“I had heard, my King, that Lancer is from this Realm. Is that true?” Isaac changed the subject and noted the darkening of King Abner’s gaze.
“Long ago, yes.”
“And also, King Eamon of the Eastern Kingdom’s wife.” Isaac continued. “Her kinship to Lancer was not known until just recently. Are they from one of the neighboring kingdoms in the Realm or this one? I would love to see their lineage whilst I’m here.”
“I fear you will not see much. All that is left of Lancer’s family is a memory.” Abner stated, his tone slightly edged with hardness.
“He has no relatives?”
“No.”
“Oh, that is surprising. I was under the assumption he had quite an extensive family here.” Isaac appeared nonchalant but knew something brewed beneath the surface of their conversation and that King Abner did not want him knowing.
“Most people assume incorrectly. As do you. He has no family left in these lands.”
Isaac leaned back and caught the warning gaze of Katarina from across the table. The servant came to claim his plate. “Thank you. Please send my regards to your cook.” Her eyes widened in surprise again and she nodded with a slight blush to her cheeks.
Katarina’s brows disappeared beneath her hairline in astonishment as well. Isaac caught her cursory gape and smiled warmly. “I wonder, King Abner, if I could receive a tour of your gardens by your lovely daughter?” He nodded towards Katarina and Abner nodded.
“Of course. Katarina would be most pleased.”
Katarina stood and offered a shy smile as she led the way. Isaac followed. Once outside, he inhaled a deep breath of sunshine and free air. “Feels much better out here, doesn’t it?” He asked, his boldness catching the princess by surprise. She offered a warm smile in return. “The castle can get quite suffocating sometimes.” She admitted.
“Have you ventured beyond your father’s walls?” Isaac waved a hand around the vast area, every inch guarded by royal guards.
She shook her head. “No. I wish to, but my father is quite adamant about us staying within the protection of the castle.”
“The world is not as dangerous as it may seem.” Isaac countered.
“To us it is.” She replied quietly, glancing around to make sure no one heard her comment. He tilted his head and surveyed her. He extended his arm and she slipped hers through his. “And why is that?” He asked.
She shook her head. “Long story.”
“From what I gather, we have time.”
She shook her head again. “I’m sorry, my Lord, but I cannot speak of our affairs to a stranger.”
“I see. You mean you cannot speak to me unless your father allows it.” He corrected.
She flashed a stunned look his direction and he chuckled. “Don’t look so surprised, Princess. I see the way your father guards his castle, much less his secrets.”
“Is that why you have come? To learn his secrets?” She asked in a hushed whisper.
Isaac laughed. “No. I came because I heard King Abner had seven beautiful daughters and my father wished for me to see if any of them were to my liking.”
She blushed at his response and he found it charming. “Yes, well my father does pride himself on his collections.”
“Collections?” Isaac turned to her in amusement. “Are you a piece of art?”
“Yes. Sometimes.” She answered truthfully.
“Aren’t all women a piece of art?” Isaac complimented.
She looked away and glanced towards the guards upon the parapet. “Art because we are beautiful or art because we can be owned?” She asked, a slight harshness lying in the undertones of her soft voice.
“Because of beauty. No one can be owned, Princess.”
She turned to him then, a light of appreciation in her eyes. “Your Realm sounds most intriguing, my Lord. The Princess of the North taking over as Queen has been a heated topic of conversation here as of late.”
“I’m sensing your father does not approve of that either.” Isaac spoke frankly, his casual tone leaving the princess speechless. He chuckled. “I apologize. In the Realm of future queen Alayna, we are able to speak more freely.”
“Apparently.” Katarina replied. “Forgive me for being out of practice.”
Isaac grinned as she came to a stop next to a stone bench and sat. He sat beside her and lightly plucked a rose from one of the shrubs next to his shoulder. He sniffed it thinking of Elizabeth’s chambers in the Northern Kingdom and the light scent of rose she always carried with her. He twirled the small bloom in his fingers and Katarina watched him closely. “You miss your realm already, don’t you?”
