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Chapter XXXV
One hour earlier
After he made sure the gossip spread around all the servants in the palace, Alec decided to take a small break in the garden as he had been busy for the last few days. He took off his heavy jacket and placed it around his arm as he walked between the trees and the flower bushes. The weather was nice that morning. The scorching sun rays kissed his forehead and cheeks, and the gentle wind embraced him and accompanied him during his walk.
Alec was humming a song he heard the maids sing in the servants' quarters when he heard voices. He stopped, and his heart jumped when he spotted the queen arriving with her father. Strangely, they were alone with no servants following them. As they approached, Alec hurried to crouch behind a bush as the last thing he wanted was a conversation with Gwendolyn to ruin his morning.
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THE MAD KING AND HIS GUARD Chapter XXXVI
The king walked in the hallway, his hands behind his back with his brother by his side. The servants bowed to him, and whispers started to spread around the palace as he looked angry that morning. At every step he made, they would leave an entire space for him only. Keith kept looking at him as he felt a little intimidated by his presence. Something was different about Kenneth today. In his usual tired eyes burned a flame, ready to extend its wings around the palace, roasting every dark soul on its way.Kenneth decided not to tie his hair today, and he let his long blond locks fall majestically behind his back, highlighting the golden embroideries on his black velvet jacket. Hewalked with elegance and grace without looking down nor to his sides. He was deep in thought, undoubtedly about Alec, Keith guessed.Keith cleared his throat right when Gwendolyn appeared at the end of
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Alec's feet got heavier at each step. Every place and every corner in the village holds a memory. He and his sister arrived at the area where he used to perform his sword show with Keith. A crowd waited for them every two or three days to appear with their swords and smiles. It was nothing much, but those days meant a lot to Alec. It was exhausting—sometimes boring—but he enjoyed doing something with his best friend. He could never imagine his life without Keith, but lately, he felt too far away from him.Keith did not leave the castle, nor did he try looking for him. Alec was angry at first, he felt betrayed and abandoned, but then, wasn't he the one who convinced his best friend to trust the king?Keith had a hard time trusting Kenneth as all his life, he only heard rumours about him. Alec almost lost him for trying to make him understand that the king was a good man
THE MAD KING AND HIS GUARD Chapter XXXVIII
Kenneth ate his breakfast alone today as the queen went to the village. For the first time, he did not enjoy the silence reigning around the dining room. He used to have Alec by his side to nag at him and order him around. But the young guard was not there anymore. It was painful to think his loved one believed him a murderer and a perpetrator.Alec's absence felt like a stab to his heart. Only months ago, Kenneth cared less about the people surrounding him and he always prefered to stay alone. Now, loneliness killed him.The doors opened, interrupting his sighs, and Keith appeared in the room. He nodded to the guards, who left them alone and looked around before he took off his mask.Kenneth lifted a brow when he saw how pale his face was. "What is wrong?"Keith gulped and took
THE MAD KING AND HIS GUARD Chapter XXXIX
The salty drops wet Alec's shirt and their warmth weights on his shoulder, weakening his body. But he had to stay strong and still to hold the king who was crying in his arms. Kenneth sniffed, and his sobs quietened for a moment. He wiped his tears and lifted his head slowly until he rested his eyes on Alec's. Their faces were close, and their noses almost brushed. It was silent in the middle of the forest, and they could only hear the cicadas singing, as well as their heavy breaths."It is all my fault," Kenneth whispered, his hands and legs still trembling. "I should not have been a coward and killed them. I should not have held that sword."Alec shook his head and took his cold hands, "You were a child. You could not have possibly fought those guards.""How could a future king hold that horrible memory in his mind?" Kenneth as
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The sound of slow footsteps echoed in the forest as Alec and Kenneth walked, side by side, in silence. Their earlier conversation made them think a lot about their future. Each one worried about a different thing. The pressure on Alec's chest started disappearing as now the king was next to him. He was concerned for the last two days about his safety but had to stay for his father's funeral. His feelings for the king were too strong that he could not stop thinking about him despite his mourning. The fact that he was alone in the palace, surrounded by people he could not trust bothered him a lot. Thankfully, Kenneth was still alright. He was with him now.Alec widened his eyes when he remembered what he saw before they found his father collapsed on the ground. He was on his way to the castle to warn Kenneth about Gwendolyn's lie but ended up staying at the village. The image of the queen taking off the pillow from under her dress reappeared in his mind, and he stopped wa
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Keith grabbed Carolyn by the back of her neck and dragged her between the tents. She pretended to stumble on her feet as her eyes looked down. Keith looked around to see if there were any guards around. He spotted some of them and tried to copy their movements and how they treated their prisoners. He could not risk being suspicious."Did you see where your mother headed to?" Keith whispered to Carolyn, who looked to the side and nodded, "The tent on your right," she whispered back."You!" Keith froze when a guard called from behind. He gulped and took a deep breath before he looked around."Who is she?" the man asked, pointing at Carolyn."I found her roaming in the forest," Keith imitated his rough voice. "I couldn't risk letting her spread the word,"
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Keith put his mask on and approached the castle gates. The guards let him in, and he took a deep breath before he walked inside. He was away only for two days, and many things happened. He stopped walking when he noticed blood drops on the shiny floor. He widened his eyes, and his heart almost stopped as he feared something must have happened to the king.Keith followed the red stains until he arrived at the main hall where the king sat on the couch, looking worryingly at Alec, whose leg was bleeding."Alec?!" Keith ran and knelt in front of his best friend, "What happened?!" he yelled."Someone attacked us," Alec muttered, "His target was the king.""This is why you should not have gotten involved," Kenneth mumbled, frowning as he watched the physician clean Alec's wound.
THE MAD KING AND HIS GUARD Chapter XLIII
The next day, Kenneth sat on his throne as he thought about what Keith said the night before. He rested his elbow on the silver arm and his chin on the palm of his hand. An army. It was as he feared. His enemies seriously wanted him out of the picture to have the kingdom for themselves.The doors opened, interrupting his thoughts. Gwendolyn entered the room, followed by her court ladies. She had her hand on her lower back as if to support the baby growing in her belly. Kenneth rolled his eyes at it. He admired her audacity to not forget a single detail to prove she was pregnant."Good morning, my king," since she got'pregnant',Gwendolyn stopped bowing to Kenneth. The child was an excuse to drop the formalities, but now Kenneth only saw disrespect. Gwendolyn was insulting him with her lies and her pretending. "My apologies for not showing up during breakf
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