CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

The slight warmth of the season was finally gone.
There came the cold. Softly but promising of a harsh winter.
Men worked harder, logging trees and making hearth. The servants spurn and washed linens to last the cold. Fireplaces were moulded anew on the hallways and corridors.
The old ones brought to live with coal and timber.
The candles were made bigger and meat dried with the last reminder of sun.
The manor was alive with activities.
But his heart was a bit far from living.
The child had yet to leave her chamber. Days and nights had passed and counted down to four and twenty. She never came out.
Every day he had peeped and everyday he had seen the same thing. A pale child on her bed. Staring into oblivion.
He had thought her strong. Had seen a fire not easily fanned out.
Oh had he been wrong? Was she too weak to be alive again?
Her reason for fighting was gone. Everyone had a weakness.
He had read like as everything.
A prince, a bachelor, a warrior and then a king.
He knew the heart of men. Their jealousy and hate. Anger and happiness. Lust and greed. And weakness. Every man brave and cowardly had one.
The little princess had been her weakness and now she was his own weakness.
Oh he wished it was even a bear and he'd try his luck and rather be mulled than peek through the door every day to see a dead person breathing. A shell. Not his Selene.
His milk was long cold. And he had ignored the worrying warrior till he left.
He had lost Nicholas not a full moon ago. Now he had lost another. Ohh it would be easy to see her in a grave. He'd mourn and move on. But living as the dead? It haunted him. Those green eyes. Like his beloved Monique. Life was cruel but of course this, he knew already.
Edgar stifled a yawn, sleep had rejected him for nights. The bottles did not help but give headaches at day.
He too was not himself. How had he allowed a child affect him so? Did he not drink this poison too much to refrain yet? Did he have to be castrated so he could desire no more women?
It went beyond desire. He could bed any woman he wanted. He bedded several at will. The princess was a punishment sent from the gods to him. For the sins he had forgotten about. That alone could explain it.
He had tried coaxing her out of the now dusty room but she refused. Would not leave the bed at all. Bony feet tucked under her as she stared at the mighty nothing.
He'd have her cry and weep, try to stay him or jump off the windows but not her quiet. She was dying inside. And slowly but surely outside as well.
The attempt to send another help proved futile. She did not say a word. A word to any one other than 'Water'
Oh he'd be pleased if she drank it, at least I'd help her body. No. She used it to wash her hands. Claiming blood was on it. And she could not leave the bed because blood was on the floor also.
Edgar sighed heavily and Rose from the chair, it creaked.
Holding the table for balance, Edgar slowly walked to the door. He felt drowsy, this nonsense had gone too far.
Stepping through the door, Edgar walked the familiar corridor that led the the princess's door and tapped, opening and going on without a second tap. She never answered. It was pointless to knock.
There she was, his fear, his Achilles's heel.
On the bed with a black shawl that was a transparent as day. Her breasts puckered out, her belly all but gone. And for the first time, he did not find this woman pleasing to his eyes.
On her lap was the once bloodied cotton toy that the servants had to sneak out and wash.
Her black hair seemed less darker. It's glow gone.
He eyes stared out and her lips moved softly.
As Edgar got closer, he realized she sang 'Her' song.
The old song he now knew the words perfectly. She had sung it for all her days since that bloody day.
The tone was gloomy as death itself.
"Selene" he called out, somehow hopeful, maybe she'd turn. Even cry at him or blame him. He'd gladly take it
His disappointment was little as she remained as she was. Like nothing existed.
Her morning meal sat in the tray on the mattress. A glass of water by it and a bowl beside it.
She hadn't eaten.
The realization came all at once.
One day he'd wake up and the princess was dead. Gone. Along with his stupid lustful heart.
"Selene eat. P...please" he said. His voice breaking. Was the room hotter? He suddenly felt suffocated.
The girl turned to him and he could feel his heart beating out his chest. Hope
She took the bowl and washed her hands. Edgar watched as she did the simple task to diligently. Seriously drying it with her shawl. Willing the hand till he could see the pale skin redden.
She passed the bowl to him
"It's on your face too. Wash it" she said urgently. Holding the bowl out to him.
Edgar could feel his brokenheart shattering over again.
