Chapter 48

 

 

 

Chapter 48

 

YUKI gazed at the familiar imposing building. Not too long ago the gatekeeper there had treated her rudely. And the days she once spent inside its sprawling parlors and glamorous rooms felt like ages past.

“…At long last…” she muttered, staring emotionally at the castle.

Five days had passed since Rhad received the good news. Word had come saying the Queen of Adolunde might have contracted an illness in line with the Ten Day Fever.

“The castle has royal doctors, but they do not have special medicine explicitly for the Ten Day Fever. You can bet they want to get a hold of anything rumored to work. At any rate, this is our ticket inside,” Rhad said.

Just yesterday Yuki and the others arrived in the capital. They spent the night at Rhad’s manor. Summons came for Yuki as pustules and a rash had erupted on the queen’s skin. The royal doctors had given up hope.

Selena and Vigo were on standby at Rhad’s manor because of their renown as Rvydom soldiers. Medicine from Vigo was secured in the bag Yuki gripped in her left hand.

“Shall we go?”

Yuki peered up at Rhad standing beside her. Her thoughts returned to when she stood side by side with Luca. Though she stood in the same spot, her position in this world had changed. No large hand wearing a matching ring held hers. No ring sat on her right hand’s middle finger. The fear-inspiring castle gates swung open before her, letting her back inside the place everything began.

***

AN uncountable number of eyes followed Rhad and Yuki. Discomforted by the unduly impolite stares, Yuki stole a peek at Rhad and found him calmly walking with his eyes trained forward. How long had they walked through the castle? The plush rug squishing underfoot removed the strain on her feet and her nerves further dulled her sense of time.

Ascending stairs, descending stairs, Rhad strode on in silence and she walked with broad strides to keep pace with him. The big steps she took quickly drained her of what little energy she had. By the time her heavy breathing shuddered her shoulders, Rhad halted.

“The audience chamber is just ahead. As his and her Majesty are both bedridden, the audience will be with Prince Orga…. Whatever he may say, please do not let it rile you. Do not take his bait.”

Orga…

Pain seared through her chest as if a creature were trying to claw its way out from the inside. Closing her eyes, she took several steadying breaths to overcome the familiar yet unceasing ache.

“…I’ll be okay,” she rasped.

“I will do all the talking. Please keep your head down and your mouth shut, Lady Yuki.”

“Okay.”

Yuki recalled the conversation she exchanged with Rhad before coming to the castle.

“I need you to understand the situation, Lady Yuki. The queen has contracted the Ten Day Fever. Meaning not only the capital, but Adolunde’s royal castle has been infiltrated by such a severe case of the Ten Day Fever to where it has reached the most protected, cloistered members of the royal family. Do understand what that means?”

“I guess I do…?” she answered, unsure.

“Uncertainty is written all over your face. Listen to me very closely. Let me give it to you straight: it means the chances of Prince Luca being infected with the Ten Day Fever have skyrocketed.”

“…They have?!”

“Why do you have such difficulty realizing these basic things, m’lady? The future is bleak.” Rhad ran his hand over his face.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Let me lay things out for you nice and clear. Our primary objective is to see Prince Luca. You can heal all things related to the Ten Day Fever, Lady Yuki. Understand?”

“Are you implying we want Luca to be infected with the Ten Day Fever?!”

“Now you’ve got it. You will use your power to heal the queen, Lady Yuki. Not long after, Prince Luca will become infected with the Ten Day Fever as well. How do you believe they will react when he is contagious?”

“They will summon for me again…”

“Exactly. I will do my best to finagle a way for us to get an audience with him sooner, but please consider this as the most effective method we have.”

But the probability of it working is slim.

There was no guarantee Luca would contract the Ten Day Fever just by residing inside the infected palace. Although his health was deteriorating from the curse he was under, Luca was Yuki’s Knight and a Violet Knight at that. Knights were tougher than normal people, as seen by how Selena could work with the sick and never even caught a cough.

But their plan hinged on the chance of him catching the Ten Day Fever. Yuki grabbed at the cloth covering her heart. What if she couldn’t save the queen? What if Luca didn’t catch the Ten Day Fever? Or if he contracted it and she couldn’t save him? Unnerved and worry ridden by those what-ifs, the blood drained from her face and her fingers went cold. Her hands shook uncontrollably. The hammering of her heart rippled through her chest.

I can’t get stuck on the ifs.

“Everything starts from here after all.”

Yuki’s words were erased by the heavy double-doors opening.

***

 

THE daunting doors slowly opened as they dragged along the crimson rug. Out of the corner of her eye, Yuki spotted the feet of two guards putting their full body’s weight into pushing the doors open.

“Enter,” commanded a powerful voice once the doors were fully open. Yuki cringed at the sound of that voice and her heart all but stopped beating. An electric shock surged through her chest. Her mind screamed at her to flee and her legs rooted her to the ground. Images of the horrible things the voice’s owner had done to her brought bile to the back of her throat.

“Lady Yuki. We must go,” Rhad whispered. Through much effort, she gave a small nod in return. Brow knitted firmly together as she endured the pulsing pain radiating through her, she couldn’t lift her head in accordance with court decorum.

“Lady Yuki,” he urged.

Yuki thought only of putting one foot in front of the other and looking at Rhad’s feet on the rug to advance forward. They walked a fair distance along the crimson rug until Rhad stopped in the middle of the large audience chamber and went down on one knee with his head lowered.

