The King - The winds of the hurricane

Just as Rufus raised another spoonful of soup, he noticed that both the morsel on his spoon and the remaining soup in his bowl danced with a slight sway, as if someone had lightly tapped the plate and spoon with a metal rod. The tiny ripples sank into the King's attentive eyes, and then it happened. The shattering sound penetrated the castle's windows and walls with a noise that seemed to carry the fury of a thousand storms. The curtains jumped as if they had come to life. The King jumped out of his chair and instinctively positioned himself between the window and his daughter.

"Guards!" he shouted, while he looked at the distant ball of flame extinguishing as it was consumed by a multitude of smoke.

The King rushed to the window, while his men quickly stormed the dining room and escorted the women to any safer room within the fortress. The monarch's eyes scanned the harbor and the coast. In a small space, everything seemed to have been completely destroyed, and the surroundings where ships and people were burning seemed to be collapsing. Rufus turned to Illia, his eyes wide open, without the slightest idea of what had just befallen his kingdom.

"Prepare my horse urgently, have the men ready. No one rests until I find out what happened in that harbor," he said to his right-hand man, who nodded in agreement before rushing off to the Royal Quarters. Rufus was not the type of man who hid behind castle walls. He never cared about the risks of taking the lead in conflicts. He was the example his soldiers admired. Some royal soldiers accompanied him as he tried to make sense of the chaos. "Take me to Olympia," he ordered.

His fast footsteps quickly took him out of that room. The King proceeded through the long, dark, and crimson corridors of the fortress, then climbed the stairs to his chamber. Numerous soldiers blocked the corridors and protected the royal ladies in the King's quarters. There, the Queen, the princess, and Margaret were waiting anxiously for any news of the incident.

"Rufus, what was that?" the Queen asked, being the first to rise when she saw the King.

"It seems to have been an explosion in the harbor. But it couldn't have been an accident, not considering its magnitude. We might be under attack. I want both of you inside until I return," Rufus said, looking at Cleopatra, who was sitting on the King's massive bed. "I'm going to see what's happening."

"It's better if you don't go. Stay with us until we are certain of something," the Queen insisted, although deep down she knew the husband she had.

"I can't leave it like this. Illia will accompany me."

The Queen responded affirmatively, but the princess did not show the same serenity. The girl stood up and ran into her father's arms, where she was certain she would be completely safe.

"Father, please!" she insisted, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. It was the first time she had experienced such a situation. Never before had she felt her heart about to jump out of her chest. The princess couldn't bear it and broke down in tears and sobs as she pleaded for her father to stay.

"Poor thing!" Margaret rushed to take the girl out of the King's arms and wiped her tears with an embroidered cloth. "Here, dear, take this." The girl held onto the rag and used it to wipe her eyes, while her father seemed to be at a loss for words.

"It's alright, my dear. I'll be back before you can even miss me," the King had to leave quickly before he, too, burst into tears. As he exited the room, a feeling of anger consumed his heart. Whoever had put his daughter in that situation would pay dearly, if they were still alive.