Kouzlo: 26
" Your Majesty, " Elijah gave a quick bow before staring at the King, who was seated down on the floor with his sister, Alaia getting ready to apply a peach-coloured gel on her brother's face. The Royal siblings were doing their night routine always as together before Alaia's bedtime.
" Elijah... You're here? " Lucas peeked from Alaia's feet, cutting her nails.
" Yes, Your Majesty, did you ask for me? " Elijah asked after smiling at Alaia, who pouted knowing that Lucas had to go in between their skincare routine.
" I did. Wait a minute, " Lucas said after blowing on Alaia's trimmed nails. " Sorry, Princess. But brother has to go now. I'll make up for it, okay? "
" Yeah, fine. " Alaia still scowled with a pout but let her brother go with a bright smile when he promised her a new painting Canvas.
#
" How's Shizopherina doing? I couldn't get a chance to ask before, " Lucas asked when they were out in private, near the fountain. He signed Elijah to take a seat while he stayed still staring at the vast night sky.
" She's doing great, Your Majesty, the second trimester has been a big task anyway. " huffing loudly wondering about his wife's hectic pregnancy trimesters, Elijah shook his head. " Why did you call me, Your Majesty? "
" I wanted to talk about Nythera... "
" What about her? "
Lucas tilted his head, turning to look at the other, baffled.
" She's been missing, Elijah, don't you think I'm doing an irregular job at searching for my wife? "
" Your wife? It's the first time I'd heard you mention her as your wife, Your Majesty. " he dryly chuckled but the humour was nowhere in it.
" But don't you worry about her? "
" Your Majesty, as long as you're chill about the matter, why should I freak out? She'll be fine, "
Lucas only grew impatient. He couldn't let the thing go like that. He needs a proper answer for Nythera and about Nythera. Though they were never a married couple, they were still something. At least a pair...engaged to each other on terms of some vows that were about to be broken in the exact marriage ceremony.
" Your Majesty, I'm just suggesting. " Lucas nodded at Elijah to continue. " We never took Nythera from Kouzlo, why don't you check her there? "
" Why do you think she'd be there, Elijah? " asked with brows knitted to one, Lucas proned his head at his adviser.
" Because why not, Your Majesty? We don't know what's the matter with Ava Winslow's appearance but thinking from another perspective, Nythera might be in Kouzlo. "
Elijah was right and Lucas blamed himself for not thinking that way sooner.
It was obvious, whoever that travels through the door by accident— Because no one has ever done it, intentionally— ended in Kouzlo, the only universe connected to the magical native of the elders.
" Should we check then? "
" What? " Elijah blinked not understanding when the King, standing up, trudged to the backside of the fountain.
He wordlessly clicked his fingers and stared to his left where the ancient blue door with beautiful inscriptions of stars glittered and gave its appearance to the King.
" The door to the different universe was here all the time in this garden behind the old fountain? Are you serious, Your Majesty?! " It was evident that Elijah couldn't help. He was atop his lungs in astonishment.
He had noticed the King spending time at the fountain often as if he was chilling in his bedroom. The fountain had been unattended until the arrival of the King. He thought the King just happened to like this place like any other nature lover. But the truth was, the one thing he was destined to protect and look after for the rest of his life was concealed behind the fountain and the King just decided to let it be among every naked eye.
" Come on. " Lucas called and swirled the knob when Elijah squealed.
" No, no. Your Majesty, I'm not allowed. "
Lucas stayed silent and still swirled the knob and the sparkling knob flashed a veiny glittering line pass through the door and the door pushed open revealing a dark path to the King.
" Your Majesty, won't Ms Winslow look for you? " Elijah's voice piped up from behind, he was shuffling between his legs seeing the King doing something he had never thought he could see.
Aslan would never believe him if Elijah told him the King had the portal in the garden all these years, letting it completely be without a guard and would absolutely freak out if he comes to know that Lucas let Elijah see him go through the portal.
