing. She quietly sat herself at the counter and watched him curiously.

“I don’t need Daniel to be against me on this. I’m not asking him to choose sides. He’s always been the innocent one in the family, I would rather die where I stand than let that change.” William turned and set a tin in front of Doris. He had flour all up the front of his shirt and across his pants as if a bag had exploded on him. He glared at her when she started to laugh.

“Did you… bake?” Doris lifted the lid to see half a dozen cookies inside. “I didn’t know you could bake? I’ve never heard any of the other servants talk about it.” “It’s not hard to read a recipe.”

William snapped and closed the lid almost harshly. “Don’t touch them, they aren’t for you to eat.”

“Okay…” Doris moved her hands to her lap. “I just didn’t realize you know how to bake. | thought the royals had never been in a kitchen for anything but made food.”

“I’m not a fool. I had the chef leave me a simple recipe out.” William sneered and leaned his elbows against the counter. “I made those for Daniel as a sort of… peace offering. It’s not the best one, but it’s something.” I “Oh, that’s actually very kind of you.” Doris smiled. “I know he would love that, he loves his sweets.”

“Yes. I know. He always used to steal mine when we were kids.” William ran his fingers through his hair and ended up with flour mixed in. “I need him to stay out of this war, perhaps this will convince him not to completely hate me for it.”

“You wouldn’t ask him to fight for you?” Doris asked.

“Of course not. Daniel would never go against the palace, it’s not in him to do that.” William sighed. Her fingers itched to wipe the flour out of his soft hair. I “I don’t think Daniel is one to hold grudges.” Doris reached across the counter to hold his . “I think he just wants you guys to be okay, he doesn’t want to lose either of you even if you aren’t the closest of brothers.”

William stared at their hands before his gaze moved to the tin. “Will you deliver this to him? | doubt he would want to see me after what happened.”

“Of course.” Doris moved to take the tin but his grip on her tightened.

“They’re just for Daniel.” He said again. .

Doris blinked. “Yes, I know.”

Slowly, he released her. “Come see me in my room when you’re done.”

Doris nodded and watched William leave with flour still in his hair. She hopped off the stool and took the tin along with some milk before heading towards Daniel’s room. Two guards were stationed outside of his room, they eyed her suspiciously but let her pass without a word.

Doris knocked three times before Daniel finally answered the door. His face looked a little hollow with sorrow, but it brightened when he looked at her.

“Doris, come in!” He pulled her inside before she could object and closed the door. There was always a part of her that was uncertain if she should be alone with a boy in his room-even though she trusted Daniel. The impropriety of it all would make her mother faint. Not too mention the sort of gossip it would start if any of the nosy maids caught her alone with William’s brother.

“How’re you feeling? I heard what happened between you and William.” Doris said. Daniel eyed the tin in her hands and she swore he must not have even heard her the second he realized she had sweets.

“I’ve been spending all day trying to figure out how to stop it but-are those cookies?” .

“Oh, yes! William made them for you. He wanted me to bring them by since he didn’t think you would want to see him.” Doris held them out and Daniel almost snatched them from her hands.

“Wait, did you say William made them for me? Or he put these in a tin and said he made them?” Daniel asked suspiciously. He held up one of the cookies as if it might come alive and attack him at any moment.

“”No, he made them. I caught him covered in flour when I found him.” Doris grinned. Daniel hesitated for a moment longer before he finally shoved a full one inside his mouth.

“Want one?” He mumbled. Doris shook her head. “They’re not half bad. Who knew the man could bake?”

“That’s what I said.” Doris muttered and seated herself by his fire. “Should I tell him you forgive him? Or that you might consider it in the future? He hates that you’re upset with him.”

“No. It’ll take more than cookies to soften me this time.” Daniel threw himself down on the chair from across her before he shoved another cookie in his mouth. “It makes no sense to go to war over this.

Martin was always the one set to take the crown, I don’t understand why he would choose now to challenge that after all these years.”

“William thinks he will be the better ruler.” Doris said softly. “He doesn’t think Martin will take his role seriously. It seems he’s already let Luna Queen make the decisions for him since your father had fallen ill.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t take my brothers side just because you’re his lady now.” Daniel threw the empty tin on the table in front of them. She hadn’t even noticed he ate them all that fast.

“I’m not taking his side because I’m his lady. I can see what Martin is doing with my own eyes.” Doris sighed. “I don’t want this war either, Daniel. You know I don’t. It goes against everything in me to know there’s a war coming.”

“You should help me convince him to drop it then.”

“It isn’t that easy and you know that. William has been planning this longer than I’ve known him, he won’t stop now just because we disapprove of it.”

Daniel rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “This won’t end well for either of them. I know my brothers, they’re complete opposites but both can be just as cut throat when the time comes for it.”

“If only your father was well, he could settle this once and for all.” Doris frowned. Daniel deflated a little at the mention of his father. She almost wished she could suck the words right back inside “I’m tired of being inside.” Daniel said suddenly and stood, his cheeks looked a little red.“ Let’s go for a walk before I explode with all of this built up emotion.”

Doris stood and followed him out of the palace and into the fresh layers of snow. They walked in silence for quite a while before Doris finally spoke.

“William cares a lot about you, even if he doesn’t say it. He’s not one to admit such things.”

Daniel said nothing. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and looked around them empty clearing.

“I suppose I should try to memorize this place as best I can before war taints it all.”

-“I’m sure it wouldn’t destroy the palace-“

“No, it’ll just kill hundreds of my men and pin others against each other.” He kicked a thick rock out of the snow. “I don’t want to fight against my brothers, but it is my job to do so to protect the palace. William knows he is forcing me to stand either with him or against-“

Daniel started coughing. They paused until it passed over but by then he looked blue in the face. “As I was saying,”

“Daniel, you really don’t look well-we should sit.”

“I’m fine.” Daniel kept on even when he sounded choked. Doris hurried after him. “I just need fresh air—”

Daniel dropped to his knees before she could help him. He fell into the snow and didn’t move again.