The Dark Night

"I won't say everything will be fine, but we must be strong." Savannah remarked as she gently squeezed Ezekiel's hand. Ezekiel's eyes suddenly began to well up with tears. To him, Diona has always been like a sweet sister. Savannah expected their relationship as a family to be close as she glanced at Ezekiel. Ezekiel responded by quietly nodding, assuring her that he would be fine and that what was happening was only the flow of his emotions. " Brother must have reached." She stated it.

"I really hope you're right." Ezekiel answered.

The carriage they were in sped down the ordinary routes. The night that was meant to be lovely and unforgettable turned out to be dreadful, but it was something that no one would forget. Savannah knew her father would handle the rest of the capital's news. Because the incident had garnered so much attention, which could prove advantageous to their adversaries,

Nobody had eaten since last night, and they were still quite a distance from their destination. They were unable to even pack their belongings due to how quickly everything happened. Even so, King Larson gave them the assurance that in a day or two, he would send their stuff, along with Savannah's. Before departing, nobody even bothered to change. Savannah and Ezekiel were still wearing their attire from the night ball. They didn't appear to be very elite, but the kingdom required them, so aesthetics could wait. After some time had passed, Ezekiel made the announcement to stop the carriage after observing Savannah's head occasionally drooping from lack of sleep and rest. Savanah's eyes snapped open as the carriage stopped in front of an inn.

She questioned, "Why did we stop?"

"Although I am aware that I have obligations to my family, you are also a part of my family and you need rest, we need rest." Looking at her shocked expression, he said. "They'd been on the road since last night, without food or sleep. Both the guards and the horses needed to rest.

They'd just crossed the northern border and found themselves caught between a city and the Josen kingdom. Even though it was still early in the morning, the inn was open. The inn was quite old; ancient would be a better term. It has a small garden in the back with various trees and plants that appeared well cared after. An old lady greeted them as they entered the inn and instructed them to keep the carriage and horses near the stable. The guard inquired about food and a place to relax. The owner was shocked to see them because they appeared fatigued. He inspected the prince and Savannah and bowed to them, concluding that they belonged to a noble family. The civilians had never seen the prince before because a noble family rarely came here.

The room is available, Prince. The guard handed Ezekiel the key, who was shocked to see only one key and five guards with it. The guard was ready to depart when Ezekiel intervened.

"How about the other rooms?" Ezekiel inquired.

"We'll make do in the lounge, Prince. Please do not be concerned about us." The guard muttered this while staring at the floor, his gaze not meeting the prince's. Ezekiel sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

"We, and by 'we,' I mean all of us, need to rest." The guard gave him a wide-eyed stare. He knew the Josen brothers were generous, but he never believed he would be so giving as to worry about a simple guard or guards. "Get yourselves a room as well." The guard nodded and walked to the old man, who helped him with the rooms. Savannah who was observing everything smiled heartedly. A moment later, he bowed and left to guide the horses towards the stable. The old lady led Ezekiel and Savannah to their room and informed them the meal would be ready soon. Savannah nodded and shut the door once the lady had gone.

Hope everything is good over there. Ezekiel stated as he sat on the edge of the bed. Savannah huffed slightly, moving towards him as she sat alongside him, keeping her distance. "I'm sorry if I sound stupid." Savannah shook her head.

"This is not stupid; these are your emotions, and I understand." She comfortingly stroked Ezekiel's back. " And who knows, maybe a little one is waiting to greet us?" Ezekiel stifled a giggle and placed his palm on Savannah's lap, muttering a whispered "thank you" only Savannah could hear. " Well, I must say that it was an exciting night. I never expected this to be how we spent our first night together. Savannah smiled.

"Oh really, what did you expect our night to be like?" "Please educate me." As heat flushed Savannah's cheeks, causing her to blush, it was Ezekiel's turn to grin now.

Savannah slid her fingers across Ezekiel's back, drawing a line across his spine and sending shivers down his spine. "I'm not sure, but I thought my prince was modest." She held her fingers behind his neck until he released a gasp from his mouth.

