The king took long strides to get to his intended destination but the long hallway just seemed to get longer, his face as tensed as a winded clock work.
"Your majesty, the princess Soriya had an accident and seems to have broken her leg", a servant blurted out as he bowed low in order to avoid the king's gaze.
" What did you say? ", he stops in his tracks and glared at the servant who spoke.
The servant felt a lump in his throat that wouldn't easily go away, "I...I'm...so..rry your majesty. The princess Soriya...".
" Have you called for a physician?", the king interjected.
"Yes your majesty, he is trying to attend to her but there is a bit of an issue", the servant's hands started to get clammy and his guts twisted into something obscure.
"Speak!", the king's voice became threatening low.
" She is refusing treatment from the physician but won't stop crying your majesty", the servant breath quickened.
[What is wrong with my children today?].
"You may go".
The servant hearing this bowed and retreated with his tail tucked between his legs.
[This king is going through a lot, right now], the king sighed deeply.
He took a long glance at the portrait that was actually a hidden door to Selene's room and took off in the other direction.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Nooo! (sniffle)I'm o...ok. I...don't want tre....treatment (Sniffle) I pr...promise I'm okay...y", the girl on the bed spoke frantically as she moved further into her bed, pressing her back against the headboard of the bed that was made of gold and resembled the image of the sun.
" Your highness please don't be stubborn your in pain right now", one of the servants on standby tried to reason with her but she wasn't having any of it.
"I'm n...not!", pressing her body further into the headboard she dropped her head into her open palms as her glimmering golden hair concealed her face completely.
" Your highness please, we beg of you let the physician treat you", said another servant who knelt down while pleading, his body shook violently has he thought of the king.
"What is going on here?", the king said in a low voice, his gaze swept through the room coldly as everyone became silent.
His eyes land on the petite figure that sat on the bed and softened, " All of you, out", the king said coldly with his gaze unwavering and in a matter of seconds the room was empty.
"(Sniffle)", the small figure shifted on the bed, her legs looked boneless as they laid on it. "Child what is the matter?", his gaze softened further as he sat on the side of the bed.
Hearing the question she lifted up her face to reveal a pair of emerald green eyes that resembled his, " Fa...ther? (sniffle) ".
"Why won't you allow the physician treat you?", he inquired as he wiped the tears on her face with a handkerchief that he pulled out of his pocket.
[How can I tell you father? That this physician is a wicked man. I didn't know at first but when I met him I saw it; the spirit of the dead clinging to his flesh. He is a dangerous man father will you believe me?].
"Fa...ther I'm ok I pro...mise(sniffle)".
[Could she perhaps be hiding something from me? But I know that I can't easily pry it out of her, she is too stubborn].
" Ok then, child I will send the physician back, you don't have to worry I believe you", he patted her head before he stood to leave.
~~~~~~~~~~
" What do you think the king will say to the princess?", a servant ask in a hushed voice.
"Nothing good I should say. The king is a very scary person and the princess has dragged him all the way here just because she does not want to receive treatment, how childish", the other servant retorted.
"Balion please watch your mouth, you should never be caught speaking ill of the royal family members", another cautioned.
"I just speak the truth Ramona, we work hard spending our blood and sweat to serve the royal family members yet some of them still deem it fit to make our work more diffi...".
"That's enough Balion", another servant interjected, his voice cold, his aura menacing and his ocean blue gaze deadly, chills went down Balion's spine.
"You must choose your words wisely from here on out Balion, if not you won't live to regret it", he said with an obviously fake smile that never reached his eyes that were partially obstructed by his dark brown hair.
"You...You are threatening me!", Balion stuttered.
"Me? No friend, it is only a warning. Choose now this day where your loyalty lies", with that said he vanished into the corridors from where he came.
Balion gritted his teeth," That Mica drives me crazy! Did you see? He outrightly threatened me", he hissed.
"That's enough Balion! Mica only reminded you of the truth", Ramona looked so exasperated as she combed her hand through her curly ash hair and stared at Balion who was as stubborn as a mule with her big brown eyes.
"That bastard", he stood in a spot quietly fuming. The door creaked open as the king came out, everyone bowed their heads.
"How did it happen?", the king asked in a cold voice making everyone shudder in fear, "Who was responsible for looking after her?", silence engulfed the corridors.
" It was me your majesty", Ramona said her head still lowered before the king.
"So what happened?", the king directed his gaze towards Ramona.
" Your majesty, the princess wanted me to get her a book from the top shelf and I tried my best to get it but failed. So I went to get a ladder to bring her highness the book. I never thought that she would attempt to get it herself, I apologize your majesty", Ramona said her gaze facing the king's feet.
The king looked thoughtful for a while, "Ramona".
"Your majesty?".
"Don't let this repeat itself again".
"Yes your majesty".
"No one should go to the princess's room until I say so", with that said the king turned to leave.
[I hope I'm doing the right thing, according to the ancient, Soriya can heal herself anytime she wishes, it is even said that the legendary Phoenix draws it's power from the sun as well, Soriya and Selene are no ordinary children I know it, but they have not shown any signs of their powers awakening].
He found himself already standing in front of the bizarre portrait of a devil staring up at the a silver moon that was partially obstructed by a fog.
~~~~~~~~~~
Selene stumbled as she tried to get off her bed, "The hunger is finally starting to get to me. I guess I have to eat something if I want to be strong enough against the poison's backlash", she sighed as she saw a piece of vanilla flavoured cake and a variety of other dishes on her table.
"This must be Larisa's doing".
[she always goes overboard when caring for Selene and is the only one who mourned for her when the Estridsen are extinguished and Soriya is sold into slavery. This is because she was the only living person that ever knew she existed].
She comforted her frayed heart as she stuffed chunks of cake into her mouth with her silver fork.
[This cake reminds me of home somehow and...],a memory flashed in her mind, she heared heavy breathing as long raven black hair cascade down his face.
He towered over her, the smell of vanilla infiltrated her nose as he pressed her against her bed but she is not frightened or afraid.
A strange excited sensation rose from her belly, as she helplessly stared into his once cold lavender eyes that now betrayed him, "Selene", he whispered into her ears, his voice like sweet dripping honey.
"Selene? Child what is on your mind?".
"Ah! ", she hurriedly rose to her feet.
[Why didn't I notice when he came?].
"Good evening father",she curtsied formally, [The king of the Astral kingdom, King Asterion Novus Estridsen, my father ].
He approached her slowly mystery spewing from him as his watchful gaze weighed heavily on her bead red face, "Child, we need to talk".
[A truly observant man, I must not mess this up], her eyes brimmed with determination.