“Have you guys done your part?” I asked as soon as I met up with Ren and Nate. The both of them nodded.
“Yeah. My father scolded me for saying it. And I think he wants to talk to you about your weird hiding locations.” Nate says and scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
I tried not to react or panic about the fact that Terrence wants to have a chat with me. Instead, I focused my attention on Ren. “How’d it go with you? They didn’t suspect anything?”
Ren smirked and crossed his arms. “I pretended to be Dan and spilled the beans. They didn’t react when I told them about it. But they did wonder what Dan was doing in Thalia.” He says. “What about you?”
“My aunt seems busy and she looked like she’s going to chew my face when I tell her about it. But I did get to tell King Luke. Though he scolded me as well and kicked me out of the greenhouse.”
Ren raised an eyebrow at me. “He kicked you out? What did you do? Harass the plants?”
Nate coughed. “Baby girl, if you want to get harassed then just come into my open arms!” He spread out his hands as if he was waiting for a hug from me.
Ren gave me a look and I nodded as I gave him consent. He took that as a cue as he punched Nate’s stomach, making him double over in pain.
“As I was saying,” Ren said and turned his attention back to me with a pleasant and friendly smile. “What’s king Luke doing in the greenhouse?”
“Complicated stuff.” I answered. “He is trying to replicate the medicine from my realm and incorporating it with magic.”
Nate and Ren exchanged a look as if this somehow opened a new topic. “Say, how did your people survive without healing magic?”
I bit my lips because I seriously can’t find the right words to describe it. “Science?” I said, but I should have known that they wouldn’t know the meaning behind it, judging by the furrow of their brows. My hands fumbled in the air as I struggled to find the rights words. “It’s like...researching and using properties of...substances...chemicals...that we can find to...um...fight the illness…?” I watched their faces and felt relieved when they somehow seemed to understand what I was talking about.
“So you mix stuff and it heals you? Sounds like a potion to me but without magic.” Nate says.
“I... that is a disturbingly accurate description. Thank you, Nate.” I said.
“Now I am curious. I want to see what the king is working with.” Ren tapped his chin in mischief.
“No one is going anywhere until you’ve finished your drills.” We all jumped just as Sir Terrence stood and tapped a wooden sword to his shoulder. Immediately, we all greeted him. “Nathaniel, Renevier you both to practice form 15. I need to talk with the princess for a bit.” He commanded them.
As usual. He is straight to the point.
Nate and Ren both gave me an apologetic look before they drew their swords and headed towards an open space to practice.
“What’s form 15 again?” I heard Ren asking Nate before sir Terrence moved in front of me.
“Princess.” Terrence says. By the tone of his voice, it was obvious that he wasn’t happy about something.
And I know exactly what it is about. “Hello.” I said cheerfully but avoided meeting his gaze.
“I heard from my son about where you hid the chalice. Do you have any idea how careless that was?”
I gasped as I feigned innocence. “The location of the chalice? How did you know!? Did Nate tell you? Sir, you should give him a big scolding instead of me.” I suggested. But seeing the look on his face, I dropped it. “Sorry.”
“It might have worked if Midnight was still there, but right now, he isn’t.” I looked down on the ground as Terrence continued to scold me. This sucks. I was getting reprimanded for something that, for once, I didn’t do.
Even when I am doing nothing I still get scolded...
Curse you, Nate! You could have said something nice about me that Sir Terrence wouldn’t chew me with his words this much.
“...and when I came to fetch the chalice, it’s gone. Please tell me that you were the one who transferred it.”
My eyes widened as I looked up. Did I hear him right? “Come again?”
Terrence sighed. “Princess, I was asking you if you moved the chalice from the stables. I came there to retrieve it earlier to return it to you, but it wasn’t there.” When Terrence saw the horrified look on my face, he seemed like he was about to panic as well. “Don’t tell me that someone took it?”
“N-NO! Of course, it was me.” I said. He would surely make a big fuss about this if he learns about our trap. “The chalice is still with me. It’s safe.” I reassured him with confidence. Because it was the truth. I still have the chalice with me.
Terrence was still doubting my words but decided to drop it. “Alright. I’ll trust you. You should go rest first.”
“What?” I snapped my attention back to him. “Why?”
“I am dismissing you early because you’re not focusing. And I refuse to teach you when your mind is elsewhere. I suggest that you go to your aunt and-”
Multiple stings of pain flowed throughout my body. First, it was on my belly, then my leg. I dropped to the ground screaming as if I was dying. I couldn’t breathe as the pain continued on my arm and even my left eye. I feel like I was drooling as I screamed and rolled on the ground in pain.
“PRINCESS!” Terrence went to grab a hold of my shoulder. I saw Ren and Nate in my line of vision.
What was happening to me?! It feels like I am being ripped apart.
No. This sensation is very familiar.
I cried out, even more, when I feel like my bones were being crushed. Is this Ace’s pain? What is he doing and how come he’s badly beaten up like this?
No. This is worse than getting beaten up.
“She’s...She’s healing someone.” Ren says as when he recognizes the signs that I was giving off. He was the only was with me when I healed someone for the first time so it was he who figured out about my pain. He knows that there was nothing that they could do to ease the pain.
Ren and Nate held my hand as comfort while Terrence held me to the ground to stop me from flailing.
Soon, the pain was too unbearable for me that I passed out.
******[KINGDOM OF TEREAU] *******
Custard was waiting outside of the castle. He missed his chance to slip in along with PRINCE Ace and Viex. Now he was just waiting by the lake along with Midnight.
If anything happens, Viex can simply call out to him.
A shuffled on the ground made Custard jump onto his feet in full alert. He knew that it wasn’t Prince Ace and Viex because the smell was different. But, one of them shared the same scent as his master.
Custard lowered himself to the ground to hide as two kids emerged from the forest. One was the boy that he saw a while ago and the other was a girl with blonde hair. He almost ran for her when he thought that she was his master.
But that is impossible. She was younger and her hair was paler.
Could this be his master’s sister? What about Prince Ace and Viex? Where are they?
“Is that him?” Stella asked as she watched the Black stallion with fear in her eyes.
“It is.” Kellar confirmed as he has seen the stallion with the elf prince when they first met. Kellar moved forward and stretched one of his hands out. “Your name is Midnight, right?”
As if recognizing his name, the black Stallion moved forward and lowered itself to allow the to children to ride on its back. Kellar helped Stella up before he hopped on himself.
The girl seemed uncomfortable and even let out a slight yelp when Midnight got back on his feet. “I have to tell you something.” Stella looked back at Kellar. “I have never ridden horses before.”
Kellar nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m here. Just tell me when you’re scared.” He says and waited for Stella to nod before the three of them left. Leaving only Custard in the clearing.
Custard watches them as they left. They didn’t seem to be stealing the horse since he knows that Midnight wouldn’t just let anyone ride him unless Prince Ace permits them.
Just what is happening in there?
Custard decided to take matters into his hands with his growing suspicion and invade the palace.
And luckily, he did.