Cost of the Crown (UNREVISED VERSION)

Mauve

"A little further..." Eric groaned. He walked more until finally, he reached the gates of the castle. When he opened the castle gates, he saw a pool of blood and it was odd since there was no corpse. He saw a ripple into the pool of blood and when he looked up, there was a woman, hanging on the ceiling. "Oh goodness..."

He sighed before leaving. He needed to place Maria somewhere before he took care of the other things. He went up to the nearest bedroom to the ballroom and it was a neat guestroom. He placed Maria on the bed then left. "I'll be back."

Going back to the throne room, he looked for the rope then he cut it with his sword. When he examined the body, it was a woman. She has wounds over her body that looked like she was tortured before hanged. He knew that his sister was the one to blame since she put her mark on the woman's shoulder. "Why make a mess... Sister dear?"

He carried the corpse as he looked for places to put her in until he decided to put her in the same room as Maria for if help arrives, it will be easier. He continued with roaming around the castle, looking for other victims until he found the council lying on the floor, covered with blood.

He did the same as the previous corpse though he was already tired. He did all these while his other sister, Sarah, watched him.

"Oh, why must you be good now?" Sarah sighed. "I understand that our brother, Hans, loves this wretched kingdom but have you forgotten what happened?"

Eric knew well that his sister is watching their every move. She served as the seer for all the times that they were at a crusade and it helped. "Sarah, if you may..."

"I can't raise the dead back... You know that... Worry not though, our brother is coming to help you clean everything up."

"My queen, do you have orders?" Her ace asked.

"None at all... But one thing: guard the gates of the north and the south. They know our troops are ambushing the east. Make sure no one gets in nor out. Non-stop surveillance is what I want." Sarah orders.

"One flaw there, your highness..." Her ace replied.

"Not enough men to do the job? I care not. Divide your men, I can't do that job myself... Even if I can, my brother needs my attention. Do you want to have your king back?" Sarah furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes."

"Then let me focus on their victory as you defend our people. I don't want a single complaint on my desk." Sarah said, glancing at the crystal ball.

Hans finally got inside the walls. He arrived at the plaza where he saw Cassandra's lifeless body on the cold hard ground with a sword impaling her heart.

"I wonder who did this to you..." Hans sighed. He took the sword out of her heart then he froze, seeing the sword as blood dripped from it. He knew that sword. It had Eric's mark on it: a sun carved on the blade. "Only you were worthy enough to wield your father's sword."

Hans carried Cassandra's body to the castle. He treads the same path that Eric trod with Maria. As he walked on the roads of the Orient, he saw a deserted kingdom. A kingdom where chaos visited. "You caused all of this..."

When he got to the castle, he was greeted by a knife to the throat pointed by Eric who thought he was an intruder.

"Eric?" Hans asked.

"Ah... It was just you..." Eric withdrew the knife then he ushered him to the room where he kept the corpses with the unconscious Maria.

"You kept her here?" Hans asked Eric.

"Yes... This was the closest resting place." Eric replied.

"Where can we put your sister?" Hans asked as he looked around the well-lit room.

Eric pointed towards the windowsill. His sister, Cassandra, always loved sleeping beside the window although their aunt always told her not to.

"Have you seen Aunt Cherie with the evacuees?" Eric asked.

"No... Sadly... I wonder where she is..." Hans replied.

"I remember seeing her during the hearing but she left before me... I wish to look for her in this castle." Eric took his sister's corpse from Hans' arms then placed her on the windowsill before covering her with a white sheet. "Wait a little longer before your final resting place."

Hans went over to Maria then he smiled over her. "You still look as perfect as the first time I met you..."

"Hans... Let us go find Aunt Cherie." Eric requested.

"Sure..." Hans gave Maria a light kiss on the forehead before leaving the room with Eric.

Maria tried opening her eyes though she had no energy to even move. She slightly opened her eyes, she saw two foggy figures leaving the room then she closed her eyes once more to rest. She felt the kiss then she smiled.

"I'm impressed..." The same voice from earlier said to Maria. "He still cares, even after years..."

Eric and Hans scanned the hallway as they talked. "Where should we start looking?"

"Why not start from top to bottom?" Hans suggested.

"Great." Eric smiled.

They both climbed up the stairs of the castle then they searched the whole floor. Founding nothing, they go lower, to the ballroom and other common rooms. Still unsuccessful, they search the west tower, then the east. Four towers searched, unsuccessful. There was one last tower and it was the middle tower, the tower that Maria cherished for her secret garden was there. No one was allowed to go there unless accompanied by the princess.

"Are we even allowed here?" Eric asked Hans.

"Not really, but if it means finding your aunt, we have to take all chances," Hans replied, taking the torch off the wall.

They both went up the tower. As they climbed higher and higher, more vines crept towards them. After how many minutes, Eric noticed this then he started to run.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, Eric!" Hans told.

"Run! Plants are coming after us!" Eric yelled as he ran.

Hans looked behind him then he cussed under his breath. He ran faster, then the vines crept faster after them.