.
"That is—" Regina paused and just shifted glances from the tea to the princess’s face and then back to the tea. "Alright." She simply said.
"Oh, it smells really nice." Regina said as she picked up the cup and sniffed the flavor.
’Dear goddess, why is she smelling it?! Just drink it!! She already got a whiff of the dye. What if she smells the tea and finds something amiss?! What if she realizes the sleeping potion?! No, she will not. The potion has no smell or color. It is going to be fine. Ahhhh! Dear goddess please! Let her drink it!
Slowly, Neriah and Aria watched as Regina took the cup to her lips. Seconds felt like hours and tiny beads of sweat were starting to form on Neriah’s forehead, just below the line of her scarf.
"Oh,but really, Your Highness, how could I drink something that was made by your precious hands?" Regina complained and Neriah almost screamed as she placed the cup back on the table without taking a sip!
’Ahhhhhh!’ Inward scream.. "Lady Regina, do not see it that way. I already told you, I want us to become friends. And friends do not reject the kindness extended to each other." Neriah pointed out.
"Your Highness, I really—"
"Aye, I know how you feel, but just drink it first and tell me later. Go on, drink it." Neriah urged. All that was needed was a simple drink. Just even one sip! How hard was that? They had laced Regina’s cup with the sleeping potion so she would not realize it. Just one sip was enough.
"But still, Your High—"
"Ah, I see. Am I forcing you? How stupid of me..." Neriah conjured the saddest and most broken face she had. Her eyes grew bigger and they listened with soft tears, "I did not even ask if you would want to be friends with me. I am just imposing on you. I am so ignorant." Neriah looked away and Regina opened and closed her mouth in confusion and regret without having a single word to say.
"Oh, no Your Highness. I did not—" She paused, thinking of the right words to use, "I only meant that—" She paused yet again. "I_ I should try it. The chocolate tea looks like it would taste divine." She quickly picked up her tea and Neriah’s side eye followed her every move.
’Yes, that is it. Drink, drink and go to sleep. Drink and slip into a sweet slumber. Please drink. Drink up, drink up, drink— Neriah’s thoughts were halted as Regina took the cup to her lips and, ’Yes! Yes! Yes!’ Neriah almost screamed out loud as Regina sipped the content of the cup and swallowed.
But then her expression was changing, causing Neriah to become even more nervous than she already was. She wondered if she had been caught. Why was Regina staring at the cup like that? Did she figure out that they had slipped something into the cup?
Even Aria was staring at the commander with wary and questioning eyes. Neriah’s hands that rested in her thighs were beginning to nervously pinch at each other. ’’Even if she finds out. It is no problem, she already drank it. If what they told Aria was true then she should be knocked out in seconds.’ The voice in her head kept talking and...
"Oh my world, Your Highness. Did you really make this yourself?!" Regina said with a palm over her mouth. "Forget trying. This is one of the best hot chocolate teas I have ever had. Believe me when I tell you that Bar_ I mean His Highness would love it. You are better than most! This is unbelievably delicious." Regina rained more praises on Neriah, much to Neriah’s surprise and delight. She blushed as she received the praises while Regina drank more of her tea.
"This_ This is really_ good_ tea."Her words were getting sloppy and slow. Was it working?
"Your Highness, I think I would really like to be_" Neriah watched as Regina’s actions became slower and slower without her even realizing it. "Your friend too." And that was the last thing the lady spoke before witnessing total blackout. The sleeping potion had set in and the great commander had her head rested near her cup on the table.
They did it.
"L_Lady Regina?" Neriah called while stretching her neck over the table like a giraffe. "Regina?" She called again and got no response. "Reg?" She tried, but got nothing. "Commander?"
"M_My Lady, I think it worked. She has fallen asleep." Said Aria who moved closer to Regina and gently shook the lady by the shoulder.
"Really!" Neriah rose up from her seat with a wide grin on her face and Aria nodded. "Yes! Oh, Yes!!" Neriah clapped her hands together but regretted the action immediately only to laugh out loud when she realized even the clap of her hand did not wake the woman. She clapped and clapped right in front of the sleeping lady but nothing.
The commander was completely knocked out.
"Quickly, let us do this. Riri’s power will only last about fifteen minutes so I will change into the other clothes that we prepared before taking on Lady Regina’s face."
"Actually,"
"Ahh!" Neriah screamed as a sudden tiny voice came out of nowhere, but the fright lost weight when she realized it was just Riri who had popped in.
"YOUR HIGHNESS, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Called a knight who stood guard by the door.
Neriah cleared her throat before responding "I_ I am fine. Do not mind me."
"The effect should last a little longer since I will be able to focus my powers on just your face and not two peoples faces." Riri said without caring about the little stir her entrance caused.
"Riri—" It had been like this over the past few days. Riri was never around anymore. She just locked herself in her room but always appeared when she was needed. Said what she needed to say, did what she needed to do and then returned back. She was still angry.