A Kingdom in Ashes

Chapter 2: Plague

"All has been looted, betrayed, sold; black death's wing flashed ahead." 

-Anna Akhmatova

Dorian's P.O.V.

People rush past me and Metias. Even Metias tries to pull me away from the fallen person but I shake off his grip and move to right next to the person instead. 

Now that I'm closer I can tell that the person was a young female, probably in her young teens. Her hair was either always black or had become black from all the liquid foaming out of her. 

I send a small prayer up for her. The poor woman didn't deserve to die so young, but I hope her death will help to save others. 

I quickly pull out a small flask and gather some of the liquid, careful not to get any on my hands. 

I hide away the flask and motion at Metias to leave. 

We make it halfway back to the castle before the screaming and chaos settle down a bit. 

Metias doesn't ask me why I did what I did. I think he already figured it out. All he says is, "That was recklessly dumb. You need to leave this type of work to the officials." 

Perhaps I should explain: 

For about four months now there had been a plague going around Equita. It started in a small city on the outskirts of Equita. A person fell and started foaming in the mouth much like the young lady today, and since then its seems as if it's been happening to people more often all over Equita. Some would die immediately while others would stay alive for a couple of days in pain before passing away as well. And of course, no one was doing anything about it.

The problem with being the sixth born son in a royal family is that you become unreasonably insignificant. I am probably destined to marry someone to form an alliance. Until then I have no purpose, so the least I could do was try and help. 

I reply to Metias, "You know our whole government is corrupt. The king doesn't care enough about anyone to try and send soldiers to figure out where this plague is coming from. He's probably just going to wait until people die out and it stops." 

This is the type of thing only I can say. 

Metias shakes his head and moves closer before speaking, his voice dropping to a whisper, "Careful what you say, Prince. It is not beneath your father to punish you as well." He has to lean his head down for me to hear since he's a couple of inches taller than me.

"Well," I say, "in that case you need to be even more careful than me." 

He says nothing as we keep walking. 

I take out the vial and shake it a bit, watching the liquid slosh back and forth. I plan on giving this to one of the castles medics, or something, and asking them to run some tests to identify the liquid. And ask them about possible cures and a way to stop it. 

It isn't long before Metias and I have dropped the vial off and are walking back to my bedroom. 

I'm about to enter my room when someone crashes into my arms. I don't even need to look down and observe that small child with blonde hair and brown eyes, much like mine, to know who it is. 

Elyssia, my little sister. 

She squeals with delight as a pick her up and swing her around. 

She smiles her radiating smile at me and laughs her beautiful laugh. There aren't many family members who I care about as much as Elyssia. Actually, there aren't any family members who I care about as much as Elyssia. My family and I aren't very close. 

"Hey," I say, smiling. "What you up to?"

She giggles and motions me closer. I lean down to hear what she has to say. 

She whispers, "Kiki's forcing me to take a bath and I'm running away." 

This is apparently the funniest thing to her because she laughs at it as if she doesn't do this almost every day. Ahh, the wonderful bliss of being six years old. I pity her nurse, Kiki, for having to put up with her every day. 

"Aww," I say, attempting to be the great older brother I am, "baths are good for you Lyssi. You're lucky to have someone to help bathe you." 

I say this every time I catch her running away from Kiki. And she does the same thing every time in return. 

Elyssia nods solemnly and goes, "yes yes,"  before spinning around and zooming back to her bedroom. 

As she leaves I open the door to my room and wish Metias a good night. He doesn't stand guard during the night which means I could escape my room during the night but the two problems with this are that I like my sleep and going out at night is not nearly as fun due to the lack of people outside. 

As per usual, a maid enters my room asking if I need help with drawing a bath or change of clothes. 

As per usual I refuse. 

I bathe myself and get dressed and, as per usual, try not to look at my back in the mirror as I do so. 

And of course, I do take a glance hoping maybe they'll be gone this time. 

But they aren't. The scaring outline of folded wings are still on me and no matter how much I try they don't go away.