Chapter 20

The king's guard heard struggles inside the council chamber and he was concerned, but he knew better than to intervene King Taelin and his son especially when they are arguing. A moment later, Castellan opened the door and pulled him in.

"The King is dead." Said Prince Castellan looking straight at the king's guard. "He slipped from his balcony and fell to the ground, he hit his head. He had too much to drink."

The king's guard was shocked. "I ─ What's this my lord?"

"It's Your Grace, I'm your King now."

"Your Grace." The king's guard bowed although he was still confused, everything happened so fast and he didn't even get time to get himself together.

"Good! Now, what happened to the King?" asked Castellan just to make sure he was in the same page with the guard.

"He slipped from the balcony and fell, I was outside, I didn't see anything."

Castellan smiled, he then picked up his father's dead body and threw it from the top of the council chamber which was almost three stories up. Taelin's head hit a stone and his brain scattered all over the sand, but since it was dark, no one saw the body falling and nor were they alarmed. Castellan left the council chambers discreetly and pulled up his fur coat up to his head. He didn't stop anywhere until he arrived inside his chambers where his wife was inside trying to put their young son to bed.

Katarina was stunned by her husband's sudden barging inside the room. She asked, "Is everything alright?" while holding Barkis in her arms.

"Did I startle you?" asked Castellan taking off his fur coat.

"Of course… "

Castellan walked to his wife and kissed her on the forehead, Katarina closed her eyes and felt her husband's warm lips with all feelings and it suddenly made her feel good. However, this wasn't a usual kiss Castellan always give her ─ something was going on.

"Where were you?' asked Katarina.

"Um… I…" Castellan was like a mad man going in circles.

Katarina placed her son down and walked to Castellan. "My love, what is going on?" she asked and now she was worried and feared maybe the worst had happened.

"I slit his throat, my father."

Katarina gasped loudly, she placed her arm on her mouth to prevent herself from making noise. These were shocking news indeed and she wasn't ready. 

"Oh, freezing gods! Help us. Where is he?" asked Katarina inclining she needed to know every detail, from the start to the finish.

"I threw him over the balcony, I told the king's guard to stick to my story and he listened."

"The king's guard? Sir Goliath?"

"Yes."

"We can't trust him Castellan. He is the king's guard and he took an oath to protect the King. If he knows you killed him, then he can turn this around and turn the house of lords against you, you will be deemed a traitor and be succeeded by your younger brother. Oh Castellan, you shouldn't have done that" Katarina sighed.

Well now there it was, the dilemma in the midst of victory for Castellan. At that time, there was nothing else he could have done. If he goes outside again and try to retrieve the King's guard, it will even be more suspicious. The last thing he needed was Thelma and his brothers to know he killed their father, there will be a war between themselves before he goes after Mithandir's brother.

Katarina advised Castellan to sleep it off with a promise of a better tomorrow once the sun rises. However, Prince Castellan didn't get even a bit of sleep that night. All he could think about was the king's guard, Sir Goliath and his loyalty. At that time it was on his hands to either grant him the throne of Prophis or completely ruin him.

They say the day which you are always anxious to reach comes by late. Castellan counted each breath his wife and son took till it was sunrise. The good thing was he didn't wake up early, servants woke him early with news of his father's death as if it wasn't him who murdered his own father.

Speaking of putting on an act, Prince Castellan did just that when he sprinted towards his father's chambers followed by his guards. He barged inside and there he found Princess Thelma, his second brother Prince Ambrose who was forth in line to the throne after Castellan's sons and the last born, Prince Frost.

"What happened to father?" asked Castellan and he went straight to the bed where King Taelin's body was wrapped with white sheets.

"He slipped and fell from his council chambers, it was too dark last night. They say the moon eclipsed." Replied Prince Ambrose. Castellan stretched his fur coat and hugged his brother.

Princess Thelma was still in awe of her father's death especially since they were very close. King Taelin was so close to his daughter more than his sons and she was his jewel as he always liked to say. Castellan knew that, hence he pulled in Thelma for a tight hug and allowed her to cry on his chest.

"He was a strong man! I always thought he wound die in a battle." Castellan expressed his grief.

Princess Thelma kept on crying while holding her brother tight, "I thought so too, I am going to miss him." She kept on.

"Shsh, we are all here sister. We will protect you just like how he wanted. All of us ─" Castellan joined his brothers on the hug and they swore right there before their father's body that they will be a team. They were only four with an exception of three others who no one knew where they were, not even King Taelin himself knew where his other sons were.

By noon, the whole kingdom of Prophis was in mourning, what a sad day for Prophisians who shared the same believes with Taelin. However, it was a good day for those who believed Taelin shouldn't sit on the throne because it wasn't his. They all supported Mithandir's brother discreetly since it was treason if anyone was found to be helping the King's traitor.

News do travel fast even between the kingdoms, the next day early in the morning, Artemis woke up to the news of the death of King Taelin and he was amused. The letter was brought in by travelers and it was Lord Balrus who delivered it to Artemis when he was sitting on his throne ─ the Sweet Waters Throne.

"You opened this letter my lord?" asked Artemis.

"Yes, Your Grace. It's within my boundaries to open letters with no sigil attached to it. That means its not official but if it was sealed, then I fear it's not within my bounds." He replied softly placing his hands forward.

Artemis took his time reading it, just halfway to the letter and he gasped. "Good heavens!" and then he smiled. "Is this true?" he asked eager to know more. His mood changed suddenly just from reading the letter.

Lord Balrus nodded. "I'm afraid so, Your Grace."

"Was he murdered?"

"The extent of his death hasn't been properly explained, Your Grace."

Artemis sighed. "Now, now, now" then he stood up. "Throw a celebration under my name tonight. Let people feast and drink to their fill."

"As you wish, Your Grace."

"And one thing, Lord Balrus…" Artemis stopped just when he was a few feet from Lord Balrus. He turned to look at him, they were so close to each other in such a way Lord Barlus felt Artemis breathing on him, they were of the same height. "If you try to threaten Lady Kholin again, I shall have your head on a spike. I don't care if my father trusted you with his secrets, and he also told me to trust you,nwhich I do…" Artemis paused and then whispered. "I know you know what happened to Lancet and I must appreciate you for turning it into an accident and fool everyone. But… keep your hands off her, did I make myself clear Lord Balrus?"

Lord Balrus took a step back and curtsied. "Yes, Your Grace. I promise you she will no longer be able to see my presence around her."

"Good! Now go tell Mrs Gibilis we shall have a feast tonight," and with that Artemis walked outside of the throne room and he didn't stop anywhere until he reached the gardens.

It was a beautiful day and he was having a meeting with his beautiful girl, none other than Aurora Kholin, a woman who managed to take his whole heart and he didn't seem like he needed his heart back. Yesterday, Artemis had a meeting with Aurora's uncle, Sir Maxim about the possibility of their engagement and Sir Maxim had no objection.

Sir Maxim was a knight of Maldonia, he fought alongside Artemis during the war with the elves and that's when Artemis knew how much of a swordsman Maxim was. Artemis couldn't stop talking about the skills of Sir Maxim and when Aurora told him that Maxim was her uncle, Artemis even loved him more. Since Aurora's father was a drunkard man with no decisions, it was a good approach for Artemis to confront Sir Maxim and have him handle matters of the family. Now one step was done, Aurora and Artemis felt like they were already married.