"send out the summons of all the generals and the marshal, tell them to present themselves within three days of time" I ordered before walking to the balcony overviewing the peony garden.
The same darkness swallowed the sky, just like those days when a misfortune occurred. Too many to count. The days my life changed forever. Where my family turned its back on me, the people I thought I was close to, never thought that one day they'd be the one after my life, drenching it with sorrow and misery of losing the only hope in this hell like place.
It was draining, both physically and mentally, watching people I was close to change, become distant, and attempt on taking my life because I was a thorn in their way, only to be killed by me in the end. That's right, I have killed, many in fact. My hands are stained with their blood forever, both the innocent and those responsible. And in those people some were even my brethren.
It gave me a mental scare as the first person I ever killed was my dear elder sister Selena. I started losing my humanity as the same cycle continued, morphing me into a lifeless marionette.
All of it for what? For power, for the throne, because of the cursed blood coursing through me. This blood that has tainted my life. This thrust for power had made everyone deranged.
"and those that do not make it will have their ranks taken and be demoted" I continued, snapping out from those recollection of distant memories. I don't wish to recall those horror. Ever.
"but your highness, if you do that, it will cause a riot and then they might eventually rebel against you" he voiced out in a pleading tone to try and reason with me.
"I don't have any use for soldiers who are not loyal to me and not following my commands without any questions like a loyal pet" I said snapped at him, facing him and giving him a glare full of bloodthirsty killing intent, something I acquired after being consumed by hatred and madness.
"I understand, I'll immediately send out the message" said general Andres, bowing as a sign of respect, but there clearly were a few hints of fear mixed in, perfectly concealed by his deadpan face, not daring to meet my eyes before leaving.
"make sure no one knows about the king's death for now, and absolutely make sure no news leaks of this like wildfire to the public. The nobles can be suppressed one way or the other but but the entire population learning of their ruler's death will only cause a mayhem" I voice out just before he left, saying it in a commanding and clear voice so that he heard me and my message was passed across. He gave a short nod in acknowledgement before disappearing in the dark corridors.
When leaving the royal chamber, I once again took a quick glance at the spot where father once played before being taken away by the soldiers on general Andres command. There was still blood that was not cleared. I was stunned to see a name written with it, 'NOEL'. When did it appear, was it when I was lost in the past? I will never know. What I want to know is the meaning behind this. Was it a code for something? A hint? What was he hinting at?
There was only two Noel that I know of. That would be the second prince of Arian. There is not much known about him, just the fact that he was also a bastard child of the king. Just like me. Other than that everything else is shrouded in mystery. The other being my childhood friend I found near Baltic mansion when I was 5. His existence was just like Selena's, an existence that kept me sane and became a reason to live another day before he also disappeared, during the fight for an heir.
I only met the second prince of Arian once during my visit to Arian kingdom, a very brief encounter, but I can't forget the fact that I felt like I had known him from before. He was an exact copy of how I was before that wretched incident happened. Withdrawn from society but not afraid to meet the person's eyes. I had no options off him. Once, I even thought the two people were one and the same but that wasn't true at all. They didn't look the same, neither their personalities or their mana had any similarities.
The fact that the king wrote this name and the reports from the northern border, could means that he's involved in this one way or the other. I just have to find out if it's in a good way or not. But I can't rule out the fact that the king wrote this, the king who has no ounce of parental love from his offspring wrote this. And this might not actually hint to a person, it could be a code to something, the hard part is, for what?
The maids knocked on the door and came in after receiving my permission. Without a word they started cleaning up the mess left behind. I left for my chamber next door to the king's. With each step I took my mind became more chaotic.
I jumped on the bed curled up as a headache comes in when just thinking of the mess I would have to clean up. As the king had died, I'm the only one who can inherit the throne as the royal blood flows in me. The only remaining royal with overwhelming mana circulating through me. This blood is the reason why even though the queen exists she can't take over the throne.
Then there is also the war that's threatening to break out between the borders of Fiore. The news of the war would have spread to the public by now and I can't think of how they might be causing chaos outside the palace. It would just intensify if the news of their monarch's death came to light.
That cannot be allowed as it would only weaken the country if a civil war were to rise between the people and the nobles. The generals are loyal to the throne but they might not all follow my orders as the proxy of the king temporarily.
These thoughts go around in circles with no end, no solutions found exhaustion rescues me to sleep.