Alpha King's Healer

5

Both King Thaddeus and Broderick take off in a frenzy to find this so-called Elora. I chase after them, not wanting to get lost in this gigantic castle and maze of halls. It didn't take long to reach the watch tower ablaze in the west wing. Smoke filled the entire wing as we neared, which is probably what encouraged us to get there so quickly.

Broderick and I cough from the intoxicating black air. We both cover our airways with our arms as King Thaddeus swings open the door. The flames came out angry, stabbing towards us.

Broderick grabs my arm and quickly pulls me back out of the flames reach. King Thaddeus on the other hand seemed unwanted by the fire.

He stood there, his arm pressed to his forehead. The fire engulfed him happily with a warm greeting as he stepped inside the room I couldn't even see into.

Part of me hoped he wouldn't walk back out as he disappeared into the golden flames. I would be free with no threat to anyone I love and no threat of war to be fought. To my luck though, I am far too caring for others. I must at least try to heal him before wishing death upon him.

I step forward towards the burning doorway, peeking inside while uncovering my mouth to yell clearly.

"King Thaddeus!"

Just as I yell to him, crackling above my head catches my attention. I look up, but the black smoke was too thick to see anything clearly, not even the low set stone ceiling in sight.

Suddenly my body is rammed into with an arm to my stomach, tossing me out of the way. I get the wind knocked out of me from the weight pressed against my body and a large piece of the wooden doorframe falls to where I was just standing.

"Will you stop trying to get yourself killed!" King Thaddeus growls at me in annoyance before turning to Broderick. "Elora wasn't in there."

I stand up and move away from the burning hot room just as many of King Thaddeus's guards join us with water buckets in each hand. They throw the water, working on killing the small ferocious sun.

After a few minutes all that was left was sizzling, a very charred looking room, and an unimpressed King.

King Thaddeus was unusually calm for a situation like this though, causing me to wonder if it happens often, more specifically how often he just walks into burning rooms and comes out untouched from the flames against his skin. Perhaps the fire is too pure for his dark heart, afraid of him just as everyone else in the kingdom is.

His guards stand around talking a bit, each eyeing me up every now and then as I stand behind Broderick and King Thaddeus.

"Find Elora." King Thaddeus pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers, his eyes closed as he commands his guards.

They all bow their heads in submission before splitting off into the two halls of the wing.

I lean myself against the wall, chewing on the inside of my cheek as I think about how much trouble this Elora girl is going to be in. My heart hurts for her, knowing the king probably isn't lenient with any form of punishment.

A female starts coughing a bit, causing Broderick, King Thaddeus, and I to turn around.

"I'm," coughs, "right," coughs again, "here."

King Thaddeus groans out of anger as a tall and lengthy girl comes to view. She waves her hand around her nose a bit, trying to clear the slight smoke that was left surrounding us. Black soot was streaked on her face and covering her hair, but her freckles and vibrant auburn curls were still hard to ignore.

"I was just in there?" King Thaddeus was confounded with how she could have survived the blazes as he places his hands at the top of his pitch black hair, his fingers locked together to keep them in place.