Kanunia watched as the two nurses on duty attended to her sister. Then one of them, Mecdalor, reported Elzilaura's condition before he left the room. Kanunia noticed Zyric's glare at Mecdalor and looks at the general with a question on her face. Zyric had to explain.
"I don't trust him. Something feels wrong about him Kania." He divulges with a worried tone.
"Don't be so quick to judge," Kanunia advises. "You don't know him enough. Besides, he is here to perform his duty to care for our princess."
"Indeed, I do not know him well enough to judge but something is not right. Trust me, Kania. I have developed my instincts, especially after Minthria." Zyric stresses his point. "Besides, it was your story that heightened my doubts about this place."
"Raeon said he discovered Nybians here on Agcar but not specifically in this hospital. Look, I am nervous too but we need proof. For now, I will deem him innocent unless proven guilty. "
"Just be cautious, especially with him." Zyric adamantly suggests.
"As you wish, Lord Marshal." Kanunia agrees.
Medical staff came in and informed the Fliskans that there was a call in the nurse station from their allies. Zyric then takes the call while Kanunia stays behind. He comes to the nurse station and when the communicator was opened, the line was abruptly cut. The nurses tried to fix the signal but it seemed lost.
Zyric was uneasy again so he rushed back to Elizlaura's room.
When Zyric opened the door, he saw Kanunia unconsciously lying on the floor. He sees Mecdalor injecting a solution which made the unconscious princess shiver.
Zyric immediately attacked the culprit. Mecdalor tried to defend himself by throwing objects at the Zyric. As the Fliskan tried to evade, the nurse found the doorway. Mecdalor hurriedly ran and Zyric chased the nurse.
Eventually, the general caught the escaping assassin and pinned him down. He began interrogating Mecdalor asking who sent him to kill Elzilaura. Mecdalor refused to say a word. When Zyric pushed his interrogation further, the assassin grabbed a pill pin and pushed it at the tip of his finger. Not for long he lost consciousness and soon died.
Zyric returned to the princess' room and saw that Kanunia has recovered. Alednos and Dazifae were beside her while Harrion watched over the still-unconscious Elzilaura. The Royal Adviser informs him of what happened.
"Just after you left, we went in to check the princesses when we found Kanunia on the floor. I rushed to her aid and Harrion assisted me. Dazifae alerted the medical staff. Luckily, they reversed the effects of the poison."
"I am so sorry for not listening to you, Zee."
"Don't worry about it. What matters is that you are alright."
He then stood beside Harrion momentarily watching over their crown princess. The medical director then comes into the room and introduces himself.
"Your highness, my name is Dr. Guar. I apologize for this accident. Rest assured that we have taken new measures to protect you all. We will double security on this floor. The wing is sealed exclusively for you and your companions. The medical staff here has been background checked and will be exclusively assigned to you. They will report to me directly and I will be here every day to inspect our patient's progress. We will do the best we can for your sister, royal highness."
Kanunia responded favorably. "Thank you very much for your efforts to protect us. I am not sure how but we will also do every effort possible to repay such kindness."
"No worries your highness. Your health and safety are our utmost concern and we will have your sister back. After all, we have the best medical services this universe has to offer." The kind doctor reassured them. He then took leave while the rest of them left as well.
Another doctor came in to check on Kanunia. He recommended that the princess rest momentarily after her ordeal. Before she could respond, Zyric agrees with the doctor and carries her to the next room so she can rest and recover. Harrion stays behind to continue watching over Elzilaura.
Kanunia was surprised when Zyric scooped her up in his arms before she could protest anything. As he was transporting her to the other room, Kanunia narrates what happened.
"After you left, Mecdalor came in again and claims he forgot to give Ella some medication. When I told him I'm pretty sure the attending physician administered it last night, he paused and panicked. I felt the way you felt about him. Something was not right. I was about to call for help when he punched me in the stomach and then in the face. I blacked out after.
"Don't worry, he's gone now" Zyric lays her down on the bed. "You should get some rest."
