Manfred had to suppress a sneer as the King’s step faltered on the way to the royal bedchambers, Konrad in tow with his satchel. He exchanged only one brief glance with Katelyn, when his arm, wrapped around the King’s back to support him brushed across her naked shoulder, his fingers conveying the deftness, the strength of his hand where they just briefly gripped at the point where the graceful sweep of her shoulder line met the slender column of her neck. “No need to fret, Good King Eglio, surely you’ve suffered worse against the foes of the realm than your ally’s careless choice in cuisine could ever compare to.” He said, ever the encouraging and polite attendant, even as his mind anticipated only the most egregious of insults to the decrepit excuse for a King’s royal bride.<br/><br/>Once the King was settled onto the massive bed in the luxurious bedchambers, Manfred retrieved his satchel from Konrad, who remained outside the door to keep watch. Then, clearing space from a nearby table he made great show at concocting and mixing some grand gently fizzing tonic or elixir to disguise the dispensing of three subtle drops into it which would be doing the real work he had in mind. Striding back to the bed, he produced the fizzing beverage in front of his majesty with a slight flourish and helped Katelyn to ease her husband’s head up on her lap, her bosom nestling against his head, his crown long removed for comfort, and allowed her to tilt the beverage to his majesty’s lips. “I assure you my king, this beverage will not only settle your ills, but . . . well, in combination with the wine your majesty has yet consumed, it may very well exaggerate the usual libidinous and inebriating effects.” This last statement was delivered to the King with a wink and a nod, before Manfred glanced up at Katelyn, his eyes conveying the exact opposite of the statement.<br/><br/>In fact, the elixir would produce in the king a near death like torpor, one which would last the remainder of the evening and into the morning. It was a powerful soporific, and would numb him to almost any sensation or attempts to rouse him, save egregious physical pain, but Manfred had no such obtuse tortures in mind. It’s one redeeming mercy would be the King’s relief of any hangover from the wine he had consumed, and his rest would likely be one of the deepest he had had in years. It was unlikely he would remember much though even of their flight from the feast.<br/><br/>“Rest peacefully, Good King Eglio.” Manfred said, his eyes fixed on Katelyn’s as he spoke with all the solemnity of an elegy.