"Cláudia." Fredric greeted the Duchess. She smiled as she let him in.
Her lack of words made his nerves tense. The Cláudia he knew was talkative and light on the heart. Now a cloud hung above her head despite her smiles.
He couldn't help but harden his face before taking the first step.
Upon entering, Fredric wrinkled his nose. Bitter herbs swallowed the room in a fog, tickling his senses in a bad way.
His eyes fell on a shattered mirror, glanced over the cracked floor, then squinted at his old friend.
"Von, I don't think you've ever looked so bad."
Von shrugged his shoulders, turning his gaze towards the canopy bed. "Can you blame me old friend?"
Fredric followed his gaze. If he didn't try to listen he'd miss the small coughs, those tiny short breaths.
"Is it that serious?" His friend's swollen eyes spoke tales. Apparently a foolish question on his part.
Fredric harden his stride as he stopped and opened the lilac curtains, sitting on the bed as he looked down with a pained expression.
"She looks so weak." It hurt him down to the soul to see her like this.
Fredric, the emperor would never be caught with such weakness in his voice, pain in his eyes, with downcast shoulders.
Yet right now he wasn't the emperor, but an uncle distraught over his favorite niece's condition, worried for her life.
Only god knew how much he adored this niece of his. Would he become her god father if not? Even threaten his old friend if he dared deny him this?
"Mghhhuu."
A groan caught Fredric's attention. A small smile lifted his face at the boy sleeping in the corner.
Cláudia giggled, lighting the atmosphere as she opened the lilac curtains wider. "Huan refused to let his sister sleep alone. Playing guardian angel."
"Good boy." Fredric bellowed, clearly proud of his sensible nephew.
Though he couldn't compare to Alicia since he was a filthy boy, he didn't short him on compliments.
Yet his good mood vanished at Alicia's suppressed chokes.
Fredric turned her on the side as he rubbed her back soothingly. Placing her on his lap as he caressed her hair.
His heart wrenched at her hand tightening on his pants. "When did she wake up last?"
No response. The room was deafening as only small breaths could be made out.
Silence was not what Fredric wanted to hear. He hardened his eyes and glared at Von.
Those who've sat upon the Eumus throne are overbearing men with cold tempermates, ice in their veins, hearts full of thorns, and hands soaked in blood.
On normal days, this was how the public saw Emperor Fredric. This side of him who was playful, full of energy, acting like a teen in his finally years of the academy, was only seen by his closest companions.
Now that cold giant of a man had appeared. Fredric had vanished and in his place was a furious emperor.
His voice was less kind as he stated instead of asking, "She hasn't woken has she."
Von couldn't look at his friend as he looked towards the floor in guilt, weakness seeping from his posture.
Fredrics veins from his arms to his neck bulged in anger and tensed nerves.
Why had Von waited so long to bring this to his attention? If he hadn't gotten wind of the healers comings and goings, was he even planning on letting him know at all?
"Stubborn oaf!" Fredric roared, "This is your daughter we're talking about, my god daughter! Couldn't you set down your damn pride long enough to send for me?"
Holy magic circulated in the air with vibrations of anger.
Fredric crushed Von to his knees with his holy smite, the stones radiating on his bracelets as his crown's circlet confined Von.
The emperor was not happy at all as he showed Von no mercy, even with their title of old friends.
"Fredric please."
"Cláudia don't." Fredric coldly stated. "If someone needs to break his bones to snap him back to reality, I'm more than happy to be the one to do it."
Cláudia held her husband's shoulders in panic as she begged Fredric with her eyes.
It was her fault Von was like this. If she hadn't made him hold that promise in their youth, then perhaps they wouldn't be in this situation.
Tension was in the air as Von resisted the holy smite, blood trickling from his eyes and mouth.
He hung his head, welcoming the pain as he didn't try at all to break his binds.
This angered Fredric even more. His hand left Alicia's head as he gathered magic in his palm.
Both men glared at each other, neither giving an inch. That was until-
"St-op."
The magic in the air stilled as the Holy smite vanished. Fredric's magic gathered in his palm vanished into mist as well.
All eyes fell to where the small voice laced in exhaustion came from. All were shocked as they couldn't believe their ears, frozen to their cores.
"Seems she's conscious, yet is unable to awake."
The old man who had kept quiet all this time spoke, pulling on his beard as he'd found his way to the bed.
He'd effortlessly walked between the raging bulls as if they were kittens puffing up their fur.
"May I?" Old man Lu's question snapped Fredric awake.
This whole time his imperial healer had been observing the situation from the side, not stepping forward at all. Yet in this moment he took the time to speak.
He must have noticed something. Fredric speculated as he nodded, moving from the bed as he reluctantly released his nieces fingers.
He trusted this man with his life who was more of a father then his own as he practically raised him.
With him here, Alicia was going to be fine. Fredric was confident in this fact.
Old man Lu rolled Alicia on her back, pulled at his beard as one hand hovered over her face. His hand glowed white as he continued his contemplation.
Ever so slightly the bed sheets moved, and so did the lilac curtains. This caused the old man to grin.
He placed his hand on her chest as his other hand skillfully hit her main pressure points, ending upon her forehead.
Alicia felt drained, empty but heavy. No matter what she did, how much she screamed inside, nothing worked.
She wants to wake up, she really does, but simply can't.