" She'll not, don't worry. Just tell Aslan that I had taken a walk to Kouzlo. "
And just like that, the King disappeared into the darkness followed by the door closing shut behind him.
Elijah, curiously, eyed the door and saw it slowly disappearing into the darkness and the sparkling stars slowly fading into the rock behind it.
He could hardly notice the faint trace of the door and gasped at how cleverly it was hidden underneath their nose all this time.
#
Lucas had his hands stuffed inside his hoodie pockets while his legs automatically walked in the dark path as if he had been doing daily walks here with his eyes closed. The place was quiet excluding the swooshing of air and his ticking boots on the ground.
Soon after a few minutes, Lucas noticed beautiful stars above his head and headed the way the stars were heading to, resulting in a new blue door this time with multiple stars and a small plate hanging down the knob that said: Kouzlo: 04
As soon as he opened the door, he was blinded by a bright light followed by a squeaky voice calling: " Master? "
" Yes. " Lucas mumbled walking into the built-in study room and stretched his arms as if he was getting ready for bed.
Breathing the air, he looked around the small cosy room where he always, once, liked to spend time and found nothing different from the last time he made a visit to Kouzlo.
Maybe it was a year or two ago. He quickly smiled when the owner of the squeaky voice peaked their head from behind the table.
" Hello to you too, Max, how are you? "
Maximus, the housekeeper sprang up from his hiding zone and quickly took off his round hat to bow down, beaming.
" Master, I welcome you back home. I— Yeah, I'm doing completely fine along with everyone in the Kouzlo. We're doing perfectly fine. How are you, Master? "
" I'm good, Max, how's life? "
" Life is great too. "
Lucas chuckled taking off his hoodie as the hot temperature seemed to hug his clothes top tight to his body.
" Max, may I get some clothes? "
" Of course, this is your house, Master. You don't have to ask, I'll be outside— " The guy quickly fled out in Godspeed and came back with whatever he had his hands on. Lucas took a quick look at the pile of clothes that Maximus yanked from his personal closet and went with the idea of a simple striped shirt.
" While I'm changing, I need you to get Cuba and Lyria here. And I ask for your mouth to be zipped, Max, my arrival should be hidden. Is that clear? "
" Yes, Master. "
With that, the housekeeper left the King in peace. After changing from his clothes, Lucas decided to take a look at the window. This house was located far away from the people of Kouzlo in an open ground, above a small mount. There were only countable settlements around the structure along with beautiful forests and hills.
With a small knock on the study door, Lucas turned around only to see Maximus's orange head peeking out from the door with his eyes tightly closed.
" Master, may we get in? " his voice was below a whisper as he wanted to make sure that their Master should be available for attending and not in the middle of changing his dress.
" Come in, Max. "
Followed by Maximus, entering the room was a girl and a boy, looking-alike with matching murky brown hair.
Cuba, the boy and Lyria, the girl were the little watchers of the Master's house.
" Master, we welcome you back home. " The twins bowed down, beaming happily.
Lucas smiled seeing them all grown up. They were cute little kids when they were assigned to the job as the watchers and it's been 7 years since.
" You guys have grown tall, I see... " Lucas drew a chair and sat down while the twins shared a smile. " So, guys, I need your help. "
" Tell us the orders, Master, we'll do our best. " Cuba beamed seeing the King this close after a long time while Lyria rolled her eyes at her brother for jumping like a bunny.
" I know you'll do, Cuba. The thing is, have you guys seen an... " he stopped searching for a word, continuing: " woman...in perhaps expensive ball gowns walking around the house? "
" No, Master. " Cuba's answer was quick while Lyria stayed silent.
Lucas looked at her expectantly, waiting for something but Lyria also shook her head as a no after a few minutes.
" Perhaps, have you guys seen someone different around here? "
" Can you decipher how different you're mentioning, Master? " It was Lyria with squinted eyes.
