GERDA ( Love Is The Only Thing Stronger Than Magic )

Seventeen : "White Jack! White Jack, stop!!"

Sorry ahead for the typos. See any mistake, point it out.

NOTICE: please listen to this song as you read Cabel and Gerda's scene on the field. Oops, spoiler.

The king was rushed to the royal nurse. Gerda had been at his side through the whole thing. The guards who had been sent to call the nurse returned and said that she was nowhere to be seen. Gerda's father was placed in his chamber on his bed. He was still as if he was dead. He didn't move. His breathing was very slow and little.

Gerda sat by his side. She held his right hand as she watched his chest rise up a little into the air and fall back again. Tears had dried on her cheeks and her eyes were red. But not puffy. "Father... father."

He didn't answer. His eyes were asleep, concealing any sign of him waking up. His hand laid motion less in hers. He seemed so dead. But yet, Gerda had hope. She was about doing all manners of promises to herself when one question came to her mind: Had the king been poisoned?

King Melondian was a healthy man. He was getting old but he still looked strong and capable. With all the blood that had rushed out of his body, his skin looked pale. All the blood... Gerda thought. Her eyes widened. The king had definitely been poisoned. But how? He hadn't been in the castle for some minutes and when he came back, he came straight to the throne room. He didn't eat anything on the way there, right?

Suddenly Gerda remembered who followed her father to come in. Lord Mason!! No wonder prince knell had been wondering about too. Maybe her father and his father had gone to town together. But who would randomly poison the king? She had to go meet Lord Mason and learn more.

At that moment, her father's hand shook a little and went numb. But Gerda didn't see it. She was out of the room and down the stairs when he weakly muttered three words; "Arigan... in... danger."

Gerda's head was dancing with thoughts as she knocked on Lord Mason's doors. "Lord Mason," She called. "I wish to speak with you." Suddenly there was commotion from inside. There were crashes, knocking down of things, things being thrown away and the rest. Then the doors opened. Lord Mason stood in front of her. He had no clothes on except for a towel around his waist. His veiny body looked pale and old. But his face still looked young. "Yes?"

"Can I speak to you?"

He looked behind before he nodded and stepped back. "Come in." Gerda entered. His room was big and magnificent. Well, it was the quest room. The curtains were made with beautiful and expensive fibres. The bed in the middle of his room was gigantic and bouncy. There was probably a steamy bathing chamber somewhere in the room. But he looked nervous. "So what do you want?"

It was then she saw her. Standing, pouring tea into a cup, was a maid. Her dress looked a little rumpled and... Gerda strained her eyes, was that an expensive lip gloss that was on her lips?

Lord Mason blocked her view of the maid. "Yes?"

Gerda was brought back to her case. "Yes, I believe my father went into the village with you."

Lord Mason nodded. "Yes, indeed. We had a fabulous time."

Gerda got herself to say it. "Did you guys by any chance eat something outside?"

"No. Why do you... wait, you think your father was poisoned?" He laughed. Gerda didn't see what was funny. "Why would the people of Arigan or anyone in Arigan poison him? He is a good man. You are lucky to have him as a father."

Gerda wasn't faltered. Not when that good man was on his dying bed. "So you did not eat?"

Lord Mason shook his head. "No. Not even a cup of water. We opened a fountain for the people to drink. We were heavily cheered. But. We did not eat anything."