Only Time Will Tell

Chapter 4: The Rumours

Zeldris was appalled! He yelled, "Guards! Guards! Someone Help!". Yet no one came, his father was grabbing onto his life, barely. The wound was deep, soon the grandmaster came, he was stunned by seeing his king lying helpless on the floor.

The grandmaster Acturuss ordered his guards to call the physician. The physician had no words for the scene he witnessed. The physicians report was the king was poisoned with a deadly poison called athkarma, which physically weakens the victim by the minute. The physician continued by saying that the poison came from the Garaff plant, only to be found in the heart of Britannia, open to none but nobles.

Prince zeldris said, "We now know there is a traitor in our midst , but the real question is how they got it in my Father's diet. The royal families food is cooked by trustworthy chefs and is tested before served. Uncle did you perhaps see father eat or drink something not served by our kitchen?". The grandmaster replied, "Not quite, but i can recall earlier that the marksman of the circus did put an apple in the kings mouth but his majesty did not necessarily eat it". The physician reassuringly said, "Ahh, that's it! The athkarma poison only take seconds to enter the body!".

The prince orderd, "Uncle, find the circus members and arrest them at once!", he then asked the physician," Is there any cure for this poison?". The physician replied, "Sire, I fear its too late, the poison entered his heart."The prince said, " I beg of you, please save my father, use any means necessary! I can't loose my father! . The physician then said, " Sire, there are limits to what a physician can do. I'll try my best but you must prepare yourself for the worst".

The physician knew the only way to cure the king was through an old healing technique.
This healing technique transfers the poison into another body. The physician knew if he had told prince Zeldris, he would offer himself as a sacrifice.

As the hour passed, the king was getting weaker. He regained conscious, the physician informed the king of the ritual but he was totally against it. The prince overheard this conversation and made up his mind that he would be the sacrifice. His father was annoyed and said, " You are the future King! If my time has ended, yours will begin, its the cycle of life. Dont you dare meddle with it!". The prince walked out of the room and spoke to the physician, told him "Meet me here, tonight. Bring all your equipment for the ritual. Don't tell anyone! That's and order!"

Nightfall came, the rutual was about to begin. The physician took some of the princes and kings blood and mixed it. As the ritual continued, the prince was sound asleep. Little did he know that the physician informed the grandmaster about their plan. They concluded that the prince and king must live. The grandmaster told the physician that he must put the young prince to sleep and he'll handle the rest.
The grandmaster master Acturuss entered the kings chambers. He moved the prince's body and sat on the sacrifices spot. He ordered the physician to continue.

As the ritual concluded, both the king, prince and grandmaster were unconscious. First one to awake was the prince. He was extremely angry that the physician betrayed him but all that, was gone when he saw both his father and uncle unconscious. He questioned the physician, "Did my uncle sacrifice himself? Why are they both lying on the ground? Did the ritual go wrong? Answer me, physician!" The young prince drawed his sword and said, " If both of them dies, i swear you'll accompany them to the afterlife!". The physician told the prince to calm himself and that they still are alive but one will die soon. The prince asked," My uncle sacrificed himself?". The physician replied, "Yes, he did".

The king regained conscious and was astound that he had his strength back. The king said, " The rumors are true!Britannia, really does have the best physician in the world!".

All of that joy died when he saw his brother dead beside him.