"Why do we have to kill him?!!! He didn't do anything wrong! How can your father accept that Mark?!! Please do something!"
"I can't. The actual king himself granted him nobility. If we oppose this, we might be considered rebels, and you know it."
While I am sleeping, I can hear people shouting. Rose, Mark, even the old Excafol is talking. But it all feels like a dream where I can't see anything nor move.
***
When I finally wake up, I am in a huge room. Reminds me of our mansion in Tatradum. I try to stand, but I can't. No matter the effort I put, my back isn't responding. Was I perhaps hurt there? Also, my left eye and my head are bandaged—both my arms as well as the rest of my body. Even my mouth is wrapped.
It seems I was much more injured than I thought. Not being able to feel things in these kinds of moments is great. I don't feel anything. But, I am sure if I could, I would faint right away. I turn my head left and right to have an idea of where I am, but the door opens. I close my eyes to make it look like I am still sleeping. I hear footsteps, two or three persons.
"Mark, I beg of you, talk to the prince again. Please!" Ah, that's Rose's voice. Talk to the prince? About what?
"Rose, you are making this more difficult. You know he can't do anything more. He already did great." This one is Mark. Apparently, something is going on. Something bad.
"We can't just kill him like this. He fought because he was asked to!" And this one is Secily. Am I in the instructor's dorms? Why are they here and what are they talking about?
"It has been one week already. We can't push it further."
"No, I don't even think he can wake up now." Secily is angry it seems. Well, she doesn't like it when people treat life like it's nothing important. I know that too well.
"We should go and talk elsewhere."
Rose proposes to the others and they agree because I hear footsteps but moving away now. I wonder what they were talking about. One thing is for sure. Killing Kalok has created a bad event. I hope I will at least get paid by the assassin.
***
In the afternoon, a maid comes to my room with flowers, while she is putting them in a pot on the cupboard near my bed. I look at her, but she doesn't seem to notices me. After about one minute, she turns towards the bed and our eyes meet.
"KYAAAAA!" she screams like she has seen a ghost. You didn't need to scream like that. The pot she was cleaning even falls and breaks. What is wrong with her?
When she screams, the door opens brutally and two guards enter. My room is guarded? Why?
"Call everyone, he has woken up." The maid tells the guard after taking a huge breath. "You have been asleep for a good while Sir. A lot is going on because of you." Well, I more or less guessed that already.
Rose arrives first in my room. Her eyes are red and wet. As soon as she enters, like it was a signal, everybody also arrive: Mark, Secily, Borgas, Lanuvel, Romas... everyone.
"How do you feel? Can you hear us? Can you talk? Does it hurt somewhere? Are you hungry?"
Rose discharges so many questions at me I don't even know if she is asking for answers or just talking to herself. Mark touches her shoulder. She is trembling. Why do you care about me like that? I don't understand.
"I am okay more or less, as you can see." I talk to finally calm her down. And she starts crying. Shit! I don't like to see people crying because of me.
"I am so sorry! I should have stopped that from the beginning! I should have..." Rose takes my hand and starts apologizing. Can somebody finally explains what is going on here?! Secily comes near me and touches my forehead.
"Good, your fever is gone and you don't have seizures anymore." She says so while making a smile. But her eyes look so sad so it contrasts with it. Lanuvel is crying behind them and Romas is trying to console her. Borgas is still the same jerk. This is awkward in a lot of ways.
***
"Everyone, the fourth prince has come." While we were busy enquiring about my well-being. Demether comes and a butler announces him.
"Your highness."
Everyone bow lightly when he enters except Rose who was kneeling. She didn't even turn to greet him. He enters and walks towards me. The butler brings a chair and Demether sits on it. Near my bed.
"Kevin. How do you feel?" Now you want to how I feel even though everything is your damn fault you prick!
"I feel quite shitty right now thanks to a certain someone." I don't care that you are royalty.
"Watch the way you speak!" Borgas interjects but the prince lifts his hand, signaling him to shut up.
"I forgot to ask the other day but how old are you?" what kind of stupid questions is that?
"I am…Wait, which months and day are we now?" I don't even remember the date so it's difficult to know.
"Ahahaha, a funny one. We are almost at the end of the high cold month. Why?" So we are almost entering the ice month then.
"My birthday is in the middle of the ice month, I think. So, I should be ten years old soon."
"I see. So you are considered an adult already then. I am thirteen, by the way, so we can talk freely between us. Please I need you to listen to me carefully. It might make you very angry but you must listen."