The truth

Marcus struggled to get the fireworks away from him. The once that exploded were driving immense fear in him that he couldn't force. He could see his end coming soon.

Staring at the king, his eyes pleaded for his help. The King remained unmoved by him. Tears flowed down Marcus's cheeks at the unjust punishment he was receiving.

He was so helpless, the fireworks moved to his body leaving burnt marks as the string was getting shorter. He let go of the string and brought his ears to block out the sound of the fireworks.

One of the king's knight rushed to his rescue. With his sword he cut off the sting from his waist and threw it away. The knight took Marcus into his arms and carried him out of the garden.

The King didn't stop his knight and wasn't moved by what he had just done. His face was indifferent and cold staring in the direction that the knight had disappeared to.

He got up from the table and walked away from the dining table. His food remained untouched and his aura was so cold that all who saw him ran in the opposite direction.

The news of the events of that morning had spread throughout the palace, all knew of the King and queen's argument and knew to avoid the king at all cost. His anger was one that spared no one in his path.

The knight carried prince Marcus to one of the rooms at the back. The way that the things were happening in the palace, it wasn't safe for him to take the prince to him room.

He laid the prince on the bed careful not to touch the parts of him that were burnt. Marcus curled up on the bed still frightened from the incident.

His body was shaking with fear on the bed. His arms and legs hurt from being burned by the fireworks. The image that he had seen of the king terrified him, it was different from the king that had come for him in Narsia.

That king was gentle and kind, he had done many things to provoke him but he didn't react as he did today. In just a day, the werewolf king had shown him so much pain and made his body tremble with fear.

"Welcome your highness," Marcus heard and tensed. His eyes remained closed not daring to open them and face the monster that was standing before them.

The knight stood and bowed to the king who entered the room from a hidden door.

"How is he?" the king asked his voice softer.

Marcus wanted to scoff at his question but was too afraid to do so. He was sure the king was only acting concern in front of the person who saved him. But the minute they would be left alone. He would get back to making him suffer.

"If you care then why did you do that?" the knight dared to ask him. The King looked at Marcus on the bed and sighed.

"What did you want me to do. Regina is furious because of the mark," the king said. "And she was watching me," he added.

"Oh," the knight let out.

Marcus was confused what him being set on fire had to do with the queen. He prayed that the knight doesn't leave because then the king would hurt him.

"It is either I hurt him or leave him I'm the hands of Reina," the king explained.

"If I were him, I would chose you over the queen," the knight said. The King glared at him. "Don't get me wrong, I like the Queen when she is happy but even you know she becomes a demon when offended," he added defensively.

"On that note, make sure that Marcus doesn't eat or drink anything from the royal palace. Reina has the cook putting poison on everything," the king ordered and took a seat in the bed.

He fetched a bottle from his coat. He opened the cap of the bottle and poured the content of the liquid oil to his hand. He applied the content to Marcus's leg.

"Aahh," Marcus let out at the burning feeling on his leg. He sat up on the bed to confront the king, his eyes met with the gentle eyes of the king and he froze, he forgot about his anger and what he was going to say and just stared at him.

"Where should I fetch his food?" the knight asked the king.

"My spies will bring you the food that he is to eat," the king added.

"Why are you acting like you care," Marcus asked to him. The situation was confusing him and even more was why the cold face of the king was now king and caring with compassion in them.

"How do you feel?" the king asked him. Marcus gritted his teeth at the question. The man had set him of fire and burnt him and he dared to ask how he was.

"My body is burnt and I am in pain. Loo~" he froze and held his words when he found no wound on his legs. There was no pain in his body, only his burnt clothes were the remains as the evidence of what had happened.

"How do you feel?" the king asked again repeating his question.

Marcus blinked his eyes, he brought his hand to his eyes and rubbed on them. He glanced at his foot again and saw that his leg was fine. All the wounds had disappeared. His jaw dropped in awe at the magic that had happened.

"Here," the king let out and handed him the bottle. "I can't promise you that I will not hurt you again to keep you alive, so keep this with you. Apply a little of it on any wound and it would heal in minutes," the king explained.

Marcus looked at the bottle all over trying to find what was magic about it. But it was only a normal bottle and inside looked like normal oil.

"The queen is angry and right now she is dangerous to you. As long as she is of the impression that I hate you and want to ruin you, she won't attack you," he said while wrapping a bandage on Marcus's legs.

"Wait, why are you bandaging my leg. I am fine," Marcus said to him.

"You are fine, I know that but the Queen should not," the king said. "From now on walk with crutches and act hurt," the king added.

He got up from the bed and faced his knight. "I take it that I can count on you to protect him and help me as I can not," he asked to him.

The knight nodded at him. The King being assured exited the room as he had come in. Leaving the prince more confused as ever, he was stuck on what had happened. Should he fear the king or not, was the king on his side or not. Was the queen truly as dangerous as they made him out to be?

Questions crisscrossed his mind making him even more confused than before. He held the oil bottle tightly in his hand and watched the king disappear from the room.