Back at the castle, Claus anxiously paced back and forth, contemplating his recent decisions. Was it a good idea to let the dragon and his accomplices go free and actively assist them? He is the Queen Spirit's advisor and her friend, and he just basically betrayed her trust in him.
"Oh, I severely messed up... How am I going to fix this..!? She trusted me..!" Claus muttered as he paced around. "Sum in alta tribulatione, si semper invenit Margret de... I can't let her know... but I can't lie to her... She's the Queen of the WHOLE forest... and has been for nearly a millennia... I've barely been here for five centuries... I can't lie... Good as dead if Margret finds out..."
Someone walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Who's dead if I found out?"
Claus turned to see Margret. She looked a bit bruised and dazed but fine otherwise. "O-oh... Hello Margret... I-it's nothing... H-how are you? Are you alright...? You were out cold for a few days..." He changed the subject.
"Bruised and dazed... What happened Claus...?" she asked. Claus was a bit relieved. This means she most likely doesn't know that he let the dragon and his accomplices go free. That's good on his part.
"The trio got out and the young fairy somehow used magic against you, even though you took her instrument. She threw you against the wall and knocked you out. I stopped her from killing you but the trio escaped when I checked on you. Rest assured, I took care of the kingdom and had already sent out the guards to hunt them down..." He lied like an elf, prancing around the truth even though it was all true, he left out certain things.
"Oh... Thank you, Claus... I knew I made a good choice choosing you to be my advisor." She smiled.
This hurt Claus, She wouldn't be proud of him if he revealed the whole truth. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her..." He thought. He knew that for her own sake too, he had to keep the truth hidden. She needs him. He helps her with everything. Without him, she would have been a foot in a grave from the stress. He genuinely wants to be there to help and support her, but he doesn't like the idea of executing those who were also misunderstood...
He nods his head in respect toward her, perusal. He suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Margret. You're missing something."
"Am I..? I don't think I am..."
Claus went behind the throne and unlocked the secret case behind it. He carefully grabbed Margret's scepter with a special cloth so it still recognized Margret as its user. Claus carefully brought Margret her scepter. "I think you might need this. I hid it in its case after you got knocked out. Here you go, Ma'am."
"Oh... Right, the Sceptrum Spirituum..." She carefully took the scepter from Claus. Its orb glowed once in her hands. "Thank you again, Claus. Oh, what would I do without you?"
Another praise that cut deep within Claus like a knife's blade. Claus didn't like hiding things from Margret, but he knew it was for her own good.
Soon, a guard requested to speak with Margret. "Ma'am, may I speak with you?"
Margret turns towards the guard. "You may. What's going on?"
"We managed to find the fugitives for a bit..." The guard sounded nervous. Claus was nervous just listening.
"What do you mean you found them 'for a bit'?" Margret inquired.
"Well... They managed to get away. But we know of the general area they are in."
"Really? Where in the forest might they be?" She asked.
"Near the shorelines in the Elven Woods." The guard stated.
"Hmm..." Margret thought. "That's quite a significant stretch of land though, isn't it?"
"It is, but we will find them soon Ma'am." The guard reassured her.
"You better. That dragon is unpredictable. No... All of them are unpredictable. That elf and fairy have proved that, managing to aid in that dragon's escape." She was getting angry. Claus could tell.
"You may go and return to your duties," Claus said, dismissing the guard.
When the guard leaves, Claus turns to Margret. "You started to lose that temper of yours again..."
"I know... I shouldn't get riled up so easily... But it's hard when that dragon is in the topic of discussion..." Margret tries to soothe her anger.
"Hmm... How about you take a walk around the castle... to clear your mind..." Claus suggests.
"Y-yeah... I need to clear my mind... Good idea Claus... Thanks..." She smiled and then left.
More guilt piled on Claus, but he hoped this whole situation would soon go away.
As he thought he was alone with his thoughts, a servant taped his shoulder, startling him out of thought. "Wha-!? Oh... just you... Do you need something?"
"I apologize for startling you, Sir, but I feel like you should know this..."
"What is the topic of the matter that you want to discuss?" Claus inquired.
"I-it's... It's about the Queen Spirit Sir..."
Claus perked up with worry and interest. "What about her...?"
The servant looked worried. "S-sir... I-i feel... I feel she's getting weaker..."
"W-what... O-of course she's getting weaker... S-she's not exactly in her prime..." Claus was worried.
"N-no Sir... I-i know, but..." The servant looked worried and even a bit sad... "I fear..."
"I fear she won't live much after the year's end..."
YOU ARE READING
The Forest's Secrets || Fairytale! AAF
Fantasy(The art is mine) Sometimes, what happens in the past affects the future. Over time, details are left out and legends become myths. Half-truths. We choose who we believe, but are we believing the right one?
