Prince Najja was basking under the glow of the Iron Lords and ministers' salute. He was finally beat all his brothers to the throne despite his half blood lineage! He stepped forward to the head of the chamber and exchange a knowing smile with his royal uncle and was about to give a rousing speech that was prepared for him to the entire Council when the doors slammed open.
A figure stood at the doors, his golden hair glowing under the sun rays that shone through the windows. Despite the anger on his face, it only served to make his handsome look more defined. Recognizing the figure to be his third brother, Prince Najja's jaw dropped and he stared in surprise and resentment.
"What nonsense is this?" The powerful voice of the Third Prince echoed down the chamber. "Who is the Crown Prince?"
Lord Sincia stood up and smiled in a grandfatherly way, "Prince Herod! It is good to see you are well! Your disappearance has greatly worried us all!"
Prince Herod ignored his royal uncle words and instead he walked towards the head of the chamber and stood before his second brother. "You want to be Crown Prince?"
Prince Najja's face turned red with anger and he snapped, "The Council has voted me to be Crown Prince! I am the Crown Prince now!"
"Tsk," Prince Herod shook his head and sneered. "A half blood wanting the Iron Throne?"
He turned and faced the Council, "You all wish to put a half blood on the Iron Throne?"
None of the Lords and ministers that voiced their support could meet his eyes. Prince Herod sneered again and shook his head, "I thought so."
"You! Guards! Guards!" Prince Najja cried out as he hopped in anger, looking like some oversized balloon bouncing. "Take this disrespectful lout away!"
The guards that entered paused in surprise as they saw who the Second Prince was pointing to. They hesitated on what to do and even glanced at the nearby Lords and ministers for help but all of them averted their eyes away, not wanting to offend any party. Prince Najja's face grew redder by the moment as he screamed at the guards, "What are you doing? I am the Crown Prince! Take this lout out and whip him a hundred times!"
"HAHAHAA!" Prince Herod let out a peal of amused laughter and he stepped forward and grabbed the collar of his second brother before he half threw and shoved him to the ground. "Do you really think you have the abilities to lead the Iron Kingdom?"
"O- Of course!" Prince Najja sputtered. "I can surpass you all! I will bring glory to the Iron Kingdom!"
"Shut up, you worm!" Prince Herod hissed. "Or I will break every bone on your... body!"
Prince Najja seeing the blood lust in his brother's eye quickly kept his mouth close. Lord Sincia stepped forward and said with a frown, "Prince Herod, this behaviour of yours is unbecoming of a Prince!"
"Prince Najja is now the Crown Prince, your actions are treasonous!" Lord Sincia added. "Guards! Take the Third Prince away!"
Prince Herod glared at the guards who hesitated again before turning to stare at Lord Sincia and he hissed, "I got no time to waste with this charade!"
He turned to his supporters and asked, "Who is at the front lines?"
"Sky Admiral Feth and Sky Admiral Rand, together with the 4th and 7th Iron Fleet," One of the Iron Lords wearing a military uniform quickly replied. "The 5th Iron Fleet is still been assembled at the rallying fields."
Prince Herod nodded before walking away, ignoring the Second Prince and Lord Sincia. The red faced Second Prince cried out angrily at the insult, "Y- You! Stop him! Someone stop him!"
A couple of the Second Prince's lackeys come over to block Prince Herod's path received broken noses and bruised eyes for their loyalty. Prince Herod paused at the doors and glanced back, giving a venomous glare that made Prince Najja shivered and unconsciously take a step backwards. Prince Herod shook his head and laughed before he walked off, heading towards the inner palace where the private chambers of the Iron King.
Blake and rest quietly watched the happening with interest and they followed the Prince out. The Third Prince's supporters too left the Council Chambers and hurried after their Prince while those neutral also left, leaving the Second Prince, Lord Sincia and their supporters fuming alone in the chambers.
"W- wait! I have not dismissed you all!" Prince Najja's cries could be heard. "I am the Crown Prince!"
As they walked down the hallways, Prince Herod suddenly slowed his steps and turned to Dr. Sharon and asked in a surprisingly humble tone, "Lady Sharon, your healing skills... Do you think you can heal my royal father?"
Dr. Sharon gave a look at Blake who nodded, before she replied, "I have to see what his condition is like first before I can say anything. No promises!"
Prince Herod gave a nod and set off at a brisk pace again while his aides appeared around him after getting news of his return and started briefing him on the current situation of his businesses and affairs. Dr. Sharon fell back next to Blake and whispered in a low voice, "The current situation doesn't bore well for our Prince..."
Blake gave a small shrug before he answered, "A desperate man or elf will grab onto anything for help. And we are that help now."
Dr. Sharon frowned at Blake's words. She leaned over and replied, "Still, would it not be dangerous to us if the Second Prince attacks us?"
"I doubt he would do that in public," Blake said before waving off her concerns. "See if you can heal the King, in the meantime, I will bring the rest to see if we can get what we want from the Grand Library."
