Since Arthur had rested enough, sleep no longer came easy. And so, he slipped on the robe placed at the edge of the bed and stepped out into the corridor, with a lantern in his slender hand.
There was a quiet silence in the manor at this hour. The only sound came from the soft creaking of aged wood beneath his footsteps, muffled further by the thickness of the carpet.
The rain continued to pour as Arthur gazed just beyond the windows.
The air held a damp chill, not enough to bite but enough to cling, laced with the faint scent of rain-soaked earth drifting in through the cracks of the old estate.
His wandering brought him before another door.
It was the library he had been told he would be sharing with Theodore.
"Hmm... should I try to read a boring book? Maybe then, I'd feel sleepy again?"
He pushed the door open with care, the brass handle cool to the touch.
There, a muted glow welcomed him. The moonlight, blurred through rain-slicked windows, fell in shimmering bands across the floor. Each streak trembled slightly, distorted by rivulets trailing down the glass.
The shelves loomed, rising like pillars into the shadowed heights of the vaulted ceiling. Rows upon rows of books, their spines gleaming softly in the half-light. Some bore the dust of disuse; others, the quiet sheen of recent handling.
To the far end, beneath a tall, arched window, was a built-in nook. It was a cushioned alcove carved for solitary reading. It overlooked the night, its surface dappled with raindrops.
"This would be a good spot to read."
He stepped forward as his fingers grazed the edges of the shelves, trailing over worn leather bindings and gold-stamped titles. He took a thick book which contained the history of the kingdom.
After all, there's really nothing that could bore you more than history books.
He sat in the window nook. The cushion gave under his weight, cold from the damp in the air. He tucked his legs up, letting the heavy pages rest against his thighs.
"Hmm... let's see."
Outside, the rain continued its quiet descent, a lullaby not meant for sleep, but for remembrance. Meanwhile, inside the library, Arthur was fully focused on reading the book.
Then, a hesitant and uncertain voice called to him.
"B-brother…"
Arthur froze for the briefest moment.
'Wait... Did I just hear—?'
He turned slowly, his gaze settling upon a figure lingering hesitantly in the doorway.
"Theodore...?"
His name left his lips as a murmur, half a question, half a memory clawing its way up through the haze.
The person before him was unmistakably the sole heir of House Granville.
Theodore Granville.
His golden-blond hair clung to his forehead, damp from sweat or perhaps from the humidity that crept in with the storm. His sapphire eyes, so eerily reminiscent of his father's, were wide with something delicate.
'How could I have forgetten about this?'
In the midst of his investigations, he had neglected to remember that Theodore was only a ten-year-old boy at this point in time.
"Y-yes, Brother."
Arthur studied him for a moment, before folding the book gently in his lap.
"How did you know I was your brother? We've never met before, have we?"
Theodore hesitated for a moment, clearly showing his nervousness.
"Um… well, it's because of your eyes."
"My eyes...? What about them?"
"Your eyes look a lot like Mother's. And… I have also seen you when you were little, so… it wasn't too hard to tell."
Arthur raised a brow as he asked:
"Oh? And where might that have been?"
"I have seen you in the portrait."
"The one in Mother's possession?"
He gave a small nod.
"Yes. That one."
Arthur exhaled, leaning back into the window alcove as another rumble of thunder growled across the horizon.
"I see."
After a brief silence, Theodore started the conversation again.
"Um... so, will you be staying with us from now on, Brother?"
Arthur thought for a moment before replying.
"No. I will probably be staying over for a week or two... I guess."
"Why...? Why won't you stay with me for more days, huh?"
Arthur looked at Theodore with a troubled expression, as if he couldn't understand what he was talking about.
"What do you mean, Theodore?"
Theodore hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Uh… well, I heard that you've been ill since childhood and so, you had been living in the Earldom all this time to recover your health."
Arthur raised a brow.
"And who did you hear that from?"
"Well... Mother told me so. She said that's why she couldn't meet you, nor could I."
'Sigh... What a nice mother she is, isn't she? Since she couldn't tell him that she had abandoned me, she came up with such a lie. Well, it's not like it's entirely wrong.'
