chapter 22

"You should guide your prospects and abandoned it in your solitude. You are in the now and with me, 'your duty' ". Rolland bowed apologetically.

" 'Do me' knowing that your life depend on it".

"as you have spoken my prince".

Prince Ephraim glide to the shop. The air was dense with his royal aura

"The prince is here"

One of the peasant boy who first saw him shrilled. The rest pulled their surprised selves out of the way. They have never seen him before but they need not be told that he was the prince because his presence commands power.

Their confusion rose making their hearts to thumped loudly in their chests. Questioning what a prince would be doing in a lowly street such as theirs.

Hurriedly they packed things that blocked the entrance of the shop out and slowly fell in line. They left a path for him to walked through.

His regal nature was intimidating but they embraced it and not opposed. They were thrown into frisson, mere peasants and few merchants who doesn't know what the royal fragrances smells like.

The prince scent tanned the air. The gritting stenched of metals stepped aside and ordered his spearmint fragrance on stage.

The peasants spread their clothing so it could absorbed his fragrance. They would wear this same clothing for two years without washing.

They stood observing the way he maneuver his gaits that made it appealing. So they shall walked likewise on the streets to their homes and everyone shall know that they meet with the prince today.

Two guards walked by his sides obstructing his majestic view from the peasants.

The guards hands were placed against their sheathed sword incase of any mishap. As they strolled past the peasants theirs hands felt numb and dropped flat on the ground because the peasants lowered their heads when the prince walked by.

He kept waving at them. He appreciated their submissiveness. They were peeking through to accept his warm greetings and to catch a glimpse of his magnificent.

He entered into the shop to see why so many people were gathered there

"My prince to what shall I hold this royal visit?".

The old blacksmith came to welcomed him. The prince eyes was darting about the shop while his guards position themselves.

"why are there so many people here?".

"Your highness, he is the best blacksmith in this clan. So people come from far and near to buy tools from him". A man spoke still burying his face.

The prince darted eyes dragged his body along. He saw some fabulous sculptures, swords, railings and a lot more.

It landed on some persons he assumed was the old blacksmith apprentices forging the heated metal to shape.

Then over the counter his eye caught this sight. A maiden so beautiful and splendid. A goddesses in human form. Her eyes were blue and broad. They looked so captivating as he has them in his.

"That is my daughter, Lucy. She is my only child". The old blacksmith said when he saw him lusting after his child.

She was the only one who dared to looked at him in the eye and her father and their apprentices. They didn't acknowledged his title. They took him to be one of their numerous peasants customers.

His eyes trailed her as she left the counter to her father's side. She was young and charming. Her blue dress matched with her eyes.

"Father I shall returned home at once" Lucy told her father. Her voice sounded like she borrowed them. Too sweet and intoxicating and seductive for a peasant girl.

Her father gave her the go ahead. She kissed his arms and wave him goodbye. when she almost walked passed the prince, he stopped her with his hands.

"How is it that you walked passed me without greetings, not even a bow".

"you are not a god that I shall bow and when you are done daydreaming. Tell my father what brings you"

His eyes widen at such guts. His guards tried to seized her but he lifted his index finger and pouted his lips in disapproval.

Her long flowing gown slapped the prince's hands as she walked past him. The prince quickly turned and her hair engulfed his face. She pulled it from him and wriggled it as she walked

Prince Ephraim's eyes kept blinking from the discomfort. When he eyes was clear enough to behold her again, she was already out of sight.

Today he saw Lucy again, young again. His eyes was all over Eleanor while she struggled to sit him upright. Until it became cloudy.

When she noticed him she took his hands and placed her forehead on his. They acted as though there was no other person in the chamber.

"I wondered what magic queen Lucy used on the king that made him always craved for her indulgence. Even now, she is no more but the daughter affirmed that former affection. Look! While I'm here. She won't let me have my husband. Why do I have to wait for an opportunity whenever it has to do with Lucy or anything related to her". Queen Charlene yelled frustrated.

" When she was gone. I thought all that would changed. But no it was just the beginning".

She ranted and whined. She made a few stepped closer almost tripping over the low wooden table by the side of the bed.

" My husband what shall I do to gain your respect and your love?. After all these years you do not show me even a pinch of the affection you showed her".

She points at Eleanor who now sit on the side of the bed with her father. She paused to looked at father and child staring intensely at each other.

" Or her late mother. She must be a black witch just like she is".

This got the princess furious. She sprang up and turned to stand face to face with her.

"My princess" her father called but she was too angry to answer him.

