182 A Tragic Day

AUTHOR'S POV

Today was supposed to be a beautiful day for a celebration. Yet, it turned tragic with murders, deaths and a missing body. The corridor turned the coldest, where the bodies of King Silvius and Argus have been found. At the initial impression, it appeared that the young prince killed the soul traveler, who happens to have murdered the King. Lord Nero took care of the bodies. Tearful, he could only blame the King for not listening to him. At a very critical time where the palace isn't very much protected, the lord believed that death is only imminent for the king on the day he decided to step out of the only part of the palace he's safe in.

Lord Nero was right.

He covered the King's face with a white cloth before he was sent down to the palace mortician. Argus' body was delivered to the pyre chambers outside of the palace for immediate burning.

In the midst of the turmoil, Lady Octavia gathered the vassals and priests away from the incident. Some guests from the high society decided to flee for their safety. Besides, only the council members and the priests insisted to stay and give their sympathy to the orphaned heir.

As they all return to the great hall, they were astounded at the unruly sight of the prince. Still in complete chaos from his disheveled hair to his unbuttoned bloody doublet, Prince Galen slouched on the throne in the great hall with his hand on the sword of the kings tipped down. The royal knights surrounded the hall, securing the place for the prince.

As the priests and members of the council gather in the middle of the hall, no one uttered a word at the horror-stricken sight Galen showed. They gave a distressed look at the frowzled prince, who look radiantly insane with his dark hair, blue eyes and clothes made of silk tainted with blood. The prince, however, just sat there… watching them all closely.

Twenty five vassals. Fifteen priests. The stillness of the room was replaced with clamours of worries as they start to trade questions and speculations.

The King is dead. Argus is dead, again.

High Priest Bertram was obliged by the majority to speak with the prince on behalf of the people gathered there. Finally, garnering nerves of steel after the death of the King and Argus, who ought to be possessing the queen, the inexplicable fear in his chest has been lifted. However, when he approached the prince, he felt unsettled in his profound scanning glances. It felt like another mayhem is brewing… giving him a sense of worry. He went closer as he stood at the first flight of the stairs going to the throne. "P-prince Galen", High Priest Bertram stuttered.

Mumbling, the prince counted the vassals and the priests until no one is coming in the hall. "Are we all here?", Prince Galen asked without moving.

"P-pardon?", High Priest Bertram was confused, it seemed like the prince was expecting everyone inside. Twenty five vassals and fifteen priests. Including him. His eyes slowly pondered on the people gathered in the hall, they are all the cogs of system that keep the kingdom strong and growing. 'Might be a coincidence', he thought.

Lord Callaghan, who was impatient enough to hear the words from the prince, stepped through the crowd and approached the prince. "Prince Galen, care to explain how the King died alongside his mortal enemy? And why in the world are you bloody?", his voice echoed in the hall that provoked silence. For so long, he was never an enthusiast of the young prince because of Galen's aggressiveness and petulance. Only the brave and the martyrs love the prince.

"Lord Callaghan is simply asking what happened, Prince Galen. He dare not to suspect you of anything", High Priest Bertram reproached Lord Callaghan's roughness towards the prince. "He just lost his father, I beg everyone to send our sympathy to the prince, instead of interrogations that can be done later", he insist. Unimpressed, Lord Callaghan crossed his arms on his chest.

"Are you hurt, Prince Galen?", Lady Octavia wondered if the prince have gone mad or just probably hurt, for he was taking too long to answer.

"Where is the Queen?", one vassal asked.

Syria was the last to arrive. She quietly entered the hall while everyone else is throwing a shade at the prince. She stood nearby the throne, keeping her head down. Galen, who was already on his feet sheathing back his sword in his scabbard, cleared his throat as he come down. He seemed relaxed in his smirks, but guarded in his stares. Reckless in deed, but flawlessly elegant in all his feats.

At the Prince's first move, General Aether with his knights closed all the entrypoints of the great hall. The royal guards surrounded the vassals and priests, making them feel uneasy as if they are being locked in. Bertram felt shivers down his spine, realizing that their situation is no longer a coincidence.

Prince Galen descended the stairs, brushing his hair back. He stopped mid-stairs, and sharpened his gaze at the people looking up to him. "What a tragic day it is for me. I came back this morning from a perilous journey only to find out that my cherished mother, who's nothing but a wise and gentle queen whom this entire kingdom loved is missing. And then… my beloved father of a king, who ruled the Kingdom of Nether with all his heart, died in the hands of Argus who was actually pretending to be the queen. ", Galen entailed while everyone gasp in horror.

"How could that happen?", Lady Octavia knitted her brows as she drop her jaw. Galen's revelation created hues and outcries.

"Oh my lord!! Where's the queen?", some priests were baffled.

"After all, the King is truly in danger. He really must not have left his chambers", another vassal felt guilty for demanding the King's presence in all kingdom affairs. Though, it was unanimously voted by the vassals and members of the council to keep the king safe in his chambers for the meantime.

Galen placed his hands inside his pockets, while the people were taking time to take grasp on what's happening. As soon as all ears were lent to him once again, he continued sharing his thoughts. "I was sent by my father to Caluso, because he had his doubts on Rowan. The general was first sent there to check if Argus is still buried in the ice when the dark healers initially attacked.", Galen continued. "When I found out that Argus isn't there, I hurriedly returned… with terror digging its depths into my chest. It was in Beorg Mountains that I found out what happened here. However, my dearest imperialists, it all doesn't end in having Rowan dead. Argus is still out there", Galen descended a few more stairs until he reached the floor. "When I saw my mother this morning, I had a feeling that she isn't someone who she used to be. My mistake is… I let her off the hook, before I fully trusted my hunch. I took this matter too late, and now, my Father is gone", Galen deeply sighed..