“Aye. It is home. I am reminded by small things of how lucky a man I truly am to be a part of it, no matter how insignificant a role.”
“You are a prince, a future king. If that is insignificant, I hate to see what servants rank.” He chuckled at her wonderment and shook his head. “I did not mean it like that. I just… have an interesting position at the moment.”
“Life is all about position.” Katarina stated. Her voice sounded like a recital of an ancient text that had been ingrained upon her from birth, and Isaac found it most stimulating.
“Is that what you are taught here?”
“Yes.” She replied. “Since the Overcoming, my father has taught that as our main guide to live by.”
“The Overcoming? What is that?” Isaac asked.
She turned to him with a quizzical brow. “You do not know?”
“Clearly not.” He waved his hand for her to continue.
“Did you not sense my father’s hesitation in discussing Lancer?”
“I did, but I assumed it was because Lancer is evil, and to be honest, no one in any Realm likes discussing the man.”
Katarina sighed and shook her head. “You come to visit blindly then.”
“You have lost me, Princess.” Isaac handed her the small rose and she accepted it with a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips at the thoughtful act.
“Lancer’s father used to rule this Realm.”
Isaac’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Yes, before my father. Lancer is the son of the rightful king to this Realm.”
Isaac turned away from her and stared blankly into the gardens. Lancer was royalty?
“What happened?” Isaac asked.
“There was a war. My father was the king of the Valleylands, the most Southern point in the Realm. He was not happy there. He had become king at an early age and found he did not wish to be ruler of the smallest kingdom in the Realm. Lancer’s father was older, much older, and Lancer himself was quite young at the time. My father formed an army and overthrew two kingdoms in the Realm. All to become a stronger enemy against the aging king. It was assault after assault.”
“Was Lancer’s father ruthless? Was he an evil King?”
“No. From what my mother told me, he was a loving king. But it was greed and selfishness that drove my father. He wanted to be powerful, and to be powerful he needed more. More land. More influence. More people.”
Isaac, baffled by the Princess’ story, listened intently.
“My father spent his younger days contemplating different ways to overthrow the king, but he could not just overthrow the king, he had to rid the Realm of all his heirs as well. Otherwise the Realm would just pass to his son.”
“Lancer.” Isaac finished.
She nodded. “Lancer. Lancer was young, maybe three plus twenty at the time, and his younger sister Erica was but eighteen.”
“King Eamon’s wife.”
She smiled softly at him. “Yes. See, when the king feared my father’s advances, he made it his goal to marry off his daughter. King Eamon of the East was seeking a bride, and one sight at Lancer’s sister, and the man was enraptured. He married her within three days’ time.”
“Sounds familiar.” Isaac muttered softly.
“Lancer was furious at his father for sending his sister away. In Lancer’s mind they
could protect the realm from my father. He wanted to fight and rule, as was his right. But his father was old and barely alive at the time. Lancer had never had any military experience, he was a—child in his father’s eyes. A spoiled child at that. He had never faced a tough decision in his life. He had never had to fight or work for anything. He was furious with his father. He was furious with King Eamon. He was furious at my father.”
“Why would he be upset with King Eamon? Surely he could see his sister had a chance at happiness.”
“No. In Lancer’s eyes, she was stolen from what was rightfully hers. She had the right to help rule a Realm, not just a single kingdom in a neighboring Realm.”
“So what happened?”
Katarina glanced around nervously before continuing. Her voice lowered and Isaac leaned forward to hear. “My father attacked the Realm and killed Lancer’s father. Lancer fled to the Eastern Kingdom in the Realm of King Granton.”
Isaac’s eyes widened. “Lancer sought refuge with his sister.”
“Yes, but he did not find it. King Eamon refused to let him stay. Called him a coward for not defending his lands. King Eamon did not want to lure my father’s armies to the Eastern Kingdom by housing the one man standing in my father’s way to rule. So he sent him away.”
