Victoria was seated by the fireside, her mind still filled with thoughts of Alexander. She could only hope he finds a place in his heart to forgive her or else.. She couldn’t imagine living a life where she was hated by her own son. It was better being dead than alive.

The door suddenly flew open revealing a panting maid, a worried expression planted on her face. Victoria stared at her direction startled by the sudden intrusion into her chambers. This maid was definitely courting death.

"Your Majesty.. Please forgive me but you have to see this..." she said trying to catch her breath in between.

"What is it?" Victoria asked stalking closer to where the maid stood.

"It’s Alexander... and Lord Richard. The whole palace is in danger," she replied.

"Take me there," Victoria instructed. The maid simply nodded before she led her out of her chambers, almost running through the hallways. Victoria could only hope for the worst. Were they under attack? Her fleeting feet were carrying her lighter than she had ever imagined. ’Gods help Alexander is alright’. Little did she know she was praying for the wrong person.

The sight that welcomed her made her halt momentarily in her tracks. Was that Lord Richard or was her eyes playing tricks on her? He looked...pale! Pale was in fact an understatement. He looked like a cast for a zombie movie, only that he was behind the scene. But this was no zombie movie, this was real! What the hell had happened to him? He looked like one who had stayed in a freezer for a week, alive! He sensed her presence and tilted his head to stare at her and the world seemed to have come to a halt that moment. His eyes looked almost dead. She had never seen him in such a vulnerable state!

"What happened to him?" She asked the physician who was still trying to rub Richard’s feet.

"Damn it!" He cursed. "It’s like the cold is spreading instead of reiterating. I’m afraid we might lose him if this continues." Two Brazers had been lit already but it looked like it wasn’t helping at all.

"None of us knows what happened Your Majesty. His Highness just came out of the room with Lord Richard freezing. Only he can explain what happened," one of the knights standing beside the physician took the initiative to explain.

"And where is Alexander?" Victoria asked noticing his absence in vicinity.

"He is inside his chambers. There’s something inside there that he is dealing with, something dangerous," the knight replied.

"I need to see him," Victoria said already making her way to Alexander’s room but the knights blocked her way with their big frames. She looked up pissed off by their actions.

"Can you just get out of my way you brats. I need to see my son. Oh, and it’s not a plea, it’s a command," she added reminding them of their position, just in case they had forgotten.

"I’m sorry Your Majesty but His Highness instructed us to let no one in," the knights explained.

"Is that so?" She asked. "Would be so kind as to remove your big frames out of my way before I have your heads chopped off!" She added now flaring in anger.

Lord Richard coughed lightly catching her attention. Oh how could she have forgotten him? She was torn in between her love for her son and a sick Lord Richard.

"I’m sorry this had to happen to you Richard," she said squatting to his position. "But I’m afraid something bad might happen to Alexander. That’s why I want to get in there," she said pointing at the door to Alexander’s room.

"You can’t Victoria," a frail Lord Richard said. The knights looked at each other confused. Since when had the Lord-Queen pair start addressing each other so informally. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Why? Is my son in danger?" She asked looking Lord Richard in the eye.

"No he is not, but it’s not safe to get in there. You’ll turn like me, or worse die..." He coughed out more cold air.

"Why is it not safe? Why can’t I get in?" Damn it! Richard cursed in his mind. Speaking alone was proving a difficult task to him and Victoria was forcing him to. He was afraid he wouldn’t last long.

"Because Alexander created something that he can’t control. He has to do this by himself or else he will never learn to control his powers," Lord Richard said surprising the knights and physician even more. Alexander had powers, like a Crescian? The two knights looked at each other confused.

"Stay with me," Lord Richard said. He didn’t know why but his gut feeling told him he could die soon. Such a cruel world! Seems like he was fated to die anyways. He had brought nothing good to Alexander to begin with.

"I’m here Richard," Victoria said gripping his ice cold hand despite the warmth surrounding the place. She smiled at him but all she could see was pain and regret in his ocean blue eyes.

"Promise me you’ll take care of our son," Richard said gripping her arm ever tighter. He didn’t care if the knights heard what he said, but Victoria did.

"What are you saying?" She asked, her gaze darting between the knights and the physician.

"I think we should leave the two of you alone," the physician said taking cue from Lord Richard. "Come on boys, let’s go!" He called leading the knights out of the hallway. Victoria just smiled at him.

"Alexander knows about it," Richard said pulling her attention back to him, but the face he got! He had expected that though.

"How... Why did you tell him?"

"I didn’t. He figured it out himself. Clever bastard, isn’t he?" Lord Richard complimented before he coughed more.

"Oh!" Was all Victoria managed to say.

"I’m afraid I won’t live to see another day, Victoria," Richard stated his fears.

"What are you saying you fool? You won’t die! Tell me, did Alexander vow to punish you, after he discovered the truth?" Silence! "Richard?" She called but he was staring back at her, a wry smile printed on his face.