In the next second, several things happened at once. A jagged branch of lightning struck in the distance while the obsidian pendant fell with a bounce, rolling over to the feet of the King. The audience in the hall inhaled appalled gasps watching the prince tilt sideways. And Prince Lyfette sprang from his seat, catching the other boy before he smashed his head on the table's edge.
"Brother!" The younger boy cried. He'd been cautious since earlier, worried at the warm skin he felt. Since he could remember, he had only been sick once, but that one time wouldn't be something he'd soon forget. The discomfort from being sweaty and hot was just like his cousin from this morning.
Galvanized by the scene, the two guards who were assigned to the prince broke from their positions to check on the situation. The rest of the hall didn't know what to do until the Old Eunuch took charge.
Speaking to the child servant by his side, he ordered, "Fetch an imperial doctor. Be quick."
The child nodded, on his way in a flash.
In a statuesque manner, the only one yet to visually react was the King. The golden cane in his hand was halfway raised, the rattan handle now loosely held.
The younger prince was forcibly removed from the eldest prince by the guard. His arms were like a flea firmly attached to the dog. Meanwhile, the other guard checked on the son's breathing and temperature.
The King's eyes studied porcelain skin - the color paler than usual - and the tiny drops of perspiration on the round forehead. During his tirade, how did he not notice? A nauseous monster was caged in his chest. It pounded the walls, reverberating down to his hands that dropped the cane.
The thunder boomed, rumbling over head and ripping through the sky like a terrible cry from the heavens.
The King looked down to see the golden cane beside the obsidian pendant. The pendant was hole, but the lustrous shine that once had slightly dulled. The King felt the fear in his heart.
~
Within the hour, the news of the prince's illness spread through the imperial palace like a virus. In the past five years, the child had only been sick a handful of times. Each time, an instigator was behind the incident. Each time, blood flooded the punishment halls.
The Queen was lazily lounging under the eaves of her courtyard, listening to pouring rain. The sound returned her to happier days of dreary weather. A simple time when her life was filtered by fanciful hopes and dreams of youth.
Behind her, a maid massaged her shoulders and neck while a eunuch knelt before them. "Everything the prince had come into contact with is currently being investigated, however, many servants believe it was due to the weather and the prince's heavy schedule."
In the end, the prince fell ill due to the King's carelessness. With such a boring story, the Queen dismissed the man. The rest of the servants except for the maid massaging her also left to give the Queen peace. The Queen laid flat on her cushioned lounger and the maid skillfully kneaded the lower back and hips, relieving the chronic pain that comes about in cool and rainy weather.
She had only seen the child twice, the King keeping him under lock and key. Both times, the sight of the child twisted something nasty in her. While in a relaxed state, the Queen's thoughts drifted back to a year ago.
In a rare chance for her to properly leave the Harem, the Queen was entrusted to see envoys from her homeland. Counting from then, nearly sixteen years had passed since she left as a princess of Terran to be a Queen of Besirique. The time was long enough to turn the familiar faces into strangers.
The meeting had been unsuccessful on both ends. Her homeland couldn't get anything from her while she failed in her duties to extract benefits for the kingdom.
The rigidity extended to the rest of the welcome, whereafter the King took over while the Queen slowly made her way around the garden to entertain the womenfolk.
It was in that garden where she saw him.
The boy's features were blurry from the distance, but she could seen the sheen of silver. It reminded her of the King.
It made her dislike the child that much more.
"What are the chances of the prince's recovery?"
The eunuch further lowered himself, nearly kissing the dirt. "This news hadn't been revealed yet."
The Queen smiled, "I see."
No need for further instruction, the eunuch scampered out as did the others servants.
All that remained was the queen and the maid who continued to massage the Queen's shoulders. "That boy is 5 years old right?" She pondered.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How is Concubine Leena lately?"
Unperturbed by Her Majesty's question, the maid reported, "The concubine seems to have calmed these days. She hadn't resumed any gatherings since losing her privileges. However, she had made some new friends with a new recruit."
Beautiful ruby lips parted to reveal pearly teeth. "It's really interesting. The woman hadn't made any moves in five years. She used to be such a fiesty thing. Yet, the King broke her..."
The thunder was overhead, crackling like firecrackers. Her body feeling much lighter, the Queen rose from her chaise lounger to head back inside.