He tries to convince her to but Kanunia sees a bit of weariness in him and asks about it. "Something troubles you. I'd rest better if you tell me what it is."
Zyric opens up and claims he was overcome by some unpleasant thoughts. "I trust the doctors here but what if Elzilaura doesn't make it?"
Kanunia explains. "Then I will take over and ask help from their allies to continue where Ella left off. I will do this for mother and Ella and all of Fliska."
Zyric nodes but raises another issue. "I'm not worried about the act of succession. I don't know to defend you against noblemen who are against you. They will raise the issue of your mother and use Lyna, Dazi, or even my sister, Zora, as better candidates to ascend the throne."
Kanunia feels there was something more in his mind. "I appreciate your concern but you know that I have Aldenos and other knowledgeable men to defend me against these noblemen. What is it that truly bothers you? You can't keep it to yourself forever."
Zyric lets out a sigh. "I'm worried about losing our princess. I promised Queen Azestina I will protect her daughters with my life if need be. I can't fail our Queen again. She is dead because of me. I can't let Elzilaura die. We found her at last and I'm not ready to lose her this way."
"It is not your fault mother is dead. Besides, you did everything you could to protect us and I am so thankful for your loyalty to our family." The elder sister squeezes his arm hand in affirmation."My sister will be fine. I hope you will be too because either way, whether Ella survives or not, she is already lost to you unless you do something about it."
"What do you mean?" Zyric was bewildered.
"You gave my sister a bouquet before the siege. Did she tell you those were her favorite flowers?" Kanunia asks.
"Yes, she did. Besides, she always collects them and places them in her hair sometimes." Zyric responds.
"Men don't remember details unless you're gay. You know you can tell me the truth. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Kanunia smirks.
"No, I'm not. No offense but I like girls. Secondly, it's part of my training to notice details so you're jumping to conclusions." Zyric explains.
Before Kanunia could answer, a medical staff entered the room. The nurse informs them that Lord Alednos seems to have injured his arm in an attempt to save Lady Dazifae.
The lady decided to take a walk and climbed a Mofi tree. Seeing its rare fruits, she hurriedly climbs to the top and slips. As she dangled at one branch, Alednos was out to save her. Unfortunately, before he could do so, the branch breaks off and it lands straight at him with the clumsy lady-in-waiting.
Now, the doctors are taking a look at his arm. The doctors are waiting for the test results done as part of the workup for the Fliskan noble. Lady Dazifae is under arrest for trespassing.
A new law had just been declared that Mofi trees are state property and must be left untouched. They were in danger of being extinct and thus protected by the government. Perhaps Dazifae is unaware of this new law. When her father was still alive, she got used to climbing and taking Mofi fruits. Now, such practice is punishable by law.
In anger, Kanunia was about to leave the bed but Zyric stops her. He promises to check on Dazifae while the Fliskan Princess vows to give her cousin a good reprimand.
Zyric tries to find Dazifae's whereabouts. After pulling some strings and finally getting the latter released, they both return to Kanunia's room.
The princess meets with Dazifae and gives her a long lecture on how to behave as a lady. They represented Fliska and that she must always be tactful at all times. As Kanunia went on further, Zyric informs her he will go on ahead. The two ladies were too preoccupied in their simple conversation turned debate they hardly noticed the Fliskan Marshal leave.
When the two Fliskan ladies finished, they both try to get some shut-eye. Kanunia was ordered to stay on a hospital bed in the adjacent room to Elzilaura's for she was under observation. Dazifae lay on the convertible chair which transforms into a single-size bed not far from where Kanunia was resting.
While the royal sister dozed off quickly, Dazifae was wide awake and very uneasy. She felt as if someone was watching them. There might be another spy so she left the room and checked the hallway.
At the end of it was a shadow of a man running to the right wing. She followed him but when she made the right turn, the shadow disappeared and the alarm sounded.
A warning message played throughout the facility that the auto-destruct sequence has been activated. Smoke poured out from the ventilation systems filling the halls. It was too foggy to see the way and just before she was asphyxiated, she saw a blinding light.