Queen's crown

clue

3rd person's pov :

Forth grits his teeth while glaring at the generals as Beam standing in front of the burning coal in a white cotton robe. Beam looks at the way ahead. It's five feet long.

Usually if a crown's participants cheat or break rules they had to walk on ten fits burning coal. Maybe, it's different this time.

Beam takes a deep breath in. He counts to five in his mind. He needs to do this. Leaving here isn't a option now. He can't leave Forth's side when Forth needs him the most even after Forth thinks that's the best option.

He is a prince. He can do it. He is trained to tolerate pain. Beam takes his first step on the burning coal. His eyes become blurry. It ... burns . It hurts .

He closes his eyes and takes the second step . He is going to die . Third step . Not anymore . No no...

No... no...

Beam takes his tenth steps in a haze. Tenth ? Eleventh? He doesn't know. It hurts less now. He feels like it's been eternity since he took his first step.

"Ops !"

Beam was takes his thirteenth ? ... fourteenth step when he hears a voice. He looks at the front.

"What are you doing ?" He hears a female voice. He frown. Who ? Queen mother ? P'Dee ? He doesn't know . It feels like a dream. He can't turn his head and look even when he wants to.

"I was going to kitchen . I was going to keep this bowl back ." Beam hears another familiar voice. Sal , it's Sal.

"What were you doing with salt ?" Beam hears a more familiar voice. Forth .

He jerks himself back to reality. He looks at the way ahead . He is close to end. Even in thoughts , he didn't stop walking.

But ... but at the end of the coal there is salt . A big bowl of salt. Sal has drpped it at the end. Beam blinks . Of course . It's not by mistake. He knows.

But Sal doesn't know. He doesn't know that Beam is not week. If he can walk on burning coal without even opening his lips , he can walk on salt with burned flesh too. He walks towards the end without stopping.

Beam takes his last step on the coal after five more steps. Now he has to face the salt . He can do it . He is a prince. He raises his foot to step on the salt.

Beam gives a sudden yelp as his feels the ground moving away from his food. He opens his eyes wide. He is seeing sky ? Forth's jaw ?

................

Everybody gasps as King lifts prince Beam in bridal style. The generals look at the secne wide eyes. Fazal and Andrew raises his eyebrows together at the same time.

David almost gives a happy jump. And all the maids who gathered to watch prince Beam' punishment start murmuring.

Forth pulls Beam more tightly in his arms.

"Has Prince Beam completed his punishment?" Forth' cold voice makes the snow drops in the palace field.

Each general flinches. Now they feels what they have crossed their limits.

"I don't think walking on salt was Prince Beam's punishment. So , Has Prince Beam completed his punishment?" Forth shouts louder.

The generals nod all together while trembling. The gulps to ease their dry throat. They knows Prince Beam was King's best friend. But why does they feel like it is not same best friend like King and Prince Salamandor ?

"Very well ." Forth growls while turning around to walk into the palace with a silent Beam in his arms

"send the healer to Imperial." Andrew orders P'Dee as soon as king leaves the field. Now it's completely clear to him whose side he should take.