Season's kiss

Fate unknown

•°•

When light fades, shadows awaken,

The void between them lies a power both wondrous and terrifying ~ by Eva

•°•

The air around the motionless King Calyx seemed to crackle with residual energy, the forest holding its breath in the wake of the supernatural display.

His golden hair, usually glowing with vitality, was now matted with frost and snow, his amber eyes closed, as if the sheer force of what had occurred had stolen even his strength to stay conscious.

The maids, who had rushed out of the carriage despite his earlier command to stay inside, were now by his side, tears streaming down their faces.

"Your Majesty! Please, wake up!" wailed one of them, her trembling hands brushing the snow off his regal cloak.

“Don’t just stand there!” shouted another maid, desperation thick in her voice. She turned to the guards. “Do something! He’s freezing!”

The head guard, ever composed, crouched beside the fallen king, his jaw tight with concern. “He’s alive,” he confirmed, checking the faint rise and fall of Calyx’s chest. “But his pulse is weak. We need to move him now.”

“Get him into the carriage!” barked another guard, his tone strained as he scanned the forest’s shadowed perimeter for any unseen threat.

The maids moved with frantic determination, carefully lifting Calyx’s limp form with the guards’ assistance. The smallest of the maids, a soft-spoken girl named Lila, sobbed openly as she clung to the king’s hand, refusing to let go.

“We can’t lose him,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “He’s too important… too kind…”

“Lila, pull yourself together,” said the taller maid, Elara, though her own voice quivered. Her sharp green eyes brimmed with unshed tears, but she steeled herself, gently tucking a thick fur blanket around Calyx once they had him settled inside the carriage.

The third maid, Celine, whose dark hair was tied in an elaborate braid, pressed a damp cloth to the king’s forehead, her movements deliberate and precise. “We need help, more than we have here,” she murmured.

“The Kai Kia soldiers. We must call for them immediately.”

The head guard nodded, already taking action. He turned to a younger guard and handed him a small orb engraved with the Kai Kia insignia.

“Activate it. Summon their soldiers. Tell them we need another amulet, one more powerful than this cursed relic.”

The younger guard didn’t hesitate, stepping a few paces away before holding the orb aloft. He whispered an incantation, and the artifact began to glow, sending a pulsing golden light into the sky like a beacon.

The group waited in tense silence, the maids hovering protectively over Calyx. Elara continued to smooth his hair, her lips moving in a silent prayer.

Lila wiped her tears and adjusted the blankets, while Celine inspected the king’s amulet, her brow furrowed with suspicion.

“This thing… it’s not just drained,” Celine muttered, mostly to herself. “It feels… wrong. Like it absorbed something it shouldn’t have.”

Before anyone could respond, a low hum resonated through the forest, followed by the distant sound of hooves and armor.

Relief washed over the group as the Kai Kia soldiers emerged from the icy gloom, their silver armor glinting even in the dim light.

Their leader, a tall woman with striking silver hair named General Kaelis, dismounted her horse and strode forward. Her sharp eyes swept over the scene, lingering on the unconscious king.

“Explain,” she demanded, her voice cold and commanding.

The head guard quickly recounted the events, and General Kaelis nodded curtly. “We anticipated something like this might happen. The amulet he carries was not meant to endure such a surge of power. We brought another.”

She gestured to one of her men, who stepped forward and presented a new amulet, larger and more intricately designed, its surface glowing with an otherworldly light.

“Place it on him,” Kaelis ordered.

Celine hesitated, her instincts warring with her trust in these strangers. But Elara placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We don’t have a choice,” Elara whispered. “Do it.”

With trembling hands, Celine removed the drained amulet and replaced it with the new one. The moment the artifact touched Calyx’s chest, a soft golden glow enveloped him, and his shallow breathing grew steadier.

“Get him to the Kai Kia Kingdom immediately,” Kaelis instructed. “We’ll provide an escort.”

The journey back was tense but mercifully uneventful. The Kai Kia soldiers formed a protective perimeter around the carriage, their presence deterring any would-be threats. Inside, the maids refused to leave Calyx’s side, their devotion unwavering.

By the time they reached the Kai Kia Kingdom, night had fallen, and the grand gates of the royal city opened to welcome them.

Calyx was carried into a magnificent chamber, its high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings, and a roaring fireplace casting a warm glow over the luxurious furnishings.

The maids, despite their exhaustion, insisted on staying with him.

“We’ll tend to him ourselves,” Elara declared firmly when the Kai Kia attendants offered their services. “He’s our king. Our responsibility.”

General Kaelis raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue, stepping aside to let the women take their places.

The three maids worked tirelessly, ensuring Calyx was warm and comfortable. Lila tucked a pillow beneath his head, her hands lingering as she smoothed his hair. Elara adjusted the blankets, her eyes darting to his face for any sign of improvement. Celine brewed a concoction of herbs, her medical knowledge coming to the forefront as she worked.

As the hours passed, exhaustion began to claim them. One by one, the maids drifted into a light slumber, curled up on the floor near the king’s bed. Elara leaned against the wall, her head resting on her knees, while Lila clutched the edge of the blankets, her tear-streaked face serene in sleep.

Celine was the last to succumb, her head resting on the bedside table as she watched over Calyx until her eyes finally closed.

The king slept on, his breathing steady but his body still weak. The glow of the new amulet pulsed faintly, a quiet promise of protection as the night deepened.

For now, the chamber was silent save for the crackling of the fire and the soft sighs of the sleeping figures within. But the shadows beyond the warm light lingered, restless and waiting.

....