My 8 E-books written over the years by Alina Udrea - HTML preview

Chapter 13

King Harold was becoming anxious. Lizzy had already been away for a

month and there was no news about her. Had she succeeded? Would he be young again? Or had she failed as her mother had failed before her? Was he doomed to die old and wrinkled or would he be young and handsome again as he once was? Would he die in a few more years or would he be given a second chance to life, a second chance to live?

All these thoughts were destroying his health at a rapid pace although

he didn’t seem to be aware of it. It was wearing him down. He had to know what happened, either good or bad news, but he had to know. This uncertainty was killing him slowly but definitely. Then his face muscles suddenly relaxed as a thought crossed his mind: Roman, his assassin. He could send him on Lizzy's trail to find out what happened. That was it! The best idea he had lately! But where was Roman? Yes, the dungeons, his dungeons. He had locked him there not long ago for a misunderstanding. He would get him out now and give him a new mission.

And king Harold left his comfortable throne room to descend the

steps of the dungeons as he wanted to have a talk with Roman himself before he would set him free. No misunderstandings from now on. Roman would have to obey him blindly, there was no room for mistakes. But he was pretty sure that Roman had learnt his lesson. King Harold had to cover his nose as it stank down there. The guards

saluted him at every turn, wondering what he was doing down there.

He took the head of the dungeon guards along with him without telling him who he wanted to see. Sammy, the head of the guards, was a young dark haired man who was always suspecting everyone. He was very vigilant, the perfect man for his jo . But now Sammy had no clue to why the king was going to the last level of the dungeon. Who could he want to see? Roman had been released some time ago as far as he knew but as long as the king kept silent he wouldn’t ask either. He would find out soon anyway. But then the king addressed him:

- Sammy, take me to Roman's cell!

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- Roman’s cell, your majesty? But Roman has been set free some time ago from your order. Milly, your daughter, has set him free in your name.- What??!! King Harold turned red with anger. Get Milly to the throne room.

And king Harold climbed back the stairs and returned to the throne

room to wait for his daughter. He was curious to see what she had to say in her defense. How had she dared to set one of his prisoners free? His prisoners, he was the king, what was she thinking? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. By the time she got before him, he had calmed down a bit to her relief. But he was still mad at her.

- Milly, the king began in a still angry tone, care to explain why you set my, and I say my, assassin free? How dare you take such decisions? And to what purpose?

- Father, Milly babbled humbly bowing her short red-haired head, forgive me! I didn’t mean to offend you or make you think that I don’t care about your orders! You are the king and I respect you, she said trying to sweeten the situation.

- Then what was the purpose? Answer that and I forgive you this time. You must have had a purpose. You know who Roman is and what he does for a living, you didn’t set him free by accident or randomly. You chose him. So why? Then king Harold added slyly while paying attention to every feature of his daughter’s face: should I be watching my back, child? Should I doubt Roman's loyalty?

Now Milly was really pale and almost swooned. But she quickly managed to recompose herself and defy her father:- No father, you may be king but you are still my father! I would never do that!

- Then why? Answer me! And Harold hit his fist against the royal table so hard that it cracked a bit where he hit it.

- To make sure your sorceress gets you your magic water, to make sure this one doesn’t fail, father! She lied as convincingly as she could. But she knew that now she would really have to send Roman on Lizzy’s trail, but not to protect her, to make sure she failed. Her father couldn’t be king forever, he should stop when his natural time came. But her lie seemed to appease him.

- Oh, Milly…. Ok, I hope you are not lying, for your own sake! Now go and make sure it never happens again, you are not in charge here!- Ok, I love you father, and she kissed his old wrinkled cheeks and left the

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throne room in a hurry.