POX RIDDEN

Chapter 17

Tonah spent hours pacing in the palace corridors, sniping at every maid and servant passing by, waiting in anxiety for Milee's interrogation to be over. He cursed over and over, blaming himself for having put her in danger. It frustrated him to be left in the dark. But he also knew that the royal guard had full autonomy when there was a potential palace threat.

After the dust had settled, he was informed that Milee had been admitted to the healing home. Apparently one of the maids from her quarters had noticed a lump on her neck while she was sleeping, and had reported it to the guard. They assured him that it wasn't too serious and that it had just started a couple of days back, and so it would be easy enough to control.

Tonah was glad that Milee had had the presence of mind to lie about how long she had known about the lump. It wasn't surprising, really—she was much better than him at thinking on her feet. He knew that she'd be able to act innocent and harmless during her therapy sessions and avoid being discovered too.

There was only one question to be answered. How was Tonah going to get her out of there?

The prince felt that familiar feeling of helplessness and incompetence threatening to wash over him. He felt himself sinking into the abyss again, plagued with incessant thoughts that poked him mercilessly in the most vulnerable corners of his heart.

He thought about Remee. About how he wasn't able to help her out of a dead-end life. He remembered the people he had met in the healing homes. And how they had lost all hope for a happy life when in reality they had remarkable abilities in their hands.

And his mind landed on Milee. Milee, who had left her home because she wanted to fight for the life she envisioned. Milee, who had helped him on his trip away from the castle, and kept him safe. Milee, who had used her morphing abilities to shield him from having to work during a panic.

Milee, who was probably going to be killed by his mother or the temple someday.

Tonah snapped. He couldn't play the part of the obedient little prince anymore.

He walked towards his mother's study. When he reached, he barged inside without so much as a knock. He didn't care that she was in the middle of talking to a group of important people. It didn't matter that she was angry. He met his mother's furious glower with a cold, hard glare of his own.

"We need to talk," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"As you can see, I am busy," she replied. Her voice was just as silent as his, her tone calm and composed, while her eyes blazed with fury.

"This cannot wait." He turned to the others in the room imperiously. "You may leave."

They scrambled out without question. It made Tonah feel strangely powerful and uncomfortable at the same time.

The monarch was fuming now. She took a step towards Tonah, her jaw set firmly to match the intensity in her eyes. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Milee has been taken to the healing home. I need to get her out of there."

The monarch's expression changed from anger to confusion and mild curiosity. "Who's Milee?"

My best friend. "One of my maids," said Tonah. He opened his mouth to say more but decided against it. What was he going to say? That he had travelled to the beach with her and helped her discover her abilities? That he had sneaked her into the palace so that she could use the library? That she had spent the day impersonating him because he wasn't feeling up to his job?

Their friendship was based on a set of incidents that couldn't be shared with the monarch.

His mother had an incredulous look on her face. "You want to get your maid out of the healing home? And do what?"

It was a good question. He hadn't really thought about what would happen beyond that. The prince in him suddenly felt ashamed. He had to think about his people too. What would this do to them? What would it do to the temple, and to the kingdom itself? He didn't know what the right answer was. All he knew was that he couldn't stand by and let things happen to the kingdom anymore.

"Let's make morphers legal again. Let's help them become members of the society," he said desperately, knowing that she would never take the suggestion seriously.

She gave him a dry, humourless laugh. "You want to undo a century of work, and risk sending the kingdom into chaos? All for one maid?"

"She's my friend," he said defiantly.

"I have told you on numerous occasions, not to get so comfortable with the help."

"It doesn't matter now, does it!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "I'm already friends with all of them! And I'd be just as angry if this happened to any of them!"

As he said this, he realised that it was true. The thought of Damo or Esla or Noni being confined in a healing home for the rest of their lives sent shivers down his spine. He would have fought hard for any of them.

"Yes, we'd all prefer if our help was free of the pox, that's why we do a rigorous background check before—"

"The pox? Are you seriously going to keep calling it that, Mother? Would you listen to a musician who sings beautifully, and tell her that she has a voice infection?"

The monarch's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I hope you haven't been sharing the monarchy's secrets with your staff."

"What if it had been me?" he said, his voice almost trembling.

The monarch gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"What if somehow despite all the background checks and caution, some Tylian blood had made it into the royal line? What if I had 'the pox'? Would you send me to rot in the temple's care? Would you force me to live a life without hope?"

The monarch went silent at this. She pretended to look out the window at something, but Tonah knew she was having trouble meeting his eyes.

"Tell me," he implored.

The monarch opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, clearly struggling to find the right words. Then she cleared her throat and said "No."

"No?" asked Tonah.

"No, I would not send you to the homes. I would ask you to abdicate, to ensure that no future heirs have it. And maybe I'd keep you in hiding, so nobody finds out your real condition."

"How is that any different from sending me to a healing home?" asked Tonah, perplexed.

"In hiding, you can do whatever you want! You said it yourself, life in a healing home is a life without hope. And I won't condemn you to a life without hope." She swallowed before continuing with a pained expression on her face. "I won't make the same mistake I made with Remee."

Something about that statement seemed to calm Tonah down. "Then you do understand how I feel. I want to protect the people close to me, Mother. Just like how you would protect me. I have to do this."

The monarch looked exhausted. Tonah thought he even saw a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "It's not the same, Tonah. I would have the power to protect you because you are of royal blood. But you are trying to protect people who are of no major consequence to the kingdom. You will not have the temple's support on this. You won't have my support either. And as always, you have an entire kingdom to answer to."

Tonah's heart sank, realising that his mother was using her lost-cause-voice. She couldn't be convinced beyond this. There was only one thing left to do.

"Alright, mother. I respect your decision, and I respect that the throne has its priorities in place. Unfortunately, my own priorities no longer align with that of the throne.

"I abdicate my position as heir to the throne. I will continue to help in other ways if you will allow me. But from here on, I have my own purpose, and that is what I will be working towards."

And before the monarch could respond to this declaration, he walked out of the room.