The General's Daughter & His Majesty Book #1

Chapter Fifty Nine: Poison

King Dargan's POV
"Your Majesty, Doctor Vanden is outside. He seeks an audience with you." Nortlock informed me.

I paid attention to him. He looks a little different today. He is naturally incapable of expression but his face is dull this morning.

"What is it about?"

"I shall find out." He bowed.

"Nortlock."

"Your Majesty?"

"Are you well old friend?" I asked him with a frown.

He smiled at me. "It is such an honour for His Majesty to notice an ant like me. Just a little under the weather, nothing I can't beat."

He excused himself.

I was hoping for a quiet morning to myself. I was hoping for some solitude. It keeps me sane to have this hour to myself. I'm never short of something to think about. Unfortunately not everything I think about is constructive. Some of my thoughts are dark. They revolve around this cursed marriage. I keep asking myself why I married the thorn in my flesh.

At some point, just before Shamim ruined everything, I felt something special for my wife. I felt like my heart was racing in her presence. It was a special excitement reserved just for her. I have never felt that way about anyone else. At that moment, I wanted to declare it. I wanted to tell her that I love her.

"Your Majesty." He bowed again. "He says it's for your ears only."

"Fine. Send him in." I continued to sip my tea. Odell came in and also bowed.

"Thank you for seeing me Your Majesty. I won't take much of your time."

"Out with it then."

"May I sit?" I'm tempted to tell him no. Sometimes I just don't feel like sharing my personal space. I nodded. "A friend from the hospital told me that they have been treating a lot of stomach upsets in the past few weeks. The numbers just keep growing."

"Stomach aches? A lack of hygiene can do that."

"You don't understand-"

"No I don't." I placed my empty cup in it's place. "What do stomach aches have to do with me?"

"Because more and more patients walk in with the same problem. The numbers are increasing daily. She wanted to know if the palace knows anything about it."

"Oh palace!" I called out. "Dear walls of the Gold Palace! Do you know anything about stomach aches in Carperia?" He is frowning at me. "It sounds like the palace doesn't know. Is that all?"

He sighed deeply. "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm peachy, thank you for asking."

"Are you bipolar? One moment you're fine-"

"Watch how you address me."I told him sternly. "Our friendship is not an excuse for you to address me like a commoner at the marketplace. If there's nothing else, be on your way."

"Six succumbed to the strange illness early this morning. As we speak, ten more have followed. I thought you would want to know that your subjects are ill Your Majesty."

He made his way to the door and I listened to his footsteps until he reached it. "Odell, thank you for bringing this to me. But it's not my place. The department of health should be minding this."

He left me in the peace I once enjoyed. Shit! It's gone. I'm no longer at peace. I have something new to think about. I stepped out of my private dining room. "Odell!" I called.