Chapter Six

Soteria walked into Julian's room where he was receiving treatment and the doctor and nurses bowed. "How is he?" he asked and the doctor pointed at Julian's abdomen wound, "This wound was pretty deep, but not deep enough to kill him. His arm wound would render him useless because it was his right arm that was slashed. He would have died if the prince had not given him first aid."

Soteria nodded as he slightly touched Julian's arm, "Leave us," he said and the medical team bowed and left.

He took Julian's warm hand in his, "It seems I underestimated you, Julian. You are a strong man and have proven your loyalty to me by ensuring that the marriage between Thurtian and Guire was finalized. You also saved my son's life, I am sorry that I ever threatened you," he sighed and held Julian's hand, "The person that did this will not go unpunished," he growled.

Julian opened his eyes slightly, "Your...majesty," he breathed out and Soteria looked at him, "Just rest Julian, let me take it from here," he said and dropped Julian's hand and walked out.

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"Have you found the person that harmed the prince's convoy?" Soteria asked a soldier who shook his head, "The wounded soldiers say it was a lone woman, who had the ability to make spears fly from hands and people fly from horses," he chuckled. "Your highness, do not concern yourself too much with what happened. The soldiers are just making excuses for not being able to protect the crown prince from mere bandits."

Soteria immediately remembered the sickening and sadistic look on Isander's face. A woman? he thought.

The butler, Aslan glared at the impudent soldier, "You dare to tell the king what he should do?!" The soldier staggered back, "No I..."

"Aslan," Soteria called and Aslan looked back at him. He shook his head and Aslan got the message, he turned back to the soldier, "Get out of his majesty's sight!"

The soldier bowed and ran out of the throne room. Soteria stood up but then fell back into his chair, "Your majesty!" Aslan held him worriedly, then he noticed that the king's right hand was shaking.

"Your majesty, are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with worry. Soteria grabbed his shaking hand and took deep breaths, "Get me the viscount of Damodar."

"Yes, your majesty" Aslan bowed and was about running out, but Soteria called him back, "One more thing..." he panted and Aslan nodded. "Where is the crown prince?" he asked.

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Noelle stormed into Noelan's room and saw him reading a book, with his legs on his study table, "Where is your brother?!" she demanded and he glanced at her, then went back to his book.

"Did you not hear me or perhaps are you ignoring me?" she asked, but he still did not answer her. "Noelan!" she shouted and he dropped his legs, together with his book, "Oh for Christ's sake, your majesty!"

He stood up and glared at her, "You know goddamn well where Sorin is, the art room, so why do you come in here, yelling?" he yelled and she was taken aback. Was her son swearing at her?

"I taught you better than to raise your voice at a woman," she spoke calmly, then he looked away and ran his fingers through his light brown hair.

Her amber eyes followed his movements till he looked back at her, "And I did not teach you to swear, especially not in front of a lady, so where did you learn such vile language from? Perhaps that...peasant girl---" she said the "girl" with so much contempt.

"Her name is Bithia Oprah, and she is my friend!" he clenched his fists as he looked down at his mother. Noelle looked down at her son's clenched fists, then she looked at him, "And that is all she will ever be! I will make sure of it!" she said and turned to go, but Noelan laughed.

She turned back with a raised brow and her son dropped on his bed, "Oh mother, you are looking at the wrong person when it comes to Bithia," he threw his head back in laughter and fell down on his bed.

She walked up to him, "What do you mean?" she asked but he kept on laughing. She kicked his shin, "Stop laughing and behave like a prince!" she chided him and then he stopped laughing and sat up.

He held up his index fingers, "Bithia..." he said as he raised his left finger, "...and I," then he raised his right finger, a sly smirk on his face.

He crossed his fingers together, slowly, "Bithia and I," he drawled and glanced at his mother who was concentrating on his fingers. He shook his head and took his fingers apart, "No, no, no," he laughed as he wagged his finger at her.

This was the first time Noelle was seeing her second son act all playful. Noelan usually acted distant and serious. Even as a child, Noelan was not as playful as other children. He always clung to his mother's skirt and followed her around. Even when he was with Bithia, he mostly watched her play.

So, Noelle was quite surprised to see her son laughing and grinning from ear to ear like a child. Maybe his inner child was coming out, or her son was drunk on something.

Noelan raised his left index finger, "Bithia..." he grinned and then raised his right index finger, "...and Sorin," he said in a sing-song manner and Noelle's face fell.

What? she thought as she watched her youngest son laugh. "I saw them hugging, the day you announced my betrothal to Elysia. Seems like she is not after the other prince who takes delight in flowers and books, she wants the brooding, crown prince who is still traumatized over his childhood friend's disappearance."

Horror was written very clearly on the queen's face. Perhaps she had been going about it all wrong. Her eyes should have been on Bithia and not her sons. Bithia was the snake trying to break her perfect royal family.

"But...Sorin has always been about Astraea, what---" "Mother, he has not seen her in fifteen years, who knows, she might even be dead! Besides, when he was younger, he did say he was going to marry Bithia," he smirked as he looked at his mother.

