While Rosalie walked back to her home, Aurelio walked back into Grayson's bedroom, seeing Jabari and Soren standing there along with 2 servant men.
Jabari looked at Aurelio, saying, "There you are. Where's the servant woman you had thrown in the dungeon?" "I had her released from the dungeon," Aurelio grumbled as he gritted his teeth. Soren said, "Okay and where is she? We need her to give us the antidote." "I don't know," Aurelio sighed. "What do you mean you don't know," Jabari snapped. Aurelio grinded his teeth and said, "When I released her, I told her not to come back or she'd be killed." Grayson's eyes widened as he thought, 'She saved my life and you threaten to kill her…' Jabari grabbed Aurelio by the collar and shouted, "She's the only one who knows what the antidote is, the only one who can help His Majesty, and you had her released and then threatened to kill her? How are we supposed to help His Majesty?" Aurelio pushed Jabari off of him, saying, "She had no business keeping His Majesty from us, and just because she gave him the antidote doesn't mean she didn't poison him first. Who's to say she didn't do this for money? I mean a poor woman, in an isolated village, saving the king could give her a huge reward." "You're dense, you're very dense. You don't use your brain. You don't think before you do. His Majesty trusted you, and you put him and his kingdom at risk with your assumptions. Go and get the girl, bring her back so she can help save the king," Jabari commanded. "The fact that you can just trust random people without a second thought without even questioning their motives is exactly why His Majesty put me in charge should anything happen to him. If anything, you should think more like me, instead of blindly trusting everyone or have you forgotten your last excursion that almost destroyed the kingdom," Aurelio mocked with a half smile.
Grayson groaned, and Jabari, Aurelio, and Soren rushed to his bedside. Soren said, "You two need to stop fighting, His Majesty is in pain, and you two need to set aside your differences so we can help His Majesty get better." Grayson groaned louder, thinking, 'I'm in so much pain and they're bickering, I feel drained,' and he slowly began closing his eyes. Soren felt Grayson's head, feeling him burning up, and said, "His Majesty has a fever. I need some cold water for him immediately." One of the servant men nodded, saying, "I'll bring some right away," and left the room. Jabari asked, "Why is he burning up if he's gotten the antidote already?" "I don't know. I've never dealt with Jewel Flower poisoning before, I've only heard of the effects of it… These next few hours are going to be the hardest for His Majesty and without the antidote I'm not sure if he will make it out of this alive," Soren sighed. Jabari looked at Aurelio, saying, "If His Majesty does not make it out of this, I promise you with all the power I have, I will make sure it will be your head." "If His Majesty doesn't make it out of this, you will have no power, I'll make sure of it," Aurelio provoked. Jabari growled, "Stay by His Majesty's side and monitor him at all times, Soren, get him anything he needs and I'm going to inform the guards not to harm the servant woman but to find her and you need to do the same Aurelio." Aurelio clenched his jaw, and Soren nodded, saying, "Yes Sire." Jabari said, "And you better hope he makes it out of this Aurelio," and Jabari left the room. Aurelio looked at Soren, saying, "I want updates every hour, give him the best care, and if he dies… I will have you killed." Soren swallowed his air, saying, "Yes Sire," and Aurelio left the room.
2 days later…
Back at Rosalie's home…
Rosalie stood in the doorway of her home, feeling her feet torn up walking and her body drained. She leaned against the doorway, seeing a mess in her home, thinking, 'It's all destroyed… And the man… What has happened to him… Is he okay… I miss him dearly and I didn't even get to know his name… God why… Why is this happening?' She grabbed her arms and heard a whisper in her ear say, "Go back." She looked around her, seeing nobody, and said, "What?" She felt a strong tug on her heart, hearing the same Voice whisper, "This place is not your home. Take your embroidery hoop to the Kingdom Square, sell it, and go back with the money."
She walked into her home, grabbing her ridged embroidery hoop off her coffee table, and stared at it, thinking, 'This hoop… I've had this old thing for years and I've used it well.' She felt a tug on her heart, hearing a whispering Voice say, "Let it go, sell it in the Kingdom Square, and go back to the castle." Rosalie nodded, leaving her home with the embroidery hoop in her hand, and heard the same whispering Voice say, "Mourn not for the things you had do not compare to the things I have for you."
