Chapter 65 - Poisoned Prince

"He was busy worrying about me not knowing he was the one being poisoned. He was suspicious" the Alpha king mumbled and walked breathlessly round the hospice.

James' condition was worse. He was comatose in the hospice.

"Your Majesty, you should not be here. This place is not gracious enough to accommodate you" the physician appealed to the king to leave awkwardly.

"And you think what you are saying makes sense?" the Alpha King asked slowly. "You think that is sensible right now?" he moved closer to the physician while the physician drifted back.

"Henry!" Queen Teresa had been watching them from afar. She had waited for the Alpha King to come over to her.

She walked over to him and hugged him.

"You should get out of here. James will be fine" she assured him.

"I can't believe that. I should have let the ward also tasted his food as he did to me. He won't be here now if I have been careful a bit like he is" he complained and blamed himself.

"This is none of your fault, Henry. We have something better to do at the moment" she continued her admonition.

"Something better?" the Alpha King moved away slightly from Queen Teresa. He seemed disappointed to hear that from her.

"Something better than my son?" he repeated and shook his head.

"It is about him" she replied quickly. "Worrying and walking around here with heavy breaths will not stop anything. If we can get how the poison got into his food and who put it in there. We will surely find the remedy" she explained.

"I agree with what you say. You are right. But you should go on with that. I don't think I can leave here until he is ready to leave" he insisted on staying at the hospice.

"You are saying this because you are still blaming yourself, Henry. You are the King. Get yourself together" she urged him.

"I am the king. Yes I am the king" he walked few steps back and forth like he had been doing before Queen Teresa came to him.

"I am the King, I am the king" he kept saying breathing restlessly. He was greatly disturbed.

Queen Teresa didn't know what else to say to convince him out of here. He was becoming weaker.

"Tell me, will this save your son?" Queen Teresa raised her voice. "Keep walking around till he loses his life. The time is running out. No one knows how long he has to live" she was now scolding him.

"And that's why I want to die in his stead. I should be on that bed not him. I failed him as a father and I have to give my life to save him" he fired back at Queen Teresa.

"And you won't get that done by living here. Think deep" she advised.

"My son is dying, Teresa" he was almost in tears. "My son is dying" he continued weakly.

"I'm sorry, he will be okay" she sympathized.

"He has woken up" the physician who had left some while ago rushed back to them.

"He is awake?" the Alpha King seemed not to believe.

"Yes. He has opened his eyes but he has not said anything yet" the physician grumbled.

The Alpha King rushed in immediately without waiting to hear anything else.

"What is wrong with him?" Queen Teresa asked the physician calmly.

"He was poisoned, my Lady" the physician replied.

"That is what we thought. But as he is now going and coming out of coma. Can we still believe that?" she questioned.

"There are different kinds of poison, My Lady. Some kill instantly, some kill slowly, some lead to intake of toxic substance and there are many others like that. About being in coma, poison can put you in coma and a lot of other surprising things" the physician declared.

Queen Teresa was thinking James couldn't be trusted. He might have poisoned himself or everything could be fake to make his father worried.

"So what kind of poisoning is his?" she asked again.

"We are yet to discover that. But I promise you that we will find it and make sure he lives. Let your mind be at rest" he assured her.

Queen Teresa looked around fugitively and covered her mouth.

"Are you sure he really took poison or he is just pretending?" she whispered with her hand on her mouth.

"We will surely find...." the physician stopped abruptly.

"He is not pretending" he said frantically and shook his head.


***************

The Alpha King kept squeezing James hand in his hands. He had been trying to get him to talk.

"Why can't you just say something?" he asked sadly. He should be able to talk as he had woken up. Unless this had not gotten any better.

"James, can you hear me, huh?" he leaned towards him.

"At least just nod your head or press my hand. Just do something" he insisted and watched for reaction but James was just staring at him.

The Alpha King heard some footsteps and turned to see who had come in. It was the physician.

He seemed happy and that bothered the Alpha king which made him stared at him with curiosity till he was right by his side.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty" the physician finally revealed the reason behind his happiness.

"For what?" he wanted to hit him for saying that but he got himself under control.

"He woke up" the physician still couldn't see anything wrong with his joy.

"He woke up, yes. Then say that to him and let him respond" he said with anger.

"Congratulations" the physician directed at James on the bed. He waited for a while. His countenance changed. It seemed he had realized why the Alpha King was harsh with him.

"I'm sorry" the physician moaned.

"I don't want that from you" he said calmly. "Tell me when you will get him healed and out of this place" he said slowly with calmness.

"I can't say that because we haven't discovered what this poison is or what can cure him. I'm afraid we still need more time to find it" he said awkwardly.

"More time?" the Alpha King retorted. "Look at James and tell me he has more time" he professed.

The physician stared at James for some time. He bent over him to see him more closer. He stood upright to face the Alpha king afterwards.

"He doesn't have much time" he moaned.

The Alpha King was speechless. The physician just kept proving right the people that called him dumb.

"You must heal him within today and tomorrow or you will face the consequence. That's an order" he yelled and turned outwards.

"Your Majesty" the physician panicked.

The Alpha King turned back to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He caressed him slowly.

"Please do everything you can to see that he lives. I can't bear his death. Please" he begged him.

"I will try my best, your Majesty" the physician replied without looking up from his bowed head. "He will keep living" he concluded. "Not as this" he quickly added.

"Thank you. Please let me be informed of every development" he said calmly.

"Your Majesty" the physician replied.

The Alpha King walked back to the bed. He held James' hand.

"You wouldn't have been here if I am a father careful enough. I know you will be a more careful father than me. Please stay alive and let me seek your forgiveness when you can accept with the words of your mouth" he pleaded.

The physician stood very close behind the Alpha King. The Alpha King turned around and was surprised to see him.

The physician was closing his eyes with his hands on his cheeks like he was cuddling himself.

"What is this?" the Alpha King couldn't make a sense out of him.

"Nothing serious, sir. I was just trying to feel what he is feeling to know which approach to use on him" he explained.

The Alpha King was confused. The physician had gone crazy. There was no way he could treat anybody in his own helpless state.

The Alpha king kept looking at him anxiously.

"Are you sure you can find a cure to what ails my son?" he asked again. He was already having doubts.

"I wi try my best. Your Majesty. I know how worried you are right now. But do not be disturbed. If you are sick,the whole kingdom will be sick. He will be fine, your Majesty" he persuaded him wisely.

The Alpha King felt a little bit relieved. No matter how much anyone could assure him. He knew he had to do some things on his own to make his son better.

"Yes. Thank you" he turned and walked out of the hospice.

He couldn't stop blaming himself as everyone wanted. James was in there because of his dereliction.

"I will make sure you do not die. You will not die on me" he muttered to himself. He didn't know what to do right away but he would seek it.