His breath hitched, catching in his throat. This wasn't what he'd expected. Not at all. If he'd suspected anything, it was that his sister had been promoted, perhaps to something more... but this? This was beyond anything he could have imagined.
He found his sister lying on the floor, lifeless. The blood had already begun to dry, but the sight of it was enough to tell him she was gone.
"Jane!" he cried out, his voice hoarse with grief. He rushed to her side, his heart pounding in his chest. She was cold, and he knew there was no bringing her back. He was alone.
He wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. He felt a hollow ache in his chest, a gaping hole where his sister's love used to be. He was the last of his family, the last thread connecting him to the world.
He tried to pull himself together, to think rationally. Could he use magic to bring her back? He didn't have the power, not the kind needed for such a feat.
"Jane! Please! What..." he sobbed, his voice cracking. He couldn't understand. Who could have done this? Was it the princess? Had she killed Jane and brought him here to see her body?
The thought was too horrifying to contemplate. The princess would never do such a thing. She was kind, gentle, and wouldn't hurt a fly. So who then? Who could have taken his sister from him?
He sank to the floor, overwhelmed by grief. He couldn't think straight, couldn't even process the events of the last few hours. All he could do was cry, tears streaming down his face like a broken dam.
He knew he had to find answers. He had to know who had done this to his sister. He had to see the princess, to understand what had happened. But for now, he was lost in a sea of sorrow, drowning in the pain of his loss.
And then he's beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, because he know his sister very much to be a person who stands against evil no matter to the cost, so he believed that his sister might have known about the plan of the princess to kill the king and had stood against it. Perhaps the princess had already killed half of those involved, or maybe there was something more sinister at play. Regardless, he was convinced that the princess was responsible. There was no other explanation. But before he could push further too much about it he needed to see her and explain what had happened.
After crying for what felt like an eternity, he sat in silence for a few more minutes, contemplating his next steps. Finally, he managed to stand, tears still streaming down his face, and walked straight to the court where he found the princess surrounded by several elderly men. They were engaged in a heated discussion regarding the upcoming coronation of the king.
From their expressions, it was clear that an argument was unfolding. Princess Mara had hoped they would support her in crowning her brother, Peter, as king. She believed this was the best choice, but deep down, she knew it could complicate matters further. If her brother ascended the throne, she would effectively rule alongside him, as he always listened to her advice.
Mara had come to discuss how this decision would benefit the elderly men, but to her dismay, most of them had refused her proposals. Only a couple had shown any support, while the majority believed that the rightful heir to the throne was Dara.
As the arguments continued, with Mara making numerous offers that were still being declined, she had managed to win over just two of the men. They were still in the meeting when Obed arrived at the gate, only to be stopped by the guards.
"Please, I wish to see the princess!" Obed requested urgently.
"I'm sorry, but the princess is busy right now. The elders are having serious meetings, and she doesn't want any disturbances until it's over," the guard replied. It was as if he couldn't comprehend the boy's anguish. Despite seeing the tears streaming down the boy's face, he felt bound by duty; he had to follow orders, regardless of the emotions involved.
"Please, it’s an urgent matter! I’m begging you!" Obed pleaded, his voice filled with desperation but still yet the guards refused to let him in. He tried to push his way into the courtroom, but the guards quickly intervened. In the struggle, they beat him up leaving his mouth bloodied and dragging him away to the dungeon.
As they escorted him to his cell, Ruth was arriving to see the princess. Being the princess's personal maid, she had the privilege to enter without restriction. She noticed the guards taking Obed away, and her heart sank when she saw he could barely walk; he seemed to be in a state of shock, almost like a coma. Realizing she couldn't chase after the guards, she decided the best course of action was to inform the princess.
Ruth rushed into the court and approached the princess, whispering urgently in her ear. The princess listened, her expression thoughtful. She was not surprised by the news, but she was curious. Did Obed actually come to confront her? like fight her or beat her up? what's really in his mind? Before she could draw any conclusions, she needed to see him and determine if he was alive or if he would join his deceased sister.
After receiving the information from Ruth, the princess looked at her with a surprised expression, then composed herself, turning her attention back to the elderly men seated before her.
"Alright, I think I will dismiss this meeting now. You all know my proposal. If you wish to accept it, or if you change your mind, I hope to see you back here tomorrow at this time. If I don't see you, I will know that you have rejected it. Consider yourselves warned, the offer will still be opened though, whenever you change your mind, if you still breathes you can come..." Mara stated, her voice slightly raised as she addressed Master Ruben, the only one who had been challenging her.
Master Ruben, with his booming voice, was a trusted advisor to the king when he was alive, much like Gara. His opinions held weight, and the princess was desperate to win him over. However, he remained steadfast in his belief that he would do what he thought was right.
"Is that a threat or what?" he challenged, his voice laced with suspicion.
Mara met his gaze with a slight smile, nodding gently as she swallowed. "Trust me, Ruben, I believe you're old enough to know when someone is threatening you. When a real threat comes, you'll know. I'm simply giving you the opportunity to consider my offer. The court is adjourned. You can decide your wishes tomorrow."
"You have no right to threaten any of us!" Ruben retorted, his voice rising in anger. "As far as I'm concerned, Dara is the rightful heir to the throne! He's the only one who has the right to rule! You're just a girl. I don't know why you're meddling in politics. It's not your place! Your father made it clear to all of us that Dara is the Crown Prince, and he will inherit the throne. There's nothing you can do to change that!"
With that, Ruben stormed out of the room, followed by the others who had not supported the princess. Only two remained, those who had agreed with her proposal.
They stood up gently from their seats, bowing their heads to demonstrate their royalty, and then exited the hall. The princess felt a sense of progress; she understood where her challenges lay and how to begin addressing them. If the others were to agree with her, Ruben had to be removed from the equation.
Clearly, Ruben was the next obstacle to be dealt with. He was the one preventing the others from doing what they believed was right, even if it wasn’t what was right for her.
As they left, the princess turned to Ruth. "Why are they taking Dara away? What happened?" she asked. Ruth was about to respond when the princess interrupted her.
"Tell the guards to release him and bring him to me as soon as possible! Anyone who harmed him will be punished. They have no right to hurt anyone without my permission!" she declared firmly.