7 : Impending Doom

"Should I at least go and check on him once?" Drakon questioned himself. Logic said, "You don't care what happens to him. Why should you go then?" But logic contradicted itself the very next moment by saying, "But what if it is really something important he wants to talk to you about? After all, he might be dead by next morning for all you know!" Drakon decided to listen to the second argument that logic provided. After all, it wouldn't hurt him to go check on the King once, would it?

Grumbling to himself, he set off towards his chamber. On the way, he met two of the Royal guards.

"Your-Your Highness," one of them stuttered. "His Majesty is calling for you."

"Shut up," Drakon muttered, sulking and not even caring whether they heard him as he walked straight past them. Soon, he reached the King's room and entered. King Rupert looked up at him with his beedy eyes and croaked, "Drakon...you came!"

Isn't that obvious?! Still, he felt a strange sense of pity like a pang in his heart. King Rupert, the man who had once guided an entire army in huge battles, the man who ruled such a big city as Harkenland with such expertise and high capabilities, even under the pressure of people associating him and his son with a wicked curse, the man who didn't fear lay in bed, looking as weak as a tiny insect, which Drakon could probably crush with a single finger. Should he be feeling bad? But he did not let it survive. He killed it as soon as it approached him. It withered and died right there in his heart, leaving him as blank as he always was.

"Drakon, I...I need to talk to you!" his father said, trying to sit up from his initial supine position on the bed. Drakon decided to let him try to get himself up, for a few seconds, but he did not succeed. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Lie down. That's the best you can do, it seems."

His father fell back in his bed and continued in the bated whisper, "After my death, you will be the sole heir to the throne, Drakon. You are prepared, I know. I just need to warn you about a few things."

"After your death?" he asked coldly. "Giving up so fast now, are we?"

"I'm an old man and I am sick. Death will befall me any time now. There is no doubt about that." King Rupert sighed.

"Do you want me to kill you now so I can take the throne and the crown that I do not want?! The ones that I absolutely despise?!" Venom was evident in his tone. Was he telling Drakon that he would be his heir?! Why, he didn't want to be at all! Why couldn't he just give it to someone who wanted it and probably, deserved it too?

"Drakon, please...Harkenland has only one hope now, and it is you! Let me continue to the more problematic matter. After my death, people will realize that you are the immortal prince from the legends. You need to be careful and always show that you are a good and deserving king to them. Because if they are not happy, combined with their fear of you being who you are, they might even revolt! And united, even common mortals can be very dangerous."

Drakon snorted, though he was actually disgusted. "You mean I should bribe them to accept me as their king! Why can't you say it directly then? We could have saved a lot more time, because my answer is no! I will not fear some silly mortals!"

He could no longer control his anger. He swiftly exited the room without another word.

Drakon could not remain in the castle. It was too stifling! He had to escape for that day! Of course he would have to come back to this place which he was forced to call his home! He could not escape for ever. But if he could, then he would probably have been gone by now. But Drakon was bound to Harkenland - by the rope of duties, memories, and pain...

He moved through the twisted corridors as fast as he could, and before long, he was outside the castle, riding atop Lucifer, his snow-white horse. Lucifer galloped faster than the speed of the wind, as if he wanted to go away too. And they finally were, at least for that moment. They were in the woods and the only place he felt like going to was, anywhere … but nowhere. Drakon sighed. At a distance, he saw a lake; and it was shining. He could discern ice. It was more like a frozen lake! He decided to go there and hide away his time by that ice - his mate for life - before he had to return.