Love, Thrones, and Past Intrigue: A Fantasy Adventure

Chapter 83 - Sword and Chess

Prince Oliver approached Serena with an urgent need to talk but paused when he saw her tired face. "You didn't get much sleep last night, did you?" he asked gently.

Serena, eager to avoid discussing the previous day's incident, replied, "No, the weather was awful. The noise of the thunder kept waking me up."

Prince Oliver nodded, understanding. "Yes, it was quite a storm."

Serena glanced at him, her curiosity piqued. "What did you want to talk about?"

He offered a small smile. "You should freshen up first. Our conversation will take some time."

Serena agreed, "Alright, I'll meet you at your abode shortly."

Prince Oliver waited anxiously at his abode, his mind consumed with the revelations he had gathered from the previous day. A knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts, and he hastened to answer it.

Serena's surprise was evident as she noticed him alone. "How come you're alone?" she inquired.

"Oh, Alexander wanted to explore a bit, so he ventured out," Prince Oliver explained, ushering Serena to a seat with a graceful gesture. As they both settled, he wasted no time in divulging his news. "Yesterday, I had a conversation with Elder Eileen. She shared invaluable insights about the Veridian king, my brother, and the intricate connections between them."

Serena's curiosity piqued, eager to learn more, she leaned forward and asked, "How?"

Prince Oliver's eyes softened with the weight of the revelation. "Elder Eileen told me that, more than three years ago, my brother Valerian came here seeking a cure," he explained, his voice carrying the gravity of the moment. "She told me he wanted a cure for me."

Serena listened intently, her attention fully captured by the unfolding story.

THREE YEARS AGO

Prince Valerian stood before the village elders, his longing evident in the pleading depths of his eyes. "Please," he implored, his voice infused with a desperate hope, "there must be something you can do."

The elders exchanged solemn glances before elder Eileen spoke up, "I'm sorry, prince Valerian, but there is no cure for what ails your brother."

But Prince Valerian refused to accept defeat. Time and again, he returned to the village, his hope unyielding despite the repeated rejections.

Until one day, weary from the relentless rejections, Prince Valerian resolved to take matters into his own hands. Despite the strict prohibition against outsiders, he dared to venture into the village's forbidden library. With the risk of discovery looming overhead, he entered clandestinely, his breaths shallow with the weight of his clandestine mission.

The library was a sanctuary filled with all manner of medicinal books and the rich history of these people. Here, amidst the musty scent of ancient tomes, Prince Valerian hoped to find something-anything-that could offer a glimmer of hope.

With each page turned, Prince Valerian's heart pounded with anticipation, his fingers skimming over the faded text as if each word held the power to heal his dear brother. Time slipped away like grains of sand through his clenched fists, each precious minute slipping further into the abyss of uncertainty.

Amidst the sturdy wooden shelves, Prince Valerian stumbled upon a book, seemingly by chance. Unlike the others he had seen, this book bore no title or markings on its cover; instead, a mysterious flower adorned its weathered surface, its petals whispering secrets known only to the ancients.

With a sense of curiosity piqued, Prince Valerian carefully cradled the worn tome in his hands, feeling its weight as he settled onto the ground. As he flipped through the pages, the faded text seemed to stir with a life of its own beneath his fingertips, beckoning him into a world of ancient knowledge and forgotten tales.