It took a lot of strength to restrain herself from slapping Ruen’s face when Lianne was able to escape his hold.
Though it would have been her only meager revenge, to her confusion, she couldn’t bear to slap him the second time after what he did to her in the library for stealing her very first kiss.
Lianne gave him a sharp glare as she stood at the bedside wiping her moistened lips to dry what was left of his ardor. Though she hated it, she couldn’t deny the mounting heat within her caused by his kisses.
Her face turned in a deep shade of red and Ruen could clearly see it.
“I was wrong to even let my guard down. Even though you’re injured, you still play your games quite well,” she spat the words out.
Ruen gave no expression of remorse, instead, he reached for the glass flute that she left behind in the pillows and handed it back to her.
Her brow arched up, disbelief painting her face. For what just happened moments ago, she was now unsure as to whether to take the glass again.
But she was rescued from her predicament when a short knock on the bedroom door sounded, followed by the Head Servant’s entry.
For a few seconds, Lady Faye stared at the two royals and instantly noticed a certain amount of hostility developing around them.
“Your Majesty, Sir Culdran specifically told you to rest easy in bed,” the old woman declared as she saw the one addressed sitting upright with no support under his injured shoulder.
Ruen gave a slight nod as his eyes followed the princess who began to quickly exit the room.
He was still holding the glass when Lady Faye approached him and gave no comment as she took it.
***
Lianne didn’t bother to return to the prince’s chamber that night. She concluded that any ensuing encounters with him would be disadvantageous for her, but the memory of his kiss didn’t leave her alone as she spent her time outside of her room’s balcony.
She felt embarrassed by the thought of it. How could he arrange her like that as if she was the one who begged for his kiss?
If only she was prudent enough, he wouldn’t have made a pawn out of her.
Nonetheless, it had happened, and because of this, she felt as if she was betraying her own principles accounting to the fact that she hadn’t used the last of her strength to fight off his advances at that time.
‘It will not happen again, I swear,’ she pledged to herself with her hands making a tight fist.
***
Four days had passed since she last stepped inside Ruen’s chamber. She did what she had vowed to herself, and did as much as she could to avoid any possible unnecessary meeting with the prince if he were to be allowed to leave his bed.
The passing days were the same routine for her.
She tended Arinna in the stables who had acquired bruises in her midsection and thighs from the hard drop in the forest.
She also busied herself on whatever kitchen duty left and bent on finding some activities — any activities for that matter — to knack with in order to refrain herself from any abrupt concerns on the prince’s health.
Lady Faye had observed her do much and didn’t trouble her with any inconvenience along the way. She, however, received a letter from Lord Cain addressed to the princess.
Guessing that the message could more or less disturb the princess’ smooth routines, she decided to hand the letter otherwise, but en route to Lianne’s room, one male servant of adolescent age ran fast towards her with his face distressed over something.
***
The hooded man exited silently from the King’s bed chamber, then Lord Jared followed.
The majordomo’s face was serious and gloomy, and his lack of speech alarmed the Head Servant when she arrived at the parlour.
She stood staring at her counterpart with a perplexed look on her face, but it didn’t take her long enough to realize what had happened.
The King’s frigid body lay still on the bed when the clairvoyant arrived.
At the parlour, few chosen servants stood anxiously for Lord Jared’s signal to prepare the body for the interment. Ready with them were a pile of clean white silk cloth, incense, perfumed oils, and a line of clothing for the King.
Ruen was present at the bed chamber with the clairvoyant, standing beside the closed portal staring intently at the lifeless body of his father.
There was no sorrow seen on his face nor any hint of regret that he wasn’t in attendance at the time of his death. He did, however, struggled to control the throbbing pain from his wound during the whole course of the rite.
When everything was done, the majordomo directly positioned himself at the prince’s back whispering something on his ear before dutifully exiting the bed chamber.
Ruen nodded in agreement and followed the old man’s trail up to the foyer of the fourth floor.
The area was a straight wide passage. All of its walls were completely decorated with paintings of different landscapes, scenery, and the royal’s faces.
One of the paintings, however, was bolted entirely in a secluded part of the area. It was not lit up by a spotlight unlike the rest of the pieces, but it had an unusually carved frame that set it apart with the others. That was where Lord Jared covertly discussed with the prince the occurrence before Garlow died.
The prince fell quiet as he dissected every word his right-hand released.
There was an ominous feeling he immediately felt amidst being characteristically reserved and perceiving the gravity of the problem, he knew he had to act promptly.
He dismissed the majordomo, patting his back at the same time, pleased at the old man’s reliability regarding the issue.
He was left alone standing in front of the painting he was staring keenly while contemplating on the hooded man’s presence and its significance on the princess and her stolen heirloom.
In the painting, it showed four pillars situated apart from each other to form a circle. In the center was a hexagon-shaped elevation with a carved symbol in the middle that looked like an inverted constellation Libra sign, with a crescent moon at the base.
The pillars looked like it was situated in a cave.
By the time Ruen’s observation ended, his thoughts lingered on the cave that his father had ordered to be excavated at the City of Olga.
Since the announcement of its early excavation, the prince had already been puzzled as to what purpose it would give to the King. It was only this time that he had some idea on it’s worth, something that he had to consider in connection with the princess.
***
It was already evening when Lianne received Cain’s letter from Lady Faye, and accompanying the letter was the news of Garlow’s unexpected death to her stifling shock.
Immediately, her thoughts wandered on her possible freedom, but she quelled it knowing the time wasn’t right. The mansion would be surrounded by mourning undoubtedly, it would be visible to see that she was the only person who couldn’t and will not wallow in grief.
How have you been? It has been a while since we’ve talked. I hope to see you soon. I regret my actions at the Regaleria Ball and I am hoping that you’d forgive me, it is because of what I feel for you that I have done so. Would you still give me a chance, Lianne?
