The Debt Of Fate-Chapter 309: From a distance

"Prepare my carriage." Elizabeth got up unwillingly.

"At once, Your Majesty," the maid standing outside responded.

"I will pick out a new outfit for you," the nanny said, relieved to see that Elizabeth had listened.

When Elizabeth arrived at the prince’s quarters, the air was heavy. Guards stood outside the door. Inside, Dorothy had not left her son’s side. Her eyes were red from crying, and her hands shook as she held his small hand.

Physician Nathan was also there, waiting quietly.

The door opened, and Queen Elizabeth walked in.

"Your Majesty," everyone bowed.

Dorothy looked up at her, fear and anger clear on her face. She pulled her son closer.

"What is the situation?" Elizabeth asked. Even though she had received the news, she still asked for clarity. The royal physician who had checked on the child first explained.

"Physician Nathan will treat the child," Elizabeth said calmly after listening. "This is my order."

Dorothy shook her head. "No. I will not allow it."

Elizabeth stepped closer and looked at the unconscious boy.

"This is not about you," she said. "It is about the child. If you want him to live, you must let him be treated."

Dorothy’s lips trembled. She wanted to refuse, but she realized Elizabeth was not giving her a choice. Slowly, she stepped aside. She looked at Elizabeth with a gaze that said that if anything happened to her son, she would blame her.

Physician Nathan began his work.

He cleaned the wound, treated the swelling, and gave the child medicine. The hours passed in silence. No one spoke. They only watched the boy breathe.

Elizabeth looked for a seat and sat down. No matter how much she wanted to leave, she had to stay.

At last, Nathan straightened.

"The child’s life is no longer in danger," he announced.

Dorothy hurried to her son. She honestly did not trust Nathan and was only reassured after she checked on him herself.

Elizabeth lowered her head when she heard this. No one wanted something to happen to the prince more than her.

"But," Nathan continued, "the injury and the shock were serious. I cannot say what will happen later."

Elizabeth turned to him, trying to hide the expectation in her gaze. "Explain."

"The blow to his head and the fear he suffered may affect him," Nathan said. "If he wakes, he may not grow up like other children. He may have trouble speaking, understanding, or thinking clearly."

The room fell silent.

Dorothy covered her mouth, unable to hold back her tears.

Elizabeth lowered her head. She did not want others to see the smile on her face.

If Nathan’s words came true, the boy would no longer be fit to be an heir. No matter how much the king favored this son, nothing could be done.

...

The royal city was under strict military watch because of the chaos the previous day. Members of the royal army were seen on every corner to maintain peace.

The news of Dorothy’s carriage being attacked the previous day also spread.

"Who would dare to attack a royal carriage?" someone said in a low voice.

"Who knows? I heard the soldiers were able to catch a few of them," another answered.

"Then, was the carriage damaged?" the person asked.

"I don’t think so. I heard the soldiers arrived in time, but the young prince was also in that carriage and was injured," another said.

Nobody knew the entire truth. People had different speculations about the young prince and Dorothy’s condition.

Some said the prince was at the point of death; others said he was crippled.

"This is God’s punishment," some said. "The royal family has angered heaven."

Many agreed.

"The child is innocent," some cried, thinking that he was so young.

"How can God punish a child? This was done by people, not God," others argued.

Some felt sorry for the boy. Others felt afraid.

Parents warned their children to stay indoors. No one felt safe.

The prince’s injury made the fear worse. Rumors spread fast.

At home, Anastasia could not rest. She walked back and forth in the room, her hands on her stomach.

"Ernest was in charge of security," she said softly. Ernest had refused to let her join the prayers the previous day, so it was only late in the evening of the next day that she managed to gather news.

She already knew about the chaos, and she trusted Ernest to plan well, but now the prince was injured. She was afraid that an investigation would be carried out. "They will blame him."

"The city was already in chaos. This was not his fault," Rosa comforted her.

But Anastasia shook her head.

"When people are afraid, they don’t care about the truth," she said. "They will look for someone to blame, and my husband is the closest." She did not mention the fact that her husband might really be involved.

"My lady, have a little faith in the general. You can’t worry and affect the child," Rosa said, not really understanding Anastasia’s worry.

Anastasia looked at her still flat stomach. Thinking of the physician’s words, she sat down and forced herself to calm down.

But soon, she felt pain in her stomach and held it.

"My lady," Rosa noticed the frown on her face and jumped up.

"I am fine," Anastasia replied after taking a deep breath, but Rosa moved quickly and called the physician who was taking care of her. The physician examined her and said she could not continue to worry and be restless.

Ernest, upon learning the news, went all out to ensure that Anastasia heard only good news or nothing else.

...

The battle in the second region remained at a standstill. Each side held their ground. King Edward’s attempts to find the deserters failed. Those men seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Besides, there was not enough manpower to hold the areas and investigate at the same time.

The third prince, surprisingly, was holding the sixth region firmly, forcing the king to deploy General Robert there.

He wanted to summon Ernest, but given the current situation, King Edward did not dare. After all, he needed those he could trust to hold the city and keep his throne safe.

Moreover, if Ernest arrived and won the war, he would gain great prestige. So instead, he sent messages and allowed Ernest to advise him from a distance.

The news of his son’s condition hurt him deeply. He sent instructions to have the best physicians take care of him. He also ordered that more guards be assigned to Dorothy within the palace and whenever she went out.

As Anastasia feared, Ernest bore part of the blame, but fortunately, he managed to catch one of the masterminds, who confessed that they had been paid to attack the carriage.

Since Ernest’s duty was not to guard members of the royal family, he was not punished. However, the king ordered him to investigate and find the real culprit before his return to the royal city. Everyone knew this would be difficult, as even the man who confessed did not know who had paid him, but Edward did not care.

Time passed quickly. By the third month of the battle, King Edward led his men to engage again. This time, they gained some advantage and managed to push Lord Aureline’s soldiers back, recovering one-fourth of the seized region. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

This was great news. As soon as it reached the royal city, celebrations followed. Seeing that the kingdom had not had any happy events for a long time, Queen Elizabeth decided to hold a celebration and invite all the noblewomen.

"Just reject the invitation," Ernest said. He was unwilling to let Anastasia go.

"Don’t worry, I will be fine," Anastasia said. Having not gone out for three months, she wanted to go out. Besides, the physician had already said the baby was doing well.

"No, your sister is petty," Ernest said. He had a bad feeling. "You can just send a message saying you are sick."

"I can’t continue to hide forever. Besides, the physician said a little going out is good for me," Anastasia said. Ernest had blocked all her means of getting news. Rosa and Grater would not tell her anything either, so she was determined to go.

"Moreover, my stomach is not that big yet. If I wear very loose clothes, no one might notice. I have been sick for a while. They might just think I gained weight," Anastasia continued, seeing that Ernest still did not agree.

"There is really nothing to fear. As long as Elizabeth does not know I am with child, she would not go too far. Besides, there are so many eyes watching," Anastasia added after a pause.

Ernest sighed. He could ask the guards not to let her go out, but he was afraid that doing so would agitate her.

"You will go with a female physician I have arranged," Ernest said, having no choice but to compromise. This physician also knew how to fight. Only with her presence would he feel at ease.

Anastasia agreed. As long as she could go out, anything else was fine.