The king froze immediately Logan walked in, he wasn't able to say another word. He held on tightly to his throne handhold, so tight that if it wasn't solid, it would have been broken.
"Greetings father, you sent for me," Logan spoke with both hands interlocked and stretched forward as he bowed.
"I didn't send for you, you fool," King Dre cursed in his head.
He wished he could say it to his face, but his ministers were staring directly at him, waiting for him to speak.
"Hmmm," the king just hummed.
"Can I try this?," the high priest asked the king, waiting for him to say his name.
"Logan," came his grumpy voice.
Logan slowly moved his glance from the high priest to his father, he couldn't actually understand what was going on. Logan's eyes remained calm, as he watched the high priest play with the coins.
The high priest exhaled deeply, then smiled and turned to the king.
"Logan is your crown prince," he said, gathering his stuff to leave.
The prime minister's eyes grew bigger than their original size. He was surprised by the bone marrow. He never thought that Logan was the eldest son.
The king sat stiffly on his throne, his body didn't make any move, his eyes pinned on Logan's face that held no expression.
Logan wasn't the type to show any expression on his face, no one could tell if he was also surprised.
"My king," a minister called to bring him back to reality.
He nodded his head, sitting up on his chair, with pain in his eyes, he called Logan forward. He couldn't help but wonder how long his sins would continue to hunt him. He didn't know how he'd look the queen in the eye, he didn't know how she took it, that the servant's son was going to be king.
Logan walked up to his father who was now on his feet, the guards had already returned the crown that Gavin previously threw away.
Without wasting time or altering anything, he took the crown and placed it on Logan's head, after that he handed the staff to him.
"'If the crown you wore on Gavin was that of a king, he would've been dead by now. Long live the king," the high priest voiced, more like a warning, and then he left the throne room.
"This meeting is dismissed," the king grimly said, scuttling away. He couldn't even wait for the regular greeting.
The news set out to the whole of Rafera, that they now had a crown prince.
**
Xander sat close to his brother, who had been given drugs to fall asleep. He watched the doctor do his job, his face in a deep scowl.
"My prince".
Xander turned slightly to the direction of the voice. Vance hurried in and bowed.
"What?," he grumpily asked.
"Lord Logan has been made the crown prince."
Xander's body lifted from the chair he was sitting, stared at his sleeping brother for a while, and then turned his gaze to Vance, with a deadly expression.
"Watch after him, I need to go speak to my father."
Xander walked out of the chamber, his steps were so solid on the ground that it made deadly sounds.
***
Peggy sat outside their house staring at the sky, she was waiting for her sister to return from God knows where. She was beginning to get scared because it's been so long she left the house.
"Dad," she called out to her father who was inside the house. "Did you send Lashonda somewhere?"
"No" came his one word, leaving Peggy in her worried thoughts. She exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself.
"If she doesn't return home in 30 minutes, I'll go look for her," Peggy concluded.
Lashonda and Peggy were the only children of Mr Tom and his late wife Kay. Tom was a greedy gambler, who didn't like to spend his money on anything or anyone. He had told his wife that they would have just one child, he claimed that he didn't have money to raise more than one child.
After six-years, his wife was pregnant with another child. Tom angrily neglected her, he ignored her during the time of her pregnancy, so he doesn't have to spend his money. It wasn't news to people that Tom was a very greedy fisherman.
His wife's heart was weak and she wasn't ever treated or cared for, so she died while bringing her baby to earth.
Tom always blames the death of his wife on his last daughter, Lashonda. He hated the sight of her, she was like a curse to him. The part that annoys him most, was that she was always falling sick, if it was left to Tom, Lashonda could have been resting down six feet years ago.
Lashonda grew into a very beautiful and fearless girl. In her young age she had fought with so many people, even with her weak heart.
The main reason people in the community hated the two sisters was because of Lashonda. Peggy always supports Lashonda, even when she almost kills someone. Because of her character, Lashonda was nicknamed "strong bones, weak heart*
Tom was nothing like a father to them, he didn't provide anything for them; including food. They wore tattered clothes when they were young, Tom's friends will advise him, but he never listens.
Michael wasn't their friend, but he had always treated Lashonda on credit. Lashonda might be rude to him but deep down, she knows she owes him her life. When her big dream to become rich manifests, she plans to pay him with so much interest.
"Dad, I'm stepping out to go look for Lashonda," Peggy informed her father before leaving.
"Okay dear," he replied.
It was a nice time to count his newly earned money.
*
"Searching for Lashonda?," Michael asked the wondering Peggy; Standing behind
Peggy flinched and turned to the voice behind her. "Micheal," she called frowning, she didn't see him coming.
Peggy stared at Michael who sat on his horse comfortably, with one hand holding the lead rope. She moved her glance away from him and began walking ahead.
"I thought you needed help," Michael mouthed about to turn his horse around.
"Do you know where my sister is?," she ran back to him.
"What do you guys take me for? A puppet?," Michael asked. "By the way, I gave her a ride to the castle ."
Peggy stared at Michael, confused. "The Castle?," she muttered.
"Yes, she saved them the stress of coming down here to get her."
"What do you mean?," Peggy yelled.
"Isn't she the reason you stole what belongs to the castle? She can only help by submitting herself."
"What? What's wrong with Lashonda? Doesn't she realize that she's sick, what if her episodes begin again?"
"What if they don't put her in prison?" Michael asked.
"Why won't they, they are always searching for reasons to have someone arrested. They won't spare her," Peggy spoke and Michael nodded, pretending to be touched.
"Yeah, I guess she'll die soon."
"Take me to the castle please.....," Peggy pleaded, falling to her knees.
"I'm no coach man," Michael complained, and rode away, leaving Peggy on her knees.
In no time he made a u-turn, and returned back to Peggy who was already on her feet.
"Call me the best doctor in Rafera,," he ordered.
"You're the best doctor in Rafera," Peggy said repeatedly.
"Okay, fine, fine. Let's go," Michael said, rolling his eyes.
Happily Peggy hurried towards him, and struggled up the horse.
"Hold on tight, you know you're not as strong as your sister," Michael advised, while Peggy rolled her eyes.
****
"These poor people, they always think they are wise. Greedy people," queen Zenith said irked.
"My queen, should I bring her..."
"No. She isn't worthy to stand before me; just send her to the dungeon," the queen ordered and the servant bowed and left.
The queen wondered why Gavin hadn't yet come to give her feedback on how the coronation went; she wondered if they were still in the throne room.
She slowly stood up.
Holding some part of her long mantua, she set to go check on Saraphina and her suitor.