Inside the castle ground some few hours ago, a tall masculine figure stood on his balcony, his veined hands gripping tightly the railings.
His eyes glanced around, surveying the palace that he could see vastly from his chambers.
A maelstrom of emotions churned within him as he battled with himself, trying to contain his feelings.
'A king could never look weak, or his people's strength will be made meagre.' His father's words rang in his head as he stared into space.
This was the first time he witnessed firsthand what a battlefield truly looked like.
Although, as a prince, he had been trained to know what warfare was all about, it was different to experience it in reality.
The weight of his soldier's deaths bore down on him like a physical force. Faces etched in his memory, their screams echoing in his mind. The loss felt like an open wound that refused to heal.
Self-doubt crept into his mind, eroding his confidence and haunting him as he tried to imagine what he could have done differently to not have failed his knights.
These were the things people didn't know about Royalty. They thought bearing the crown meant only luxury and comfort. They knew not the pain and discomfort that came in moments like this.
Moving back from the railings after some time, he went back into his chambers, closing the door to his balcony and slumping in his gold-plated couch, elbows on the armrests and hand buried in his face.
A soft knock on his door broke the silence as he lifted his gaze with furrowed brows,
"Come in," his deep voice commanded and the person gently pushed the door open.
"Your Highness," the maidservant bowed deeply as she entered the room.
It was Cinna, Melina's friend.
"Ms Carlos begged that you be attended to after these herculean days. I was sent here by order to attend to you." Leon could see the slight nervousness mixed with the concern the young girl showed.
However, he was in no mood to be kept company at the moment, especially not when the one redhead that would lift his spirit was nowhere in sight.
"Thank you but I'm fine." He curtly told her and dismissed her, letting her drop the refreshments she had brought for him on the desk before leaving.
When the door closed, Leon's gloomy expression that he had perfectly hidden in the presence of the maid came back and he drooped his shoulders in frustration.
His mind drifted to the war and suddenly, he remembered Dasha and slowly, his expression of sadness turned to one of anger.
He balled his hands into fists as the thought of her ignited a burning rage in him.
Who was this young lady who thought she could just come to his kingdom to threaten him in front of his people because she could wield magic? Especially after getting his men killed for nothing?
What did she want exactly? He knew someone as powerful as that wouldn't just come taunting and bothering another kingdom for no reason. Princess Dasha was aiming for something and he needed to find that out for himself.
Putting his feelings at the back of his mind, he stood up and walked out of his chambers and quarters heading for the court.
Surprisingly, he came across a guard as he strode and he quickly paused in his tracks, seeing the weary look on the guard's face as he approached.
"Speak," Leon ordered when the guard bowed deeply, not liking the suspense that was being built up.
"Your Highness..." The guard's breath hitched as a sweat pulled from his forehead, his heart thumping in his chest loudly. He was one of the men who had been sent out to battle so he had seen Dasha's use of magic at the district.
"It's Advisor Matthew." He panted as he said, trying to catch his breath.
What about him? Asked Leon in his head.
"The physician said he responds not to treatment. Not only that, the other knight Dasha had struck with magic today..." He trailed as he spoke, briefly glancing at the king to see his expression.
At this point, Leon had prepared himself for anything as he listened to the guard. He was expecting to hear about another attack or threat, perhaps even an unexpected intruder lurking in the palace, but not in his wildest imagination did he think it was going to be about his right-hand man.
He narrowed his eyes at the guard, "What happened to him?" He asked with curiosity even though he could tell it wasn't going to be good.
"Telma..." The young guard called his name. "Telma is dead, Your Highness."
The guard let the weight of his statement hit Leon as he observed the king's face twist in confusion.
"You mean Telma Driyonne?" He called the knight's full name in surprise, remembering how he had contorted in agony when Dasha had struck him with a bolt of magic.
"Yes, Your Highness. I believe it was as a result of the dark magic the Bavarian princess had attacked him with. He didn't respond to his treatment and now he is dead. Advisor Matthew is also in comatose and the physician begs your presence." The guard finally reported the whole situation with hopes of the king understanding.
Leon took a brief moment to comprehend what was said to him as he blinked a couple of times to digest this news.
These were the same men who had only been in pain a moment ago and had shown no sign of near death illness. So what could have happened?
He looked at the guard, "Send for the priest immediately. I'll head to the infirmary now." Came his order and the guard scurried away from there to get the priest.
___________
Meanwhile, a battered and stressed Alice sat on the floor beside Matthew who was evidently turning blue. Her eyes were red as she held his cold hands in hers, caressing it subtly with tears pouring from her eyes.
"Milady," she heard someone call behind her and she turned her gaze to them.
