He stood before the door, doubting whether to open it or not.

Was it right for him to enter? Considering that it was night and the king and his queen would most likely be at sleep.

But taking a look at both letters in his hands, the seal they both bear screamed urgency and he would be damned not to bring his Majesty's attention to it and well it would mean he was playing with his head.

He stretches his hand and knocked slightly on the door, he waited but no response, he slowly opened the door revealing the gigantic room, the room was dimly lit.

He walked with carefulness towards the huge bed that had red transparent curtains around it, his Majesty was asleep, so was the queen both under the covers

"My lord?" He called gently and waited but he got no reply "My lord?" He called a bit loudly, this time kicking his feet which made a noise and that was enough to wake the king who had stretched out his hand immediately to reach his golden dagger which was beside him.

"It's Elvis your majesty." The man said immediately just in time to avoid him been killed.

Hearing the name, he dropped his dagger and relaxes "Elvis?"

"Yes my lord."

"What has happened?" He asked as he stared at his wife who was soundly at sleep on his chest.

"I have letters my lord, the herald bore them to me some times ago this night-"

The king frowned "Letters?" He looked at the man that stood beside him, he would have yelled at him or even slapped him for disturbing his peace and sleep but the urgency in his voice stopped all those actions and considering that Elvis was his right hand man he definitely knew something was up.

He gently and slowly adjusted his wife and made his way out of the bed, he stood before his right hand man, his built towering over the other man.

Elvis stretched the letters, immediately the king saw the seals, his face became greatly troubled, he took them, tore them and after reading the contents, the look on the king's face told the young man that doom was looming just as he had earlier assumed.

"How are the state of our men?" The king asked.

"Our men?" Elvis answered with a question earning a deeper frown from the king "Very well my lord."

"Enough for war?" 

Elvis nodded promptly, yet the king's troubled look didn't relax.

"What is the matter my lord?" 

"Trouble." The king replied simply, but that simple answer was enough to make the younger man's heart skip "We will need help." 

The king stretches one of the letters to him and as he read it, his eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no! My lord-"

"Silence!" The king ordered immediately cutting him off "You may leave, but I must see you at dawn."

Elvis nodded, he handed over the letter to the king and made his way out of the room.

Looking at both letters, he sighed deeply… He needed to act fast if not his reign would be short-lived… His thoughts centered more on the other letter he didn't shown his right hand man.

Is his crimes going to be revealed? 

But if he does act fast his crime will surely be revealed and that would surely land him in great trouble… he must act fast, especially to the other letter.

"Albert?" 

The king got startled as he stared at his wife, she was awake and stared at him, even with the curtains she could see his worried look.

He went to her and laid bare the letters before her, seeing the seals she frowned, reading the contents, she frowned all the more, the look of fury spread along her features.

"What nonsense!" She exclaimed with a shake off head "Not on my watch." She said in that grave tone that somewhat made the King relaxed.

She placed the letters on the stool beside the bed, she smiled "Don't be worried, everything will be sought out." Certainty and assurance evident in her voice and with that they both went to sleep.

…

'Not again!' She exclaimed bitterly as she rushed to the dinning table, the maids were already packing the table which means the royal family had eaten once again without calling her.

Her stomach growled out of hunger, she bit her lips as she tried to hold her tears … But what as she done to deserve this? … Will this ever stop? She had not eaten last night because they didn't call her that the food was ready and she had stayed hunger throughout the night till this afternoon.. Why?… 

As she turned to leave, she heard someone call her.

"Layla?" 

She halted her movement but she didn't turn to acknowledge the person because she already knew it was her cousin Princess Kiara who delight in seeing her in pains.

"How insulting!" One of the three maids who stood behind the princess exclaimed "Didn't you hear the Princess call?"

'Of course I did fool! I am not deaf.' Layla thought angrily as she turned to acknowledge her cousin who was elegantly dressed, her black shiny hair was in a bond, it was held by a beautiful sliver hair pin which bore the crest of the royal family, looking at her cousin compared to her, she Layla wasn't anyway close the Kiara.

Kiara smiled "Let her be, her hunger might have beclouded her reasoning." 

The princess looked at her scornfully and went on her way, giggling with her maids about something, she was sure they said something horrible about her.

Her stomach growled again… she swallowed nothing, she soon placed her hands on her stomach because it began biting her, she couldn't hold those tears anymore, she let them flow, as she took a step, her eyes became drowsy, things doubled in her vision and she began walking zigzag.

She was slipping slowly to unconsciousness, she fell to her knees and tried to stay conscious but she couldn't.

"Layla!" She heard someone screamed her name and before her body could make contact with the floor, a strong arm caught her and thus finally slipped to unconsciousness.

…

.

My queen, please, forgive me, please!" Layla yelled out in pains, she screamed all the more as the whipping continued.

The twenty year old Layla was laid flat on the floor, her back facing the queen and the guard whipping her.

Despite her cry of help and forgiveness, the whipping gets intensed.

For a moment she wished she had died with her parents.

"I just hates seeing your filthy face, you should have just died with you parents or never been born at all!" By now she clearly knew this and right there she wished for death to take her.

The door opened gently, causing the whipping to stop, the maid who had came in bowed her head before speaking.

"The king requires your presence, your majesty." 

"After you." The queen said walking towards the door, she suddenly halt, turned "Whip her you bastard! I must hear her screams from the hallways, Whip her!" She screamed and then the whipping continued alongside with the cries of Layla.

.

The horrible memory flooded Layla's mind as she wakes up to consciousness.

"Is that all?" 

She heard the all familiar voice asked, she opened her eyes to be sure it was who she was thinking it was, those eyes widened in surprise seeing her cousin, Prince Edward, the first child and crown prince of Artemisia.

Gladness filled her heart, "Edward." She called weakly, earning his attention.

He turned to her after dismissing the maid, he walked up to her and gave her a smile, she returned it with a weak one.

"I'm sorry." He apologized sitting beside her.

She only smiled. Out of the three children her uncle, the king had, only Edward was nice to her, though he was sometimes not able to save her from punishments but he tries his best, he even always treats her after.

She sniffed the air because she wasn't sure if it was her imagination or truly that she could perceive the fragrance of meal.

Her little frown and doubt written over her face humoured the Prince, he laughed "Yes, food is ready, come and eat."

Before he could hold her and help her weak body, Layla was out of the bed in no time shocking the prince and without washing her hands she began devouring the food.

He watched her in pity and annoyance… his annoyance was centered on why his family treated Layla like unfairly because for crying out loud she was once a crown Princess, she was his cousin, she was his uncle's daughter.

He failed to understand why and it vexes him so much.

Seeing her smile while eating makes his heart ache because the smile on her face seemed as if she had won a trophy… it showed him how hungry she was.