THE POISON HE CRAVES FOR

Two

Mason's birthday is two days away and as much as Tristan would have loved to be in attendance, he doesn't see the possibility of that happening.

He had so many things to go through, he just couldn't help but wonder how the task keeps piling up on a daily!

"Your Highness, some members recently found a cursed lady. She was report..."

"A cursed lady?" Tristan asked the Minister giving the report.

'Could it be you? Did you really come?!' He could feel himself becoming excited.

Tristan wondered if his plan had proved futile.

"Yes, Your Majesty. They had held her hostage in their home as they came to make a report. I had some men follow them to bring in the cursed lady, so she is presently in one of the cells awaiting your judgement." 'Please be her.' Tristan hoped for maybe he did pray. His mom always say, prayers do get answered hence why he had continuously prayed, for years he will look up at the empty cloudy sky and pray. He wanted to believe, believe in the legend that someone up there oversees the whole world. Someone whom the humans believe so much in. Someone called God!

Tristan wanted to believe in him yet, years after asking for the same thing, he wasn't so sure any longer. And today, he was becoming so excited but he he knew he had to curb my excitement as he asked the Minister to lead him to the prisoner. 'Were my prayers finally getting answered?' He wondered within himself as he followed the Minister to the dungeon.

The walk to the cell felt like forever and as he finally got close, he could feel myself getting disappointed. There is no pull, that feeling where he become so happy, happy enough he could act a fool if she asked wasn't there. There was nothing! of course he had been excited for no reason.

Although he already knew it wasn't her, but he still felt so sad and defeated as he saw the girl who lay curled up at one side of the room. The fear in her eyes couldn't be hidden and her pleading gaze called one's attention towards her.

She looked so fragile and normally, Tristan wouldn't care but he did this time around. "Who did this to her?" Tristan asked the Minister who was beside him looking at the girl with five fingerprints on her face that were obviously new.

'Follow you?! Why? So I can be ridiculed and called names? So I can be condemned?! ' Tristan hated recalling those words...

Her words rang in his head once again...

The thought of her being here and seeing this lady made him nauseated.

"I am not sure but since she is such a waste, I guess they had some fun with her before we got here Your Highness" his amused voice angered me?! Fun? She was powerless as he has said! How much of a coward does one need to be for them to find it fun attacking a defenseless lady.

"Fun! Has she been condemned of any crime? What right did any of them have to lay a finger on her?" Tristan couldn't help the ache inside of him... 'Would she blame me is she was here?' Tristan wondered knowing how insecure she is.

'Of course she might, my people did this after all and I am their leader!' The thought only made Tristan more upset.

"Since when did we fall so low?" Tristan asked with an eyebrow raised although, he sounded calm he could definitely feel his anger considering how his body trembled slightly...

"I am sorry Your Majesty. I will discipline the men whom I assigned to bring her here. Should I send a doctor to check on her before I send her to you for interrogation?" He asked cautiously and Tristan took one last look at the green eyes which looked back at him with a look I couldn't quite understand. For a weak Cursed, she is quite brave.

"Tomorrow at dawn. She will be questioned and I will be in attendance." Tristan announced as her eyes closed shut. Dronakai nodded at my response. Tristan walked back to his chambers before summoning Badurad and Acacius. Two of his most trusted men to my room

"Your Majesty, they both bowed." nodding, he knew this might not be the right approach but he was curious...what made her risk her life to come here?

Although the other races try hiding it but most of them believed the trash witches and faes pass around and that clouded their judgment towards the cursed.

They knew this too, they knew their safety could be... so why did she come?!

"There is a cursed girl in the dungeon waiting to be questioned tomorrow by dawn" they raised a brow as they wondered why I could possibly be telling them this. But they waited for me to complete the word. "I need you to get her to me before her questioning begins" I finished while they both gazed at me for a while

Something about her gaze when I had visited the dungeon told me she had something to say, something Dronakai couldn't hear. Something I would want to know of!

Acacius nodded as usual, he surely has questions but he decided against asking. But Badurad questioning gaze was so obvious, too obvious yet I pretended to not notice!

"No one can see her being brought in here" I told them both.

She really couldn't be seen. If she was a spy as they might have suspected her to be, then people will only wonder why I had to meet with her secretly.

"Yes your Majesty" they both responded with a bow before walking out. Acacius' steps slowed a little and in a low cautioning voice "I truly hope you know what you are doing Tristan" he cautioned before leaving. I truly hope I do too my friend...

Acacius, Badurad, Hroaldr, and I all grew up together. We had trained, fought, and formed a bond so strong among ourselves. They might act like disciples sometimes but they are family, brothers whom I could trust.

Hroaldr who also happened to be Acheal son was presently out of town. He was the only other person aside from my father who knew of her...

I never did tell these two but knowing them, they will be asking questions after this mission, questions I would have to provide answers to.

"Your Highness" Aldegar bowed after walking into the room.

"Yes Aldegar" please don't tell me there are more meetings to attend, I have too much going on in my head to be concerned over these men or anything right now...

"I am here to report the assignment you had given me yesterday. Lord Adalberht's daughter is presently in training. Her father had hired the best tutors to tutor her on how to conduct herself and be of the best morals. I believe with time, she will be a perfect lady to lead with any man" I yawned so he could know I had no interest in knowing about the AI training. The message was received pretty well, so he continued "Seeing how much effort and time the Lord was investing in the lady, a lot of people, including members of the court believed she will surely be the next queen to rule next to you hence why they are trying to not be in Lord Alderberht wrong records" he finished and I nodded. From his report, the members only wanted to make sure that if he is to gain more power than what he already has, they should at least maintain a good relationship.

"Alright then, I will like to rest now" I told him.

"Would you need me to send in the team to help you prepare for bed Your Highness?" he asked and I nodded no

"What help will they possibly offer?. The bed is laid and I surely need no help with bathing" I told him not understanding why a team of servants needs to rush into my room just to pick nightwear and put some lotions down for me to use.

"Of course Your Highness, I will take note of that" he said bowing as he turned to leave.

"Aldegar" I called him

"Yes, Your Highness" he answered his head still lowered

"I need all my schedules for tomorrow canceled aside from the morning interrogation. I will be away for three days" I told him. I had made my decision, I was not going to miss Mason's birthday.

"Yes, Your Highness. May I please ask where you will be heading to?" He asked. I knew one of his duties was to know of my every location and activities

"Black Krest pack" I answered. I wasn't secretly traveling so he could know if he wanted to

"I am afraid tomorrow wouldn't be possible your Highness, the weather wouldn't be favorable for you to travel by flight. If it isn't urgent, I will suggest you extend your journey please" the weather...

Can I really miss my godson's first year birthday?!

"The weather can't possibly stay bad for the whole day. I will be flying when it gets better" I said my voice leaving no more room for his opinions

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will leave you to rest now" he bowed and then turned to leave.

I walked towards my wind as I looked up at the sky which looked calm and peaceful.

Please let me fly tomorrow...

I found myself whispering yet another prayer.