Bellona passed the room where Donovan held his meeting. She felt guilty that she knew about the conflict and he did not. She passed him and went to the stairs to go take a break with her mother.
"Mom?" she asked the door to her mothers room. The door opened.
"Dr. Lazzoni?" Bellona's stomach dropped at the sight of him. He was all dressed up in his garb with a troubled look.
"Your mother is sick." He said, looking at his shiny brown shoes. Bellona, in bewilderment, pushed past him to her mother laying on the bed in a sweat.
"Bellona!" She gave a happy look when she say her daughter. Bellona rushed to her side, looking her up and down.
"I have a mild fever, but I should be treated for a little while and so I will be better after a week."
"I...uh..." Bellona didn't have the words. She looked at the doctors expression. His old eyes looked at her sorrowfully.
"She needs rest my dear, how about you go for now and check in on her later?"
"Fine. Get well soon mother." Bellona kissed her hand and walked out. Once she was in the hallway, grief came over her like a wave of tar. She was stuck in place, trying to analyze something.
"Is there something wrong?" Arlo walked up to her.
"My mother is sick, but she should be good in a week or so..." She trailed off. Arlo looked at her and took her into a warming embrace.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure shell be fine. If she's anything like you, she'll be alright." Bellona smiled at that. After they broke apart they decided to get to work. Bellona was walking to the meeting room to wait for instruction when she looked out the hall windows and saw the courtyard was packed with people and there was a man in the center of them, and that's when it struck her that the king had a battle in 20 minute's. She saw the king walk out, and his mother walked up to him. She looked at Bellona as she approached and instructed her to call someone for the kings battle suit.
"What for?" Donovan stood up straighter. Bellona turned to leave.
"Your country of course. Your meeting with Jafan is a battle for the country. The new king isn't supposed to know until the day of." Donovan gave her a blank stare.
"Good work." He nodded, honestly complimenting her ability to not let him know about it.
"Here you are sir." The blacksmith walked up to the king with an arm cuff with the Cudamacci crest: side profile of a roaring lion with a lioness by his side; rule with companionship. A maid came after the blacksmith with a leather with fur suit. Both left the king and his mother.
"I'll go put it on." He raised his hand to stop his mother from trying to uplift his spirits.
The shoes were pure leather lined with black, short fur. His pants were a tight black leather, and his top was a leather vest with iron shoulders. It was a summer one because the player couldn't take all the coats and furs needed for winter. The country was one where the summers were hot as the king was, but winter couldn't match his ice heart.
"King Donovan, they are ready." He heard a voice from out his chamber door. He opened it and saw Bellona.
"Please be careful." She begged with worry in her eyes.
"That's no concern of yours." He said coldly and pushed past her. If Bellona wasn't gawking at Donovan's outfit, she would've been hurt by his words.
He went down a staircase and opened the double doors to the courtyard. A crowd of people greeted him, surrounding a ring in the middle. A man stood at the edge, looking at Donovan. He had medium brown hair tied behind him with a ribbon. His armor consisted of chains and leather, where as Donovan had leather and fur.
"Prince Jafan with be competing with King Donovan for the throne of Cudamacci!" An announcer said. Donovan took a sword and stepped into the ring at the same time as Jafan.
"I'll go easy on you." Jafan said, circling Donovan like a vulture.
Donovan didn't follow Jafan with his eyes. When the announcer said "Begin", Donovan, Jafan at his back, whirled around and swung his sword. Jafan pushed it off with his own and shoved Donovan. He, due to his size, didn't budge much, and put his sword away. The audience, among them his mother and Bellona, gasped. Jafan laughed and charged at Donovan with his sword pointed as a bayonet. Donovan hit it with his hand, cutting his wrist, and put Jafan in a choke. Jafan passed out, dropping his sword. Donovan looked at the announcer.
"Kill him or let him live, you've won." And the crowed cheered! He looked at Bellona. She looked confused, worried about his next decision.
"I let him live." Donovan announced. The crowed went into a mix of gasps and cheers. His mother, sat in her throne, stared at him with wide eyes, but with a smile.
"The king remains Donovan, and he lets Jafan live!" The announcer declared.
[Later on]
"Why did you let him live?" Bellona asked, looking up from her dusting. She and Donovan were alone in his study, an hour after the battle. Donovan was eating his lunch and looking over new documents.
"I rather him live a loser than die honorably. It gives me more power."
"People would see you as merciful."
"Jafan wouldn't, and that's all that matters."
"I see." Bellona kept dusting a shelf-
"Please move on, you've been dusting the same shelf for twenty minutes now."
"Sorry sir, I have a lot on my mind."
"Like what?" Donovan looked up at her with a raised brow.
"My mother got sick recently."
"So?"
"So? So she's my mother!" Bellona smacked the handkerchief into the shelf and put her hands in her hips.
"You said that, yes." He looked back down.
"What's your problem?" She stomped over to him. He looked up.
"What's yours?"
"My mother is sick!"
"And mine is not, can you stop complaining and get back to wor-" Bellona smacked him. Probably the dumbest thing she ever done, but she wanted to do it for a while, so it wasn't a rash decision. She looked at him. His eyes were wide and mouth open. She regretted it, so she stood frozen.
"Leave." He said as his eyes snapped to hers. In that second, she scampered off, taking the cleaning supplies with her.
Donovan sat alone in his chair, thinking about what he said. He wouldn't punish her for it, because he deserved it.
Bellona ran to her room, jumped into the bed, and waited until she received the punishment she didn't know she wouldn't get.