Then he really looked at her once beautiful face.
It was hallow. With bones protruding where flesh should be. Her eyes bulged out, rings black underneath it. Her lips were lifeless and brown. The hands she held out the bowl trembling
Edgar took the bowl and threw it at the wall, watching as the ceramic clattered and fell in a greater number of pieces.
How had he let this happen?
She merely turned to the wall again and sang her dirge
Edgar turned to leave the room.
He had seen enough.
*******************************
The table at the throne room was circled with men. Men in amour.
"These movements have been for at least a full moon now. I aimed to be sure before any deliberation" the shortest at the table said
"Upon capture. The ma...thing attacked us and could not say any understandable dialect. We killed it. I fear it was victim of the plague" he added
"How many does that make it" Edgar asked, eyes on the speaker
"Forty and seven my Lord" another man provided. Ink and quill on a large paper.
He had lost Forty and seven men and women. Children too.
"My Lord what we fear is that this seemed a spy. Intelligent enough to know and fear us. He tried escape. We found this in this possession" said the head warrior as he laid a dirty sag on the table.
"You would at least wash it" Edgar said as he could smell the stench of urine and blood
The warrior looked away sheepishly
The Sol king poured out the contents of the bag.
There was a rock. Neatly carved to sharpness. Beside it was a silver chain, locking a bunch of dried grasses.
Then a letter.
He opened it eagerly and read
'Come'
Come? To where? It was some message he was sure. Beside it was a..lip? It looked like the stamp of a red lip paint. Behind it was nothing.
'Come'
"Secure the borders. Make sure t
Nothing comes in or out. Keep watch at day and night. If we can not go out there. Nothing must come in here" Edgar admonished
"Yes my Lord" the head warrior replied
"My Lord, I fear what ever message it holds has been delivered. There were two of them. One had jumped in the river. Crossing out of Sol" the warrior said
"And it shall not return" Edgar said with a low growl. Enough was enough
"My lord I would suggest we set out camps in the woods that border the fore....."
The door was flung open
In there stood the plump maid he assigned to Selene. He knew her that much.
"My Lord" she bowed nervously, trembling
"The lady Selene has been unable to wake" she said
Edgar did not realise when he stood or when the chair behind him was thrown down in haste
He ran to the chamber, the maid hotly on his heels
The door was ajar
On the bed, there she laid. Eyes closed, head on the high pillow. Her face a mask of death. He jumped on the bed and held her face. It was cold.
He searched for her pulse frantically and found one...beating
"Call the healer!" He yelled.
"NOW!" he added. Remembering the last time her gave that command it was useless.
"Selene wake up!" He shook her frail frame
He couldn't cry no. He couldn't.
His tears had dried up he was quite sure.
He held the small child to his chest as her breathe came out laboured and shallow.
The door opened and the very slow physician came in. Keeping his bag neatly on the bedside table and watching him
"Work!" Edgar yelled desperately
"You...you'll have to move away my Lord " he said timidly
Edgar gently left the child and Rose from the bed to stand beside the healer, who quickly went into action.
First saying a quiet prayer to the sun and then opening the windows.
Herbs were quickly ground and candles burnt.
The aging man fed the princess a potion and pressed down on her chest.
She coughed
More force was applied and
She coughed
The healer reached for a wool from his assistant and soaked in a foul smelling concoction
Stiffing the material into the child's nose.
He stood back
Silence.
Edgar would hear his own frantic heart beat.
Silence
"Do something" he said to the healer who looked like he was about to explain when...
The princess went into a coughing fit. The wool ungracefully fell out with spit and blood
"Wa..wa..er" she croaked out holding her throat
Edgar quickly snatched a cup of liquid from the confused maid and hurried to Selene.
She drank eagerly and coughed as she finished
"Easy child... easy" he said as she opened her eyes. Green, sad and lost.
"My Lor" she slurred and laid back gently. Still holding her throat.
"Do not ever do that to me again child" he said slowly to her and watched as she just stared at him. No. Not blankly. But sadly.
"If you may my Lord. She should drink this" the healer said tensely
Edgar reluctantly left her for the physician to work. With one last instruction to the maid to call him once they are done, he left the chamber you the fields.
He needed to fight before he grew insane.