I woke the next morning as the door opened. I sit up and look at the man standing there. "Get out." He didn't say anything and stepped back out of the room. I look towards Kai and he was still sleeping.
I get up and washed my face. Getting dressed, I walk out of the room. "Master. I have your bath ready." I nod to Kana and we walked past Kasian to my courtyard. Once I was in the bath, I ended up sleeping for a while longer.
When I was done and dressed, breakfast had already started. "Master. The Grand Prince is asking to see you." Bira reported. "Ignore him." She nodded and we walked out of my courtyard, ignoring the two men standing there completely.
My mood lightens once I saw the children, sitting. "Greetings Mother." They greeted. "Hello my children." I kissed their heads before sitting down. The light chatter died down when Kasian appeared.
"Father?" Kai stood up, immediately recognizing his face. "Be careful." I tell him as he moved from his seat and approached his father. The other four look at me. "Real one." I replied to their silent question.
They all stood up and rushed towards Kasian. Lia gently pushed Kai out of the way and hugged Kasian. Kai chuckled and back to the table and sat next to me. "They all missed him." I nod. "So it seems."
I can't say it surprised me but I'm glad they all seemed to catch on that he wasn't their father. It would've made things more complicated. My children are smart after all; they caught on, all on their own.
"Come, sit and finish eating." I call out to them. They all walked over and sat down. Kasian looked at Kai and he moved to stand but I grabbed his hand. "You want to move your injured child from next to his mother?" Kasian didn't say anything and sat in the empty space across the table from me.
"'What's going to happen now?" Lion asked me as he finished breakfast. "What do you mean?" He got that calculative look in his eyes. "It's unlike you, mother. To not kill someone especially since he reduced older brother to such a state." I look at Kasian.
"I know. Very unlike me, however, I am not going to answer your question." I stood up. "I'll be back tonight." I kiss Kai's forehead and left.
I didn't go to the Pendant Tower but a small courtyard in the town just outside the capital. "Master." Malek greeted me as Kana and I entered the yard. I left Bira at the mansion and only took Kana with me.
"What's the situation?" The palace and the Queen mother were too quiet. Even for her. "She went missing early this morning." Malek reported. "The poison?" I asked. He escorted me inside. "She said that one bottle was missing but this is the rest." He pointed to the bottles.
I pick up a bottle and open it. The smell was sweet, too sweet. "I've never smelt something like this before. Did she send the ingredients?" Malek handed me two papers. "Regular poisonous ingredients especially Janve except this flower I've never heard of before."
"She sent a drawing of the flower. I've already sent men out to search for it but I'm not sure if we can find it. All of these years and I've never seen a white flower with red vines before." Malek confirmed my thoughts.
"For her to disappear without anyone else noticing means that she has her methods." Malek nodded. "I'll write down a prescription. If something happens then use it." Malek and Kana glanced at each other and hesitated. "Spit it out."
"Master, if something happens to both you and-." I look at Kana. "You were only going to find the ingredients for one antidote?" She bowed her head. "My apologies, Master. I wasn't thinking." I nod. "Clearly you weren't."
A face caught my attention in the corner of my eye. I turned. "What are you doing here?"
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I returned home after dinner. The mansion was still lit up like it was daytime. "You're late." Lia said as I stepped through the gates. "Yes." Bira approached and took my cloak. "You didn't send word." She continued. "I didn't." I replied.
"We were worried." I hummed in response. "Are you upset with us?" She asked. "Should I be?" She remained silent and followed me to the training area. "I guess this answers my question." Father and son were sparring with swords. I could smell the blood from Kai's obvious reopened wound.
"Your highness." I look at Serin as he held out his hand to stop me for moving forward. "Last time it was your tongue, this time it isn't a threat." He put down his hand and stepped back.
I walk onto the flat stone, in the middle of their fight. Their weapons stopped at my neck. "What the hell are you thinking?!" Kasian yelled angrily as he threw down the sword. Kai threw the sword down, looking guilty.
Kasian reached forward to grab my hand, but I slapped him across the face. "You really know how to get someone upset, no wonder your own mother doesn't like you." My words seemed to hurt him more than the slap. "It was just a spar." He whispered.
I turn and punch Kai in the chest. He yelled out in pain and dropped to his knees. I raise my hand, showing Kasian the blood. "I could smell his blood. Even if he wanted to spar against you, you know he's injured! Tell him no!" I look down at Kai with disappointment.
"I really can't say who I'm more disappointed in. The father who knows his son is currently healing a near deadly wound, the son who knows how serious his injury is and how hard I worked to make sure that he is still alive or the siblings that didn't stop it." I glance at the four children standing in the entrance.
"Or the guards that clearly knew better." I glare at Bira and Serin. I turn back to look at Kasian. "Your one day is up. Kill him or I will and it won't be pretty."
I turn to walk away and stop. "Oh, before I forget." I chuckled. "As a result of your delay of handling your brother. Your mother took a deadly poison and ran off. She now has a means to kill me or you or the children. I would applaud you but..." I chuckle and left the training area.