He slowly opened his eyes only to find out that he was in his chamber. He tried to get up but someone pinned him back to the bed. “You can’t stand up yet.”
He looked and saw the palace doctor checking his pulse. “What happened?”
“Some of the villagers saw you unconscious.” His mother answered. “Why didn’t you come home immediately you arrived?”
“I had things to do.”
“He should be fine in the next two days but make sure you don’t stress yourself too much and stay away from smoky places,” the doctor instructed. “I will take my leave now but I will come back in two days to check how you are doing.”
“Thanks, Doctor.”
He bowed his head and left the room.
The Queen went to her son and sat down next to him. “Why didn’t you come home?”
“I told you, I had things to do.”
“You almost died.”
“But I didn’t.”
She touched his forehead and stroke his face, “You have no idea how worried I have been all this while. I thought something bad had happened to you and you were never coming back home.”
“Mom, I am here now, okay?” he paused and then asked his mother, “Where is Lucas?”
“He is receiving treatment too.”
“And the girl?”
“What girl?”
“There is a girl we came with, didn’t you see her?”
The Queen shook her head. “It was just you and Lucas that was brought to the palace. There was no other person.”
“No, there is a girl…” he tried to stand up but his mom reminded him of the doctor’s advice.
“Just some rest first, I will look into it.”
“No, I have to find her. I won’t forgive myself if anything bad happens to her.”
“I will ask the guards to search for her, okay? Just get some rest first.” The Queen left the room to meet Kim who was chatting with Lucas. “My son told me that there is a girl you both came with, is that true?”
Lucas nodded. “Isn’t she here?”
“We didn’t come any girl because there was no girl to begin with.”
“No no no… we did come with a girl,” Lucas described her but they all said they didn’t see anyone.
“Is she the one?”
Lucas nodded. “We have to find her.”
“I will gather the guards and we will search for her.”
“I will go with you.”
“No, you need to rest.”
“I can indentify her when I see her but you won’t be able to.”
They agreed and they left to look for Phoebe.
~~~
Her eyes couldn’t behold the brightness emanating from the light in the room. She covered her eyes and that was when the voice came. “I thought you were dead.” She turned and saw an old man mixing some potions and handed it over to her. “Drink this, it will help remove the smoke that are stuck in your lungs.”
“Who are you?” She asked.
“A friend,” he answered with a smile. “Now, drink up.”
She collected the potion and drank it. The bitter taste almost made her throw up but the doctor told her to finish it. She had no choice but to drink it. After she was done, she started coughing out and the smoke came out from her nose and mouth.
“You’d be coughing for a while until all the smoke you inhaled leaves your lungs.
The coughing continued until after some minutes, it stopped.
The man smiled as he looked at her. “How do you feel?”
She closed her eyes and tried to feel every fibre of her body and she must admit, she felt great. “What was that?”
“Secret recipe.”
“Will you tell me who you are now?”
“That is not important. Do you know why you are here?”
“I was told that I need to break the guardian’s curse.”
“Do you know what that entails?”
The question sounded so confusing to her. “What do you mean?”
“Do you know how you are going to break the guardian’s curse?”
She shook her head.
“Breaking the guardian’s curse involves you sacrificing yourself.”
“How do you mean?”
“It means you are going to give your life up for the sake of the people.”
“You mean that I am…”
He nodded. “You weren’t told?”
“No, I was just told that all I need to do is break the guardian’s curse, they didn’t tell me I was going to die.”
“Do you still want to do it? That is the question you need to ask yourself now.”
“Is there no other way to break the curse?”
He shook his head.
“Your blood will break the curse and set the people free.”
“But…”
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
Phoebe remembered everything she saw when she came to the kingdom. The cries of the people, the pain and suffering. If her blood can end this, then why shouldn’t she?
“I will do it.”
“What?”
“It is my destiny to save these people. I will do it.”
“You are just like your father.”
“You know my father?”
He nodded and smiled. “No one could change his mind when he has made up his mind. He was determined, brave and loyal.”
“You must be a very old man.”
The man laughed. “Very old, I must say.”
“Do you live alone?”
“I have a son but he works in the palace.”
“Oh!”
“You should be on your way to the palace. I will escort you there.”
“Thank you so much!”
“You are most welcome, chosen one.” He got her some clean clothes to wear and waited for her outside so that she could get dressed.
After she had gotten dressed, she went to join the old man outside and the man was awe by her beauty. She noticed how the man was looking at her and she became awkward.
“Do I look awful?”
The man chuckled. “You are the most beautiful being I have ever set my eyes on. You look as beautiful as your mother was when she was alive.”
“Thank you for your warm compliments.”
“Do you think I can invite over so that you can meet my son?”
“I would be honored to meet your son.”
“Let’s go.”
They got into the carriage and rode to the palace.