“Well that explains how he ended up in our Realm, but how could he create The Land of Unfading Beauty? What could possibly give him such supernatural power to create his own Realm?” Isaac scratched his chin in thought.
“That is what no one knows, and it has plagued my father for years. My mother warned me to never speak of this to anyone. My father does not know I know of his past.”
“The Queen seems quite compliant with his persona it would seem.”
“The current queen is not my mother, my Lord. My mother died years ago.”
“I am sorry.” He saw the brief flash of pain she hid in her eyes. “Yes, well, she taught me to remain strong and so I have.”
“Yes. I would say so. You live under the hand of a ruthless brute.”
“He can be friendly.” She defended weakly.
Isaac shook his head. “Thank you for sharing this with me, Princess. I must admit it sheds great light on Lancer and his interactions within my Realm.”
“You must not tell anyone I told you, my Lord. Please?”
“Of course. I would not betray your confidence.” Isaac held her kind gaze a moment longer and then squeezed her hand. “To new friendships.”
She flushed at his touch and nodded.
Isaac opened his mouth to speak when Rupert raced towards him in a panic. “My Lord!”
Isaac and Katarina stood quickly to their feet. “What is it Rupert?”
Rupert thrust a letter into his hands, panting from his sprint. Katarina watched as Isaac’s face fell from concern to sadness and he sunk to the bench in shock.
“My Lord? Is everything alright?” Katarina knelt next to him and lightly touched the back of her hand to his forehead. Isaac blinked to clear his thoughts and focused upon her kind brown eyes. “I must go. It is urgent.”
He stood and began running back towards the castle.
∞
Samuel sat on the side of the awning, his long legs draped over the stone and dangling in the air. He leaned against the castle wall and surveyed the people down below. Two days had passed and no change in Princess Elizabeth. He had sent word to Princess Alayna, and now he sat wondering if Elizabeth would ever wake up or if she would continue to waste away. Her cheeks had begun to sink in and her body looked frail. Prince Clifton sat with her most day and night and rumor had spread to the villagers why there had yet to be a formal welcome party and ball for the newly married couple. A cloud of gloom hung over the kingdom and Samuel feared it followed him wherever he went.
A gloomy day for a birthday, he realized. He tampered down his disappointment and scolded himself for the selfish thought. There was no reason for him to think of celebrating himself when the princess’ life hung in the balance. He felt older than his sixteen years. Perhaps the last few months had forced him to leave his childhood behind quicker than was usual. All he knew, was that he wished to serve the Realm as king of the South and aide his new friends, his new family, in protecting the lands from Lancer’s power. His dark eyes found their way towards the horizon and he squinted at the sight of two horses coming up the long road. Then he saw it. The red roof of the Western royal carriage and his heart leapt. Prince Isaac had come. Just like everyone knew he would and with him would come the Western healer to help Arnos. He jumped to his feet and sprinted through the castle and towards the main entrance.
“Samuel, what is it?” He passed a surprised King Eamon and Prince Ryle on his way and heard them trying to catch up to him.
When he pushed open the main doors, the carriage had stopped in front of the main steps. “Prince Isaac has arrived.” He turned towards the Eastern rulers with a wide smile and cleared the steps quickly to open the door to the awaiting carriage. He pulled back quickly as if bitten. Princess Melody slowly eased out of the carriage, accepting the hand of an attendant until she found her feet. Prince Ryle and King Eamon smiled in welcome and she turned a warm grin towards Samuel. She enveloped him in a firm hug, his arms embracing her quickly and then releasing her. He blushed at the interaction and bowed. She then lifted her skirts and embraced both Ryle and Eamon on her way up the stairs. Once inside, she shed her crimson outer coats and handed them to her attendant. “I must see her.” She stated.
Ryle nodded and began leading her towards Elizabeth’s chambers.
“Your appearance is most welcome, Princess.” King Eamon stated. “Has your brother arrived as well?”
