Eric sighed as he laid in his bed that night,he couldn't sleep and although he had dismissed the maids and his personal sides early just so he could get to sleep and wake up to find out what exactly was going on with the royal town or why else is she being shielded from his father's house which is the palace,something was off and he was bound to find out the next day,but sleep just wasn't easy to find,he wanted to try calling his girlfriend but unfortunately,
the call was not available meaning she had a shift that night after all,they were both doctors,he sighed or the upteenth time and before he knew it ,he was calling out to who was in the other room,he was pretty sure they didn't leave him to sleep in the luxurious suite that was fifth or a king ,alone.
"Hello? Who is there?1 who is out there"he asked ,although his voice had become mild from his younger days,she didn't sound so authoritative like he did in his years a spoilt prince
he laughed at his own self but was interrupted by a reply that came through the door that joined his room to the living room in the suite
"Hello,my prince, I am your chief maid, Leah. What shall I help you with this evening?"
"evening huh?" Eric thought,it was freaking past midnight but it was courtesy not to say so after all the royal family was attended to around the clock not to talk less of the prince and heir in line to the country himself
The chief maid although had given a reply still stood right outside the door,after all she couldn't come in without the prince saying so, Eric was about to ask why and he remembered
"Shit, being abroad for years has definitely made me soft,are you seeing this father? you didn't say it but this is what you have always wanted ,me not being such a spoilt and entitled brat"Eric said out loud to no one in particular with a sad chuckle
"My Prince...?"The chief maid called out still through the door
"Shit,that's right. i kept someone waiting"Eric face palmed himself momentarily as she shifted the bed covers over him to the side and said
"Get me my aide,Lukas. Now" he said authoritatively
"Ye smy prince,consider it done already "The Chief maid replied and through the darkness of the room with only the moon lighting it up, Eric walked to the curtain and drew them apart ,the room was more lighted with the moon's beam and Eric stared out ahead,the minister's town lay down before him and Lukas finally realized that this was no suite,it was the penthouse of the biggest hotel in the minister's town
Eric smiled "That Lukas,he goes such far lengths for an unworthy son,doesn't he ,father?"
"You don't like the penthouse,I assume? my prince"
A voice behind ericasked ,the prince however didn't bother to look back, it was a familiar voice he was used to, a voice that belonged to someone he trusts with his own life
"Hey Lukas.."Eric called out as he rubbed his face slowly
"Yes, my prince?" The aging aide answered with respect
"If I ask you a question that could cost you your life,would you answer it?" Eric asked
The question might have been surprising but the aide didn't hesitate to reply
"Yes,i would.i live mainly to serve you,my prince
Eric sighed
"Well,here it goes,I have thought and tossed about it in my bed for hours and this is the only conclusion I could come to.."
"What is that, my prince" Liukas inquired
"Lukas.." there was a slow pause before Eric continued,these seconds were like torture to the prince who wasn't prepared fro an answer he was expecting
"Lukas, was my father murdered?"
*****
"was my father murdered?"
The question hit Lukas maybe not as hard as it should, he was not surprised that the prince was suspicious about his father's death considering how they had quietly ushered him into the Minister's town
It was not time or his place to tell him yet because ofcourse if the prince knew what going on, the palace might be up in flames tight now, Lukas thought
"Lukas! Lukas ..!". It took a while for Lukas to snap out of his thoughts and that made Eric narrow his eyes while looking back at the aide he has known all his now, looking like someone that was just caught doing something wrong.
Lukas!
Eric finally screamed and Lukas responded to him with rapt attention. The prince breath hitched high as he choked on air on his last statement.
"Lukas?" Eric called but this time, monitoring his heartbeat rate as it seemed to hitch higher than the before
Lukas, of course quickly knew what was happening tried to call out to the maids but Eric held his hand back signaling him not to, with Eric's eyes red and full of tears as he tried to catch his breath
"My prince, are you okay? Should I call the doctor? Cheif Maid..!" Lukas called out
Eric coughed and shook his head then used his hands to massage his heart slightly and soon enough, he was calm, all this while, Lukas stared in fear then finally it dawned on him and he sighed as Eric started chuckling
"I forgot he was a doctor himself" Lukas thought with a smile as he stared at the now grown up little prince he had cared for all his life.however to prevent any further probing that will cause the prince to talk,Lukas made the first move
"My prince,after you left, I became the high aide of the king and I was there when he passed away quietly in his sleep, I was with him all night. I assure you, the late king died peacefully with a smile on his face"
Eric who had been listening with rapt attention knew if Lukas was indeed an high aide to the king,he ofcourse will have to stay awake while the king slept and he was not just a great care keeper but a strong bodyguard too so there definitely wasn't any foul play involved in his father's death. But what was this uneasy feeling that is gnawing at his heart this much?. Something is going on and he has no clue about it. Lukas was not lying but he definitely is hiding something.Eric concluded.
The clock chimed 2am and to Lukas's surprise, Eric let out a yawn and laid back properly in his bed
"I understand. By morning , everything thing will be cleared so I can have that much patience. " The prince declared with a smile.
Well, there was no point worrying Lukas to spill the details, by morning,whatever the details was,by the gods or not, he is tearing down the palace gate. That was his resolve as his eyelids shut close and he wandered off into Dreamland with his heart at peace
Lukas sighed the broke into a smile as the breathing of the prince evened out meaning he had fallen asleep
"Well, I expected this much" He said to himself and made his way out of the room, closing the door behind him