“What is wrong with father?” A fresh faced Adalia budged in her parent’s bedroom. She had heard that her father wasn’t well but she always thought it was a ploy to get her to come out of her room. But it wasn’t her siblings’ habit to use the same lie thrice. She sat next to her father on his bed and took his hand. “What’s wrong daddy?”
Gabrielle grunted in pain when he tried to move. “I think I ate something bad.”
“That can’t be it,” Liora paced around the room, her desperate fingers clawing through her hair. “It’s something else and I know it.”
Adalia looked over at her mother and she knew exactly how she felt. “Don’t worry daddy, the healer will get something for you.”
She jumped off the bed and signaled Conan to follow her outside. “Are you sure it’s not an assassination attempt?”
“I’m not completely sure,” he sucked in a long breath. But from the drop of his shoulders, Adalia could tell he felt helpless and frustrated because of it. “No one would dare. Everyone in the palace is loyal and none of the tasters are ill.”
“Three days ago, who brought him his meal?” Although she didn’t think it was possible, Adalia needed to cover all her bases.
“I will have to ask.”
“Do that.”
“If he was poisoned, I will resign,” Conan swore.
“There is no need to think that far.”
***
Xander heard Adalia’s voice as he walked down the corridor. At first he couldn’t believe that she was out of her room, but he went anyway. “Adalia, I’m glad to see you here.”
“Where else would I be?” She willed herself to be more brazen. “How did my father get ill under your watch?”
“There are some things a sword cannot fight off,” Xander tried to reach for her hand but she pulled away. Just as she was about to walk away from him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. “How long are you going to be like this Adalia?”
She pulled out of his grip, but didn’t take a step back. Their faces were inches away from each other when she said. “Princess Adalia,” she grinned. “It will last for as long as this feeling of betrayal is still inside me.”
“But I didn’t betray you.”
“You did, when you failed to do your duty,” she couldn’t help but goad. “Go guard a gate or something.”
Xander was fuming with rage as he watched her walk back into her father’s room a smug look on her face. He couldn’t help but feel that Archer was still causing him trouble while he was dead. But he knew of a way of getting things back on track. He waited for the family to go to sleep that night before calling for an audience with the King and Queen.
“Your highnesses, please forgive me for calling on you so late at night. Especially now that King Gabrielle is ill,” he started off. He feigned a tone of concern. “The thing is that. I am worried about the crown princess and the kingdom.”
“Why?” Gabrielle managed to breathe out midst of all his pain. He had gotten worse and now he was struggling to catch his breath. His stomach seemed to swell and his lungs crushing under its added weight.
“You are ill, and forgive me for saying this, but you seem to be getting worse as each day passes,” he sighed. “Princess Adalia is very capable, especially since her mother will be beside her. But lately she has been depressed and locked herself in her room. The soldiers don’t have any confidence in her.”
“Why not, she could beat anyone of them in a fight,” Liora defended her daughter.
“Let him finish,” Gabrielle put his weary hand on Liora’s to calm her agitated nerves.
“Let her marry. If she takes a husband with military might, no one would dare stand against her. Remember of the impending war with the rebels. We need someone with a clear mind to help guide her,” Xander waited for the bait to set in.
***
The next morning Adalia was woken up by a summon from her father. In a panic she rushed there her heart in her hands but a prayer in her lips. She paused at the door and took in a deep breathe.
“Yes Daddy?” she eased out a sigh of relief when she saw her father sited on the bed taking a sip of soup.
Gabrielle waved all the servants away. It was just him, Liora, Conan and Adalia left in the room. Adalia was sure that the reason she was summoned was a state matter and not family. She looked around the room and she could see their tensed faces. She wasn’t going to like what they were about to tell her.
“What is it father? I promise not to lose my temper,” she hopped on her father’s bed and sat beside him.
“That is why Conan is here, in case you do lose your temper,” he tried to laugh but winced in pain instead.
“What is it father?”
“I’m ill, and no one seems to have a cure,” he took his daughter’s hand. “I might be dying.”
“I’m going to lose my temper,” Adalia jumped off the bed a scowl on her face. “Did you call me in here to tell me that a stomach bug has finally defeated you? You who has been winning battles ever since he could hold a sword.”
“I’m not saying that. Calm down.”
“Adalia, your father just wants to protect your future as Queen,” Liora was the voice of reason. She tried to bring down the elevated emotions in the room.
“I want you to marry sweetheart,” he blurted out.
Adalia took a step back for balance. She felt like he wind had been knocked out of her. There was a time she couldn’t wait to be married, actually two times. But now the thought of it made her feel guilty. How could she marry another man without feeling like she was betraying Archer?
“Father no,” her shock widened eyes said it all. “I cannot marry someone else.”