The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Fifty Two

"Sadly, he won't be waking up soon," Harvey said to us after he finished his findings on the man that Steffan and the other Royal Guards caught. "He suffered an internal bleeding on his head, and I actually need to transfer him to a medical facility to treat him."

The Crown Prince and I looked at each other because this update changed the course of our journey. "But is he going to survive? Is he not in grave danger?" I could not help but ask.

"He is coping with the initial medication that I gave him," said Harvey. "But that's it. If he is not treated he will remain in this state until his body gives up. So what we need is for him to get transferred to Aurville where there are the apparatuses that can help me in treating him."

"So you can't cure him here or at Plumba?" asked Prince Kao who started to get frustrated by what was happening. "Aurville is too far. Could you not send him to a nearer facility?"

"I'm afraid that I can't do that, Your Highness," Harvey replied to the Crown Prince respectfully. He was bowing his head all the time he was talking to the Crown Prince and vice versa and to be honest, that impressed me.

"I will handle all the cost and expenses for his treatment," said Prince Kao. "Just make sure that he recovers."

Harvey nodded. "Don't worry, Your Highness. I will do everything in my power to wake him up."

"Alright. Do what you think is best for him. and if you really need to transfer him to Aurville then so be it. Prepare for the travel, as I will assign you to be the one in charge of him. Don't worry, you will be paid thrice the amount of what you earn in a month, so I hope you'll be able to revive that man back."

Harvey could not believe what he just heard, but it was clear to me that he was overjoyed about this new task that was given to him by the Crown Prince. I was happy for him too, and after some brief discussion about the other details of the travel, Harvey went out to prepare himself.

I could not help but smile from ear to ear because I know that this task will change Harvey's life forever. To be tasked by the Crown Prince with something big like this is a huge advantage. He could raise his professional fee after this and his name would become more popular. This will give him more attention.

"You are smiling," I suddenly heard Prince Kao told me and I almost jumped from where I was standing from the surprise. "do you like that doctor, Rainha?"

I suddenly felt like my whole face was slapped by a bag of hot pebbles. "It is not like that! I am just happy for him!"

"So you do like him," he said in an accusing manner. "No one is happy for someone they just met, unless you like that person enough to feel happy for them."

He had a point but that was not the case, so I had to defend myself. "I told you, it's not like that, Prince Kao. I was just happy that you chose him to monitor over that suspicious man. That would help him elevate his career."

Prince Kao's eyebrows were both raised and this meant nothing but skepticism. "You are so kind to think of other's welfare, Rainha. That is a very admirable

trait."

There was no use in arguing with him so I just let him believe what he wanted to believe. "He's a hardworking person and also very kind. I sympathize with everyone who is like him, you know."

"If you say so," he said and then proceeded to the snow carriage that was waiting for us. We are now going back to the Forrester's mansion, where we have to stay for another day before the Crown Prince officially finishes his duty there.

It was another quiet journey back to Plumba, and I was sure that Millicent would be suspicious that we suddenly left without saying our proper goodbyes. Although the Crown Prince left a Royal Guard there to inform them about where we were going, this was still reckless as our trip to the northern hills from their town could still be found out. I began regretting that I did not tell Emil and Harvey to not tell anyone that we were there in their inn, but I guess the Crown Prince thought that they were trustworthy enough to leave them with that secret.

Prince Kao was again reading his book so I asked him his permission if I could take a nap as I feel like I was really worn out. If this trip was not important I would have stayed behind at the inn as it was Harvey's instructions but instead, Prince Kao promised me that he will let me rest the whole day at Millicent's mansion. That was such a surprise because he already agreed that I was going to rest for at least a day in that inn, but suddenly he changed his mind for some reason.

So I slept on the seats behind his, and it did not take long before I was in dreamland. I know that this was a dream because I was somewhere I could not recognize. I was sitting on some kind of throne made of stones while I look below me where people were kneeling in front of me.

"Here is the intruder," said a woman who shoved another woman in front of my high throne. This woman was bowing to the ground so I could not look at her face, but I could tell that she was just some random person.

"She purposely entered my territory despite the fact that everyone knows that this land is owned by a deity?"