Prince Herod came to a halt before a pair of beautiful ornate doors and the guards saluted before pushing the heavy doors open. The hallway before them was completely different from the ones they had just passed, as the decor was richer and more elaborate. The marble floor tiles changed to thick silk carpets and golden framed artwork and sculptures lined the hallway together with pairs of guards.
"They are with me," Prince Herod spoke to the guards as they stepped forward to bar Blake and his people. The guards gave a quick look over them before they stepped aside to allow them entry. The Third Prince turned to his own people and said, "Prepare our forces and start calling all favors owed to us."
"Use whatever resources we have to pull those still neutral over to our side," Prince Herod quickly passed on his orders to his people. "And prepare a fast ship for me."
With his orders given, he led the way towards the King's private chambers. The King's private chambers were even more lavishly decorated but there was an air of gloominess inside. Several clerics and healers surrounded the huge golden bed and incense of some kind was burning, together with a couple of braziers and the fireplace. The cloy smelling increase smoke and the closed windows with covered curtains adding to the gloominess.
The clerics and healers bowed to the Third Prince as he rushed over to the side of the bed. The King once full of vitality was now a former of his old self. He seemed to have more wrinkles, his complexion pale and his face twisted as if in agony. Even his golden hair was turning white at the roots and lay limp around the pillows.
"How is he?" Prince Herod gently held the cold hand of his royal father into his and he tried to warm his royal father's hands with his. "What happened?"
"Reporting to your Highness," The senior most cleric gave another bow and said. "His Majesty has been overworked and with the disappearance of the Crown Prince and the news of plot against you... His royal body could no longer take the burden... Thus allowing evil spirits to possess his body..."
"What can be done?" Prince Herod asked softly. "Can he be healed?"
The clerics and healers looked at each other before the senior cleric said, "We have completed the rituals to cast the evil away. Now it is up to the Gods..."
"Rubbish!" Dr. Sharon hissed under her breath as she rolled her eyes at those quacks. She stepped forward and took out her medkit which she always carried around in a sling bag. "Your Highness? If I may?"
Prince Herod quickly made way for Dr. Sharon. Seeing his royal father laying all wilted up on the bed had made him forget about her. He hovered over her shoulder and asked in a worried tone, "Will you be able to cure him?"
"Let check his vitals first," Dr. Sharon replied as she took out the tools of her trade from her kit. She pulled away the thick blankets covering the King and held the medical scanner over his chest and allowed the device to do its thing. Her actions made the clerics and healers gasped in shock at her disrespectful manner.
"You! What do you think of are doing?" The senior cleric stepped forward to stop Dr. Sharon, only to be blocked by Prince Herod. "Your Highness? What are you doing? Who is she?"
"She is a healer too," Prince Herod quickly vouched for Dr. Sharon's identity and skills. "I brought her over to check on my royal father."
"Even so, how can we allow someone of dubious skills to touch his Majesty?" The senior cleric was adamant in his stand. "What if she harms his Majesty?"
"Let her check the condition of the King," Prince Herod shook his head at the clerics and healers' protests.
The medical scanner beeped softly and Dr. Sharon checked the screen before she kept the scanner away and placed a watch like device over the wrist of the King. Another few more series of beeps later, she checked the stats on the screen before she nodded to herself and declared, "I can heal him."
"You can?" The clerics and healers cried out shocked disbelief while Prince Herod was pleasantly surprised.
Dr. Sharon nodded, "It will take some time, but I can heal the King, but he will need time to recover and a lot of rest."
"Please save my royal father," The Third Prince took Dr. Sharon's hands into his own and requested sincerely. "I will forever be in your debt!"
"B- But your highness!" The clerics and healers quickly objected. "What can this young girl do when the entire Royal Apothecary couldn't? Don't be fooled by her!"
"As you have said... The entire Royal Apothecary could not heal the King!" Prince Herod's voice was soft but his glare wasn't. "This is a disgrace!"
The clerics and healers lowered their heads at the rebuke. Prince Herod turned to Dr. Sharon and gestured for her to do her work. Dr. Sharon called over one of the Marines who was a combat medic to assist her. An IV drip was set up to deliver essential nutrients and fluids into the King and Dr. Sharon took one of her few precious remaining few medical nanite shots out.
The clerics and healers stared at the clear bottle of fluid with suspicious frowns and nearly rioted when they saw they poked a needle into the King's arm. Only under the direct order of Prince Herod did they settle down nervously.
Ignoring the looks of outrage from the clerics and healers, Dr. Sharon looked at Blake for permission, and seeing his nod, she pressed the nanite injector against the neck of the King and jabbed him. Next, she directed the Marines to draw the curtains aside, open the windows to air the chamber and remove all the incense censers and the braziers which made the room overly warm.
Again, the clerics and healers were affronted but without the Third Prince saying anything, they could only simmer their anger in silence. Finally satisfied with her work, Dr. Sharon stepped back and said, "The King's body is weak now, that fluid will help recover some of his health. He should be able to wake up by tomorrow or later."