"What is happening?"
Kyren and Anna erged from the room only to find themselves face-to-face with the newly arrived King of Cassian. The couple imdiately bowed in deference to their monarch.
"The Marquess’s sickness has resurfaced," Aaron explained, concern etched on his face.
Daniel turned to Kyren, seeking an update.
"How is he doing now?" he inquired earnestly.
"Fortunately, my wife was able to persuade him to rest," the grand duke replied. "He’s currently asleep."
Aaron’s worry was apparent, prompting him to suggest, "Let us go and keep him company."
Recognising the delicate nature of the situation, Anna proposed, "It would be best if only one person accompanies him. We don’t want to disturb his sleep and cause him further anxiety."
Daniel stepped forward, offering himself for the task.
"Then, I’ll go," he volunteered, displaying his commitnt.
The group nodded solemnly, acknowledging him. Daniel excused himself by bowing to the king before entering the room to accompany his father. anwhile, Chris sighed, clearly troubled by the sudden resurgence of the Marquess’s sickness.
"Father hasn’t experienced the sickness for several years. It’s disheartening to see it has returned now," Chris lanted.
Curious about the nature of the Marquess’s illness, Anna inquired further. "What kind of sickness does the marquess have?"
The faces of Liam’s sons darkened at the question. After a mont of contemplation, Aaron explained.
"It is the result of the dark magic he encountered during the Great War. Our father was one of the northern warriors who saved Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, from the invasive attack. In the process, he was exposed to the dark magic when he touched His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor who had been afflicted by it."
Anna gasped in shock.
"Oh, my God! But that was such a long ti ago."
"The effects of dark magic are severe and long-lasting," Kyren added. "Even His Imperial Majesty, the Ro’an Emperor, with imnse strength and magical abilities, couldn’t overco it and succumbed to its influence."
Anna was perplexed.
"But His Imperial Majesty was a powerful individual. He was the Ro’an Emperor and possessed vast magical abilities. How co he was unable to defeat the dark magic?"
Kyren explained with a heavy tone, "Indeed, he was powerful. However, the attack of the enemy’s troops ca simultaneously without a warning after the dark magic was cast upon him. He used his powers to protect his people, thus weakening him and allowing the enemy to take advantage of this vulnerability and assassinate him. If he hadn’t resorted to that, Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, our grandfather, the admiral of the northern warriors who led the escape, and a few others might not have made it."
King Kyden interjected, his voice filled with sorrow, "His Imperial Majesty’s sacrifice ensured the survival of those dear to us, but it ca at a great cost. The dark magic consud him, and he couldn’t resist its grasp. It was a tragic loss for our empire."
Anna downcasted her gaze with a solemn face, realising that her ancestor was one of the betrayers who attacked the emperor and inevitably caused the Marquess’s suffering.
"I thought he’s already fine," said King Kyden with a hint of regret. "When all of you ca to et at the palace, he seed perfectly all right. There were no symptoms."
Aaron sighed.
"He was indeed doing well. None of us expected this to happen again."
Anna’s concern grew, and she pressed for more information.
"Aside from the hallucinations, what other symptoms does the Marquess experience?"
Aaron answered somberly, "There are monts when he struggles to recognise the people around him, including us. He acts according to his own will as if he’s still in the midst of battle. He might draw his sword, believing that enemies surround him. At tis, he weeps for his perceived failure to save His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor. The lingering effects of the dark magic have almost driven him to the brink of madness. It has been a challenge to contain him during these episodes."
Chris then interjected, "After years of prolonged treatnt and careful care at the march, we were convinced that he had fully recovered. That’s why we didn’t hesitate to bring him to the capital this ti. We let our guard down, assuming he was fine."
Kyren added his thoughts, contemplating the situation, "Sothing must have triggered his sickness again. We need to investigate and understand what caused this relapse."
"Typically, when he was left alone for a long ti or under stress, the madness would occur," Aaron explained. "But this ti, he was never alone. We were with him the whole ti, and he seed to enjoy the festival. We didn’t see this coming."
Chris turned his gaze towards Anna and spoke troubledly, "He appeared perfectly fine until he saw Lady Raychard."
