CORRUPTED FILE [Lumina Chronicles Past Drafts]

Level Three: Kings Don't Cry

*Casimir's POV*

It didn't seem real.

My mother, dead. My sister, missing. My best friend, bedridden. My citizens, terrified. And the woman I had so hastily, so foolishly, wanted as my queen... a lie.

The weight of it all had yet to sink in.

I was in my father's study, pacing back and forth across the worn wood like I'd seen him do so many times in my childhood, and trying my hardest to think rationally like he would in this situation. Down the hall, maids and servants were working to clear away the shards that remained of ball room's glass roof. The ball had ended abruptly and in chaos. The guests were dismissed without an explanation, as there really was none to give.

How does one explain the night's events, anyway? All of the dragons were gone. My father led the attack himself, because the dragons were plotting with the other Nonies to take our kingdom for themselves. My father was a good king; wiser than I could ever even hope to be. And even though it brought him great sadness, he knew he had no choice but to eliminate our former allies.

And yet, just a few hours ago, a dragon-- very alive-- came crashing into the ballroom and took Lady Jacintha away. I heaved a sigh.

Was Jacintha even her real name?

I paced quicker, my turns sharper, and I ran a hand through my hair. I wished now more than ever that my father was here. He would know what to do.

Was this dragon attack and the murder of my mother an act of war by the Nonies? And where had they taken Rainette? How was I supposed to retaliate, now that everything was on my shoulders?

This was all my father's to figure out, after all, he was king! But he wasn't here, and I highly doubted that even now when I needed his guidance he would return. I wasn't even sure where he'd gone to, but he'd left shortly after winning the war, and he'd said it was for something highly important.

And so we let him go, telling the public that their king was bedridden. Telling myself and my sister that he would be home soon. Blind faith.

I really had a problem when it came to trusting people, didn't I? As prince I should be more reserved. I should have known better than to trust so easily. After all, look at all it's gotten me.

"Your Highness," the royal adviser said quietly. He stood in the doorway, looking torn between entering or bowing, and so he just sort of wobbled in place.

"Yes, Favros?" I used his arrival as an excuse to stop pacing, and stood as calmly as I could.

"A-as you know," he stammered, "with her majesty Queen Amaranth dead, and the king still away on his journey, we look to you as our sovereign."

"I am aware," I nodded carefully, though in my mind the panic returned. Why else did he think I'd been in here pacing? "Any news on Sir Tobias's condition?"

"Yes Your Highness, he's awake and asking for you," Favros replied.

"Thank you," I said hastily before hurrying out the door. I walked quickly down the hall and up the winding staircase that led to the bedrooms— the room that was my parents to the right, and my room across from that. Down the hall a bit further was Rainette's room, and as her bodyguard Tobias's room was next to her's.

I pushed the heavy mahogany door open to find Tobias sitting up in his bed with a bandage wrapped around his head.

He smiled at me when I entered, but then he seemed to remember the events of the night and his face grew grave. "Cas," he said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect her." His words were rushed, and as he pushed himself up straighter he winced. "It's my job to protect her, but I couldn't stop him! He was too strong, and the way he spoke made me doubt my actions! He—"