23. Get rid of the source
"It does, but your highness, I am afraid that the poison has reached to higher levels and would need a lot of efforts to restore your previous health." Chiron answered.
"You can start with the treatment now. I will follow your orders." Asterion said, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"I will have to make a trip back home and bring those potions back. You will also need a proper diet to replenish your body. And most importantly-'' Chiron paused before looking at Ether and then turning back towards Asterion.
"You need to get rid of the source that is administering poison into your body." Chiron spoke in a low but deep voice.
"I will pay attention to it." Ether answered from behind.
"Thank you, your highness. I will return with the potions." Chiron once again greeted both of them before leaving.
"So, where did it all start, Princess?" Asterion asked, his voice amused more than serious.
"In the garden." Ether answered.
"Today morning?" Asterion asked, thinking this was quite fast.
"Yes. Do you remember the krocus?" Ether asked.
"It is used in my daily meals-" Asterion was still speaking when Ether interrupted.
"Exactly, it is used in your daily meals. I brought those two flowers back and also went to the library for the same. I read about krocus and as I had suspected, the scent was faintly different from the original ones.
After returning to the chamber, I examined it more carefully. Though I could not identify the poison, I was at least sure about my doubts." Ether answered.
"But why didn't you inform me?" Asterion asked.
"I wanted to gather some witnesses or maybe catch the culprit and then bring this matter to your attention.
But coincidentally you brought the royal physician and I suddenly had this doubt that how come this went unobserved by him. Hence I asked him to examine and confirm my deductions." Ether answered.
"You didn't suspect the royal physician?" Asterion asked, finding Ether more interesting than the point that his body was poisoned.
"No. Remember you told me on my first day that my presence was only known to the two maids, captain and royal physician. Since you trusted him, I had less doubts about him." Ether explained.
"And that is why you purposefully asked him to check my pulse. Just in case he denied anything similar to it." Asterion heard the unspoken part of Ether's statement.
Ether just nodded, accepting the fact. In reality, she did have a small doubt on the royal physician. After all, if the crown prince was poisoned, the royal physician should have knowledge about it.
But just as Chiron said, Asterion hadn't been examined for a long time. Which seemed more reasonable, slowly removing her doubts on Chiron.
"Plus he has recently joined as the royal physician. The previous royal physician died of old age, giving him the new title." Asterion explained everything.
"You two are good friends?" Ether asked suddenly.
"Yes. Since childhood." Asterion replied.
"Is that why he drops honorifics like me?" Ether asked with a smile.
"Yes. But anyways, how were you going to find the culprit?" Asterion asked, eager to understand Ether and her strategies more.
'She surely knows how to surprise me everytime.' Asterion thought internally, appreciating her alertness for the situation.
Though little did he know that it was out of her survival instincts to pay attention to every single thing around her.
"The entire plant was poisoned, including the flowers, which only meant the poison was administered through watering.
Later I asked Doris about garden details, who told me you had appointed three people to take care of the garden, which shortlisted my suspects.
So I needed a few more tricks to find the ultimate mastermind who wanted to get you killed, or maybe regress your cultivating speed." Ether answered.
"But it would still be delivered to me through my food." Asterion asked his last doubt, which was the only loophole remaining.
"I was going to ask Doris and Medusa to help me set up a kitchen near our chamber. Next I planned to have your permission on creating a secret door to that kitchen which exclusively belonged to me.
If I cooked every meal, why would you eat anything coming from the kitchen? Who knows what else might be poisoned?" Ether said.
Asterion didn't utter another word, but it was visible how proud he was of Ether. As for the culprit and this entire poisoning scene, he would handle it personally.
'Who wants me dead? That too someone from the royal family itself. Or maybe someone who is influential enough to bribe the servants of the royal palace. Whoever it is, you have less days remaining.' Asterion looked calm from outside, but one look at his eyes, and you could see the kind of storm that was brewing internally.
The couple spent the rest of the evening setting up the new kitchen. The royal physician also bought him potions which were kept with Ether for safekeeping.
"The cultivation effects are visible in her highness's body, but those are not helping her body. But I did trace a faint amount of water power in her pulse. Maybe the cultivation is infusing powers in her body." Chiron had said before leaving.
Asterion had thought a lot upon this comment but he couldn't come up with anything. Finally he decided to let this matter rest for sometime.
Both Ether and Asterion slept calmly, knowing that the poison culprit had no way out, and it was just a matter of time.
The crescent moon was shining beautifully in the dark midnight sky, diminishing all those sparkling stars. But its brightness could not illuminate many parts of the royal palace, including the balcony on which Vesta was standing.
She took slow, careful and light steps, making sure she wouldn't make a sound and remain unnoticed. Finally she managed to cross the court and reach in front of a gigantic wooden door carved with blue diamonds all over.
She knocked in a particular tone, thrice, and waited some time before the doors to a huge chamber were open.
She straightened up, taking elegant steps, nothing like that from moments ago before coming to stop and kneeling.
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- Kizy