"Why are we preparing food without adding seasoning?" Dydra quietly asked the raven-haired woman by her side, as she sliced up a lemon. Oryen was busy knitting doe, as she too responded to the girl in a low tone.
"The crown prince is allergic."
Dydra was taken aback by this revelation. Was it possible for someone to be allergic to seasoning? How then do they eat? She let the thought slip away as she continued her work in the kitchen. The maids were soon done, as they handed trays of food to another set of maids, who serves the royals their meals.
The young witch thought their work was done for the day, until Oryen informed her that they will be heading into town to get food stuff. Three other maids joined them, as they were handed lists, by Sandra, on the things to get. Like a little puppy, Dydra followed behind the old woman, as she tried her bests to mark every detail of the route they took. She soon found herself outside, with a carriage waiting for them. The five maids entered without a word, as the coachman already knew where they were headed.
At the West wing of the castle, were the royal family occupied, a pair of clean boots kissed the smooth marbled floor, the maids around instantly bowing as they muttered words to each other. With his hands tucked away in his trouser's pockets, Prince Leonard made his way to the royal dinning hall, his face expressionless, with dullness swimming in his eyes. He reached the grand door, and two servants immediately opened the door for him, instantly the chatter inside seized, with all heads turning his way. He strolled inside, as his midnight eyes quickly swept the room. No one was aware that he was going to arrive that day.
The whole royal family was stunned, no one reacted.
"Brother Leo!" An excited voice broke the awkward silence, and a caramel skinned girl, dressed in a lilac dress, with white pearls adoring her neck and ears, stood on her feet and rushed to him. Her arms opened and pulled him into a tight hug. A spark of warmth danced in Leonard's eyes, as he briefly pulled one of his arms out of his pocket, tapping on the girl's back for a slight second, before putting it back.
After a while, she pulled away and placed a quick kiss on his left cheek. "I'm so glad you're home," she beamed, with the smile on her lips seizing to fade.
"How have you been, Lannae?" Leonard's voice was filled with affection, as he too placed a quick kiss on his step-sister's cheek.
"I've been doing well," she responded, "how was the war? I heard you killed more men than the last war we—"
"Lannae!" She was immediately cut off by her mother, Queen Maye. Lannae pouted her lips, and she offered a bow to her brother, before taking a step back.
Queen Maye stood to her feet and plastered a fake smile on her face. "Leonard, I'm glad to see you're home in one piece," she stated, not holding a gaze with him.
"Are you?" Leonard's tone bore laziness, which didn't go unnoticed by the woman. She pressed her thin lips together and glared at him. This boy and his sassy mouth! She opened her mouth to speak but before a word could leave her tongue, Leonard spoke up.
"Where is father?" As he didn't see his father at the head of the table chair, he wondered where he was.
"He's in his chambers. He is not feeling.....too good." Lannae was the one to answer as her voice trailed, and sadness formed in her eyes, which cause the crown to wonder what the matter was.
Queen Maye shot a glare to her daughter, who was blabbing her mouth nonstop. She turned to look at her stepson, but all she saw was his back form, and he strolled out of the royal dinning room. Her lips twitched in irritation and she mumbled to her self. "Mannerless child."
Leonard navigated his way to the another side of the West wing, that looked more grand than the one he's coming from. He took a turn to the left and another grand door, with the golden head of two lions serving as the knob, carved on it. Two guards stood guard as they bowed the moment they saw the crown prince.
"Your highness," they greeted simultaneously.
"Open the door." Leonard's voice held authority as he ordered them. The two were quick to obey and they each grabbed a knob from opposite sides, turning it open.
Leonard causally stepped into the King's room, which was decorated with gold and red curtains. A king-size bed stood at the center, with the King laying on it, his face drenched in sweat, with two female servants dabbing his body with a wet white cloth.
A frown settled on the crown prince's face, as his long legs moved closer to his father's bed.
"Get a physician," he ordered with a low tone. The maids stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads.
"Your highness, the royal physician just—" a maid tried to explain, but she was cut off sharply.
"Don't make me repeat myself."
Under his burning gaze, the maid bobbed her head in a trembling nod. She and the other maid held a bow as they went to the door. As they opened it, they were immediately greeted with a glare coming from Queen Maye.
Leonard's eyes swept over his father and he caught sight of a huge bite mark on his right arm. He looked closely at the wound and he narrowed his eyes.
That was a werewolf bite. How did his father get bitten by a werewolf?
"He went hunting, with only Ser Weene, to accompany him." His stepmother's voice spoke from behind him, but he wasn't shocked as he has senced her presence before the maids opened the door.
His frown deepened upon this new information. They didn't have werewolves in the kingdom, as they were all sent to their neighbouring kingdom. He was part of the people that chased them out and he made sure no werewolf could cross the border without his knowledge. That only meant that the werewolf was planted there. But by who?