"Your Majesty, should I prepare a warm bath?" The maid suggested. After carrying the true firstborn for several months, the Queen's hips ached whenever it rained.
"Yes, that would be lovely."
~~
In the middle of the night, Lyfette crawled out of bed with one goal in mind: to check on his brother.
The curfew had long passed by the time anyone remembered that the second prince had yet to return to the General's mansion. The child had been sticking to the Prince's side so well that it was as if he was never there. Like a silent ghost, Lyfette blended into the background, nearly crawled into bed with the resting prince, when a stinky faced guard finally pointed out his presence.
The King then ordered for the child to be sent back. Kicking and screaming, Lyfette wished to bite off the heads of everyone who wanted to return him at such a time. His chubby fists scratched and punched the guards who similarly stood by the his cousin everyday.
In the end, it didn't matter anyway, the gates were closed and only under emergency circumstances would it open.
The King conceded to the situation, the boy's presence or lack of presence not very high on his list. All that mattered was the fact that the imperial doctor said that the Prince should make a full recovery. In the end, the King returned to his study to complete the remainder of his work, leaving the guards and the like to deal with the boy who cheekily smirked in triumph.
Little did Lyfette know that the battle may have been won, but the war was not over. Still wishing to hop into the prince's bed, Lyfette was yanked back by the scruff and thrown into the room next door.
Outside, the thunder and lightning had stopped, but the rain still poured overhead.
The second prince sneakily pushed the door open a crack, directly spying down the hallway he thought would be empty.
Unfortunately, a set of night-watchmen stood there dutifully, spotting him right away. Caught red-handed, the second prince no longer cared as he opened his door and strode over self-assuredly. His small hand reached for the door knob when one guard the size of a small hill stopped him. "I'm sorry, my prince, but I cannot let you in."
The boy was dissatisfied. This man had always been one of the biggest thorns at his side since the day he was born. He was sure of it. Each time before sundown, he was safely escorted out of the castle by this behemoth.
The second prince didn't know what the man's problem was, he stubbornly went for the doorknob again, but the man still stopped him. The pipsqueak and the giant faced off, neither giving in.
The other guard on duty frowned, "Treat the second prince like this and the eldest prince will be sure to have you switched out."
The man wanted to argue, but only huffed, uncompromising in his stance. "If you caught the Prince's illness because of this, the prince would dislike me even more."
The second man's brows raised. Silently, he too acquiesced. However, little Lyfette didn't appreciate this concern. Seeing how his mission had failed, he went back to his room with a new plan in mind.
Giving one last sneer to the two guards, he shut the door contemptuously.
With the first plan scrapped, the boy went over to the open windows.
Their rooms were located on the third floor. But the fearless child paid the height no heed. Pushing open the shutters, he looked at the crawlspace of the narrow ledge. There was no doubt that he could make it, but with the rain, the task became that much more dangerous.
The child's heart was oddly calm as his two feet made their way on the beam sized overhang. Little by little, he shuffled his feet in the midst of the storm. Wind whistled past his ears, yet the child carried on.
Five feet. Ten feet. Fifteen feet.
The wind blew a little harder and the boy was soaking wet at this point. Holding in the need to sneeze, he was nearly at the end when the wind blew again and the boy had to let it out.
"Achoo!"
His footing slipped and in a brief moment, the boy thought he was going to die.
And then, with some type of miracle a gale blasted him back onto the ledge, safely depositing him at an open window.
The boy plopped straight onto the ground, his clothes somehow just as dry as they were before he went to bed. The boy looked through the window, his heart actually pounding this time.
Just like his brother taught him, he did a strange sign of a cross and prayed to the God above.
When he was finished, Lyfette patted his beating chest and closed the shutters.
With quiet feet, he crept his way to the four post bed. The room was lit only by the crackling fireplace, allowing him to see the sleeping face when he cracked open the canopy.
Tip toeing to see, his brother rested quietly on the bed, the sight serene and alleviating the restlessness in him.
With his short limbs, he then scaled the towering bed, briefly hanging on it like a monkey. When he thought he had been making too much noise, he looked over to the door.
Safe, he resumed the climb until he was firmly seated. Snuggling up to his Cousin brother, Lyfette firmly hugged his only family member relievedly before closing his eyes.
When a water drop trickled down his cheek, the boy was already half asleep.