Ivan looked upon the walls surrounding Dympna. He had visited this town only once, hoping that it would be his last time. Unfortunately, fate had decided that it wasn't and that he would have to look into the madman's eyes once again.
After the exile of King Urien, Ivan was entrusted with getting Urien somewhere where he would be contained and wouldn't cause further problems to others and the kingdom. Especially to Rea. First, they only meant to banish him, but when Tivon proclaimed Rea to be the Queen of Naydawin, he had gone completely mad. Ivan had never in all his life time on sea and in the army seen a man lose his sanity that quickly and so severely.
After it, they've decided to put Urien in the asylum for insane man. The ride to Dympna was unbearable for Ivan. Urien kept yelling and shouting, insulting Rea and disowning his son. He kept moving his body and his eyes were twitching uncontrollably. Ivan had trouble unseeing the picture of a King went mad, in his dreams.
Ivan didn't like Rea's plan to visit him. It was true that Urien knew how to keep the kingdom intact, free from most of the troubles, wars, and attacks, however it was also true, that he was a harsh, misogynistic ruler, who cared little about others.
The door to the town opened, welcoming the royal carriage into dull, deserted town. The buildings were in poor shape, it's windows sealed shut from the inside.
"Does anyone live here?" Asked Rea.
"Most people have fled. They didn't like being in the presence of insane people."
Rea only nodded in response. The carriage quickly came to a stop before the biggest building in town. As soon as Ivan and Rea stepped out of the vehicle, they've been greeted by the screams coming from the inside.
A woman standing by the entrance, Ivan assumed to be the nurse, bowed down before them.
"I wasn't aware of any visits from Your Majesty."
Rea acknowledged her with a nod. "We're sorry to come here unannounced. We're here to see Urien."
The woman's head snapped up. "The former King?"
"Yes, Urien. Father of Tivon and the previous King of Naydawin. We would like to see him."
"Yes of course, Your Majesty." She bowed again. She looked up firstly at Rea and then at Ivan. "Follow me and stay close."
Ivan kept close to Rea as they followed the nurse down a dark hallway. Ivan had the pleasure of not entering the building for the first time he was here. He just handed Urien to them and left the town as quickly as he could. He wasn't so lucky this time.
The sounds coming from the secured doors were unbearable. The sound of yelling, screaming, moaning, and crying were hard to ignore. Ivan glanced at Rea. She was keeping her back straight, and face expressionless, but Ivan could see in the paleness of her face that she was startled. Her face flinched slightly at every sound.
Suddenly the nurse stopped by a door at the far end of the corridor. She turned to face Rea and Ivan.
"I know he is not King anymore, but he still wants to be addressed as his Majesty. I'm sorry in advance."
"I understand." Nodded Rea.
"There are two guards stationed inside." She pulled out a ring of keys. "But don't get too close to him."
The woman put the key in the door and opened it. Two guards were indeed stationed by the door. The room was dark, lighten up only by a candle light on the table, by a sealed window. The air was heavy, filled with humidity and it was freezing cold. Ivan tightened his coat closer to him.
"Your Majesty, you have visitors." She lowered her voice and whispered to Ivan. "When you're done knock on the door."
Before Ivan could say anything she closed and locked the door behind. Rea's eyes met his and Ivan tried to give her a reassuring smile.
"Visitors?" The voice was horse, as he had been shouting for weeks. They both looked at the figure sitting by the table, looking through the closed window. "Nobody ever visits anyone here."
He looked at them with dull green eyes. Ivan took a quick breath. He almost couldn't recognize the man sitting in front of him. Urien had lost weight and his podgy face was gone. His skin was wrinkly, making him look as he had aged ten years. His brown hair, the only thing that resembled Tivon, was now fully grey.
"Ah, it's you."
Rea straightened her back. "Hello Urien."
He looked away to stare at the sealed window. "What do you want?"
Rea wanted to approach him, but Ivan stopped her. She met his eyes and Ivan shook his head. Rea looked back at Urien. "I need help with the kingdom."
Urien started laughing. It was a low scornful laughter that sounded through the hollow room. "Does our little Rea have problems handling the kingdom?"
"I'm here for advice."
His green eyes sparkled. "What kind of advice?"
"How to win over the people and other royals? How do I make this kingdom sturdy?"
He laughed again. "You should've thought about that before you threw me off the throne and send me into this hellhole." When Rea didn't flinch, he continued. "Why are you even asking me? You all said I was unfit to be a King."