A vein popped up in her temple and as she gritted her teeth. No one needed to tell Noelan, his mother was irked.

She glanced at her son who gave her an innocent smile, then she stormed out of his room.

Her destination? The art room.

After his mother had left his room, all traces of laugh left his face. He sighed and got up from his bed and sat at his table, with his book in his hands.

That was when guilt started eating him up; What have you done? a voice in his head asked. "Mother was going to find out either ways," That may be true, but she would have found out by herself. No one needed your help. "I certainly do not need you telling me what I can and can not do," he said, trying to shut up his conscience, but it kept on talking;

You are just jealous, and that jealousy has led you to betray your brother and the lady you claim to love.

He scoffed, "Jealous? Even if I had not told mother, Sorin was eventually going to get into trouble, but even if he is in trouble, he will still be the golden crown prince."

That seemed to shut his conscience up. He sighed and downed a glass of water, "Mother will just take it out on Bithia," he mumbled. His heart became heavy when he thought about how Noelle always treated Bithia and now that she knew Bithia and Sorin had something going on, who knew what she would do to her?

He held his head and sighed, "What have I done?"

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Sorin took off his white shirt and dipped it into black paint then he rubbed it on the white canvas, that was when Noelle stormed in.

"Sorin, we need to talk!" she said as she stood behind him, but he ignored her and continued painting.

She noticed that paintings of Astraea were now opened, and were turned to face Sorin.

That was when she realized that Sorin still mused over Astraea and that Bithia was just a sly fox, trying to steal his heart.

Sorin dropped his paint-drenched shirt on the floor and looked at his mother, "Yes?"

Noelle had seen Julian and the state he was in, she was just grateful that it wasn't her son lying down, wounded on the bed.

She threw her arms around him and embraced him. Sorin was stunned at his mother's sudden display of affection, but he hugged her back.

"I am so glad that you are safe," she sobbed. Sorin remembered the masked woman with grey eyes and sighed. It can not be her, right?

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Bithia was dusting the furnitures when Cassian came in rolling Zemira on a wheelchair. "My Lord," Bithia smiled and then she looked at Zemira who looked worn out and dejected.

Cassian looked down at Zemira and smiled, "The weather looks lovely today, so I thought a stroll would be nice, since she has been cooped up in her room."

Bithia slowly nodded, "I wish I could take grandmother out for a stroll, but mother says I should not disturb her. Mother said she needs rest."

Cassian placed his hand on her head and then patted it, "Do not worry. Everything will be fine," he consoled and her eyes watered, "The only thing keeping me going these days, is that father is coming home soon. He sent me a letter."

Cassian gripped the handle of the wheelchair tightly, and Bithia noticed. "Well...you must be ecstatic. You have not seen your father for quite a while, and it is my fault."

Bithia shook her head and held his hand, "It is not your fault, my father is your servant, of course he has to serve you." Cassian smiled and remembered when he was younger and how he looked up to Caius. He still did.

"Your father is more than my servant, Bithia." Zemira moaned and Cassian looked down at her, "I guess she is excited for our stroll. I shall be on my way then," he said and Bithia bowed as he rolled his wife away.

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They rolled past the stables and Gerta brayed when she saw Cassian. Her colt came from behind her and also neighed, then it started eating the hay laid out for the horses.

The stable boy bowed and shoveled more hay for the horses.

Cassian waved to him and continued pushing his wife around, "A lot has changed, Zemy...both good and bad. The princes have grown well, Bithia is becoming a young woman, the twins have grown too, we do not meet up with our friends as frequently as before, but they do send their well wishes. Your brother's wife is pregnant now."

He gripped the handle as he tried to not mention his daughter. He laughed, to push the tears back in, "Remember when she always complimented how beautiful you looked while pregnant and how she could not wait to be pregnant. I am happy for them."

They stopped in front of the storage house. Lenny was there supervising the restocking of the store, then she saw the couple and bowed. The other servants bowed too. Cassian asked Lenny for two apples, and she gave them to him.

They continued their stroll. He had dropped Zemira's apple on her laps, while he ate his. He remembered when they had gone to the market on the day she had three wishes. She had taught him how to play bob apple, and he had been so happy to get an apple. He remembered her smile that day and his heart fell.

Ever since their daughter had disappeared, his wife had not smiled. He was the one doing the smiles and it hurt his face, because he was always giving fake smiles to people.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and coughed, "Well..." his voice broke. Few tears rolled his face, but he brushed them aside and cleared his throat, "The wind today is much...it is getting me all teary-eyed," he joked, but of what use?

The Zemira sitting in the wheelchair, with an apple sitting comfortably on the blanket placed on her laps, was the shell of the former Zemira who was cheerful and was always running. Now, she was like a shriveled husk.

Cassian continued telling her about all the changes, "Zelia and Peony are still travelling the world, acting like newlyweds. Zelia sent me a letter though, that they are thinking of adopting a baby boy. It would be nice, having a little boy who would make Zelia run around, just the way she made Gertrude ran around," he laughed and thought about Gertrude whose health was deteriorating daily.

