Tug and Ward

CHAPTER 3

Dissonance

Lazmet felt a hand lightly brushing his hair. He, then, smelled the aroma of tulips. "Mother," he said in a low groan. He opened his eyes gradually and saw the weak smile of the queen. Her eyes were still red and swollen and the lines in her face had severed than the last time he saw her.

"I thought thou had left again," she said. "Thou always come and go without a word, so I thought the King sent thee elsewhere again," she continued. She inhaled deeply. "I felt glad when I saw thee here in Taimek's quarter," she uttered.

The prince raised his body to sit. "Forgive me, Mother. I made you worry," he said.

The Queen just flashed a smile and said no more about the matter. Rather, she shifted her gaze to the mattress. She softly touched its surface. "A full moon after thee left, he was already so ill that he can no longer get up. He cannot speak without coughing," she said. She glanced at the prince and faintly smiled. "Three full moons and he hardly can breathe so he stopped talking. But when he does, he was just asking if thou had returned," the Queen paused a bit and wiped a tear that fell on her cheek.

"The imperial physicians said he was beyond help. They never knew what made him so weak nor what medicine could cure him. Still, he managed to stay alive longer than they anticipated," she continued. "I think he was just waiting until thou get back," she said and let her tears fell as she can never hold them back anymore. "Last full moon, he stopped consuming anything but the chamomile tea thou had brought him."

Lazmet gazed at his mother's eyes.

She smiled yet again and he saw the resemblance of his brother's smile.

His visions got blurry once more and his chest got heavy as if it was locked.

The Queen said further, "He hoped that when he ran out of those, thou will be already by his side bringing more tea. Even during his last hours, he was hoping to see thee one last time. He can no longer move nor open his eyes. But he struggled to speak just so he could send thee a letter through me."

Utter confusion crossed the prince's face. "Letter?" He asked.

She shut her eyes and sighed before opening them again. "I tried to send it to thee. But the King interfered. He said thou art not to know that the crown prince is ill. He was so mad and forced that he could still be healed. He even kept it from the people, saying that his absence was caused by his urgent command. We even argued for his procession. He does not want anyone to know that Taimek had passed away," she said with a composed high voice.

"That wretched monster," Lazmet uttered in a hushed but deep tone.

She gently grabbed the prince's hair and brushed it. "He asked me to stay by thy side as I did for him. He asked to make thee stay in the palace as thou had suffered enough. So, thou need not worry, my son. I would not let thee be away again. Thou art the heir now. It is just befitting for thee to remain in the palace," she said.

He chuckled. "Heir?" he said. He sighed and said, "I doubt that." He gradually shook his head while saying, "Not with the clairvoyant's divination of me."

The Queen was about to speak again when they heard a knock from the door. They looked at him. It was the King's attendant.

"Your Majesty," he bowed to the Queen. "Your Highness," he spoke to the Prince. "Forgive me but I shall interrupt for the King has summoned Prince Lazmet," he said.

The Queen nodded. "Go on. We'll talk again later," she whispered.

The Prince gave her a peck before he stood up and walked with the attendant. He walked past the hallways of the Keep. He, then, saw the opened double doors going to throne hall. He saw no one there but the King sitting on his throne. The attendant remained outside as he went inside. When he got near enough, he genuflected.

"You had called for me, Your Majesty?" He said.

"The courtiers had petitioned to make thee the crown prince," the King began. "Do thou agree with them?" He asked.

"If you want me to, I shall. Howbeit, if it is against your will, I shall not," Lazmet responded keeping his genuflect posture intact.

The King laughed. "How awful," he hissed. "Thou want me to believe that thou shall only listen to me?" He uttered raising his voice and his brows. He stood up from his throne and walked down the steps. He bent down and grabbed the prince's face. "Quit the act, Lazmet. Thou might have fooled everyone but thou will never fool me. Thou had planned this. With the act thou had pulled in Taimek's procession yesterday, the people, the courtiers, and the queen are all now in thy side," he said glaring at him.

Lazmet harshly turned his head sideways to remove his father's grip and he stared at him with the same intensity. "I fooled no one," he said. "I had always listened and obeyed your commands. But why?" He uttered softening his expression as tears began to build up inside his eyes once more. "Why did you not told me he was ill? Or just let his last letter be sent to me?" He scowled.

"It was to protect the throne," the King said.

"Throne?" He hissed. "He was dying and all you can think about is that stupid throne!" He shouted.

The King straightened his posture. "I am old and weak. Taimek's death means I no longer have the choice but to surrender the crown to thee," the King groaned.

"I never cared about your throne," he mumbled. "Nor I have sought it," added the prince.

King Emir simpered. "Thou are my son, Lazmet. I see through thee. I saw through those eyes the lust thou have for power. I saw it before and I saw it now," he said.

"Even so, you should not have cast me out. I am your son, not your competitor," Lazmet groaned.

"Thou brought it to thyself," the King refuted.

"I did nothing wrong," Lazmet uttered.

The King arched his brow. "Is that so?" He said.

"The divination is out of my control. And it does not guarantee the future," the prince reasoned.

King Emir smirked. "How about my mother? Is that out of thy control too?" He hissed.

"It was an accident!" Lazmet scowled. "I never meant to," he mumbled.

"To what? Finish it," the King muttered.

Lazmet shut his eyes as tears rolled down his cheeks. "I admit my mistakes, Father. I knew nothing then. I was young," he said in a low muffled voice. "I've been paying for those sins all these seasons, haven't I? Until when do I have to seek for your forgiveness?"

The King just stared at him. "Not ever. Not at all. Not even when you're dead and rotten," he murmured. He shifted his gaze to the window of the hall. "Begone," he muttered and pointed the door. "Leave, now!" He scowled.

Prince Lazmet stood up, slightly bowed his head, and turned his back to the King. He walked out of the throne hall leaving the King all alone by himself once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Footnotes:
One Season = one year
One full moon = one month
courtiers - officials
Clairvoyant - a person who have visions of the future
Divination - the clairvoyant's vision of the future