Before her, stood her ladies-in-waiting, Naomi and Roshni, their faces just as sombre as hers.
"Milady please," one of them, Roshni begged her miss, with a tray of food and other well-cooked dishes in her hands.
The two of them had been here for some time, pleading with the princess to at least put something in her stomach, her eyes had gone white from starvation and she no longer looked like a noble-lady.
But that was not the problem to Alice. It was fear that this young man before her would never awake again. She could see from his state that he was getting no better. If anything, he was slowly pushing to his demise and that was what she refused to believe.
Her grip on Matthew's hand tightened as more tears welled in her eyes, falling from her cheeks.
Please...
She could only beg in her heart that this was not going to happen.
"Alice," she suddenly heard a deep voice and her head turned again to see her brother in front of her.
Leon wasted no time in coming to her side to look at the blond man who laid unconscious on his death bed.
"What happened?" He turned to one of the medical practitioners, demanding an explanation.
"W-we don't know, Your Highness. This situation appears to be medically inexplicable." They lowered their heads in apology on seeing the king and held their hands together.
Leon looked from right to left at the medics who were now standing motionless on his arrival. Fear enveloped them as they couldn't tell how the king would react, seeing his friend dying and they could do nothing.
"Matthew..." Leon quietly called out to his dying friend who looked incredibly pale. His body was cold like never and he didnt need to be told that it had been Dasha's doing.
What did she do to him?
"What about him?" Leon walked to the side of his other knight, Telma whose body had been placed on a gurney and covered completely with a white cloth.
His hear twisted in agony at this sight.
What was happening?
These people who had trained with him for years now were dying and all at once. It made him sick to his stomach and was hard to accept.
He reached the stretcher and opened the white cloth slowly from his head, anxious to see a dead Telma. His fingers shook as he waited to see his face when he opened the cloth down to his neck.
"How...?" His eyes softened at the lifeless face that came to displace.
There was no mark or injury on his body unlike Matthew who had been pierced by a spear.
Dasha had used a complete force of dark magic on him while she had only stabbed Matthew with a sword which explained why Telma died before him.
Oh God...
Leon felt his head ache awfully at this sight. The thought of Matthew dying messed with his mind terribly and everyone including Alice simply stared at him with pity.
They knew everything that was going on was taking a toil on him and he was only trying not to show it, to act strong. In spite of that, his predicaments were obvious.
"Your Highness," a low voice said and Leon turned back. It was the guard he asked to summon the priest and behind him stood the person he had been waiting for.
Conner, the elderly man walked into the room with a twisted expression as he looked around before bowing his head in respect when he reached the king.
"Thank you." Leon simply said. He knew Conner had not seen him since he returned from the war and he was also not aware about the magic wielder, Dasha.
Right now, nevertheless, Leon only needed to confirm that Dasha's magic was what had led to this tragedy before explaining to him about this mysterious woman.
"You sent for me," Conner started as he bowed before Leon and he noticed how the medics moved back quickly at the sight of him.
"I had run coming here with hopes that victory was being celebrated. How greatly disappointed I had to be." He joked and walked towards the bedstand where Matthew laid. He was wise enough to know what Leon had summoned him here for.
Alice subconsciously moved back when he came closer, giving him space to do whatever but she didn't understand why Leon called the priest in this situation.
Conner was only needed in magic infested situations as he could detect magic but this was a whole different thing. This was war and Matthew and Telma had only sustained injuries right? Alice wondered as she observed the people in the room carefully.
Her brother, the guards and the priest. She noticed a few other knights had come along and they were the same men that returned from the battle.
The knights silently looked at each other with guilt, something Alice observed and her brows furrowed.
What was going on?
Why was a priest here?
Conner swiftly touched Matthew's hand and dropped it immediately before turning to the king. His eyes narrowed.
Before the old man could utter a word, Leon commanded, "Leave," and everyone looked at him puzzled.
"All of you," he added when he noticed Alice staring at him in disbelief.
The servants as well the medics including his knights didn't question him and simply walked away.
A reluctant Alice stared at Matthew, then Leon, then the priest, her eyes blazed with curiosity even though they were swollen from her crying.
"But-"
"Leave, Alice. I'd handle the situation myself." He let her know when she tried to protest and Alice balled her hands into fists, slightly glaring at her brother before stomping away from the room.
Without being informed, she could tell already that Matthew's situation was not normal. It was magic.
She put two and two together and felt her heart squeeze as she walked out of the infirmary.
How did that happen? Who used magic on them? Were the Vagarian soldiers able to wield magic that easily?
Her mind reeled with thoughts and her body as the guards closed the door after her.
Matthew was infested with powerful magic which meant if the priest could not help in this, he was going to die.