"Gertrude is...well, she is still sick, but everything will be fine." They stopped at an open field and then, Cassian laid on the grass. With the wind in his hair, and the sun on his face, he felt free.

He sat up and saw his wife staring into the horizon. Her long, curly black hair was now longer, and though he bathed her everyday and brushed her hair, she still looked unkempt. All life had left her alluring brown eyes, now they were just empty like her heart.

She too was among the changes.

On the other hand, he had not changed, he remained the same. Broody, always giving fake smiles, sad, judged, mad and lonely.

He moved closer to her and rested his head on her laps. "Everything has changed, except me, Zemy. It's like everyone is changing and leaving me behind while I am just stuck in time...alone, and scared."

She did not say anything. He had expected that, but then, he felt her hand on his head.

"Zemy?" he called out and she slowly stroked his hair. She still did not say anything, and just kept on stroking his hair.

The tears he had been holding, began to fall from his eyes. He gripped her skirts and poured out all the hurt and sadness he felt.

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"Are you telling me that the woman that injured Julian and the other soldiers, was Astraea?" Soteria asked and Sorin slowly nodded, "The woman had grey eyes, father."

Soteria sprung up and angrily threw the painting of the masked lady at Sorin. "Your majesty..." Noelle tried to pacify him. "There are plenty of ladies with grey eyes, out there! Do you even know what you are saying?!" he yelled.

"I know that, father! But I know Astraea! She is my friend and–" Sorin was saying but Soteria cut him short, "If you do know Astraea, you would know that it is impossible for her to be the masked woman," he calmed down and then collapsed into his seat.

"But father!" Sorin yelled and Soteria glared at him, "Not another word about this! Especially when the Viscount of Damodar is present!"

They heard footsteps coming into the throne room and then Noelle gasped. It was Cassian. "And why is that, your majesty?" he smiled.

Soteria looked at the painting at Sorin's feet and then glared at him to pick it up. "Do not bother yourself with it, Cassie...the crown prince was just being...rebellious and delusional."

Sorin picked up his painting and then bowed to his father, then he left with his mother trotting behind him.

When they were finally alone, Cassian turned to Soteria, "You sent for me, your majesty?" "Yes! I..."

Soteria wanted to tell him about the masked woman who had the same powers Isander had, but he decided against it.

They were not sure about it, so he could bring up false news and cause a scare.

Soteria threw his arm around Cassian and grinned, "I would like to host a ball, for the success of the finalization of Sorin's wedding." "Well, you are free to do whatever, your majesty, but is that the reason you called me?" Cassian asked and Soteria nodded, "But of course! You are my closest friend and I tell you everything before I do it..."

Their voices trailed off as they left the throne room.

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"Do you have any idea of what you have cost me?!" Cato screamed and flung a goblet at Astra's head. She saw it coming, so she stopped it with her mind.

"I simply killed a few Thurtianians...so what is it exactly that I cost you?" she narrowed her eyes at him and he tsked. "This is why you need to be watched!"

"I need to be watched because I am doing what you ordered?" she glanced at Avriel who had kept his head bent.

"You killed them because they hurt a boy?" Cato looked at her incredulously. "They were going to hurt him!" Astra yelled, remembering how the prince had held Zori.

Cato sat collapsed into his chair, "Just get out of my sight. You are nothing but a failure!" Astra held back her tears and gave a small bow, then she left.

Cato looked at Avriel, then gestured him to follow her.

When he was finally alone, he held his head in anguish. "That girl is going down the path her uncle went! What is even wrong with these damned Monterey's?!" he yelled and pushed down his food laid out on the table.

"Can they not stick to a simple plan? The plan was to get batteries and complete my life's mission!"

He wobbled and held the table, "Maybe I am the fool. I got sidetracked and desired revenge for how they treated me! But this revenge is not the main thing. It is just something for my pleasure. If I can get the batteries and bring back Isander, he can get revenge for both of us."

But getting batteries were harder than he thought. He already had two; Avriel and Astra. The rest soldiers were still undergoing experiments, and most of them had died. He just needed two more and he could die in peace.

Cato coughed into his palm and then looked at it, blood. He did not have much time. He was old and withering. He had to complete what he had started.

He held his cane and then looked at the insignia inscribed on the head; an eye so dark that gazing into it, was like looking into a bottomless pit, and that same eye was bleeding.

It made him remember Nola. His only regret was that Nola's body got cremated, else he would have brought her back to life. She was so much better than Andra.

With Isander and Nola, the world would have been at his feet, but unfortunately, he had to make do with just Isander.

He walked into his inner chambers and smiled at Isander's corpse in a glass coffin.

Though Isander was their enemy, he was still Zelia and Cassian's older brother, so they planned to bury him beside their parents, but Cato had stolen the body from the manor.

He limped to the coffin and rested his hand on the firm glass, "Do not worry old friend. Our deal still stands, just that it is slightly different now; I will get my immortal human, and you will get revenge on your dear brother," he breathed, fog covering that part of the glass.

Cato grinned like the devil he was. He had gotten an idea.

"Maybe Monterey's are not so foolish as I thought," he smirked as a new plan began to form in his head.