Helencia Castle, Lysithea
Two Days Later
Pandemonium ensued across the palace. The palace hadn't experienced such chaos and mayhem since the Great War of Independence. The entire council was urgently summoned to Lamia in a state of emergency after King Cerberus was found. The late King's funeral had been arranged quietly, with the coronation of Lysithea's new ruler immediately after. Within the next week the palace & royal court intended to release the news to the country. Letters had been sent to all military strongholds in the country. Twelve hour meetings occupied the days, as the Council and advisors scrambled to come up with a coherent plan for the country. The national defence plan had to be revised, as well as several laws and statutes.
Lysithea officially had a new leader, and an heir to the throne. The young boy discovered with his majesty was the King, according to the royal proclamation signed by the late King Cerberus. The proclamation and the king's seal was confirmed to be authentic. Upon the search of the palace, Lord Damian had uncovered a plethora of paperwork that needed to be read and reviewed. Not only that, but Lysithea had its first Regent in the kingdom's history. Royal documentation had been signed and constitutionally ruled by the royal council. Aspen was crowned as his highness, Regent of Lysithea. However, the proceeding surprised Lord Aspen and the other grand advisors considerably. His majesty, the late King Cerberus had never mentioned such a ruling. However, he had left behind extensive documentation detailing the proceedings.
Aspen sat on the throne, toying with the hem of his new garments tiredly. The last two days had been a whirlwind of paperwork and planning. Every single vampyr in the castle was working nonstop, from the seamstresses and maids all the way to the Royal Advisors. The late King's doctor had checked over the boy, who had not awakened yet. He remained in a coma-like state, but it was common for turned vampyr to be in said state for roughly fifty hours or so.
The council was silent. A somber silence floated over the room, as they waited for the King's Physician to appear. A few murmurs floated around the room as Damian wrung his hands uncomfortably. Aspen smiled sympathetically at his friend. The foundation of the palace shook when Aspen rode in with the unconscious child in his arms, followed by Cyan carrying the late King. The notion of the blood rite being invoked had the council reeling.
The doors swept open as Doctor Laurent quickly strode in, an unreadable expression on the man's face. Aspen watched as the Doctor clenched his fists, before looking up expectantly at him. "Please, Doctor Laurent, report your findings before the council." Aspen asked politely, after the room waited for his command. Aspen felt strange being the one in power. He was used to blending in more at court, as opposed to being at the helm. But now, he was Regent, with Damian & Cyan appointed as his head advisors. Nothing could be stranger.
Aspen still couldn't bring himself to sit at the head of the table, the seat that used to belong to the king. Aristogeiton was still shocked at the death of his friend, and had allegedly left for Ruzar. Aspen made a mental note to send a letter enquiring about their wellbeing.
Doctor Laurent cleared his throat. "Thank you, your highness. I assessed his majesty thoroughly," He said seriously. The doctor glanced around. "I would like to speak to you in private afterwards, your highness." Aspen nodded solemnly, surprised at the Doctor's hesitancy. Doctor Laurent was known for being exceptionally blunt. Doctor Laurent raised his chin slightly, the angry look reflecting in his eyes unwavering. "My observations were not the slightest bit pleasant, your highness. Frankly, I am appalled. In all my years in medicine, I have rarely ever observed such substantial injuries on a child," he hissed.
Damian motioned for the man to continue. The doctor curled and uncurled his fists. "My understanding is that his majesty was born human, with a severe facial deformity. However, there is substantial evidence of chronic bodily trauma." The room visibly stiffened. Children were extremely precious and guarded within Lysithean society. Birth rates were incredibly low in the Kingdom, due to the extremely low conception rates among the vampyr, children were rare, and under the protection of numerous laws to ensure their safety.
Doctor Laurent inhaled. "From my surface examination alone, his majesty has dozens of scar contractures, several spots with extensive scar tissue and hematomas. I do not think I shall need to provide more details to the court, your highness. The evidence is unwaveringly clear that his majesty has been the victim of prolonged abuse." A chill ran through the Regent and his advisors as they contemplated the severity of the Doctor's words.
Aspen promptly adjourned the council meeting, as the nobility and advisors shambled out, milling over the graveness of the state of affairs. Meanwhile, the head Royal advisors and the Regent followed the doctor into the King's study. Aspen toyed with his ebony ring as he sat in the King's seat, rolling it around on his finger. He still felt Doctor Laurent turned to face them. "The young king has survived a great injustice, your highness. I am unsure how he will fare in this environment." The Regent and his advisors nodded. "Rest assured Laurent. We will protect the boy from the court as long as possible" Cyan asserted. Damian and Aspen nodded in agreement.
"I must say, I am quite perturbed at the state of his majesty. In all my years of practice, I have never bore witness to a child with such profound signs of abuse. The most concerning however, is the growths above his scapulae. I will be diligent in monitoring its progress. Your highness, I cannot hope to guess the impacts on his mental state. I am uncertain what limited linguistic abilities he will have, if any. I implore you to tread lightly," Doctor Laurent urged, a solemn look casting over the man's face.
The Regent and the advisors were silent. They had never once bore witness to Doctor Laurent looking so somber. Aspen placed his hand over the Doctor's, matching his serious expression. "I give you my word Laurent. I shall not allow any further harm to come to the young king," he promised earnestly. Doctor Laurent nodded, and promptly left the room to check on the king. The Regent and the royal advisors sat in silence as the minutes ticked by, before Aspen felt tears run down his cheeks.
Damian glanced back concerned for a moment at the door, before placing his hand over Aspen's. "Dearest," he mumbled softly as Aspen looked up, looking considerably younger than his years. "I had seldom thought I should be a sire... my constitution could never handle such a thing." Aspen paused, as Cyan stood and pulled the man into his arms. "I shall do good on this child, I swear it."
Cyan kissed his cheek tenderly as Damian smiled warmly at him. "I know you shall, as will Cyan and I. The dials of the clock rotate only one way, and there is no means of changing of the tides." Damian stood, brushing his long fingers down the length of his jade waistcoat. "But we shall ensure our young king does not live another day shrouded in darkness."
YOU ARE READING
Angel of Darkness (DARKNESS #1)
Fantasy(Book One in the Darkness Series) Long ago, in a small town called Asteaia, a baby - very different from any other - was born. Discarded by his mother and shunned by the town he lived in, the boy grew up in misery, darkness and pain. One day, the b...
