Chapter Four

The whole kingdom felt the impact of the first lady's death. She was a beautiful soul that loved and took care of everyone equally. The peasants were the one who would miss her the most. 

"My lady didn't wake up after sleeping last night, your majesty. Please believe us, we didn't kill her." The maids in charge of the first lady's room the previous night fell on their knees before the First Lord. 

"Arrange her funeral." He said to the Lord next to him who nodded and walked out of the throne hall. 

The funeral lasted for three days. Different people from different kingdoms came to pay their last respect to the kind and loving woman. 

"Are you fine Lord Ruger?" 

"I'm fine thank you." The first Lord nodded before walking into the palace with other Lords. They just finished seeing the last of the guests out before they returned to the throne hall. 

In the kingdom, Arran, unlike other kingdoms that had a king as their ruler, they were ruled by four Lords. The first Lord is the most powerful either because he deals with the affairs of the kingdom like an actual king but he wasn't recognized as the king. 

The system in Arran was unique and wasn't that easy to understand just by any outsider. The nobles weren't called Lords or ladies unlike other kingdoms. They are just referred to as nobles. 

The four Lords lived together in the palace along with their families. They all had their own separate parts of the palace like real homes. 

Lord Ruger, the first Lord walked back to his throne, his emotions could be clearly read as. Burying his face in his palms, a sigh escaped his lips.

The first lady was the dearest to him and she was like his mother and god. She loved him despite all odds and all. 

"She died for a reason, Ruger." The second Lord, Dean sighed and the third Lord, Diego nodded. 

"I know she died for a reason Dean." Ruger stood up and walked towards the throne meant for her. "But she shouldn't have died like that." 

"You can't blame her, you know." The last Lord, Aero mumbled and Ruger chuckled. 

"Yeah, I can't blame her." Ruger walked back to his throne and sighed. "Tell them to do the needful." 

"Are you really sure they should bring down all her paintings?" Diego asked.

"They aren't burning them so they should take it all away." Ruger replied and Dean gestured to the servants to bring down the paintings of the first lady. 

"My Lord." A maid ran crazily in with some guards chasing after her. "My Lords please help." 

The guards caught up to her as she fell on her knees. They started to drag her away but Aero waved to them to leave her alone. 

"Lord Zayen is dying. He is going to die." The maid cried and Lord Ruger shot her a deadly glare making her gulp. 

"Lord Zayen is ill. He has a high fever. Please help my Lord." She screamed. 

In a few minutes, they all arrived in Zayen's room. Ava was there holding his hands and patting it gently. 

"What are you doing here?" Ruger barked at her. 

"My Lord." As Ava wanted to pull out her hands, Zayen pulled her back. "Lord Zayen asked me to stay with him."

"Call the royal doctor." Ruger barked. 

The royal doctor arrived almost immediately and checked up on Zayen. He couldn't even say what exactly was wrong with him. 

"My Lord…. Lord Zayen's illness, I can't tell what it is." The royal doctor said nervously. 

"Do something then. He must not die like his mother did. Do you want me to suffer the loss of two people not even up to a week? Do something." Ruger yelled. 

"If I use just any medication for him, he can get worse." The doctor shivered. 

"I know who can heal him my Lord." Ava said from where she stood, still holding Zayen's hand. 

"Then call the person." Ruger sighed, sinking into the nearby chair holding his head. 

Alora walked into the room looking at everyone who was staring at her. Lord Ruger's gaze seemed to soften when he saw her, like something about her calmed the whole room. 

"Can you heal him?" Ruger asked Alora who didn't say anything. She just stared at Zayen with a raised brow. When Ruger asked the question again, she looked at him and gasped. 

"Good morning my Lord." She said apologetically. "I should be able to heal him." 

A maid brought in a cup of warm water and followed Alora to Zayen's bedside. Alora removed some leaves in the bag she wore around her waist and soaked it in the warm water before giving it to Zayen to drink. 

After she gave it to him, he stopped shivering and his whole body seemed to relax. She turned to Ruger and gave him another cup of herb. 

"It'll help you relax, my Lord. It is nothing harmful." Alora assured as he drank the herb and true to her words, he suddenly became relaxed. 

"Did you use magic in this thing?" He said and they all gasped looking at her like she was a witch. 

"No I don't. It's just different plants that have the effect like magic but aren't magic. I'm blessed by nature. I can use plants for healing" Alora replied as she knelt next to Zayen examining him. "He should be fine before the end of the day."