"I did not know that this land was owned by you, my dear deity!" said the woman whose voice was shaking from fear. I could also sense that her spirit was scared and intimidated.

"That is not a valid excuse," I told her. "You still entered my territory without my permission and knowledge. You could have been Volo's spy for all I know."

"I am no one's spy!" she said in a state of panic and I was starting to dislike how she makes her responses to me. "I came from a foreign country, you know. I had no idea that this country is being ruled by deities too!"

"Liar!" I hissed at her because I could sense that she was not telling the truth. "You have the guts to lie straight to my face, mortal? How dare you! Are you not aware that I can feel whenever someone's spirit is lying, you scum?"

She gasped and then she finally looked at my face. She was now pleading and I smiled at what I was seeing. I liked being in this situation. I enjoy how the mortals are begging me for mercy whenever they did something that displeased me. Oh, how soft are these creatures!

"I am very sorry, my dear deity! Alright, I will tell the truth! I indeed knew that this land was the territory of a deity, as my neighbors warned me about you! But I was a fool! I did not believe them because in the country where I originally from, deities are nothing but tales and myths! That's why I did not expect that someone like you actually exist! So please forgive my ignorance and my greed!"

I laughed loudly because I was right. So this was about greed again. "Why I am not surprised that this all boiled down to your race's greediness? Why am I not shocked that all of you who came here have some hidden agenda? So tell me about yours, woman. Tell me about it and maybe I will spare you from your punishment."

The woman was clearly scared out of her wits, that's why she bowed her head again on the ground while weeping. Her hair was already touching the ground and her mouth was an inch away from kissing it. "Please, spare me, my dear deity!"

"Then tell me what is your reason for coming here? My people have told me previously that you were caught in the gardens! So now tell me! What were you doing there?"

"It was all because of that flower!" the woman revealed. "My husband got inflicted by some kind of a life-threatening disease, and no one could cure him, not even the best doctors in the whole of Aure! But my neighbors told me about a legendary flower that is said to cure any kind of sickness if made into a potion properly! That is the reason why you found me in your garden! I was looking for that flower!"

I laughed again because of this woman's stupidity. "i***t! The flower that you are talking about is not there in that garden! Who told you that it was there? You have been misinformed!"

"I know that now, my dear deity!" she said while crying again. "I did not saw that legendary flower anywhere in this place. I was about to leave disheartened when your people caught me..." She was still weeping and I was now irritated that she would not stop from crying.

"Stop crying, you fool," I hissed at her. "Do you think crying will soften my heart? The rules are rules. Anyone who comes here uninvited gets punished. And that's what I am going to do to you."

"I cannot stop my tears, my dear deity, I am sorry," the woman said. "I am just...sad and my heart is in pieces. I failed... I failed my husband and I don't know if he will ever live after this failure that I have done. I can no longer face him and my children. So I guess death would be the best option that I have now."

"Don't talk like you have any other choice," I told him. "Because the only fate that you have right now is to die. Now, Shura, Vanda, bring her to the ritual altar," I told my people and they removed the crying woman out of my sight. "Kill her and take a part of her blood so that we can water my plants with it."

"Yes, my dear deity," Shura said and I then left for I have some other things to do. I need to go to my birthplace, the volcano where I came from.

I turned into a fiery bird and flew into the sky. The weather was colder than I would have liked, but I have actually no say in that now as winter is fast approaching. In fact, this is the reason why I am going to check the volcano. I wanted to make sure that it will still be habitable for the next months of my hibernation.

I reached the volcano and entered it from the crater. It was now quiet in here as the lava flow had already stopped a week ago. Nature had been preparing for the seasonal change and to be honest, I could not wait but rest for a while. I needed to be far away from the mortals as soon as I can because they drain me of my happiness.

I landed gracefully into the rocks in the center of the volcano and I was about to dive into the underground lava to check the spot where I would sleep for the next months when I felt something move behind me. The wind came in blowing harshly inside the volcano which told me that this was not a phenomenon that would usually occur inside a volcano.

And my suspicion was right. A cyclone appeared out of nowhere and was now creating a cold draft of air inside this volcano. My blood boiled when I realized who this was. "What is the deity of winter doing here in my turf, Volo?" I asked loudly as the cyclone suddenly formed into a man.