The Deadliest Game

Ten - East Wing Medical Center

Princess Velvet Bishop

"My Heir and Prince, urgent news! The kingdom of Alkaline has declared war, and shot the King Kylan!"

My eyes grow wide, my face pale. "Is he okay?" My voice is just above a whisper.

"I do not know." The servant shakes his head sadly, and I feel as though I can't talk. This means that I have to act as Queen until my parents... or parent... are fit to rule again.

"Call Commander Haile to the Office at once!" I snap at one of Axel's guards, and she runs faster than I've ever seen a servant or guard run. "YOU!" I scream at another one. "Alert my mother of what's happening, and ask her to come to the Office if she feels well enough." He too runs fast. "Axel, take the family back and keep them safe until I know what's going on, then feel free to join me in the Office." My mind is racing as Axel runs off, tailed by his remaining two guards.

"Hold my shoes!" I throw off my heels and start running. Running towards the Office. It's rather far away, and my feet burn with every step I take. But time is of the essence until I know exactly what's going on. "YOU!" I yell at a passing servant. "Find out if the King is alive and report back to the Office." The servant looks rather spooked, as I'm sure my hair is a mess, I'm barefoot, my makeup is messed up, and my cheeks blotchy.

In the Office, Commander Fae Haile paces back and forth, waiting for me. Out of breath, I collapse into Father's chair. For the first time, now in private, I allow myself to cry. Death is such a regular part of my life, I've grown accustomed to it. It has never made me cry before. But the thought of losing my Father scares me out of my mind. My makeup messes up my face even more, and I look far from Regal, I know. But Commander Haile says nothing about it.

"What do we know?" I take a handkerchief from the corner of the desk, and it smells like Father. I try to compose myself, but it's hard. At least my voice doesn't crack.

"Your Father, the King Kylan Bishop, went into a meeting with the King and Queen of Alkaline, the brother and sister Wolf and Fox Redd, to discuss trading options and the possible marriage of the Princess Raelynn to the Prince Arium Redd. It was said to have gotten quite loud and then a gunshot was heard. The Redd siblings fled the building, screaming death to Alkali, and guards rushed in to find King Kylan shot."

"Did he live?" During this explanation, I've composed myself and am now attempting to remove the last smudges of makeup.

"Yes, but he's in critical condition." I sigh a huge sigh of relief, and despite myself start to tear up from joy.

"Thank the Moon." I whisper. "How do you suggest we move forward?"

"I suggest we take drastic measures." Commander Haile starts. "At first we need to show them we aren't messing around. If we sent troops to fight in Azban, it would distract them for long enough to possibly kidnap the Prince." She points out Azban in relation to where the Prince lives on a map, and I nod my head. 

"I like it. I do. But he will not be treated as a prisoner, got it? Should you succeed I want him to be directly taken to the Mental Ward where he can't hurt himself, and I'll talk to him."

"It shall be done immediately, My Heir."

"Thank you. Now where is my Father?"

"He's being treated in the East Wing Medical Center inside the Castle." Just then, there's a knock at the door.

"My Heir? I couldn't find any information on the King." The servants dares to crack the door open.

"I know where he is, not thanks to you." I snap. "Now get away before I have Commander Haile shoot you." The door slams shut behind the servant. I look at my reflection in the mirror on the wall, and see that I don't look half bad. My hair is a tad mussed, and traces of mascara remain, but those are just marks that will show the world how much I care about my Father. "Do me a favor and schedule a press release, Mandatory Viewing, in three hours. I'm going to see my Father and clean up a bit."

I'm about to leave when there's another knock at the door. "Vel?" It's Axel. I open the door, and see him standing there with Mother, who to my surprise has a bump on her belly.

"One of Sayer's bouncy balls half deflated to fit the shape of my stomach." She whispers as they walk in. I smile at her, and can tell she's trying to act cool, but I know she's been crying. "Brief me, Commander." Her voice is weak, as if it's taken all her strength to get here.

"My Queen, I thank you for coming." Fae tells Mother and Axel her plan, and I see the glint in Mother's eye. She likes this plan. "And the Princess Velvet has kindly offered to make the press release in three hours, unless you'd like to, of course."

"No, I don't think I can..." Mother is playing this part perfectly. "Velvet will be perfect for it. But I'd really like to see my husband now."

"Let's go, Mother." Axel opens the door, and Mother moves rather slowly towards it. I turn back to Fae.

"I'm going with them. I'll see you in three hours." I nod, and Fae nods back. "And send one of my maids to bring me my shoes that I dropped in the Court."

"Oh, I have those Vel. They're in Rae's room." Axel calls back.

"Well then send someone to alert Raelynn to bring them when she comes." Fae nods again, showing that she understands, and she walks from the room.

"Let's go." Mother is out of the room now, and I follow Axel out. We walk, trailed by a total of twelve guards, and I can tell Mother wants to start running towards Father, but she can't. She has to keep up the facade.

Finally we arrive at the East Wing Medical Center, and we see Raelynn and Sayer in the lobby. They look terrified. I run over to Raelynn and hug her. She hands me my shoes and I slip them on. "Father's going to be okay." I tell her.

"I know." Raelynn doesn't sound like she knows. I hold her hand as a nurse shows us the way back to Father's room.

"The bullet has been removed successfully, but the King has lost a lot of blood. It's all up to him now. We've done everything we can."

"Can you get him more blood?" Mother asks. She knows the answer, but pretends like she doesn't.

"Well, we can't, but if you brought us type X blood, it'd help his recovery significantly." The nurse winks, and quietly opens a door.

Father looks terrible. He's pale, his cheeks are hollow, and wires hang all over the place into his body. Mother starts crying, sobbing really, and Axel pulls a chair up next to his bed for Mother to sit in. She sits down, and takes Father's hand. Axel has picked up Sayer, and Sayer is crying silently into Axel's shirt.

"I'm not going to let you die, Kylan." Mother kisses his hand, and Father's chest moves up and down shakily. "I'm going to get you that blood. Call for a mandatory blood test, Velvet."

"I'll tell Commander Haile at the press release." I nod. Queen in training, no more. If Father dies then I'll have to take on some of his duties, since Mother can't do all of it. But I'm not ready for that responsibility yet... am I?