~ Cain
The princess stared at the letter she held as memories of that night surged, providing her the deliberation of her feelings towards the lord.
It was truly a game of destiny. Cain was the only confidant of her problems and almost treated him like her older brother if not for his zealous affections.
She thought deep and hard, and in the end, a realization hit her.
Cain was sincerely asking for forgiveness against his grave demeanor towards her, and here now was the prince, acting so casual and insensitive with his conduct towards her.
How could she not forgive Cain when he was heartfelt with his intentions while the prince on the other hand had not said a single sorry to her?
She will forgive the general, she decided and hoped that everything will come out fine.
***
The news of the death of Regaleria’s great king spread all over the kingdom and its neighboring continents like wildfire and with just a single night, the mansion became the host of a swarm of people; high-ranking officials and royal dignitaries, dukes and duchesses, and even down to common folks – residents of nearby villages and cities under Garlow’s rule present either to pay homage of the late king or to curiously observe the royal funeral.
At the back of every person’s mind, be it a man, woman or child, the fears of Garlow’s wrath had dissipated, and what was left now was the hope of the coming reign of the new king, who is in greater ways, could provide a more promising peaceful rule, or at least that’s what they hoped for.
***
An envoy with the Regaleria Kingdom’s flag arrived at the City of Olga bearing with them the grave news for the stationed soldiers and for their general, Lord Cain.
The excavation came to a halt as Ruen ordered amidst it being halfway from ending.
Immediately, the regiment started to prepare to leave for Regaleria, but Lord Cain was unexpectedly visited by the hooded man in his tent that evening.
The mysterious man requested to talk to him in private and Cain granted it, curious as to what his agenda was. It perplexed him as to his presence and the fact that the overall aura of the man was tipping towards suspicious.
“I have with me the medallion of your King, and it is his decree to continue with the excavation of the cave,” the hooded man declared, his tone shallow but commanding.
Cain couldn’t entirely see his face as it was hidden by the shadow of the hood. The only parts that were visible were his bony jaw, cracked pale lips, and bulbous nose.
He stood in front of Cain’s table looking haughty and overconfident.
Something wasn’t right with this man, Cain thought, and decided to continue their conversation, but not before giving him a cautious look.
“I am not easily swayed by such a medallion even if it were from the King himself old man, but I would reconsider the prince’s orders if you tell me the true purpose of this excavation,” Cain expressed.
He had always found it difficult to think of any reasonable explanations as to the cave excavation. This was his father’s lifeline and the very reason for his death. If he were to know the truth behind the cave, maybe then he’d shed some light regarding his father’s eagerness on the place.
The hooded man showed no effect on Cain’s blunt proposal. He kept his hands tightly clasped on each other and slowly perused the firm general’s temporary abode. He stopped beside a vase of red bellflower and played with its petals for a few moment before crushing them to pieces.
All the while, Cain observed the man. He didn’t show concern for the flower, but the act made him even more curious.
“It is a shame your King couldn’t be here to place sanctions on you,” the mysterious man declared. “Had your father ever told you not to mingle on other men’s affairs especially the King’s?”
Cain sneered in disapproval. “I care nothing of what you say, old man. If you want me to continue excavating, tell me the truth – that’s my term, take it, or leave.”
“Ahh…” the hooded man cocked his head to the side, feeling amused. “I admire your eagerness general.”
He awarded Cain a good mocking grin as he walked back to his table.
He placed Garlow’s medallion in his front and continued to say, “Show this to your most gracious prince, and tell him it is your King’s ultimate decree on his deathbed that the opening of the cave will progress.”
Cain took the medallion while noting every word that the hooded man spoke.
“That way, your prince will not question your intentions,” he added.
“I believe you still owe me what I want,” Cain reminded, still waiting for the explanation.
He placed the medallion inside the cabinet of the table and then crossed his arms to his chest.
The mysterious man huffed in defeat realizing the general wouldn’t bend.
He tipped his chin up and started to reveal all there was about the cave, the princess, and a certain prophecy King Garlow wanted to happen.
Cain was calm and calculating during the whole course of the telling, never cutting to speak, but was connecting every bit of pieces to his father and the King’s plans of immortality.
It was only then that he flinched in reaction when he heard the princess’s name during the development.
“I have always been wondering why Garlow has been constantly confining her inside the palace grounds,” Cain stated as his shrewd eyes sparkled in thought.
For a while, he fell silent as if pondering the events that had took place inside the mansion and the connection between the necklace that Garlow wore in his neck for most of the time since he ransacked the Kingdom of Vhillana and detain its princess.
He let out a smirk as a certain idea welcomed his mind.
The hooded man knew instantly the general sitting in his front was truly the son of Midas, and that devious look on Cain’s face made it all too clear.
The content general lifted his hand to dismiss the hooded man to the latter’s content and compliance, but before the man exited, he gave Cain a wicked grin as he remarked, “I bet you can’t take your hands off her.”
Cain snorted as a response and gave him a half-baked grin.
The latter proceeded to exit the portal, happy with his success on persuading the general.
Unconsciously, Cain traced the outline of his lips as he dissected every bit of possibility with Garlow’s plans and the hooded man present to fulfill it.
It would seem that death was not the end of his sickening schemes.
In order to fulfill a prophecy, a drop of the princess’ blood was needed. Surely, it would do no harm to her.
Garlow’s potential immortality however was another matter. Indeed, it would lead to dire consequences for the kingdom, but with the princess as the payment for Cain’s services to the mysterious man, definitely, in the end, it would all be worth it.
Early morning the next day, the envoy with General Cain’s brigade left the City of Olga, but the native workers of the land continued the excavation of the cave.