THE KING'S POSSESSION

Chapter 65

Chapter 65: The unloved son

Julian stood on the balcony of his room, peering down at the serene pond below. The stillness of the water was broken only by the occasional ripple caused by fish swimming just beneath the surface. Bored and restless, Julian picked up a handful of small rocks by the neaby plant pot and began tossing them into the pond, watching the splashes and the ensuing ripples with mild amusement.

Thwack. Another stone hit the water, sending concentric circles outward.

Thwack.

Thwack.

Julian sighed, his own loneliness pressing down on his young shoulders. He turned to one of the servants who stood discreetly nearby, ever watchful.

"When will mother return? What is taking her so long?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of impatience. "I’m bored of waiting."

The servant who was an older woman with kind eyes, stepped forward slightly, her expression sympathetic. "Her Majesty is attending to some important matters, Your Highness. She should return shortly. Perhaps there is something else we can do to pass the time?"

Julian shrugged, tossing another rock into the pond. "I don’t know. I just want to talk to her. She promised we would go riding today."

The servant smiled gently. "I’m sure she hasn’t forgotten. In the meantime, would you like to hear a story or perhaps practice your archery?"

Julian considered for a moment, then shook his head. "No, I don’t feel like it. I just want Mother to come back."

The servant nodded, understanding his restlessness. "Of course, Your Highness. She will be back soon. How about a walk around the gardens? The flowers are in full bloom, and it might be a nice distraction."

Julian glanced back at the pond, then at the servant as an idea popped into his mind. If he could walk out of his room, he might be able to find his mother. With a determined look in his eyes, the young prince answered, "Alright. Let’s go see the flowers."

He handed her the remaining rocks and followed her back inside, his boredom temporarily forgotten as he anticipated finding his mother and maybe watching the flowers with her. But as they reached a certain part of the palace, a set of stomping armored men was walking their way from the dark corner of the corridors, making Julian stop and so did the servants following behind him.

Two men trudged past, carrying a boy who seemed eerily lifeless in Julian's eyes. The boy's eyes were wide open, but they held a haunting, vacant stare, their blue, mesmerizing brightness was completely different to his limp, unresponsive body. His arms and legs dangled loosely, swaying with the men's every step, as if he were a fragile, broken doll. The sight sent a chill down Julian's spine, his heart pounding with an unshakable sense of dread.

"I saw that boy in father's carriage earlier." he whispered to the servant.

The servant's face grew pale as she recognized the child whom she was also certain was the one brought in by the king. "I don't know, Your Highness," she lied, her voice trembling slightly. "Perhaps we should return to your room." 

"No..." Julian mumbled, a cold realization dawning on him. He couldn't shake the fear that his own father had done this to the boy.

And so driven by panic, Julian bolted down the corridor, heading in the direction from which the soldiers had come. "Prince Julian, wait!" the servant called after him, but he didn't stop.

Julian began calling out, "Father! Father!" through the seemingly infinite halls, his voice echoing off the walls. The servants ran after him, hoping to catch the little prince before he reached his destination.

"Your Highness, please stop!" one of the servants pleaded, her voice filled with desperation.

But Julian couldn't stop. He knew his father had never loved him like a father should love his son. At such a young age, he had come to understand the king's cold and distant treatment, so different from the loving fathers he had read about in stories or seen among the palace staff. The realization that he might be next filled him with a terror he couldn't ignore.

"Father! Where are you?" Julian's voice grew more frantic as he ran, the fear in his heart driving him onward. His small feet pounded against the stone floors, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

The servants' footsteps echoed behind him, but Julian didn't slow down. The haunting image of the lifeless boy's eyes pushed him forward, the fear of facing a similar fate propelling him through the endless corridors.

And finally, Julian reached the northern wing of the palace, where the king's chambers were located. As soon as he arrived, he saw his mother's servants lined up from the door of His Majesty's chambers, their faces pale and eyes wide with fear.

It was not the first time Julian had seen scenes like this. The atmosphere was tense, filled with unspoken dread. The young boy, understanding the gravity of the situation, felt his heart hammering in his chest. His small hands balled into fists as he gathered his courage.

Ignoring the servants' hushed attempts to stop him, Julian ran towards the room and burst in, the heavy doors swinging open with a force that belied his small stature.

What he witnessed inside froze him in his tracks. His worst fears materialized before his eyes. The king stood in the center of the room, his expression a mask of fury. Before him, was his mother being strangled by His Majesty.