Chapter 10-Betrayal and Blood shed

Richard's injury was planned since he chose Lisa over Luan. His father, the king, called his brother William and General Marcus before leaving to place him at the war front, where he could be killed. However, General Marcus never supported this plan, as he knew Richard was not a seasoned fighter and could be an easy target for the enemy. But his brother William, who harbored hatred for him, saw this as an opportunity to end his life. He thought to himself, "If Richard wasn't killed in war, I would find a way to make sure he is killed during the war." Richard was placed in a perilous position by William. Edward noticed this and wondered why his brother would put him in such danger. As the fight intensified, with every slash of a sword on Richard, a smile spread wider on William's face. Then he knew what his brother was up to. He sent for Richard to be called back, but before the order could be carried out, Richard was already severely wounded. William, seeing this, asked, "What are you doing, Edward? If he should die, he should die with honor by defending his kingdom." Edward replied, "I thought it was foolish for Father to send his three sons to battle, especially Richard, knowing fully well that Richard is not a seasoned fighter like ourselves. Now I see your plan is to end his life. Haven't you grown up? Let it go; this is childishness." William, staring at his brother, was already boiling with anger. "I can't believe you are the heir to the throne!" He drew his sword and struck Edward, who screamed in pain and slashed him back. General Marcus had to intervene, or else the princes of Valtoria might end their lives. While all this was happening, Richard was unaware of his surroundings, as he was unconscious and being brought to the palace for treatment. This information was leaked to the palace, and Lisa heard about it from the soldiers who brought him back. "The king and William planned this," they said. "They wanted to get rid of him." Lisa's heart broke, and she wept. She didn't know how to tell an injured Richard that his father was behind everything, wanting to keep them apart by all means. She knew he would be furious, and his anger for William had tripled. But she knew the walls of the palace were not safe for him, nor for her. She knew if she wanted to be with her man, they had to leave the castle. Edward was also brought back to the palace, injured from his fight with William on the battlefield. His wife, Princess Charlotte, cried at the sight of him, seeing his body aching with pains. She asked what happened, and he said, "William." She was so angry; she never liked William from the start. Now, his actions towards her family meant war, and she was already thinking of a plan to end him. She led him to their chambers and began to clean his wounds. "I can't believe he did this to you," she said. "How dare he touch the future king of Valtoria?" Before she could complete her statement, Edward got up in pain, stared at his beautiful wife, and gave her a soft, gentle kiss on the lips. She wanted more but thought that would be selfish of her. She asked why he did that, and he smiled, saying, "You are mine, and I don't really need a reason to kiss you, do I?" She blushed and continued tending to his wounds. He did this to calm her down, knowing that although she had a loving personality, when anyone dared to harm her family, she became another person. The people of the kingdom, upon hearing that two princes were down, became worried that the war could be lost.