Mimicking Rhad’s posture, Yuki went down on both knees, but the intensifying surges of pain had her hands hit the floor before her knee. She kept her eyes trained on the six inch thick rug. Cold sweat beaded her temples. A drip of sweat slipped from the tip of her nose onto the rug. She couldn’t see, but knew instinctively Rhad had lifted his head.

“I am Rhadal Mende, here upon your summons. As requested, I have brought you the girl with the power to heal,” Rhad’s sonorous voice echoed.

An impassionate voice responded back, “I’ve heard the stories.”

“Yes, sire.” Rhad lowered his head.

“I’ll have my men search the medicine you’ve brought for anything hazardous. I’m sure you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.”

“Also, I have no doubt you’re already aware of this, but if you act in any way we take as a threat on Mother, your life is forfeit.”

“We wouldn’t think of it.”

“…We’ll see.”

The conversation flowed smoothly like a typical greeting. Rather than a discussion, it sounded more like an inquest. Keeping her head down, Yuki’s face contorted with intense pain.

“Now that I think about it, I would like to see the girl’s face. She may become the heroine who saves Mother’s life.”

“As you command.”

A cold silence bounced off the towering walls of the audience chamber. Eyes burrowed into Yuki’s back. Sweat trickled down her spine, springing up gooseflesh across her arms and legs.

“Lady Yuki,” Rhad whispered. However, Yuki lacked the composure to hear him. Agonizing pain tightened around her chest and her hands trembled relentlessly on the rug.

Stop. Stop. Was she telling the pain in her chest to stop or the shaking? Biting her lip hard enough for a metallic flavor to fill her mouth, she grimaced and battled the pain. It’s okay. I’ll be okay.

She sucked in as much air as her lungs could take in a single breath. Shutting her eyes, she felt the air fill her. Exhaling deeply, she slowly lifted her head. The shaking stopped.

Sitting on his throne, Orga didn’t look much different from the last time she saw him. Crow black hair and jet-black eyes. Crossed legs. His cheek settled against his hand propped on the armrest. He exuded an aura of refinement that matched the breathtaking grand audience chamber.

“Heh, you’re the one?” One corner of his lips curled up in a demeaning sneer as his eyes sliced through her very being. The pain quadrupled.

I knew it. I can’t do it!

Yuki dropped her gaze and lowered her head. Tears dripped to the floor the instant her head turned down. The droplets hit her hands. Rhad warned her in advance, but seething rage quickly overtook her.

I’ll say something I shouldn’t.

Instinctively her hand reached up and covered her mouth. She forcefully covered her mouth to stop from saying anything stupid. Blocking her mouth hindered her breathing, stinging her eyes with more tears.

Why are you starting wars?

How can you sit on that throne without a care in the world?

Why are you only trying to save your mother?

Murderer. You mercilessly, brutally killed that boy’s mother in the forest. Monster. Abomination. Psycho. Heartless. Unjust. Why? Why? You psychopath. Psychopath. Insane man. Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!

Those black eyes laced with hatred forcefully pulled out the loathing Yuki had kept in check. A guttural groan lodged itself in the back of her throat as the words stuck there. Resentment too great to put into words turned into red-hot tears.

Did the seal burned into her chest hurt? Or was her heart mentally recoiling? The tears overflowed as she sealed her mouth from uttering the curses she had in store for the monster on his throne.

“Forgive me!” A hand shot out from the side and pulled Yuki close, knocking her into Rhad’s chest. He pulled her face against him and wrapped his arms around her back to hide her. “You have my sincerest apology for this most inappropriate display. The truth is someone raped her last night and she has had troubled meeting the eyes of men ever since.”

“…I haven’t received word of such an incident taking place.”

“No, sire. I did not wish to burden your heart further with this matter when you are already unsettled by what has happened to the queen…. Furthermore, it is with great humiliation the rape occurred within my Mende household. Not wishing it to explode into a major issue, I forbade anyone from speaking of the incident.”

“I see. Someone unhappy with Mother must have laid their hands on her. Very well, to compensate her for the mental anguish, I will have a room prepared inside this castle. You are welcome to spend the remainder of your stay in the capital here. You needn’t fear assault like the one you had at the Mende House here.”

“…You humble us with your limitless generosity,” Rhad ingratiated, all the while holding Yuki against his chest. The conversation turned to the room they would grant Rhad as well and the time Yuki was to care for the queen before it ended.

“Please excuse us now,” Rhad said, wrapping his right arm around Yuki’s waist, helping her to stand while she still clamped her hands over her mouth. The tears had stopped, but her body trembled.

Rhad took several steps considerately matching Yuki’s pace when Orga called them to a halt. “One more thing. I have something I wish to ask of the girl.”

Unable to resist Rhad’s arm on her, she was forced to face Orga once more. Eyes lowered, she focused on the gorgeous designs inlaid in the steps leading to the throne platform.

“Can the girl…lift a Witch’s curse?”

“Curses?” Rhad asked, looking down at Yuki.

I’ve never tried.

Feebly, she shook her head like a broken doll. Crying left her head feeling dreadfully heavy and like a monkey was clapping a cymbal on top of her left temple. The gears in her brain refused to move, leaving her staring off into space.

“…I see,” Orga replied curtly.

Rhad lowered his head once more and walked away supporting Yuki at his side. The large doors of the audience chamber closing behind them boomed loudly through the long hallway.