However, it still hurt him to think about that time. After all, If she truly wanted, she could've visited him without much difficulty.
"Yes... I was quite sick back then. However, I'm all better now. So, you don't have to worry yourself over me. And... I'll visit you from time to time, I promise. As you might already know, it's quite difficult for me to reside here."
Theodore nodded gently.
"Hm... I see."
"So, what brings you here at this late hour, Theodore?"
His hands clenched tighter around the soft fabric of his nightclothes.
"Father is little late tonight, so... I was quite worried about him and well... I couldn't sleep. What if... he's in danger because of the heavy rainfall. He usually arrives on time, so I thought I'd read a book until he arrives."
"…Hm."
Father.
To Theodore, Benjamin Granville was not a name tied to politics, not a symbol of power and neutrality in court. He was simply a father, a presence and a protector.
Arthur looked at Theodore quietly.
Despite their different bloodlines, despite the gap of years and the twisted web of family that lay between them, Theodore looked at Arthur with unguarded eyes.
"Theodore, don't you feel… uneasy around me? You understand, don't you? That we have different fathers."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Yes. My nanny... she has told me that since I was little. But... we are still brothers, aren't we? We have the same mother."
A brief pause lingered in the air before the words slipped from Arthur's lips.
"Yes… we are, indeed."
After a moment of silence, Theodore hesitantly asked:
"Then… does Brother feel uncomfortable with me around?"
"…No. I don't."
The truth slipped from his lips before his thoughts could catch up.
"I don't feel uncomfortable around you, Theodore."
A quiet smile spread across Theodore's face, untouched by the burdens of the world Arthur knew.
"I'm happy to hear that, Brother."
After another silence, Theodore spoke up again.
"But... what are you doing here, Brother? Were you not able to fall asleep?"
"Yes. Perhaps it's because it's a new place. And so, I thought of reading a book."
"I see... Then, should I suggest you a book to read?"
"Sure, Theodore. Feel free to suggest a good book."
He reached for a fairytale storybook. Arthur's gaze fell upon his unblemished hands.
Arthur's own hands were rough with callouses. Even at Theodore's age, his had never been so soft.
That realization settled heavily in his chest.
His innocence was not something Arthur could claim. He could only witness it. How loved Theodore was, how much love he must have received as he grew up protected.
"Mother reads this book to me very often, even now, ever since I was little, and I would fall asleep right away."
As Theodore picked out a book, Arthur was lost in his thoughts.
'Never did she read me those damn fairytales, not even when I asked her to.'
How could Arthur forget those cold eyes that looked at him every single time he approached her, feigning innocence?
Theodore turned and handed the book to Arthur with a calm smile.
"I hope you, too, will fall asleep after reading this. When I was little, we went to Mother's favorite villa for vacation, and I also wasn't able to sleep there, so Mother read me this then."
"I see. I'll read it in my room."
Theodore nodded.
"Alright, Brother."
After some thought, Arthur finally brought up the matter of the Marquess.
"Hmm... How much longer do you plan to wait for your father, Theodore?"
Theodore shrugged slightly.
"I... I don't know."
"Hm... I would suggest you go and sleep, Theodore. As long as I'm aware, no one will be able to harm him. Rest assured, he will surely arrive sooner or later."
'No one can harm him other than my own father.'
Theodore hesitated for a brief moment, but then agreed.
"Alright. If you say so, Brother."
"Then, shall we head to our respective rooms?"
"Yes, Brother."
Theodore took a book for himself, while Arthur held a book in one hand and the lantern in the other as they left the library.
Arthur glanced outside the window as they walked through the manor's hallway. The rain was still pouring and the bright lightning flashed through the panes.
'It seems the rain won't stop any time soon.'
"Brother, why do you call me Theodore? Since we are brothers, why don't you call me by my nickname? My whole family does so."
"I see. Then... is it alright if I call you Theo?"
His sapphire eyes widened slightly as a bright smile spread across his face.
"Of course, Brother."
Arthur, too, offered him a gentle smile.
'It seems he really likes calling me Brother.'
He said it so easily, as if it had always been so. As if the distance between them had never existed.