Chapter 14
The king's face twisted in anger as he turned to the guards. "Arrest the concubine! She's guilty of a heinous crime - conspiring against my child, resulting in the prince's blindness. Lock her in her chambers and restrict her movements until she gives birth."
The queen mother stepped forward, her voice laced with concern. "Your Majesty, I implore you to reconsider. Why would you condemn Odessa to such confinement?"
The king's gaze turned cold as he faced the queen mother. "This is all your fault, Mother. If you hadn't brought Odessa into the palace, Queen Mara might have conceived sooner, and the prince might have been born without this affliction. Your lack of patience has led to this catastrophe."
The queen mother's expression turned stern. "You can't do this, Your Majesty. Odessa is innocent. Queen Mara is the one who's clearly malevolent. Don't let your anger cloud your judgment."
The king's silence was deafening as the guards dragged the pregnant Concubine Odessa away, her protests and pleas fading into the distance. The queen mother's words fell on deaf ears, and the king's resolve seemed unshakeable.
The queen mother's voice rose in protest. "You have to reconsider, Your Majesty," she said, her anger evident. "This is unjust."
The king's expression turned stern. "Don't get me started on this, Mother. Don't even get me started. In a royal family, when something goes wrong, it's usually because someone has brought about the affliction through their actions. Did you have a hand in this?"
The queen mother's face reddened with indignation. "How dare you! But think about the state Odessa is in - she's about to give birth at any moment. And look at how you're treating her."
The king's patience had worn thin. "I'm done, Mother. I'm done with your interference. I'm done with your meddling." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the queen mother standing alone, her words unspoken and her concerns unheeded.
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Queen Mara felt a sense of triumph, her plan had worked. She had tried every possible solution to prevent her son from being born blind, but when it didn't work, she knew she had to shift the blame. If she hadn't, she would have been accused of seeking outside help to conceive, and the punishment for that would have been severe - being stripped of her royal title and reduced to a commoner. At least with a blind child, she could still maintain her position. She rationalized her actions, convincing herself that the end justified the means.
Two days later, Concubine Odessa gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The king's anger towards her hadn't dissipated, but he couldn't help but welcome his new child. Despite his anger, he told Odessa that once she was done nursing the baby, she would be taken to the palace dungeon and punished for her supposed crime. Odessa pleaded her innocence to the king multiple times, but he refused to listen, his mind already made up.
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The passage of time had wrought significant changes in the palace's dynamics. The two princes, had blossomed into mature adults, each bearing the weight of their respective destinies. Concubine Odessa,now toiled as a humble servant, a testament to the unforgiving nature of palace politics. Her son, Prince Lukan, had grown to resent the very woman who had borne him, his pride wounded by her reduced circumstances.
In stark contrast, Prince Nael, the blind prince, moved with purpose, his staff an extension of his being as he navigated the palace's labyrinthine corridors. His blindness had become an integral part of him, and he had learned to adapt, relying on his other senses to compensate for his lack of sight.
Prince Nael emerged from the opulent chambers, he grasped his royal staff firmly, the familiar weight of it a reassuring presence in his hands. The gentle tap of the staff on the polished marble floor echoed through the corridors, a rhythmic accompaniment to his deliberate strides.
As he stepped outside his chambers, he sensed a presence before him and asked, his voice low and measured, "Who's there?"
The response came promptly, "It's me, Orion, Your Highness." Prince Nael's face relaxed into a gentle smile as he recognized the voice of his trusted guard. Orion was more than just a loyal attendant; he was a brother-in-arms, a fellow warrior with whom Prince Nael had trained and bonded over the years. Their training sessions, held in the palace's expansive grounds, were a highlight of Prince Nael's day, and Orion was often at the forefront, leading their group with precision and skill.
"Ah, Orion," Prince Nael said, his nod a silent acknowledgment of the guard's presence.
Orion fell into step beside him, his movements fluid and purposeful. "Your Highness, are you heading somewhere?" he asked, his voice a gentle inquiry.
Prince Nael's response was direct, "Yes, the king has sent for me. I'm on my way to see him now." The words were laced with a hint of curiosity; Prince Nael wondered what his father, the king, wanted to discuss with him.
Orion nodded, his expression serious. "I'll lead you there, Your Highness," he said, offering his support as they walked. Together, they navigated the palace's labyrinthine corridors, Orion's guidance expertly directing Prince Nael through the familiar yet complex passageways. The soft rustle of their footsteps on the marble floor was the only sound that broke the silence, a testament to the guard's skill and Prince Nael's trust in him.