The Eternal Queen

Chapter 8: Fallon

The kingdom is currently on lockdown. I announced my father's illness this morning. Tears and shouts were spilled, and I turned away from the balcony after giving the message. I let my father's people weep in peace. 

Until my father is well enough or he... he dies, the kingdom is on lockdown. I would rather not deal with other issues like runaway criminals, illegal immigrants, and other nuisances. My father is top priority. I will not leave the kingdom without a worthy king as I am not what they need.

I need to find a witch specializing in medicine to find a cure. Since the kingdom is on lockdown, I should find the witches residing in the kingdom first. And there are not many of them. Hopefully, one of witches will be able to help. If not... I don't know what I will do.

Coralie walks through the rose garden, and she stops when she spots me. I am smoking a cigar, and she wrinkles her nose at me. Cigars do not affect vampires in the same way it does to weaker bodies such as the human race. The warm smoke fills my lungs, and I blow it out.

"Did you console the masses?"

Coralie runs her hands through the pink silk skirt of her dress. "I tried my best."

I sigh. "Thank you. I will be in my study if you need me."

She nods, her extremely fair hair falling to frame her face. Coralie bends down to pluck a red rose amidst her pink ones. Picking off the thorns, she places the flower in my hand.

"Just adding a little color to your day."

Tucking the rose into my breast pocket of my vest, I head off into the castle.

It is a rare sight. The halls are empty. Usually there are maids chattering and laughter. My father loves a full castle. The workers in the castle are always bustling around, carrying around the joyous atmosphere. But today, the desolate rooms are quite eerie.

Opening the door to my study, I walk over to the stack of parchment stacked on my ebony desk. I quickly flick through the letters, finding one from my butler and right hand man. I scan through the words, and I grip the letters, creasing the letter as I read the aggravating message. 

The butler has reported that more than half of the witches in the kingdom have left despite putting up a decree. There were so few to start with. Crumbling up the letter, I toss it into the waste bin.

"Nikolai!" I shout.

A minute later, the family butler walks into the study. He is a large man, carrying an air of royalty and authority despite his position. It is an admirable trait.

Nikolai bows. "Crown prince Fallon."

"Find me a witch."

"Of course."

Throwing the closest lamp to the wall, it shatters echoing into hall. What am I going to do? Rage builds up inside me, and I clench my jaw. The urge to spill blood is strong, but I restrain myself.

"Now."

Nikolai bows again, closing the doors behind him. Breathing hard, I settle down into my chair. Spinning around, I look out the large windows behind my desk. How could the witches be so ungrateful? Despite witches being shamed, they are allowed to reside here. My father wanted to have a safe haven for the creatures that are shunned.

Vampires and other creatures have finally got the permission from the Council of Delphi, the council that keeps the South and North lands united, to live up in the North. Vampires previously could only reside in Southern empires. Some kingdoms far up north in the Northern lands rebuked it. Still to this day, the kingdoms there preach lies about vampires and other creatures.