"Well," Savannah's eyes widened as Ezekiel's hands moved to her waist and leaned forward, and she leaned back until she was flat on the mattress and Ezekiel was hovering over her with a sneer. Their faces were only a few inches apart. "I never expected you to be the timid one." As he spoke into Savannah's ear, his hot breath touched her neck. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Savannah was taken aback by his sudden confidence, and she struggled vainly to cover her flushed face. The prince was looking her in the eyes. As their noses brushed, she grasped his shirt, crumpling it, and closed her eyes.

Knock, knock

The couple stood up, adjusting their clothes and moving away from each other. Ezekiel rubbed his back of the neck, and Savannah stumbled as she walked to answer the door, earning Ezekiel a snort.

The old lady standing at the door offered them new clothes, claiming she could only afford regular clothes, to which Savannah said that it was alright. After bowing to each of them, the old lady scanned her face, which was still hot from the blush, and smiled widely. "The food has been prepared." Savannah nodded and smiled nervously. Ezekiel burst out laughing as soon as the lady was out of sight and could no longer hear them, receiving a nasty scowl from Savannah, who strode towards him, tossing fresh clothing on the bed. Savannah let out a long breath and headed to the restroom to freshen up.

They changed into regular clothes, yet they were comfy, as if they were made of excellent material. Savannah wondered how much the old lady paid for this. Ezekiel inspected her face and nodded his head, and they both headed downstairs to join others for a brunch. The scene in front of them warmed as the guards and innkeepers relaxed and talked about their lives and work as they gathered around the table. The food was left undisturbed on the table, as if they were waiting for the pair to arrive.

When Savannah and Ezekiel appeared, the guards and others rose to their feet. As they both took their seats, Ezekiel shook his head and instructed them to sit comfortably. The lunch was served to them by the old lady. Ezekiel said it was fine to eat with them. He was shocked, though, because the inn appeared to be deserted and there were no other employees than the old couple. He was relieved, however, because he didn't have to hide from anyone or any threat.

"I hope the clothing are comfortable." The elderly lady inquired.

"It certainly is. Thank you for your kindness." Savannah smiled as she told her. "Do you both live here by yourself?" she inquired.

"It's just me and my husband. Our son went to town to look for employment seven years ago and has never returned, and because the inn is out of town, visitors come only when they are traveling." She exclaimed; her eyes sad. "How long have you all been on the road?" She inquired. The inquiry was pertinent because they were fatigued, didn't have time to change and rest, and had gone in a hurry.

"Only last evening. We didn't had time to change." Ezekiel responded.

"What do you do?" "You appear to come from a noble family." The old man inquired.

Nobody had ever seen how Josen kingdom's prince looked, and the inn was on the outskirts, so the old couple had no idea he was a prince, and Savannah was from another kingdom, so they had never met her either. Or perhaps they never imagined a prince or princess would stay at their inn because it was so ordinary, with nothing extraordinary about it.

Savannah and Ezekiel shook their heads and chuckled awkwardly. "We work at the king's court for him." The guards nodded as they continued to eat. To be fair, he did work for the king's court as a prince, so it wasn't entirely a lie. In answer, the elderly couple nodded.

After lunch and a few awkward glances here and there, the prince decided they should go to the castle right away because the king must be awaiting them. The horses and guards had plenty of rest and were now prepared to move on. Savannah thanked the elderly couple for their courtesy as they packaged some food for the journey. Ezekiel retrieved some gold coins and presented them to the elderly couple as a token of appreciation. Though they hesitated, the pair agreed and sent them off.

The carriage traveled even faster than before, and t hey went the usual route and were scheduled to arrive at their destination by the end of the day. Savannah and Ezekiel were a little relaxed, so they diverted their attention with casual chit-chat. Because they were both aware that if the guard came hurrying to call them last night, it meant there was an emergency. They attempted to unwind by praying softly for Diona. Savannah kept holding hands with Ezekiel all the time, which helped him relax.

Savannah had only met Queen Diona twice, but she knew what a pure spirit she was. She recalled the first time she met her. It was King Alaric's wedding, yet relations between his father and the Josen kingdom had soured. Nonetheless, both kingdoms occasionally backed each other and had attended King Alaric's unexpected marriage ceremony. The marriage was as magnificent as her own.