"You dared stand before me to speak ill of my daughter and my late queen". The king spoke in a fragile tone.

She laid down a venomous smirk still gazing at the princess.

"My king forgive me but that woman was cursed" she grinned vile and contempt

"I won't have you talked about my mother that way. You can said to me all you wished as you have been doing since I was a child but I won't have you blasphemed my late mother before me. The woman I never saw". The Princess spoke with a challenging tone

Queen Charlene crouched to her ear and mumbled into it.

"That is because your witchcraft killed her or" she jammed her hands and moved about excitedly.

" How can you described what happened thirteen days ago at the battlement". She spoke in a loud voice.

"what happened?" The king asked. There was a knock, the physician and the Duke came in. Queen Charlene stepped aside.

"Your majesty!" Duke William called warmly as he hasten to his side.

"I'm glad you are awake"

"Aye" was the only response from the king.

The royal physician, Dr. Marco examined him thoroughly.

"How is he? The princess asked still fighting to suppressed her anger

"He is getting better but he needs more rest, my princess". He flashed her a look.

"The king must be given his medication duly"

"That is not a problem. I shall see to that" princess Eleanor said confidently.

The queen gave her a scornfully glare. "I shall make sure my husband, the king is well taken care of". She said still belittling the princess with her eyes and winked afterwards.

"Permit me to take my leave, my king. I shall be back shortly". she bow before him patiently until he lifted his hand in the air to set her free. Queen Charlene ran out of their sight.

Dr. Marco prescribed medicine for him. Herbs to add to his tea and some to bathe with. He gave ointments for his massage.

"The king had an heart attack he told Eleanor again when he led her closer to the door. "Ensure that nothing triggers it again or that might be his last".

He has told her this over and over again that the princess lost count even though she didn't know how an heart attacked could keep her father asleep for almost two weeks

"I shall do according to how you have bidden, Dr. Marco. Thank you for your concerned and loyalty to my father".

" I pledged my loyalty to him and to you till death, my princess". The princess nodded knowingly.

"my king, you shall be fine". Dr. Marco said loud enough for the king to hear. He bowed.

He then turned to princess Eleanor whose eyes seeks reassurance.

"He shall be fine. Make sure the king eats and give him his medication. Not to mention, don't leave it in any other hands that shall posed further risk to the king's health.

Princess nodded again. The Duke went even more closer to talk to him.

"Your grace, the king need some rest" Dr. Marco said. Duke William raised his two hands in the air in surrender. They left.

King Ephraim was fully recovered. Each passing day he changed completely towards his daughter. He let Eleanor in on the state affairs like he used to when she was a child. Now he left most decision for her to make. The ministers had no case against her. Not after she saved them on the battlement.

There was a crawling talk that the emperor might returned again for a second battled. It was going to be deadlier if they don't find a way out.

They king wished to go into agreement with the emperor and not risked the live of his precious daughter with all he had heard she did on that day. He was scared the emperor could killed her. He was also waiting for the right moment to let her in on all he knows about the scared stone.

They were having breakfast with the queens. They ate in silent all of them. Immediately the king was done. Eleanor left with him. She was not ready for queen Charlene or queen Daniella to shattered her moods.

She quietly followed her father who said nothing and didn't stop or asked why she was following him.

"Father! What took place on that day is still a mystery to me". She said. The king ignored her completely.

She was surprised has this has never been. The king was always excited to hear her speak and wouldn't let her words lingered without a reply.

"father" she called when she stepped two feet faster than him.

"Where is your bracelet" . He asked.

She looked at her wrist. Surprised. Her mouth was agape. Her brain scanned to remember where she might have dropped it.

She then remembered about two weeks ago at the garden when lord Zane came. "He must have taken it when I fainted". She thought. "How come I never noticed it for the past days. This might be the reason my father have been mute ever since he noticed it".

"father…."

" silent. Recover it wherever you drop it. Come with me into my chambers. There is something that I shall show to you".

"Okay father".

" I shall tell you what I know". Her eyes beam. " the kings' stone". Eleanor reasoned. Her father was now ready to talk.

"Father is it about the kings' stone?".

They went inside the king's bed chambers. He didn't answered her instead he took her hands and led her to the mirror. A human size mirror.

" Child, I want to show something to you".

"What could it be father?"

" watched me''.

He started incanting and the mirror turned into a passage.

"Follow me".

"Father...how?"

King Ephraim took the lamb with him.

" This is a sacred room of our forefathers. Where the kings' stone was kept".