All eyes turned to Anna. The princess’s hesitance grew with the attention focused on her.
King Kyden broke the silence, posing a question. "Did he try to attack you?"
"No, Your Majesty, not at all," Anna quickly replied, trying to ease their concerns. "Surprisingly, he addressed as the Imperial Majesty Empress Regina. He believed that I was the empress, and we were amid our escape from Engarth to Cassian. He wanted to save and protect from imaginary enemies."
A sense of bewildernt filled the room. Aaron rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
"This is peculiar..."
"Why do you say that?" asked Kyren to him.
The eldest son of the Marquess explained, "Throughout his episodes of madness, he has never addressed anyone in that way, not even once. And it’s even more surprising that he still recognised Sir Drystan Mills. Usually, he couldn’t identify anyone during those monts."
Chris, puzzled, directed his question to Anna.
"Also, how did you know how Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, addressed our father? The way you called him, it was exactly as he used to tell us."
Curious eyes turned to Anna again, awaiting her response.
"I swear, I don’t know," the princess insisted, genuine surprise in her voice. "It was just a wild guess. We were newly acquainted, so that was the na I knew him by, and I learned from my husband that he was a northern warrior. I figured I shouldn’t address him as the Marquess since that title was obtained after the Great War. So, that’s how I ca up with it."
"That does make sense, and smart, quick thinking too," Aaron acknowledged.
King Kyden’s gaze intensified as he looked at Anna, his curiosity piqued. "There were so many people at the festival, yet his sickness suddenly triggered when he saw you. This couldn’t be random. I wonder if you bear any resemblance to Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress..."
Anna placed her hand over her chest, taken aback by the suggestion.
"? I never thought of that! But how could I be? I have no relation to her."
"None of us have seen her except for our father. He’s the last living northern warrior from the Ro’an Empire era," Chris interjected.
Aaron nodded in agreent.
"Yes, according to our father, all the portraits of Their Imperial Majesties were burned when the palace in Engarth was destroyed during the Great War. There’s no way of knowing."
King Kyden, however, had a different perspective.
"There is a way," he stated, capturing the attention of the others.
All of them turned their heads towards the king.
"How?" asked Chris.
"The derian Prince and Princess would know," the king revealed. "They are relatives of Her Imperial Majesty. They had seen her."
Surprise plastered on Chris’s face.
"The derians? But we haven’t seen any of them for a long ti."
A smile ford on King Kyden’s face.
"We currently have Prince Kiev and Princess Callis, the siblings of the royal derian clan, residing at the palace. They are my honourable guests. Her Imperial Majesty is their first cousin, twice removed."
Aaron’s voice filled with excitent as he said, "This is intriguing! We had no knowledge of this. How is Her Imperial Majesty doing? Did they provide any information about her?"
The king’s expression turned sombre as he relayed what he knew.
"According to them, Her Imperial Majesty passed away long ago due to old age. Prince Kiev didn’t disclose much, but he did ntion that she had a daughter."
King Kyden and Kyren exchanged solemn glances. Their eyes reflected a mixture of sorrow and bitterness. They carried the weight of a hidden truth, one that only they knew.
It was the knowledge that the daughter of the Empress, who was also the mother of Kyren’s soulmate, had tragically passed away during childbirth, along with her baby. The profound loss of the Ro’an Emperor’s direct descendant had been buried deep within their hearts, for they chose not to disclose this devastating fact to the people.
Chris couldn’t contain his curiosity and posed a question to the king.
"Why did His Highness Prince Kiev and Her Highness Princess Callis suddenly co? Is there sothing urgent? It has been years since the derians set foot on the continent."
The king turned his blue eyes to Anna and Kyren alternately before responding.
"There is indeed a reason, but it’s a discreet matter," he said cryptically. "And there’s more. I haven’t ntioned this yet, but Princess Callis is now married to a Cassian."
"Who?" asked Aaron.
"My healer, Mr Rafe Amares," Kyren responded.
Surprise and disbelief registered on the siblings’ faces.
"What?" they exclaid in unison.
The king, sensing their confusion, reassured them.
"It’s a long story, and I promise I will explain everything later."