Maximus was silent all the while staring at their Master, confusion lingering over his head that lasted for a couple more minutes until Lucas decided to ask him the question.
" Max, did you see anyone opening that door? "
" Master's door? " Maximus asked as if wanting Lucas to confirm but immediately shook his head when Lucas gave a nod. " Of course not, Master. No one dared ever to touch Master's door. Because each and every soul out there knows the impact by heart— " While Maximus was almost screaming his lungs out, Lucas sighed.
" Max, calm down. I asked if you see a woman or someone coming out of the door," he explained and Maximus's answer was just a no.
" But, Master, I saw a lady coming out of the house in a long expensive dress looking extremely happy... Before I could go ask her about her details, she was gone into the woods. "
Lucas immediately turned to Lyria, curiously asking her how long had it been since she saw the lady to which Lyria concluded that it might be about 7-8 weeks. Lucas sighed and stood up walking out of the study followed by the three minions waddling fast but still trying their best to not walk before the King.
The chilly breeze hit his face when he opened the door and Lucas couldn't help but smile at the familiar and warm native. His heart fluttered after a long time. Kouzlo hadn't become his favourite place for nothing. It was an emotion to Lucas.
" I'll get going then, you guys carry on," he said before walking into the forest which the minions hesitated to follow into. Lucas knew that they wouldn't follow him inside which was why, he started flicking his hand in the air waiting for friction.
In a minute or so, a bright fuming red-coloured small dragon appeared out of thin air, his small wings flapped around his body as if he was asleep.
" Eh— Ah! "
Lucas was quick enough to catch the tiny dragon that was about to fall due to his wings being flapped in and immediately asked him if he was okay.
" Oh, my God. How did I fall? Oh my— OH MY, MASTER, WHEN DID YOU COME? " he screamed shooting up from Lucas's fingers only to jolt down with a loud that by hitting his head on the branch.
" B, calm down," said Lucas, calmy. " Were you sleeping? "
" Er... No, Master. I— I... I was meditating. " the dragon squeaked, blinking innocently.
Lucas shook his head and grabbed his tail with his finger, lifting the dragon off of his hand.
B, the tiny dragon blinked hanging upside-down from their Master's fingers, his eyes fixated on their master for further command or anything.
" B, I need your help, will you do? "
" Of course, I will, Master. I'm born for it. Tell me what to do. " B immediately sprang up and sat on Lucas's fingers, his wings flapped down again so that he could hear his Master's command without any disturbance.
" I want you to look around the forest for a... Er...I don't remember her hair colour or something that could help you identify her... Okay, wait, " he paused fishing his phone out of his pocket to drown in for a picture of Nythera.
But to his dismay, he never had a habit of pooling his phone's storage with thousands and thousands of pictures like Ava do. His phone only had a countable number of pictures that were also his Grumpy Knight glaring at him somewhere at a party or nervous Elijah standing somewhere, awkwardly, posing for the picture or a forced Lady Oh to pose for a peace sign or Ava doing nothing but staring at a colourful ball as if she was staring through the ball's soul.
Lucas bit on his lips and scrolled the only 10 or less than 10 pictures for a while before deciding to move his attention to the storage of his mobile where he, fortunately, had downloaded some of the recent ceremonies in the castle and thankfully, the first day of Nythera entering Briston pictures was in a separate folder.
After a good two minutes of scrolling through the pool of pictures, Lucas finally found a picture of Nythera.
" Got you. Yeah, B, I want you to look for this— "
" Oh. Isn't she our Jagger's sister, Master? "
Lucas looked baffled.
B knew Nythera and asked if she was Elijah's sister.
Lucas was as hell as sure that Nythera had never patched her foot inside Kouzlo and her replica shouldn't have been here anywhere around the perimeter and he was damn sure that Nythera couldn't be addressed as Elijah's sister because Elijah and Nythera were step-siblings since Elijah's parents divorced a long time ago.
To be continued
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