[Music Recommendation: The wolf and Yhe Moon ~ BrunuhVille]
. . . Last Night
The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the King’s chamber. Adric sat by the bedside, his eyes glued to his father’s pale face.
"What happened to you? Tell me, Father," he muttered, closing his eyes for a brief moment. He felt a movement; it was his father’s hand.
A weak groan escaped the King’s lips, and Adric leaned closer. "Father?"
The King’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes clouded with confusion. "Adric?" he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.
"Yes, Father. It’s me," Adric replied, relief washing over him.
The King coughed, a dry, rattling sound. "What happened...?"
"Father, do you remember anything?" Adric wasn’t betting on his father’s memory. But it was a good thing to see that he was alive.
Fidelis tried to sit up on his own. Adric quickly raised the pillows to help his father stay balanced. "I don’t remember much, except the argument I had with Gwen."
Adric nodded, just as he suspected. Oriana had seen Gwen complaining to someone; it only meant that the argument didn’t end in her favor.
"Anything else?"
Fidelis breathed in and out, trying to recall the events that had followed his losing consciousness. "Not much, son. I can’t remember anything after my chest tightened, making it hard for me to breathe."
"There was someone else here. Also, a person was killed," Adric informed him.
The King was shocked by this revelation. "Who was killed?"
"The person’s identity is what we are yet to know, but my guess is one of the servants. I have asked Rowan to check everything out," Adric replied.
Fidelis and his son stayed silent, both deep in thought.
"Someone tried to kill me, didn’t they?" The King asked with a disappointed sigh. "Who is your guess?"
Adric hummed thoughtfully. "I wouldn’t know. There is Gwen, whom you argued with, Adelaide, who was beside your bed, and also Jasmine’s husband, whom Oriana saw at your door."
"Oriana? Princess Oriana?" Fidelis asked.
Adric nodded. "She saw the perpetrator, but she can’t remember the entire details."
"Do you have any plans?"
Adric tapped his fingers on his lips. "What do you think?" he asked his father. They both stared quietly at the dim candlelight that was now burning itself slowly to the last wick.
. . . Present. . .
Outside the palace, the ministers were surprised to see Adric coming from the palace gate instead of inside. They were even more shocked to see the King standing beside his son in his full glory.
"If it’s hard for you to say, then it means it’s not true. Do not say it," Adric repeated his words.
Oriana, who had already been informed by Adric’s guard about what was going on, rushed outside the palace just as she saw Adric walking in with his father. She turned towards Gwen, dismay mixed with horror coloring the Queen’s face.
"Your Majesty..." another minister muttered.
Fidelis smiled, waving his hand. "To what occasion do I owe this visit so early in the morning?" he asked, now walking past the ministers towards Gwen.
Adric followed his father, watching the expressions on everyone’s faces. When his gaze met Oriana’s, he grinned.
"Adric, you should explain what is going on. You said the King was..." Gwen’s voice trailed off.
Adric pointed at himself. "I said what?" he asked.
"Brother Adric didn’t say anything to us. We just assumed," Adelaide interjected, looking at her father.
Fidelis reached to hold his wife. "Are you not happy to see me here?"
Gwen cleared her throat. "In fact, I’m very much happy. Do you know how worried and scared I was? You made me lose ten years of my life," she hugged her husband, hiding her face in his chest.
"Your Majesty, we were so worried about you when we heard of the attack," Nicholas spoke on behalf of the other ministers.
Adric smirked. "How did the ministers get to hear of this? It only happened last night, and I had asked everyone to retire for the night. It was just then that the King woke. We were going to tell the family this morning, but you all took us by surprise by showing up so early. I’d love to know who informed the ministers."
Gwen blinked, gripping her gown tightly. She replied, "It is the kingdom’s law to inform the ministers if something happens to the King."
Adric smiled. "So it was you then? Mother, who informed the ministers," his eyes coolly looking at Gwen, who was in turn glaring at her.
Fidelis intervened. "Enough," he tried to calm the rising tension.
"We need an explanation of what happened last night because the Crown Prince is openly accusing me. When all fingers should be pointing at him. Last night, he was the last to arrive at the scene with the Crown Princess, and they were also the last to leave. What if they had done something to the King?"
Oriana raised her brows when she was mentioned, why was she dragged into something like this. She didn’t even do anything.
Adric shook his head. "Mother, says you who were ready to take over the throne before even burying your husband. You clearly want the throne, and that means you will want the reigning King out of your way."
"Rubbish. What about you? You wanted your coronation to be held immediately, but it’s being delayed. Are you taking that anger out on the King by making an attempt on his life?" Gwen fired back.
"If I was, I had the whole night to do so. But I didn’t, or even try to make myself king. Yet here we are, ready to see the first woman king of Avon," Adric didn’t relent, his gaze intently on Gwen.
Fidelis sighed. "Silence. Moments like this are enough to kill me."
"Don’t say such, Your Majesty!" the ministers shouted, bowing their heads.
Fidelis smiled. "I’m glad to see you all too. An attack was made on my life last night, but the attacker escaped, causing harm to one of our servants. We shall heighten our security within and outside the palace until the perpetrator is caught."
"Does that mean you know the person?" Jasmine asked.
Fidelis turned to look at his son, then shook his head. "No, I didn’t see the person’s face. But all I know is the lives of the members of the royal family are in danger, so we shall have guards stationed at every corner of the palace day and night."
Oriana’s eyes fell on Adric, but he said it was someone inside the palace. She pondered why he was skipping that detail.
"Also, for a great announcement, which I should have made earlier but I’ve been stalling. I guess this is the right occasion for it as everyone is gathered here. My next birthday, which comes after two moons, will be held as we normally do. With the six royal activities to commemorate the six kingdoms conquered by Avon. It shall be my last birthday as King. After that, Adric shall be crowned," Fidelis announced to the shock of everyone, especially Gwen.
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