"I may announce to you a man and a wife." The priest said

Alaric raised the veil that covered Diona's face with the broadest smile he could carry. Her mother's white gown looked stunning, and her long hair was perfectly gripped in half with a tiara on her head. But the odd thing was, Diona kept grumping, her cheeks turning a brighter shade of red, not sure if it was because she was shy or grumpy.

Alaric restrained a laugh as he looked at her angry expression. She gazed at the king, her eyes like daggers. Ezekiel chuckled from behind, his hand covering his face. The bride's appearance astonished and amused the guests. She stood tall, confident and courageous, looking at the king into the yes. "You are welcome to kiss the bride." The new couple's staring contest was broken up by the priest. Alaric's eyes twinkled with joy, and he raised his hands to cup Diona's face. Diona turned her face so that his lips landed on her cheeks, which was a really amusing scene to witness, and Diona hid her face with shyness. That was a forgery. The king's face was forlorn, and he continued to sulk. Both of them greeted the visitors and residents of the town with a deceptive smile.

"Only if you had given me enough time to prepare, I hate you." Diona kept a straight expression as she whispered.

"I said sorry."

"As if..." Ezekiel and Savannah snorted, having undoubtedly overheard their argument. Following the dance, they gathered around a table for the royal feast. Savannah examined Diona's beauty and appreciated her sense of humour. Savannah and Diona were roughly the same age, so they hit it off right away and made small talk. Diona mostly argued with the king over how he revealed the wedding date unexpectedly, giving her no time to prepare.

She remembered the moment and hoped she was okay. She, too, was eager to meet her. They were meant to arrive at the castle that evening, but it began to rain unexpectedly. The heavy raindrops quickly soaked the road, making it impossible to move forward on treacherous roadways. The rain decreased the pace, and they traveled even slower than before. The night sky had shrouded them for what felt like hours, yet they were already within the town, and the castle was nearby.

The town appeared gloomy because every light had been turned off. That made it more challenging to advance, but they gradually moved in the direction of the castle. The roads and town were decorated, but there was no light, and the town appeared to be deserted. Ezekiel and Savannah both looked astonished because it was strange to see the town completely dark and without a source of light. Even the castle appeared to be sleeping, with the lights turned off. Everything was pitch black, and the torrential rain added to the ominous atmosphere. Savannah gazed out the carriage window and saw that the entire kingdom was in grief.

The carriage drew to a halt within the castle, and a few soulless attendants came around to greet the newlyweds. However, no one was there to perform the welcome ritual, which was intended to be done by the queen and king. As the royal advisor approached, the servants gave a small smile while keeping their heads down.

"Where is my brother?" Ezekiel inquired of the advisor.

"Let me accompany you and the princess inside, Prince." The advisor properly bent down and brought them inside the castle. The corridors appeared to be longer and darker. As he brought them inside, the counselor said nothing else. "You can take a break in your chamber or wait in the courtroom. It has been prepared. I'll notify the king that you've arrived." The advisor said

"Wait." The advisor was stopped by Ezekiel. "We'd like to meet the king and queen." With a firm tone, he stated. Savannah looked around, and something didn't feel right. The advisor thought for a time before nodding.

He directed them to the queen's chamber. The chamber doors were open, and the guards stood there with their heads lowered. As they approached the room and saw the king, Ezekiel and Savannah were perplexed.

The scenario appeared to be right out of a horror film. The maidens were standing around the corner, heads bowed. The royal physician stood near the bed, sympathetically looking at the king. As Ezekiel came closer to the king, terror seeped into his veins. Savannah paused at the door, her expression shocked, not daring to move. The king sat still, his arms around the queen.

"Brother," said Ezekiel.

The king turned around, his face bloated from what appeared to be frequent crying. He donned the same outfit he wore to the event last night. The queen lay immobile in his arms, her eyes closed, clutching a hairpin in her fist. His face appeared to have been devoid of feelings. His eyes were dark and emotionless. He smiled and said "She's sleeping."