From Marley, with Love.

Chapter 11: Lore

The royal incident

From the records of the Eldian history institute.

Taken from the account of a young clergy man

As according to accurate history, king Fritz ruled the Eldian empire during the great titan war. A war that that has been remember by its gruesomeness, bloodiness and infamous genocide. This is an account written by a clergy man, living at the Fritz court when Karl Fritz, the 145thking ruled. This account includes several perspectives. From the servants of the 145Thking. And the courtiers at the court of the king.

The last two winters have been rough. Even now, well into the summer, 2 years later we have a shortage of food for the castle, court and the lands around the castle. The king is afraid that the famine will weaken our state and make us vulnerable in this god-awful war. If only the winter had been softer, we wouldn't have to be on our toes like this. Then our king wouldn't have had to sacrifice his love and his fidelity to his wife.

The story of this incident is a gnarly one, and I would've liked to avoid telling it. But you have to know, take it as a warning, don't believe women who come at your doorstep in the cold and dark. No matter how beautiful or articulate they are. They are tricksters and not human and don't deserve a place on the earth.

But, fine. Enough of my rambling. I'll tell.

It started on a bitter cold, dark night last winter. The prince and the successor to the king had gone missing during a hunting trip with his childhood friends, the boy was barely 14 and rode a horse that was too strong for him. A huddle of wolfs got hold of the group of young men and snagged the boy from his horse. Two of his friends attempted to fight off the wolves, the other two rode off to get help. When help finally arrived, the wolves had dragged the boy off. His friends had walked in the direction where the cries of the young man had come from, but they did not find him. Finally, when the royal guards' dogs combed down the area, they found the boy. Naked and freezing, laid out in front of the wolves' den. Young pups nibbled at his hands and feet. They murdered the nest of pests and took the boy to the castle.

Karl fritz, the monarch and his wife were thrown into a fit of hysteria and grief. They called out for any doctor that was in the castle or in the closest village. Hundreds of men came from the village, telling the king about their skilful healing and convincing the queen that her son would be saved. As it turned out... they couldn't do anything.

The doctor at the court concluded that the boy had only until dawn to live. The servants were gathered and ordered to ready the family tomb for cremation. Due to the frozen ground there was no option to bury the boy. As the servants crossed their personal hall to go into the tomb, they heard a knock on the kitchen door. It echoed through the hall. One of the kitchen maids went into the kitchen. She waited for another knock. Maybe it had been the wind or her imagination. There was the other knock, she moved to open the heavy iron door. The handle and locks were frozen solid, a burly parlour maid had to come and help the kitchen maid to crank the door open. They both jumped when they saw what was on the other side of the door. A tall, slim figure. Wrapped in brown rags and a black cloak, the figure was slummed against the doorframe. Clasping a huge belly. The parlour maid recognized the figure as a pregnant woman and dragged the woman inside. Plopping her onto a chair and immediately making a hot tea. "Thank you..." the pregnant woman sighed, stretching her painful back. The kitchen maid retrieved a blanket, covering the shivering woman. "Where are your shoes? You could've frozen to death!" the young maid cried out. The woman smiled, "It's fine, I am fine." The kitchen maid immediately took off her shoes and undid her stockings, tucking the woman's legs and feet in. "You look worried." The pregnant woman said, looking at the stockings on her legs. "Oh?" the kitchen maid said, handing the woman her tea. "Is something wrong?" the woman's voice was husk, yet a bit shaky from the cold. "..." the kitchen maid looked at her burly companion, she nodded, it was safe to tell. "The crown prince is near death... he got snagged by a pack of wolves." The woman's posture changed, she sat straight up now. "Would the king allow me to help?" she asked. "Are you mad?" you need to rest. The parlour maid said, one of the service bells rang. "You must rest, you're almost due seen the size of your belly." The pregnant woman rolled her eyes, "I am pregnant, not ill." She tapped her belly. The two women looked at each other, the service bell again, now harder. They looked at the woman, "Are you a nurse?" the parlour maid asked. The pregnant woman nodded, "It runs in my blood, Ma'am."