"Nobody said that. Your ways of ruling weren't fit and all the shady deals you did with others were unfit. But the kingdom was still standing strong." She slowly started approaching him. Ivan kept close to her, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "There was no famine, no complaints. How did you do that?"
"No famine? No complains?" Urien laughed again with each laughter more mocking. Suddenly he started to choke on his saliva. Ivan instinctively reached his hands to him, but stopped. Urien brushed his lips with his sleeve and looked up at Rea.
"There was always poverty and starvation, the people were always complaining."
"What?" Asked Ivan.
That shocked him. Never in his years of serving there were any news or complaints from the towns and villages.
"You look surprised General." He smirked. "I was the only one who knew."
"But why haven't the people spoken up. I get complaints almost every day." Said Rea.
A big grin painted over his face. Ivan didn't like where this was going.
"They were afraid. They knew if they complained they would be punished." His eyes started to twitch. "You see Rea, you need to show the people who's in charge. If you give them limits and promise them you won't do anything to them, they see you as God. You become a Saint to them. And you know how people are with Saints and Gods. They fear their power, but they are drawn to it. Nobody dares to hurt a God."
He started laughing again. Ivan glanced at Rea. She was trying to keep herself cool, despite being taken aback. Her hands at the side clenched and she started shaking.
Rea placed her hand on the table. "You liar. Tivon was right."
He slammed his fist on the table. "Don't speak that boys name ever again!" Spit Urien and Rea shut her mouth closed. Urien leaned back in his chair. "Call me whatever you want, Rea, but take a good look. Whose kingdom is falling apart?" He gestured to himself. "Mine?" He placed a palm of his hand on her hand. "Or yours?"
Ivan pulled out his sword and pointed it at Urien's neck. The guards quickly approached them.
"What are you going to do General?" Mocked Urien. "Betray me?"
Rea placed a hand on Ivan and whispered. "Let's go."
She turned and was about to leave when Urien spoke again. "I hope your prison is secured. Wrong people keep running away from it."
Ivan turned around. "What do you mean by that?"
He wasn't looking at them anymore. Urien was staring at a blank wall, his head slightly twitching. "The Green Woman… That woman is dangerous."
Rea eyed Ivan and he knew what that look meant. Get us out of here. Ivan tried to move towards the door as Urien muttered. "But not only her. The others." He paused. "The witches."
Rea hastily turned to him. "What witches?"
"My grandfather had killed them." He spoke as something had possessed him. "He had killed many. But Rhiamon..."
Rea ran to him and forced him to look at her. "What about it?! What do you know?"
"She cursed him, but she wasn't the one who killed him." A single tear fell down his cheek. "I was so young when he died. They said he died in his sleep. But I saw her."
His eyes were rolling up. Rea grabbed his collar and shook him. "Who did you see?"
"Eyes as gold, bright as the snakes ones."
Ivan froze. Cornelis. Did Cornelis kill the King? It couldn't be possible. She was young. She couldn't possibly be alive then.
"Skin dark as the night." He mumbled. Ivan looked at Rea. She must've been thinking the same thing. "Yes, skin dark and umber. But her hair," His eyes twitched again, and Rea let go of him. "Her hair was white as snow. Long straight and white."
Then Urien started to shake uncontrollably. Ivan grabbed Rea by the hand as the nurse stormed into the room. Ivan only saw the nurse pull out a bottle filled with a liquid before he got Rea out and closed the door.
"Someone murdered the King?!" Yelled Rea. "A witch?!"
Ivan held her tightly and ran down the hallway. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight. Everyone always said that the King had died in his sleep. And now to think he was murdered by a witch. At least it wasn't Cornelis. And what about the famine, the punishment for the people who spoke up?
"Ivan!"
He stopped, realizing they were already outside the asylum. He could still hear Urien scream. Ivan released Rea and turned to her. "We shouldn't have come here." Rea nodded slowly. "We should head back to Naydawin."
"No." Rea looked up. "We'll go to Lucien. My parents are the only ones who can help me now." Said Rea desperately.
"How could they help you? You heard Urien. This kingdom has been in shambles even before you."
"That's exactly why I want to save it." She walked down the stairs to him. "I want my people to be free. I don't want them to suffer anymore." Rea closed her eyes and took in the cold air. "And if my parents don't know what to do, I will figure something out myself."
Ivan had a feeling that going to Lucien wouldn't be a good idea. It was that, or Rea's parents wouldn't be able to help her. But he had promised her he would stay and help her.
"Okay." Sighed Ivan. "Let's go before it gets dark."
He helped Rea get in the carriage as the screams from the inside of the building subsided.