Truth and trust are the two pillars of on which the palace of love should be built. Was it why we struggled to hold up the palace from collapsing after the lies were born?
- Diary of Ophelia
"Are you sure about the decision you took yesterday, Jason?" Andreas asked the crown prince with a lace of doubt creeping into his words.
"Yes. I'm sure. I won't give up. Ever! I'll try all the known and unknown methods. I can even go to the end of the world or give up my life, if it means that a cure can be found." Jason replied in a firm voice.
"Alright then. But you are not yet healed. Please don't move about as you wish." Andreas said in an exasperated voice.
"Yes, Crown Prince. Heed your Lieutenant's words." Epione came in with a smile.
"Good morning, Princess Epione." Jason smiled at her.
"Good morning to you too, Crown Prince." Epione replied while getting busy with the medicines.
"Please call me Jason. Not angry with me anymore?" Jason enquired.
"Well, our Lieutenant is healing fast. On top of that, you are our guest." Epione replied.
"Good morning, Asklepios."
"Good morning, Princess."
"I'll prepare the medicinal paste and keep the herbs apart to be used for a medicinal bath. Please make sure to carry it out carefully. You are to oversee everything."
"Yes, Princess. How is Lieutenant Perseus?"
"Good. Don't you know him!? Stubborn as ever." Epione replied with a wink.
Asklepios had a hard time holding in his laughter.
Jason and Andreas observed the pair with curious eyes. Andreas' face had a frown upon it. Epione ignored him just like the last day.
"How long would our Crown Prince take to heal completely?" Andreas asked in a haughty voice. The question was directed at Epione, but it was Asklepios who answered.
"Maximum two weeks. He can move about with help after almost five days."
"Okay." Andreas replied curtly.
Jason was laughing his head off inside his mind. How he wished to laugh out loud. But he couldn't make himself to humiliate his friend further. Epione was doing a great job at that already.
"I would like to have an audience with the King. Do you think it'll be possible, Princess Epione?"
"No. I can't allow you to go to the royal court in this condition. I will inform papa about your wish."
"Then let me thank you in advance, Princess."
Epione smiled and left without a word.
Asklepios changed the bandages and prepared the medicinal bath. Andreas helped him place Jason into the large bathtub and left him there to soak in the medicinal water for a quarter of an hour.
He lay still and thought about his decision. After a while Asklepios came in to help him bathe and dress his wounds.
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"Papa, the Crown Prince wants to meet you. You'll have to go see him. He can't be allowed jump all over the place and break the stitches I've painstakingly stitched." Epione grinned.
"How is he, dear? Hope we won't have to face a full-on war." Zeus replied in a mock serious tone.
"Papa, you a worrywart. Don't you trust me?." Epione said with a giggle. "Well, he's healing well and so is sis. Don't worry. You better go see the Crown Prince fast. He doesn't seem like patient man. I'll hold you accountable if my stitches are broke."
"Yes, I'm off to see him. Just for the sake of my dearest daughter's stitches." Zeus said with a twinkle in his eyes. Epione laughed out loud and left her parents' chamber. Danaë could only roll her eyes at her husband's and daughter's antics.
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"Hello, Jason. All good? Epione said you wanted to talk to me?" Zeus asked with a pleasant smile.
"In private please." Jason requested.
Zeus gestured and everyone else except Danaë and Andreas left the room.
"I'll be frank with you, Your Majesty. I need a favour. I have someone special back home who is gravely ill. I request your help in finding a cure. We had lost hope over the recovery of that person. But, when I was subjected to the brilliance of the ladies of this Royal line, a tiny glimmer of hope came to life. I beg you, please try your best." Jason had now shed all his royal demeanor. He was just a guy begging for kindness.
Zeus and Danaë shared a look. " Well, I cannot promise to find a cure. But I'll try my best. You'll have to bring the patient here." Danaë said.
"Thank you, Your Highness. We'll forever be grateful." Jason was overjoyed.
The Royal couple nodded with a smile and left the room.
"Andreas, send word to Father. Tell him that the cure may be available here." Jason ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness." Andreas rushed to get things done as soon as possible.
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"Sia!!"
"Argh! Don't startle me so, Epione." Sia glared at her younger sister.
"Then don't make me irritated. What are you doing out of the bed? You are supposed to rest."
"Alright, alright. Here, I am on bed. I'm resting. Happy?" Celosia lay down back on bed and forced a smile.
"I'm locking the door, dear. You are gonna stay put." Epione called out on her way outside. The sound of the door being locked was heard distinctly.
"This girl! She worries too much. But I have to see him." A mischievous smile started blooming on her lips. " I can still go out. Hope the wounds won't reopen themselves."
Celosia wore her male attire and tied her long hair in a big bun at the back of her head. She covered it all with a headdress and used it to cover the lower half of her face. She walked gingerly to the side window of her chamber. The sturdy rope that has been placed there ages ago still stood strong. She used it to get down to the ground floor from her room in the first floor. She took a moment to catch her breath. The wounds were giving her hell. But the thoughts swirling in her head were even more troublesome. She carefully made her way to the healing facility. She saw his Lieutenant leaving and hurriedly hid herself.
'Great. Now he's all alone. I hope Epione won't come in to give him medicines.'
"Hello, Crown Prince. How are you?" Celosia asked in her forced masculine voice.
Jason was brought out from his reverie with a start. "Lieutenant Perseus! What a pleasant surprise. Your Princess is partial towards her own people, I see. She lets you walk about and confines me in this room."
"She's a wise one." Sia replied politely as if he hadn't taken a dig at her sister. "You didn't answer my question, Crown Prince."
"You can call me Jason. Yeah, I'm doing good. All thanks to the Queen and the Princess."
"Well, Jason it is then." Celosia grinned all of a sudden and Jason was mesmerized for a moment.
' Get a hold on yourself man!! He's a kid. And he's a he; not she. What is happening here. Nop. Clear your head, Jason.'
"You can call me Perseus, too." Celosia said to Jason while he was having a conversation with himself in his head.
"Yeah," Jason cleared his throat and replied. "I'll remember that. So, since we are on good terms, do you mind telling me why there was fresh stream of gossip when you were given the swords? The curiosity has been killing me since the King told me the story."
"Papa told you about that?" Sia was filled with surprise.
"Papa?" Now Jason was the one who had had a shock. "The King is your father? Then your mother....?"
"Of course, Queen Danaë is my mama." Sia scoffed in an 'isnt-it-obvious' manner.
"Oh, please forgive me. I didn't know. So you are the youngest prince. But I was under the impression that Alec is the youngest. You were a mystery till now."
"I'm not the youngest, for your information." Celosia informed him in a prim voice. " Barak is my twin."
'He's 18! Oh My Goodness. He doesn't look his age. Poor kid.'
Outwardly Jason said, " I see. Yeah, now when I think back he does resemble you."
Sia nodded with a polite smile.
"The story...." Jason probed again.
Celosia couldn't help but crack a grin. "There is a indeed a story...." Celosia stopped midsentence on hearing the footsteps steadily making its way into the healing facility.
"I've got to go. Please don't let Epione know that I came here." She made her way out with haste.
"So the brave Lieutenant is also afraid of his little sister." Jason muttered with amusement.
"I've sent the message, Your Majesty." Andreas was back.
Jason just nodded and wondered about his father's reaction.
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