Though she was asleep, she was conscious all the while. She heard all that occured around her from her father crying to her father suffering as her uncle punished him.
"Why are you hurting him when this wasn't his fault?" He wasn't what caused her to become sick, she tried to reason. But not a sound came out of her lips.
Despite her past memories piecing themselves together, her young temperment slowly changing, she still saw herself as Alicia Cadarvic. The daughter of Von and Cláudia.
Although I love you uncle, how dare you harm my adorable papa? She inwardly cursed her uncle over and over in her head.
The situation outside was becoming worse, she could feel it.
Even though she couldn't see what was happening, she knew she couldn't let this continue.
With all the energy she could muster, she finally spoke.
Forcing out that one word challenged her more then it should have. Cause now, she felt even more empty, even more heavy then before.
Alicia was suffocating.
Darkness swallowed her, forming into an ocean like abyss, pulling her beneath the waves as she fought with all her might. It was painful as formless matter battled, attempting, playing around as it slowly tried to take all of her.
Help me. Alicia felt fear and pleaded. Nothing felt right anymore, she didn't feel right.
In her moment of peril, her moment of need a light came out in the darkness, throwing out a line as it rescued her from drowning.
Following the light, a lost soul desprite to be saved, comfort over flowed within the darkess.
The further she went, the more full she felt, the lighter she felt, the cooler she felt.
Finally she broke the surface as a voice reached out, "Alright little one, open your eyes."
Alicia complied. Her lapis lazuli eyes opened for the first time in days.
Blinking multiple times to adjust to the lights. She groaned, turning her head with tears in her eyes.
"Pa-pa." Alicia brokenly cried.
In a blink of an eye, Von was by his daughter's side with Cláudia right beside him.
"Papa's right here princess."
God he felt so relieved. The moment he heard her voice a mountain had vanished from his shoulders. The pain in his bones worried him not a bit as he felt light as a feather.
A dying man given food and water wouldn't feel as relieved as he does now.
Gently caressing her forehead, Von smiled, "Princess you worried papa to death you know that?"
"A-li, do wrong?" Her cracked voice questioned in tears. "So-rry, pa-pa, so-rry."
"No no, baby girl. You did no wrong." Cláudia punched Von in the stomach, not holding back her strength as she cooed. "You're daddy is just messing with you dear."
Von felt hurt as he looked at his wife. She didn't have to hit him that hard. He'd just survived the holy smite, only to be abused by his wife.
He held back his complaints as his eyes softened. Tears fell from Cláudia's amber eyes while caressing their daughter's cheek.
Cláudia was full of relief and joy as she looked at her daughter. Thank you.
Whichever god had mercy on my daughter, thank you.
Alicia tried to sit up but fell back to the pillows since her arms were too weak to hold her.
"Careful princess, you've just woken up." Von scooped Alicia in his arms as he sat on the bed, sliding her damp hair out of her face.
Alicia groaned as she wiggled in her father's arms, trying to become comfortable.
Tiredly, Alicia looked over her shoulder with a smile. "Uncle, you come to visit me?"
Worry vanished from Fredric's face. That sweet voice like honey warms him down to his soul, turning his heart into sugary mush.
He nodded repeatedly. "Of course, of course. Who else would I come to see if not my favorite princess?" He poked her nose as he grinned widely, "Are you happy to see me?"
Alicia nodded as she rubbed her eyes. She loved her pretty uncle who had the most beautiful sunlight hair. In her memories of her past life, even those natural blonds couldn't compare to him.
"Good good good, my princess has good taste. This emperor promised the empress he'd take not another, but I'll make an exception for you. I'm sure she'd second my choice."
Von's eyes went hostile as he held his daughter closer to his chest.
"You dare tempt my princess into your royal palace? With her king here, why does she need a stupid a emperor?" Von smiled at Alicia and cooed "Isn't that right princess?"
Fuming, Fredric pointed out in exasperation. "How dare you! I'm the emperor, kings are for horse swine." He stomped his foot as he dramatically threw his hand to the side. "My princess isn't a piece of dry tasteless hay."
Von scoffed. "If kings are meant for horse swine, then does that mean emperor's are meant for pigs feed? My princess needs no such company." Von waved his hand in disdain as he wrinkled his nose.
Fredric was furious. He pointed at Von as he glared towards the door. "Do you hear this? Cotton swab, why aren't you defending I, your brother?"
Standing by the door, doing his job as a guard was Roy, leaning haphazardly on the frame.
Roy shrugged his shoulders. "Don't bring me into this. I'm just a lowly guard."
If one didn't know him well enough, they'd think this taciturn man wouldn't care for the happenings present. Though on closer look, his face was less tense, a small smile lighting his mood.
Alicia's eyes shined in amusement as she watched her uncles and father's playful banter. Their arguments were so childish that gold couldn't outshine how perfect they were.
In Alicia's memories from her past, drama's were her favorite as she'd watched most of them on TV. Even read multiple novels focused around drama.
Since this was the case, how could she not find this live drama entertaining? Simply 5 stars, and the reviews are incoming.
»»————- ✼ ————-««
Author's note: In case of theft. This is an original -English- novel done by yours truly [MyKataren]. This author will state here and now, oh ye thief of old, thanks for the free advertisement!
Original : www.tinyurl.com/MVPGAwebnovel