Anastasia, who had been visiting the library often, finally heard about the king’s illness, because of the physicians in the royal library. She was surprised by the news. The last time she had seen the king was during her wedding, and he had seemed healthy to her.
Hearing that the king was seriously ill, she decided to return to her courtyard, change, and visit him. After all, as a daughter-in-law, this was expected of her.
When Anastasia returned to her courtyard, she realized that Rosa and the others had been brought over. They were now wearing palace servant uniforms. Observing them, she could tell that apart from learning court etiquette, they had not suffered much. Seeing Rosa again, Anastasia was relieved.
She immediately assigned Rosa to continue as her personal maid, while Grater was tasked with taking care of her daily needs. As for Nill and Dorata, she allowed Miss Magdalene to arrange their duties, as she seemed pleased to do so.
Miss Magdalene also understood that Anastasia did not want those two close to her, so their responsibilities were assigned outside the courtyard.
Anastasia did not mind. She left for the main palace with Miss Magdalene and Rosa accompanying her.
When she arrived, the queen had just stepped out of the king’s chamber.
"Your Majesty," Anastasia greeted with a bow. At a single glance, she could tell that the queen was exhausted and had likely not rested well the previous night. She immediately sensed that the king’s condition must be serious.
Anastasia’s mind suddenly drifted to her last dream, where the king had also died unexpectedly. The thought made her heart race. She did not care much for the king himself, but what truly frightened her was how closely her dreams mirrored reality. If her dreams were truly prophetic, then how could she avoid the miserable fate she had foreseen for herself? Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn NoveI(F)ire.net
"Anastasia, do you need something?" the queen asked.
The interrogation had been going on for hours, yet there were no positive results. A few people had even died under torture, but still, no one seemed to know anything. The queen was growing increasingly anxious. Worse, the king was in constant pain yet refused to sleep. He had even asked the physician to prepare something to keep him awake. A sick man refusing rest was concerning, but she also feared that if he fell asleep, he might never wake again.
"I heard that His Majesty is ill, so I came to visit," Anastasia replied.
The queen forced a smile. "His Majesty is seriously ill, and you cannot see him. If you have the time, visit the chapel and pray for his recovery," she said. She was worried about people knowing the true condition of the king.
"I will pray for His Majesty’s swift recovery," Anastasia responded. She was not surprised that she could not see the king, after all she had just joined the family. She could not visit the king simple because she wanted to.
As she turned to leave, she overheard two maids gossiping nearby.
"I used to envy those who served the king. While we scrubbed floors and did all the hard labor, they enjoyed privileges. But now, I feel lucky that I wasn’t assigned to serve him," one maid whispered.
"Me too. It’s much better to tend to the flowers and do menial tasks. At least that way, we won’t be implicated," the second maid agreed.
"True. I wonder who would be bold enough to poison the king," the first maid said. The two were unaware that Anastasia was walking behind them.
Anastasia’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing their conversation. "Poison? It did not make sense for the king to be poisoned ’ Anastasia thought.
"Who knows? They are all being tortured. Maybe the traitor will be found soon," the second maid murmured.
Anastasia considered stopping them to ask questions, but she doubted they knew much since they worked outside the palace.
"The king cannot die," she muttered under her breath, though she had no idea how to change the situation.
She allowed Miss Magdalene and Rosa to help her back into the carriage.
"Shall we return to the courtyard?" Miss Magdalene asked.
"No, let’s go to the chapel," Anastasia said. She was no physician and knew nothing about medicine. She could not create an antidote for the king, so the only thing she could do was follow the queen’s advice and pray.
When she arrived at the chapel, she went to the altar and knelt.
"Oh God, please save the king. He cannot die. I do not want to live the miserable life I saw in my dream," Anastasia prayed. She felt that the king’s survival was somehow linked to her future in the palace. She did not know if her prayers would be answered, but all she could do was have faith.
At the Temple of the Old Gods
The old seer sat cross-legged, chanting in a low voice. His expression was calm, but suddenly, he felt a cold breeze. He opened his eyes and walked toward a small pond at the side of the temple, its water clear as glass. Peering into it, he saw Anastasia praying for the king.
However, instead of helping the king, each time she prayed for his life, his pain intensified.
This revelation shocked the seer. He understood that Anastasia was favored by heaven. Although King George was doomed, he had not expected her prayers to worsen the situation. Originally, the king had five days left to live, but now, he might not survive another two.
The seer frowned. He had always believed he was in control. Since there had been no ritual to secure Prince Edward’s ascension to the throne, he had assumed that marrying Anastasia; the daughter of fortune would protect the royal family. But now, she might be a distraction rather than a blessing.
Closing his eyes, the seer began to chant again. King George had not fully restored the worship of the old gods. Only when Edward was crowned king would the seer’s goal be achieved.
As he chanted, he suddenly felt a sharp impact, as if someone had struck him from behind. Blood spilled from his lips.
"This..." His eyes flickered toward the image of Anastasia, who was still praying.
Of course, he knew he could not harm her directly, but he had intended to send a minor affliction to stop her prayers. However, instead of affecting her, his chant had rebounded upon himself.
"I must go and see the king," he murmured.
He tried to take a step, but before he could move further, his vision darkened, and he collapsed.
Hearing the commotion, two temple assistants rushed inside. They were horrified to find their master in such a state.