A Deal

Slap* A resounding clash between the king's face and Natalia's hands shocked Herina and Ferrol who's silently sitting on the couch of the king's office. No one, not even Frederick himself had seen the Queen this angry. She was fuming, can't sit still, walking around the room back and forth as she lectured his dear husband.

"What were you thinking, Frederick. You know how unstable he can be. Nicolas is barely holding himself together and now this. What happens if he breaks again, what if this time he never comes back," tears skidded down her cheeks as she continued.

"I was planning to tell you both at the right time. I never meant for any of these things to happen"

"Yes but look what you did. I was ready to bury that night to my grave, not even our citizens dare speak. Your secret plans lead us here. He's out for revenge, Frederick, where will we even look for our child"

The king could not find the courage to reply, but Ferrol on the other hand is still drunk and red.

"I guess the good thing here is that, now we know what happened outside back then— hik!" he interrupted before Herina's menacing gaze shut him up.

They all paused to take a breather. Minutes later, Meriane entered the door, indisposed, eyes devoid of vigor as if all her tears had sucked their life.

"Forgive me Uncle Frederick, Aunt Natalia. I think I might have been the cause for everything," she kneeled and lowered her head to the floor, "I lost myself and might have been the catalyst for him regaining his memories"

The queens could only look at each other, worried while at the same time not knowing how to react for everything that he princess spilled about what happened the night before. Things that needs more than tea to shallow.

"Raise your head Meriane," Natalia helped her stand back up. "In the end, it's still us and your Uncle that became the reason for his departure. If only we noticed that he got out that night, if only we dealt with his traumas more, none of this would have happened"

Ferrol interrupted, "But that risky plan with wine and aphrodisiac is quite bold— hic! She really is my daughter, a true strategist indeed"

Herina already had enough of him, "Don't tell me you're the one who gave her that idea", her veins are starting to pop.

"Hic! Of course not, but looking back, that isn't a bad idea—"

Herina did not even wait for him to finish, with her fist, she proved her worthy of being the wife of the King who bested anyone that dared to conquer Algernon's land, "Sorry, my hand slipped"

He was again silenced, seeking shelter beside Frederick but as Anton joined them, the tide of the conversation shifted.

"What did you find, Wilver," the King jolted.

"As we hypothesized, one of the passages we found on the secret room leads to a hidden door just outside the walls. It was well camouflaged so none of the knights have noticed. As to where he went, we don't know have any idea, but if there's one thing I know about my apprentice, once her made up his mind about one thing, there's nothing we can do to stop him"

"Then he might have looked for answers first," he dug his table's drawer in panic only to find out that one of his belongings is missing, "That kid, he took my journal"

"What about it, is it important?", Natalia helped him double check.

"I'm afraid so. It contains all the findings I've found so far; I didn't get very far but there's one thing that sounded promising… Ferrol, do you know any folklore or legend about the blue moon"

The days turned to weeks then the weeks turned to months in a blink of an eye. As Nicolas hopped from one village to another, foreign lands to territories, Natalia kept her hopes up. She sparred not a single day to pay for his safety, living each day with conviction that her son would one day return, safe and sound.

Meriane on the other hand had never left her room since getting back to Algernon.

Her colorful room filled with flowers and her cherished toys, in her eyes had already lost their color. Everything is grey that not even Selene's attempt to light the room by opening the curtains had little to no effect.

"Are you feeling alright, princess? You haven't touched your breakfast yet. The King and Queen asked to see you again, they want to check up on you…"

"I don't want to see anyone, not even Edmund and Darius if they dare"

"But princess, you need to take care of yourself," Selene forced her to get up before sitting her down a chair beside the window, "See, isn't the wind refreshing? You know, I heard from Anton earlier that they're making progress, I'm sure they're gonna find him soon. No need to feel down all the time"

"If he dies I'll never forgive myself"

"Princess! Stop saying that!"

"I'm tired of hearing sympathy from all of you when we know, ultimately, that I'm the reason he left," she stood up, and left her room. Fed up with everything, she strolled mindlessly pass the halls, pass the garden until eventually, she found herself in front of the door of Nicolas's guest room.

"To think that this is where my feet takes me," she sighed, opening the door and laid down on the bed. Feeling the sheets as she scanned the room, remembering the one time that the Prince and her shared a feast. A memory she so cherished that made her heart swell even more from the guilt.

Meriane was about to cry when a voice echoed around the room, "Don't tell me you're going to cry yourself to sleep once again, don't you get bored wasting your tears?"

"Have I already lost my mind?" she continued to sob, laughing in between while trying to make herself feel better.

"Hell no, at least not yet," a man appeared in front of her that made her jump from the bed.

"Who are you, how did you get in here," she instinctively threw everything she could take hold of.

"Quit yelling will you, young lady. I didn't come here to be interrogated nor harm you, I simply came here to help you. An unfortunate soul waiting for love she'll never receive"

"What do you mean"

"You heard me," he took a seat at the table and crossed his legs, "Prince Nicolas Gregory, the cold-hearted prince that left you hanging on that bed, unsatisfied," he laughed, finding pleasure to the princess's horrified face.

Meriane wanted to scream, an intruder had infiltrated the castle, bearing information that supposed to be confidential. She had every right to call for help but something in her heart wants to listen more to what the man offers.

"He never once saw you the way you saw him. He had always set you aside, longing, wishing for something more. But what if I told you, there is something you can do to draw his attention"

"I think you're few months too late, old man, he already left"

"Old man huh, after all that trouble of finding a much younger body, you'd call me an old man," he walked closer towards her with a grin before whispering in her ears. "That can be arranged. Who knows, I might even know where he is now. My soul is quite distinct you see"

"What?"

"As I was saying, Meriane. Do you want to have a deal? I can give you power, I can give you strength, and most of all, I can help you get what you want and provide you with the means to do so. All you need to say is yes"

Meriane pondered for a bit, noticing the bookshelf that Nicolas filled. "And if I did, what do you want in return"

"Then I'll tell you, right here, right now", he whispered to her once again as thick black smoke began to envelop them both.

The pillows, the books, the chairs, and tables began to float, dancing in a swirl as her trembling lips slowly calmed down and turned into a smile. As the black smoke slowly condensed towards her, until finally, all the floating things abruptly fell to the ground. Her smile turned into a grin as she let out a mischievous laughter that filled the whole room.

"I'm thinking that's a yes, then, Prince Meriane Algernon"

Meriane slowly walked towards the window, opened the curtains and stared at the town below, "If it's souls that you want, old man, then that can be EASILY arranged"