Sleeping God

Chapter 8: Everything is Wrong

a/n= This chapter is unedited yet, so sorry if there are mistakes here and there. Gotta stick to the deadline ^.^

Shortly after the whole ordeal happened, Riven went unconscious again. At first, the young prince thought that the poison or whatever Aira had given him really packed a punch. Not only that, too many things were happening at once. The amount of stress sent an abnormal amount of fatigue to Riven's scrawny build. It wasn't until half past midnight that Riven's eyelids fluttered open.

When consciousness washed over him, the young prince exhaled softly. His eyelashes fluttered rapidly, trying to process his regaining senses. He clenched and unclenched his fist, and after a while, he let out a relieved sigh. Finding himself waking up in his bedroom convinced him that he had been dreaming.

However, the relief in his chest melted when he heard hushed whispers near his bed. Heck, he could even recognize their voice. Dimitri, Metis, Aileen and last but not least, Aira. It was as if he was dying and his loved ones were there to send him off with tears and goodbyes. However, judging by Metis' uncharacteristic frown, Riven knew he had a lecture coming. If Metis was angry, Riven didn't want to think about what the others had to say.

His father was nowhere to be found though.

"Welcome back, Riven!" Metis greeted him with a cheerful tone. "It feels nice sleeping over your responsibilities, huh?"

Aira clenched her tiny fist and spat. "Metis! That's rude!"

Dimitri gave a dry chuckle. "Looks like your comebacks have improved, Metis. Your words are like dull blades to his thick skull. This dense dumbass needs a friggin razor."

"All right, Dima. That's just mean." Metis pouted and immediately faced Riven. "Sorry Rivy! Don't mind us talking crap of you right in front of your face. We are just very angry!"

Riven sighed. "Don't mind me, Metis. I know you all have something to say. Where is my father?"

At Riven's question, everyone went silent as if a steel ball dropped from the sky and absorbed all existing noises. Dimitri frowned and crossed his arms, avoiding Riven's concerned expression.

Aira stiffly looked at her companions before she uttered. "K-King Remus is with King Alexander discussing about tomorrow's coronation -"

"He refuses to see you." Aileen cut in.

Riven nodded. "I see. I can see why."

"Now you can, huh?" Aileen growled and pulled the prince's collar. "Do you ever see the consequences of your own action? What exactly was on your mind when you single-handedly handed over my sister's brooch to that bitch?"

"Aileen, enough!" Aira tugged her sister's trembling shoulders. "It's all fine now! I'm still alive here with you, my dear sister."

Aileen let go of Riven's collar as if she just touched burning iron. Tears sprung from her eyes. She sobbed for a moment. Dimitri watched Aileen's slender back bouncing from the sobs. It was the first time the burly guard saw the older Auroran princess cried. He marched to her with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket. It was a gift from his father, Desmatius. 

"Aira loved you, Riven. You willingly handed over my sister's last gift to that witch. Is that how valuable my sister is to you? You would trade her over some stranger you just met?" Aileen took Dimitri's handkerchief and blew her nose like a raging trumpet. The owner of said object took a step back at the sudden noise and frowned a bit. 

Aira softly touched her sister's forearm. "It's fine, sister. It must have been tough for him to wait for me all these years."

Aileen looked at her sister with tears bubbling in her eyes. "Not only that, what did they do to you? Where are your magic powers?! They take it away from you! You become the princess' personal lapdog all these years!"