12 TASTING FEAR

HALE'S POV

Davina was the only person I considered my family. I would have no family if it wasn't for her, because my all of my actual family is long dead.

And seeing her that way in her chamber invoked an emotion in me that I hadn't felt in a long long time.

Fear.

The last time I feared something, it was when I was a boy. When I feared my father. Not knowing what his next step was going to be made me fear him.

Not knowing where he was going to hit me.

Not knowing how he was going to torture me.

But I stopped fearing him a long time ago. Because I feared my father, and the man I had seen him become after being crowned the king, was no longer my father. He was a mere stranger, with hollow eyes, and flaring nostrils. I no longer feared that stranger.

As I waited outside her chamber, my mind thought about the worst possible things.

"Your Majesty, I checked the Colonel's vitals and they seemed perfectly normal except her iron. Due to her not knowing about her iron deficiency, it got worse with time. That is why she didn't wake up today morning. I gave her a few pills and that would not let her iron level fall. She will have to take them twice a day, regularly."

Iron deficiency?

But there were no signs. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that their iron levels are low. This was Davina being Davina.

Putting the Mortale army first, forgetting about her health. I sighed and shook the royal healer's hand.

Once he left, I knocked before entering.

Still pale, she smiled as I entered the chamber.

"H- Hale! How have you been, your Majesty?"

I stood near her bed, and stared down at her. I wasn't used to seeing her this weak. Davina was one of the strongest women I had ever met.

Maybe even the strongest.

"Stop being cheeky with me, Vina. You know, very well, that I don't find this, one bit, funny."

She sighed and looked away, without replying.

"Don't make me rethink my decision of making you the colonel!"

Her head whipped towards me. I knew this would get her attention.

"What? I fall sick once, and you don't think I am strong enough to be the colonel?"

I ran my fingers through my hair, and accidentally pulling them in anger.

"You know very well that it's not about that. I can't have you putting the army above your health. There would be no army if you fall sick frequently Vina."

She looked away once more. I knew I was being harsh on her, but she needed to know that this wasn't the right way to lead.

When she didn't reply, I walked away.

If time was what she needed to understand that she needs to prioritize her health, then I could give her that. Once I left her room, I began walking toward the north wing.

Just when I was about to walk through the doors of the wing, a white light flashed in front of my eyes, and I saw the same deep brown eyes. They were burning with a fire so passionate, that you knew, that she was ready to burn down whatever came in her way just to obtain what she wanted.

And that lively laughter.

I saw colors in that laughter.

Blue, the one that reminded me of how I used to laugh just like this as young boy

Purple, the one that reminded me how I could never laugh this way, ever again.

Yellow, for the brightness in it.

It was a fusion of colors that represented another fusion of emotions.

And just in a single second, all that vanished from my eyes and I was back among the sad blue walls.

These visions were that small glimmers of hope that I knew would shatter my heart into pieces every time they began, but I still loved seeing them.

I shook my head and looked around me as I entered the north wing. It was decorated with a combination of red and blue. The Lormeian flag hung on the pillars along with the Mortale ones.

I had completely forgotten about the meeting with the Queen after all that had happened with Davina.

Today was getting more and more marvellous.

First I can't sleep, then I have an overly annoying guard, Davina falls ill, and now I need to meet up with the one person I really never wanted to encounter. A randomly chosen Lormeian Queen.

It wasn't the fact that she was a woman that bothered me alone. It was the fact that some common woman was chosen to rule a kingdom, when I had to suffer this much to gain a kingdom.

Harold was a great king, and I had some respect for him. But I don't think I can ever respect a commoner who was supposed to rule this country along with me.

It felt almost impossible to treat her as my equal.

It was only for a day, I thought to myself while walking toward the meeting hall.

When I was just a few steps away from it, I turned as I heard someone's steps.

It was a council member.

"Good Morning, Your Highness! The Lormeian Queen, Rosabella Agapov, has arrived at our castle!"