The Fate of a Wife

"Are you sure she said to meet her at the Stella Gardens?" Dion asked Nicholas as they scurried across the halls of the palace.

"Yes." It was the fifth time Dion was asking Nicholas.

He couldn't understand why the man kept asking, but everytime he was about to bring it up they met someone along the way.

Luckily, this time, the halls were empty and Nicholas found his opportunity.

"Why do you keep asking me? What's with the Stella Gardens?" He asked Dion as he kept an eye out for people who may be spying on them.

"No one is following us, your highness. No one is listening." Dion smiled at Nicholas as if it were a good thing.

"Right, I'm the weakest brother with barely any magic." Nicholas shook his head and laughed. The people around the palace were definitely easy to fool, he fed them lies and they ate it up. They were so eager to believe they were better that they didn't realize Nicholas had tricked them all.

"Stella Gardens is the last place that her mother was seen." Dion explained as they continued to walk down the empty hall, not slowing down.

"Her mother?" Nicholas still lacked a lot of his memories. Most of which seemed to be quite crucial.

"The lady Dara was hated by the people of Merlen." Dion began to explain. "When your sister Brie was very young, a mob managed to enter the palace while the king took you and your brothers out on a hunting trip. They chased her all the way to the Stella Gardens before finally killing her. Her body was never found."

"Why didn't the servants and guards help her?" Nicholas asked, confused as to why one of the king's wives was left to the mercy of a mob.

"The servants are very superstitious. The Ganti Clan, your sister's people, are believed to be bearers of misfortune since they are necromancers." Dion explained as they rounded a corner. "They didn't want the Lady Dara around."

"Then why do they tolerate Brie?" Nicholas was utterly confused with the behavior of the servants. He couldn't help but wonder if his father had actually planned for the death of his last wife.

"The princess is a Cruor by blood." Dion simply said, choosing not to explain any further.

Before Nicholas could ask him to expound on his words, they saw a grinning Prince Edward walking down the halls with his minister.

"Nicholas! I see you are well." Edward greeted, as he studied Nicholas from head to toe.

"Brother, why would I not be?" Nicholas asked as he challenged Edward to tell everyone that Owain and Zeph had attacked him and Marcus in the halls.

He tried his best to seem unintelligent and weak, hoping that Edward would not see through his act.

"Ah, I heard rumors, I guess they are not true then." Edward did not show any signs of confusion. Nicholas had to hand it to him, the king's eldest son was a very good actor.

"Can I help you with anything, brother?" Nicholas asked, eager to get on his way.

Edward was silent for a moment as he considered Nicholas' words. In his mind, Nicholas was already regretting asking his brother if he needed anything from Nicholas.

"As a matter of fact, I do!" A grin spread on Edward's face as a plan formed in his mind. "Why don't we have dinner together tonight? I'd like to discuss some ideas with you."

"Surely Zeph or Owain or maybe even Marcus would be better for whatever ideas you have in mind." Nicholas suggested as he tried to escape his brother's invitation.

"No, no, you're the only one for this job." Edward told Nicholas as he insisted on them meeting for dinner.

Nicholas sighed but nodded his head.

It wouldn't hurt to know what his brother had planned, even if it was just a small part of it.

"Perfect! I'll have one of my ministers fetch you from your chambers. Inform your people, I don't want them to be stopped. Your ministers have been quite protective of you lately." Edward commented as he glanced at Dion who was standing behind Nicholas with his head bowed.

"Very well, brother." Nicholas told Edward as he walked forward not waiting for Edward to dismiss him.

When they were finally out of earshot, Dion quickly reprimanded him.

"Are you crazy?!" Dion hissed in a low voice.

"I believe that is something we have established. I don't have my memories so I must be." Nicholas said with a shrug as he looked around, unsure of where to go.

"Turn right." Dion gestured, to which Nicholas nodded his thanks and kept walking. "First of all it's disrespectful to leave a prince's presence without him dismissing you."

"I'm a prince too." Nicholas reminded his chief minister.

"You are the fourth son, he is the first. He out ranks you." Dion scolded. "Secondly, why did you agree to have dinner alone with Edward, what if he poisons you?"

"He wouldn't, not now, not yet." Nicholas said, shaking his head as they reached the end of the hall.

It was dark and eerie. There was a large glass door through which Nicholas could see a barely lit garden that was clearly in disarray.

"I will speak to Brie alone. Send Jorin to meet me here in an hour." Nicholas told Dion as he dismissed his chief minister and pushed the doors to the garden open.

To his surprise the doors opened smoothly despite their sad rusted state. It seemed that Brie came to this part of the palace frequently.

Nicholas walked deeper into the garden until he could no longer see where he had entered.

"I hope I don't get lost." Nicholas mumbled to himself as he continued to walk.

"Brother." A small voice coming from up ahead called.

Nicholas found Brie in he signature black dress all alone, standing before what seemed to be a burned patch of grass on the ground.