The king stared idly into the tranquil pond below the path. Its surface was fairly calm, only disturbed by the gentle rain that dampened his pale robes. His eyes followed the koi fish swimming contently below, their white scales splotched with red and shimmering with pale light. He still remembered watching them as a child, his wide, eager eyes following their elegant movements with wonder. He'd always thought they were quite beautiful, but over time he began to pity them more. The only reason they were brought here was to show off their kingdom's wealth and look pleasant. They never got to swim anywhere outside the pond, never got to see something different. They just belonged there, kind of like him. Most of the time he was simply taken places within the kingdom, attending ceremonies and celebrations, but never of his own free will. The path of his life had already been mapped out. Everything was chosen for him.
He didn't really know why he was looking at them again now; perhaps it was for some kind of encouragement. With everything that was going on in his life, he hoped their presence would help.
A flurry of thudding footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and the King glanced up from the garden to see his wife, out of breath with two guards by her side. The glimmering gold pattern of her gown looked duller in the rain, and her eyes glistened with fear.
"What is the matter?" He asked, cautious of the panic's cause.
"Apparently she was attacked near the border while on a walk, my lord." One of the guards replied, and the woman gave a tiny sob. "The general agreed it would be wise for you both to return to your rooms while we search for him."
The king glanced longingly towards his fish, but he tore away to follow nonetheless. They were escorted briskly towards a more guarded area of the kingdom, the only sound being the faint pattering of the misty rain. It dribbled down the maze of the red clay tiles, falling into the quiet ponds and shattering the calm surface. A misty haze had been cast across the kingdom, turning the landscape into blurred shadows and making the air heavy with unease.
The guards left them by the door, marching away to regroup and leaving the two in a lonely silence. He felt her hand reach for his and grasp it, cold and gentle and still shivering with uncertainty. But he felt no warmth from it. She still felt like a stranger to him.
He pushed his way slowly through the maze of heavy doors, tugging her gently along behind him as he wound his way back to their chambers. He sat down upon the bed, a mess of thoughts and doubts still troubling his mind.
His wife seemed to detect the stress in his expression and carefully moved down beside him with an air of sympathy. "My Lord... Why is it that you look so forlorn?"
He sat silently for a while before taking in heavy breath. "I doubt myself" He admitted softly. "My mother and father have both already passed on... And I feel as though I will not be able to rule as well as they did. I have had so much of my life planned out for me, and now that I am faced with my own decisions I fear that I will not make the right ones."
She cast him a look of empathy and placed her hand on his shoulder "Do not forget that I will help share your burdens. You do not have to carry them alone"
He nodded slightly, feeling for the first time a tiny flicker of relief, and a tiny smile appeared on his face. A peaceful silence followed, the gentle pattering of rain over their heads echoing through the room with a calming air.
But then he felt the hand on his shoulder shift minutely, and suddenly a sharp blade was plunged deep into his back of his neck. His yell of agony was quickly muffled by her sleeve, and he stared at her in panic, disbelief and confusion. But her face had turned sharp and cold, her glaring eyes devoid of sympathy. She left the knife embedded in his flesh and tossed him roughly to the floor, his pale robes stained with fresh streaks of crimson. He gasped raggedly for air, finding that any attempt to speak was futile as he choked on his own blood.
It was then that he heard her voice cry out through the castle. "Help! Somebody help! Murder! The King was attacked!"
He ground his teeth at the fake despair set within her voice, and it wasn't long before a storm of footsteps crashed into the room. "My lady, what happened here!?" One of the guards exclaimed, the scene suddenly becoming clear as their gazes moved down to the body on the floor. "...N-No, my Lord! Who did this!?"
The woman swiftly returned to the king's side and began to wail, wrapping her hands around him and pulling him close, carefully making it look as though the blood on her skin had not been spilt by herself.
"I-I believe it was the same attacker..." She cried. "A figure appeared by the door, I could not see his face clearly, but I am sure he was the same. The attacker had a knife, and though my Lord fought back... He..."
She let her head fall as her sobs began once again, and the guards shared solemn looks as her weeping tore through the peaceful night. The dying king stared up at his men, trying desperately to somehow tell them it was her. But he could not speak. Nothing more than blood could escape his throat. The king shot her a weak glare as she raised her head, but all he got in return was a sly grin.
Her facade was perfect, and no one would ever learn the truth.