Just then, Drystan entered the room accompanied by a royal healer, their presence drawing the attention of the gathered group. The King, noting their arrival, imdiately directed the royal healer to attend to the Marquess without delay.
"Your Majesty," Drystan began respectfully, "Lord Rogers, the Count of dhir and his family are outside. They have urgently requested entry upon learning that the Marquess was brought here."
The king nodded, granting his permission. "Please, allow them to enter," he said with a wave of his hand.
Within monts, Sylvia, her two brothers and her parents hurried into the inn, their faces etched with worry. As they approached the group, they perford a bow and curtsy, acknowledging the king’s presence. The Count of dhir, Sylvia’s father, spoke first, addressing the royal figures.
"Greetings to the Sun of Cassian and Your Highness Grand Duke," he said with reverence.
"Rise, everyone. No need for formalities," the king responded, signalling them to lift their heads.
Sylvia’s mother turned to her brother, Aaron, seeking reassurance.
"How is father?" she inquired anxiously.
"He’s fine now, Denise. The royal healer is attending to him," Aaron replied, comforting.
The Count expressed his concern, recounting their experience.
"We saw what happened. We rushed to follow but were initially denied entry upon our arrival."
Lord Rogers’s words prompted Kyren to explain.
"Please accept my apology, Count. The Marquess was exhibiting unusual behaviour, and we brought him here for his safety. It was a precautionary asure to control the situation."
The Count acknowledged Kyren’s words and was grateful for the assistance.
"I understand. I appreciate your help, Your Highness," he replied sincerely.
Sylvia, her eyes filled with worry, couldn’t help but ask, "May I go in and see him?"
Understanding her concerns, Chris said, "Uncle Daniel is already inside, accompanying him. For now, it’s best to avoid crowding him."
The young noble lady nodded, though her disappointnt was evident.
"Since it’s already under control, let him rest for now. Later, took him back to your mansion for proper recovery. It’s important for him to recover in a familiar environnt," the Grand Duke ordered, considering Liam’s well-being.
Lord Rogers acknowledged the instruction.
"Yes, Your Highness," he responded dutifully.
Kyren turned to Drystan, issuing a specific directive, "I want you to accompany the Marquess at the Count’s mansion. Stay with him and attend to his needs until he recovers and returns to the march."
The knight bowed respectfully, acknowledging the task assigned to him.
"Yes, Your Highness," he replied without hesitation.
The unexpected order surprised the others, prompting Sylvia to voice her curiosity.
"Why him?" she asked, seeking an explanation.
"During the recent commotion, the Marquess recognised him among all of us. In case the symptoms reoccur, Drystan might be able to calm him," the Grand Duke explained, emphasising the knight’s importance.
The two lords nodded in agreent, acknowledging the wisdom behind the decision.
"Agreed. Sir Mills’s presence will be of great significance. Your Highness, your observation is truly remarkable," Aaron affird.
"Good. The royal healer will continue to treat the Marquess. Please let know if further assistance is required. I am more than willing to help," the King offered graciously.
Chris expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Marquess of Sylvere’s family.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your benevolence is greatly appreciated," he said sincerely.
"You’re most welco. As my Queen awaits outside, I should return to her. She must be eager to know the current situation," the king remarked, indicating his departure.
As the king took leave, the group humbly bowed and curtsied, demonstrating their deep respect for his presence and leadership. With a sense of anticipation, they anxiously awaited updates on the Marquess’s condition. The tension gradually eased when the royal healer approached, bearing comforting news.
"His Excellency, the Marquess of Sylvere’s condition is now under control," the healer conveyed calmly. "He is resting peacefully, and his symptoms have subsided."
A wave of relief washed over the faces of Sylvia, her family, and the assembled group. Grateful glances were exchanged, silently acknowledging the positive turn of events.
Anna and Kyren, satisfied with the progress and assured of the marquess’s well-being, decided it was ti to return to the palace. Approaching the group, they conveyed their intentions.
"We are relieved to hear of the Marquess’s improved condition," Kyren expressed. "Please continue to monitor his recovery closely. We shall take our leave now."
The group reciprocated their gratitude, respecting the couple with heartfelt appreciation.
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