His head ached. Like a million church bells being turned on in his head. He just shook his head and carried on. Everything felt heavy for him. His shoulders felt like they were carrying the whole world. His head felt like it was dealing with the whole world's pain. His crown felt like it was carrying everyone's guilt and anger. Yet he still pushed on.
He didn't know how long he'd been working on the castle. It seemed like the hours had just passed by. A king needed a castle after all. No matter how much of a guilty crown he was wearing. He was used to the states and hated looks that were shot his way.
If he'd known that he'd doom the whole damn town to its knees he'd acted differently. Such a beautiful country didn't deserve this fate. Alas, he couldn't change the outcome. He had to carry on despite it.
A while later he had a visitor. A very concerned visitor it seemed from her expression. "Eret you look exhausted. How long have you been working?" She questioned him. He didn't know. It's been maybe a day he guessed. "What day is it?"
"Friday." She answered. Oh, it had been a lot longer than he'd thought. He'd started Wednesday with the project. "Uh, I started Wednesday." She looked stunned with his answer. He carried on. He needed to get it done and she couldn't interrupt him.
"Eret you're straining yourself. You should get some rest." She told him practically pleading with him. He knew he couldn't abandon the project. He had to carry on.
She spoke again but this time her words slurred together. His vision began to deteriorate and everything blurred together for him. He needed to carry on. For his friends and his family.
Suddenly his eyes shoot up. He's in a bed. He looked up at the ceiling. It's an unfamiliar ceiling. He's never seen it before. He looks around to see Niki and Wilbur?? What's he doing here? He was a traitor to Wilbur. He'd doomed Wilbur's whole country to its knees. He didn't deserve to have been saved by either of them. They were too nice and too pure for him to be around him. He was a traitor whose crown was stained in blood.
"You've been out for a whole day Eret. You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard." She says with clear concern in her voice. He didn't say anything. He simply took off the covers and got out of the bed. As he stood straight his legs instantly buckled. They were too clearly too tired to carry him.
Wilbur was the one to catch him. Surprisingly the general hadn't left him to fall. He'd fully expected that. "I-I have to carry on." He said. His voice was hoarse and hadn't gotten water in while.
Niki gave him some water and food. He only drank the water.
"Eret you shouldn't push yourself to prove something. You seem regretful." Wilbur said to him. He was very regretful. Every day he went around hating the crown placed on his head. A crown stained with all of their blood. He didn't want to speak so he nodded to Wilbur.
"I'm willing to give you another chance. Every man deserves a second chance don't they." Wilbur said and weakly smiled at him.
He felt like he could burst into tears any moment
For the first time in a long time, Eret wanted to carry on.
