The king return
IN THE PALACE COURT
"Is this not treason,your majesty?",prince nate said aloud.
"You slander me,your highness",the right chancellor argued.
"The tax rate was fixed by the king,but yet you increased it at your own will,I wouldn't have know this,if I haven't left the palace,does your greediness have no limit,right chancellor?",nate argued.
Do you know how the people are suffering outside?the look for food to eat and also have to think about their taxes,so their properties will not be seized and yet,who gave you the power to do that?",nate was furious.
" The king has arrived",the chief of Imperial guards announced.
The courtiers turned as they saw the king walked by and the kowtowed as he walked to his throne.prince keystone stood with the other courtiers and kowtowed.
"Greetings,your majesty",they all chorused.
They got up and stood uprightly.
"Your majesty, how's your health?",the right chancellor asked, hypocritically.
" Am fully well",the king answered.
" Congratulations,your majesty,long live his majesty",they all chorused.
The king spoke,while he sat on his throne," I was hearing the issue about tax.7th prince,what is this about?".
" Your majesty,I am being slandered by the 7th prince,he claims I am a treasonist for increasing the taxes.
your majesty,i only did it for you and not myself",the right chancellor said aloud.
" Your majesty,I only got report of the tax increase,today,it was never known to me,surely,this was not in your favour",prince keystone said.
" Your majesty,the whole kingdom is a witness to this" .He only increased the taxes for the peasants and low ranking nobles,if the peasants are unable to pay,they become his slaves or he sell them",prince Nate said.
" Your majesty,don't you think the right chancellor thinks of himself as king?.
Even when prince keystone became regent king,he refused to bow before him,knowing it was your edit.
your majesty,if we let such a man live,he will overthrow you".
" Your majesty!",the right chancellor kowtowed," heaven can bear witness for my loyalty for you,your majesty.you can take my life as you wish".
Nate smiled at the corner of his lips," your majesty,please grant him,his wish".
The right chancellor raised his head up in shock,when he heard the words of the 7th prince,"Your majesty, please don't consider it",he pleaded.
" Didn't you say i can kill you as I wish?,what?,aren't you loyal?tell me why I shouldn't consider it?",the king said aloud.
" Your majesty,I am loyal to you,that is why I should live more years,so I can serve you till my bone breaks.
Your majesty,this old man words are true",the right chancellor pleaded.
" How impudent!,you couldn't beg his majesty for forgiveness,do you think you will remain in that position forever?.
Your majesty,please,punish this man for his mortal sin".Prince nate kowtowed.
" Your majesty,the right chancellor is loyal to you,please don't consider the words of the 7th prince",the third prince,prince aris pleaded.
" 3rd prince,from the way,you spoke,you seem to have known about this matter,am I wrong?",nate asked " qyour majesty,please punish the right chancellor".
" Your majesty,please__",prince aris was cut if by the king.
" 7th prince,how do you think,the right minister should be punished?",the king asked.
" Your majesty,the right chancellor should be stripped off his position,and give every household he collected the additional tax ,ten times more,from his treasury and all the slaves should be released.
Also,his descendants should never get a position in the court".
" Then it shall be so.
guards!,please drag the right minister out of this court".
"Chief of imperial guard",the king summoned.
The chief of Imperial guards kowtowed in front of the king,"your majesty".
"Send a message to the royal inspector,he is to supervise the distribution of the right chancellor treasury to the households and there release of the left chancellor slaves".
" Yes,your majesty",he stood up and walked away.
" Your majesty,I beg of you"the right chancellor pleaded as he was dragged away by the guards.
" Your majesty,please reconsider your command",prince aris pleaded.
Prince nate turned to prince aris," are you taking the right chancellor side?,if that is so, then___".
Prince nate stopped talking as he started feeling uneasy.He groaned as he held his chest.
" 7th prince,are you alright?",the king asked as he stood up abruptly in fear,seeing prince nate.