Princess Eleanor was dazed. She never knew such a place existed. She had been to his father chambers countless times and they have discussed so many things but never this. Never has he shown her this.

She was delighted that she could finally see this kings stone for real. Eleanor has heard so much of it and also saw the carving image publicly displayed on the heart of the city but never has she been this close to seeing the actual look .

The were now in the sacred room. The king was seated on the throne and she stood beside him. The lamps gave light to the darkled room.

"This is the orb of the kings' stone. It illuminate in darkness". He paused and looked at her. She was paying attention.

"This kings' stone got to Golden Hill kingdom by Wilson the sixth, our great grand father. Long before I was born".

Princess Eleanor's eyes was cast about the room. The shelves were clean with luster as though the dust them with oil each minutes. His father hissed to draw her attention.

"The dreaded Violet viper, most powerful and wicked of all beast tormented Golden Hill and the neighbouring kingdoms. This beast manifested mostly during the night to destroyed and to killed.

It tormented the people with plague which they would suffer and die in seven days. Their farms and crops were infected, so they was little or nothing to feed. The land was barren and famine spread out. It was the black years for all the affected kingdoms".

Princess Eleanor looked at her father as he spoke. The emotions in his tone. How pale he face turned as he narrated the story. He sat on the suspended throne. Everything was mystical about the room they were in.

"It was told that Violet viper was held captive in the underworld". King Ephraim continued.

"But it was let lose when a king of one of the kingdoms. King Fabian of Dusty kingdom seek for power".

" Dusty kingdom!"

" aye". The king said. "it was formerly Dusty kingdom before emperor Cassius changed the name to Black Dust Empire. His forefather, king Fabian brought the evil to mankind".

Eleanor's gazed ran back to the orb at the centre of the raised platform. It was empty.

" king Fabian willed to be an immortal and rule the earth till eternity. His constant human sacrifice to the wicked beast of the underworld which was this Violet viper, let it loose from it hold.

The beast swore to give King Fabian all the powers he could desire only if he would worshipped it.

King Fabian refused to worshipped it. He didn't wished to worshipped any god. He wanted humans to worshipped him instead.

So he sought to kill the beast. It didn't go has he expected. Violet viper consumed him afterwards.

Since then Violet viper has been roaming the four corners of the earth, causing havoc and pains.

The only thing that could defeat Violet viper was the rare magical kings' stone of all ages.

King Wilson sacrificed his soul for the greater good of his people. He gave his life to bring the kings' stone from the deepest depths of the sea to his kingdom.

This stone illuminated and torn Violet viper into bits. King Wilson was the Messiah of Golden Hill kingdom and other kingdoms at large.

"Father how is it that the stone is no longer here!"

King Ephraim heaved. He rested both arms on the throne armrest.

"On the day that you were about to be born, I came here. I asked for a favour from the king's stone. After it illuminated I didn't see it again.

Right from that time and until now, I made it a point of duty to come here daily but it still not here".

"But father you told everyone that it was still here in our kingdom"

" Yes I have this feelings that it is"

the princess looked at him. She gulped.

" Then where!"

The king stood up and stood before the raised platform.

"Come closer my child and place your hand here"

The princess was reluctant. She couldn't believe her ears. How could she be a stone. A living stone.

Still she had to obeyed her father. She placed her right hand on the orb. The raised golden platform was some where around her waist. She had to bend to get to the orb at it centre.

Princess Eleanor looked at her father who was by her side when nothing happened after she placed her hand.

The king seems calmed. He observed her hand on the orb closely.

"My child forget about everything else. The fears and troubles. I am certain that you are not an ordinary human".

She turned her neck slowly to him. "what does father mean by I'm no ordinary human". She thought.

"When I first carried you on the day you were born. My tears dropped on you. I saw your eyes glowed too brightly into mine. The same brightness of the kings' stone. So I knew the was a connection between you and it".

"But father why did you wait all this year's before you could tell me or bring me here".

" There is a time for everything my child. Some times are not just right for some things to start unfolding. So everything waits for it time to manifest".

The princess moved closer to the king and held his hands. Many thought was flowing through her mind. If she is this thing her father said she is. Then lord Zane was lying to her.

He didn't helped her in that day. Well she has to find out.

"If you truly believed that I'm this thing you say. Then I am. Sometimes I don't understand my self . The things I do is out of the ordinary. Sometimes I wonder who I really am. A god, spirit or some form of a supernatural being. One time I'm strong and wise, other times I see visions so clear yet I can't explain. I fight with men like there were kitten".