Back at the castle…
Inside Grayson's room, Soren sat on a chair next to the bed where Grayson laid. Auerlio entered the room asking, "Any updates on His Majesty?" "His fever has gone. He's just been drifting in and out of consciousness," Soren answered. Auerlio walked over to Grayson, standing next to his bedside, and said, "Keep monitoring him… We have to make sure His Majesty gets better." Amias entered the room, saying, "My Lord, the decree has been written." Aurelio looked at him, saying, "Send it out. We don't know when or if His Majesty will get better, so the sooner I can act as King, the better." Grayson groaned, and all the men looked at him, seeing his eyes open. Aurelio said, "You're awake, your Majesty, good to see," Grayson sat up, staring at Aurelio with a cold stare, grabbing him by the collar, causing him to stop mid sentence. Aurelio, Soren, and Amias' eyes widened. "Y-Your, Your Majesty y-you're better," Auerlio stuttered. "She saves my life, and you threaten to have her killed," Grayson fumed. Aurelio swallowed his air, stuttering, "I-I t-thought she had poisoned you." Grayson shouted, "And when you found out she didn't, you still threatened to have her killed." "I thought she was a scam artist. I mean, she never even informed us of your whereabouts. I didn't know if I could trust her… All I saw was you, hurt and in danger, and she was the only one there… Please believe me, Your Majesty, I only acted in your best interest. Please, please forgive me," Aurelio begged. Grayson growled, "You're lucky I don't bestow the same cruelness you showed her upon you. It's because of her I'm even alive," and threw Aurelio to the floor. Jabari entered the room, saying, "What is going on," saw Grayson, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty you've recovered." Grayson nodded, stood up, looked at Amias, and said, "Send out a decree to all the guards. We are looking for the servant woman who saved my life. Some of the guards and servants have already seen her, tell those who have not seen her that she is in her early 20s, has dark brown hair, jade green eyes, and is around 5'4. You can't miss her, and when she is found, have her adorned in precious silks and bring her to me." Amias bowed, saying, "I will get on the decree right away," and Grayson said, "See to it that you do. Inform all the servants of this as well and make a new decree that if anything is to happen to me, Jabari will also act as King." Aurelio stood up, saying, "But Your Majesty Jabari almost doomed the kingdom by trusting The Vasa Kingdom, which is how he lost his original title in the first place. He is irresponsible and not right for the kingdom. He will lead us to death. Please reconsider." "Do not question the orders of your King, you are lucky I do not take your title completely and only allow Jabari to be in charge," Grayson scolded. Aurelio looked down, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, forgive me." Amias said, "I will make the new decrees and announce them as soon as they're done, Your Majesty." Amias left the room, and Grayson said, "Jabari gather up all the plans you've been working on while you've been away, and Aurelio have the servants prepare my clothes and a bath. We need to get back to work protecting the kingdom." Aurelio and Jabari bowed, saying, "Right away Your Majesty," and they left the room doing what Grayson commanded.
2 days later
In the Kingdom, Town Square stood Rosalie holding her embroidery hoop. The town square had different buildings, all made out of brown brick, graystone paths, seller stands, and houses. The town was busy with townspeople buying and selling and carrying on with their lives. Laughter and talking of the people flowed around the air as Rosalie walked through the busy town, looking for a stand to sell her embroidery hoop.
"Rosalie," a familiar voice called out. Rosalie looked around her, hearing her name called again. "Rosalie, over here," the same voice called out. She looked around her until she saw Miss Verna standing behind a sellers stand. Rosalie smiled and walked over to Miss Verna, seeing different handmade jewelry sitting on the counter of the sellers stand. "What are you doing all the way out here, child, and why do you look so beaten up," Miss Verna inquired. Rosalie said, "I've come to sell my embroidery hoop… I walked all the way here from the village." "Oh child, that's a 2 day walk. You must be so tired," Missed Verna said, stunned. "I am, but it's worth it," Rosalie breathed. "Worth it? You think so? Let me see your hoop," Miss Verna hummed. Rosalie handed over her embroidery hoop, asking, "How much do you think I could get for this?" "This old thing, it's practically falling apart. Nobody in their right mind would buy this from you. It's not worth a cent," Miss Verna scoffed. Rosalie looked down, sighing, and Miss Verna said, "However I promised your mother that I would help you before she died, so I guess I will buy it from you even if I will just throw it in the trash after… I will give you 4 bronze coins for it. What do you say? Do we have a deal?" Rosalie thought, 'Once upon a time, that embroidery hoop was worth a silver coin… Now it's reduced to nothing.' Rosalie hesitated hearing the same Voice whisper, 'Let it go,' and she nodded, saying, "Deal." Miss Verna said, "Great choice," as she took out the bronze coins from her pocket and handed them over to Rosalie. Rosalie looked at the coins, and Miss Verna said, "Now, some advice, child. I would use those coins to buy a cheap dress in town, clean myself up, and start looking for a husband. A girl as pretty as yourself could find a well-off man in the Kingdom Town Square, then you won't have to walk on foot and live in shambles." Rosalie smiled gently, saying, "I'll keep that in mind… Thank you, Miss Verna," and left headed for the castle.
As Rosalie got closer and closer to the castle, she Prayed, "Please God, please be with me…"
After 20 minutes of walking, Rosalie finally made it to the castle. Being angrily greeted by the castle guards who stood watch at the entrance.
One of the guards stood in front of her, growling, "What is your business at the castle?" Rosalie took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to say, "I've come to see the man I saved in the forest." The guards drew their swords at her, and one shouted, "It's the woman that we were decreed to put to death should she come back. Why would you return, simple woman." Another guard pointed their sword at her throat, saying, "kneel." Rosalie shut her eyes, trembling in fear, and kneeled, thinking, 'Please help me.' A guard shouted, "Kill her now," and a man shouted, "What is going on out here?"