“My brother is not here yet, my Lord. I fear he does not know of the Princess’ condition. He had already set out to King Abner’s realm when the news came to us in the West. However, I have sent word via messenger on my way here. My father did not wish for him to know just yet.”
“Why is that?” Ryle asked. Melody turned towards the two of them before entering the chambers. “My father feels Prince Isaac would only interfere at the moment. Though I feel differently. He would want to know and to be here. I apologize if I offend, but I sent word to him immediately. For Princess Elizabeth is very dear to him.”
“You did the right thing, my dear.” King Eamon lightly patted her shoulder as he opened the door. Clifton glanced up, his tired eyes and lack of decorum breaking Melody’s heart. She rushed towards him and hugged him tightly. “My prince.” She greeted.
She cupped his face and shook her head. “You must not give up on her now.” Clifton smiled, his sadness evident and his eyes red from tears he must have shed during the night. He himself looked like a shadow of the man that once graced the Northern Kingdom. “I am pleased you have come.” He squeezed her hand and then allowed her to take his seat beside Elizabeth. She studied her a moment, her hand lightly touching her forehead and her fingers.
“I have brought our healer with me. Though I know you have the capable hands of Arnos with you already, I felt it imperative we utilize all the help we can.” She looked to the three men and then smiled when she spotted Mary walking into the room carrying a wash basin.
“Mary!”
Mary glanced up and tears of joy sprang to the attendant’s eyes at the sight of the sweet princess. She placed the basin on the vanity and rushed to embrace the princess in a desperate hug of reassurance. Both women cried and smiled as they gazed upon one another. King Eamon, pleased with the brightness the Princess of the West had brought with her, bowed towards her and slipped out of the room quietly.
“Isaac, Melody?” Clifton turned towards her. “Did he come?” He asked.
She shook her head and watched as the prince’s face crumbled into defeat.
“He does not know yet, my Lord.”
Clifton’s stormy gaze found hers. “I don’t understand.”
“Isaac is currently in the Realm of King Abner. My father sent him there to potentia
lly pick out one of the princesses as a suitable bride. He has yet to hear of Elizabeth’s misfortune. I assure you that when he does, he will come. You are his friend, my Lord. And Elizabeth is as well. He would wish to be here for both of you.”
Clifton glanced towards Ryle who stood with his arms crossed in disapproval.
“Good.” Clifton replied. “I feel Elizabeth needs all her friends close by for when she wakes up.”
“Cliff.” Ryle began and halted when his brother’s ferocious gaze landed upon him. “She will wake up, Ryle!”
Melody placed a steadying hand on Clifton’s arm and he struggled finding his composure. “Prince Clifton, why don’t you allow Mary and me to wash Elizabeth and change her into some clean clothes while you go do the same? You look as if you have not left her side.”
“I haven’t.” He stated grimly.
She smiled tenderly at him and cupped his cheek in her hands. “She would not want you to overlook your own well-being on behalf of her. Please, tend to yourself and we will have her freshened up for you by the time you return.”
He clasped Melody’s hand in thanks. “Thank you for coming, Melody. Truly.”
She nodded as he and Ryle exited the room. Melody turned towards Mary. “How long has she been like this?”
“Going on four days, ma’am.”
“She will not survive much longer if we do not get fluids or food in her. She must wake up.” Melody helped lift Elizabeth into a sitting position and eased behind her as Mary began switching out her bed robes and sponge bathing the princess’ limp body. “She feels so frail.”
“Yes. I hate seeing her like this myself.” Mary stated quietly. “But we must not give up hope. Prince Clifton is only surviving on hope right now.”
“The poor man.” Melody’s heart pained at the sickened sight of the handsome prince. His heart torn and completely bare and lying out on the floor for everyone to see his pain. It would not be long before he lost himself to his grief.
She smoothed Elizabeth’s damp hair away from her face as Mary washed her delicate neck. “Hang in there, Elizabeth. Hang in there, my sweet friend.”
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