Prince nate spewed blood and then spewed continuously as he winced.
General loren ran and caught him before he fell on the floor and lowered him down.In general loren's arm,was the unconscious prince."nate",he called,but he didn't answer.
"Summon the royal physician",the king ordered.
***********************************
Prince nate,laid on his bed in his residence unconscious,with the king,loren,ivan and the physician in his room,across his bed.
The physician bowed to the king," I'll have to check on him another time,because for now,he is still the same as before.
He should take the medicine as prescribed to ease the pain,that is all,your majesty".
The king exhaled in relief and walked out with the physician, leaving loren and nate.
LOREN POV
My heart couldn't stop beating from fear since I saw that scene in court.
I waited for the king to go before I could go closer to nate.
I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at nate.He was very pale," ivan,what is wrong with him?".
" Forgive me,but I advise you leave,general loren or I have to use force",ivan said sternly.
I stood up from the bed and held him by his shirt," I asked,what is wrong with him?why is he like this?.
it's the second time I know it happened,I don't even know how many times it has happened".
Ivan looked eye to eye with me,"if he didn't tell you,why do you think,I will".
I released my grip from his shirt,come to think of it,nate didn't tell me anything.
Consort whitelotus bursted into prince nate bed chamber and rushed to his bedside.
Her heart broke and a tear rolled from her cheek as she turns towards ivan and i,"I heard he fainted in the palace court,I couldn't hesitate to see him,what did the physician say?it isn't time,is it?".
I looked at her,she was genuinely worried. From what I've seen since I first stepped into the palace,consort whitelotus cared for nate,the most,even more than his mother,consort labyrinth,that I've never seen in nate's residence.
Ivan and I bowed to her.
" Tell me!",she yelled.
"The physician said he should keep taking his medication for now and he'll check on him again,later",ivan answered.
Consort whitelotus moved back a little as she shook her head and her eyes blinking rapidly," no...no...no,it hasn't happened in years.why...,Did it suddenly happen,it's that witch fault,that EVIL WOMAN!".
Consort labyrinth,prince nate mother stormed in," I heard,you're here,consort whitelotus,please leave".
I haven't seen prince Nate's mother for a long time,but she looks the same,only a bit older but will she recognize me?.
"You witch!",consort whitelotus yelled as she ran and slap consort labyrinth.
Consort labyrinth slapped her back.
What is this about?.I didn't know if I should separate them or not,I might lose my head,if I try.
Consort labyrinth scoffed,"are you still mad?I thought if you had another child,you won't be mad anymore,but I was wrong", she chuckled.
Consort whitelotus narrowed her eyes at consort labyrinth,"I was never mad!you stole me son and poisoned him!why!", she hits consort labyrinth chest.
"You!",consort labyrinth pointed at me,"Drag this woman out off this residence!",she pushed consort whitelotus to the floor.
I froze there,I didn't know what to do.
Prince jers entered the room chamber and looked at his mother who was on the floor," mother!",he rushed to her,"are you alright?" I planned on visiting prince nate and I heard you were here",he helped her to stand.
Consort whitelotus cupped prince jers face and pointed at consort labyrinth," that woman want to stop me from seeing hendrix".
Hendrix?who is hendrix,is nate also hendrix?.
Prince jers held her hands," mother,please let's go,we will be back".
Consort whitelotus nodded and followed prince jers out.
" Finally,some peace and quiet", consort labyrinth, muttered.
" Guards!",ivan summoned and looked at consort labyrinth,"forgive me,your highness,but you're not allowed to step in the 7th prince residence as per his orders,please leave,the guards will see you out".
"So I can't even see my ward,when he's dying?,I don't need to be escorted by the 7th prince guards,I'll excuse myself," consort labyrinth adjusted her clothes.
"he will still die,anyway",she muttered.
I thought I didn't hear well,so I looked at ivan and his fist was clenched.This is not how I remembered her.