Fantasia

Aster

(King Wilbur's Pov)

I wake up. A drop of sweat drips down my face. What was that? But... It doesn't matter. Just forget about it, Wilbur... I got to stand up my legs are wobbly like jelly. A hand grabs me before I fall and helps me up.

"My royal," Espen says helping me up.

"Thank you."

"King Wilbur the ball will be starting soon you should go to the dressing rooms to get ready," Espen says dusting my shirt.

The two of us walk inside as I pass the hallway that has haunted me my whole life I have an idea...

(Espen's Pov)

King Wilbur is taking a while in there. He was acting peculiar earlier. Should I check up on him? I don't want to disturb him... But what if he's hurt? I'll just knock.

"My royal are you okay in there?"

The door was already open, I saw a mess of clothes and the tipped-over dresser. Then where is King Wilbur? By the time I'm out of the door and into the hallway, I can hear crashing from the study. I open the door and peek my head through. I see King Wilbur standing in front of a pile of paintings that were hung up on the wall. He turns his head and stares at me. We both just look at each other making eye contact for a few seconds before he turns around to face the wall and mumbles something.

"King Wilbur. Are you well do I need to get you something or-"

"Espen." He turns his head slower this time. His eyes. His pupils contracted they were just empty. "Get out."

I just shut the door. The scary thing about what he did was he was so calm. He didn't yell or scream. It brings a shiver down my spine. He needs space. There's no point in going to the ball it ends soon anyway. I'll have to wait. I wander the halls of the castle trying to brush off the experience as he was just stressed, something dawns on me. what if he was hurt?

 I quickly walk back to the study hall not running but still at a fast pace. The door is open. The King is not there though... he probably went to cool off... I shuffle towards the mess of paintings and books thrown on the floor. The paintings are mostly intact except for how the faces are punched out, It's not really a clean punch it's messy and bloody... Before I can go to pick on up to do a better examination, I hear unsteady breathing near the door of the study. I turn my head to see King Wilbur standing there.

"My king."

He just stares at me and wipes his face. His hands are rough and bloody.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" King Wilbur says looking around the room of chaos.

"Of course, sir. We should go to the infirmary to get your hand patched up first."

He puts his hand up to his face to examine it. Then wipes it off shrugs and walks away. I follow after him.

"Sir I must advise that you get it checked out. Not to be invasive, but the bone is sticking out..."

"I think that's just how my finger looks" He again shrugs and shoves his hands in his pockets like he was hiding them from me.

"Sir as your advisor-"

"Don't give that shit to me Espen, you are basically family to the Golds " He puts his hands on my shoulder like a father,

I grab his hand and yank it off my shoulder,

"Espen! Where are you taking me?" You know I thought he would be harder to drag...

Up the hallway and to the left. Straight into the infirmary. It's fine the nurses will help him. Or maybe not behind me I hear.

"King Wilbur wait!" A Nurse exclaims.

I blink once and King Wilbur is in front of me.

"Pardon-"

I can't finish my sentence. He pushed me onto the floor. Before I can scramble up, he's out of the room and running down the hallway.