A few days passed since then and the Prince's illness hadn't gotten any better. The weather had been flawless, yet a cloud of gloom poured in the West Palace. The King was irritated to no end, but there was no one to blame but himself.
~
Another day of sifting through bullshit. Another day of ministers failing to complete their duties. Another day of endless work. Like a possessed man, he read, signed, and cursed.
As he had done almost everyday for nearly two decades, he asked himself, 'Was this truly the life of a King?' He didn't recall his father ever experiencing such a problem. Of course, maybe the difference relied on his and his father's priorities. Because the late King's priorities sure as hell weren't on the state of the Kingdom.
His father used so much government funds to fuel his leisure that the King was still having to pay the debt.
With a slight cramp in his hand, the King set aside the writing brush and ordered for the little servant to pour him a chalice of water as he stretched his fingers. The child was near twelve or thirteen, much older than his son, and kept his eyes down as he performed his task. The other exchanged the wicker basket of completed scrolls with a mountain of 'urgent documents'.
These child servants have worked in much more severe conditions than whatever palace teachers could come up with for his Prince. He'd seen some being used to sweep the chimneys, muck stalls, and mop floors all when they were the age of his prince.
He heard that children could even take care of livestock and work in fields at his prince's age.
The King had to consider whether he truly treated his son harshly or if he had just raised the boy too delicately.
By the time noon rolled by, lunch was already sent to the Study and waiting for the King's consumption. Another serving of stuffed steamed fish appeared before him but the King found it tasteless.
Astutely, the Old Eunuch noticed the poor appetite. "Is today's menu not to your liking, My King?"
The King lightly wiped his mouth, signaling he was finished. "No. It's fi-"
The distinct knock sounded at the door, causing for another spark of irritation. Surely, somewhere within the list of the many unwritten palace rules stated that interruptions to the King's meal was a considerable offense. Still, he waved for the door to be opened.
And the one to appear just so happened to be an imperial doctor.
~~~
On the third floor of the East Palace, two maids were quietly cleaning the chamber pot of his highness and refreshing the entire room as the Prince rested.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
A maid of flaxen hair moved closer to the younger girl, her eyes conspiratorially went over to the handsome man lounged in the corner of the room. Despite the temperate weather, he leisurely sipped on heated water. The actions were odd, but he was the most attainable out of all current guards of His Highness.
"Another concubine is pregnant," the girl whispered.
"Pregnant?" The younger girl gasped. How many years had it been since a child was born in the harem? It seems the last one had been the second prince.
The flaxen haired girl nodded; she dumped the contents of the miniature golden throne into a bucket and splashed some water inside to dilute the remains. "It's been confirmed. Doctor Fenwick was called upon at dawn. This was why the doctor was late to check on the Prince this morning.... He had been checking the pulse of Concubine Chasmi." The girl's eyes strayed back to the man in the corner. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she continued demurely, "Claribel said that Izeik heard the head maid speaking to the doctor at the gate."
The younger girl nearly held a hand to her mouth before she remembered what she had just been touching. "Lady Chasmi? Her father... is Duke Oldry." Both girls rotated their eyes to the bed where the sleeping boy laid. Quieter than their original whispers, the girl inaudibly asked, "Do you think... this will be another prince?"
From the corner of the room, the guard coughed, catching the maids a little off guard. All three have worked in the vicinity of each other for nearly a year and the man never had a reaction when they gossiped before him. The Prince even welcomed it since most servants tended to keep their mouths shut.
Yet, man's crisp slam of his cup confirmed he had been warning the girls to not talk so much.
The maids hurried to perform their duties and backed out of the room. Joan Fullerton drank the rest of his tea and set the cup upside down for future use. Striding toward the door, he performed a quick salute to the figure on the bed then reached for the knob.
However, right as he was about to leave, a thought flashed through his mind. Turning around, he assured, "Whether the child is female or male, the King treasures Your Highness the most. I wish you pleasant dreams, My Prince."
A moment later, the a soft click was heard. And not too long after, the child rolled over to face away from the door.