Receiving the King's order, Rion's hurried to the palace and then to the King's chamber. When the door was opened for him, he walked inside and kneeled before the King. "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"General Rion." The King nodded in response. "Do you know why I summon you here?"
"No, Your Majesty," Rion replied.
As the soldiers in the hunting event were all palace guards, the Alewine Army still haven't heard anything about the incident. Besides, many hunters only know that something was going on and not the details. With the King's order, everything will be concealed.
"Something bad happened during the hunting competition and it seemed like your Commander is the target of an assassination attempt," the King informed the General who was still on the floor.
Hearing the unexpected information, Rion briefly lifted his gaze. "What do you mean, Your Majesty? Is Commander alright?"
"The arrow used on her is poisoned. However, Commander Iria managed to catch with her hand but it cut her flesh," the King explained to the right-hand man of the Commander.
Knowing the deep bond between the two, the King added, "Fret not, General. Your Commander is not in a life-threatening situation. The royal doctor said that there is hope but he can't ensure when she would wake up."
The King's words calmed down Rion in the slightest bit. However, he soon understood that the King had a reason for calling him here and told him all these personally.
"I understand, Your Majesty. What do you want me to do?" he asked after a few seconds.
"You must know how crucial this matter is, General. If any of our enemies managed to get a grasp of this news, our Jerivia can be in danger. Your Commander is in no condition to fight now," the King said to Rion.
Rion understood what the King said. This must be kept a secret and even the soldiers of the Alewine Army shouldn't know about this matter.
"Rest assured, My King. I will make sure that the soldiers didn't find out about this matter. As always, Jolene can take Commander's place for a while and I will keep everything in place."
"Good," King Tobias remarked. "I will trust you with that."
When Rion was done talking with the King, he went to the chamber where his Commander was treated. There, he saw the Crown Prince who was still sitting beside his Commander's bed. He walked towards the Crown Prince and halted three steps away. "Your Highness." He bowed to show his respect.
Shifting his gaze to Rion, the Crown Prince asked, "Are you done talking with my father?"
"Yes, Your Highness. I came to check Commander's condition," Rion said to the Crown Prince. Then he shifted his gaze to his Commander who was lying on the bed. The wound on her hand, her pale face and lips... the effect of the poison was obvious.
In the morning, she asked him if he would like to tag along. However, he refused as he was also not a great fan of hunting. Growing up together, they had very similar likes and dislikes.
Now, he regretted it like crazy. He should be there and protect her. He didn't saw this coming at all as it's the first time that something like this happened to her in Jerivia.
Rion walked to the other side of the bed where the Crown Prince wasn't sitting. Standing next to the bed, he dropped to his knees. He wasn't sure of what to do as he had never seen his Commander in such a vulnerable situation.
"I have to ensure that Iria is safe inside the palace," Crown Prince Zaro said to Rion. "Help me arrange capable soldiers whose loyalty to your Commander are unrivalled. We can't afford any risk right now."
Understanding what the Crown Prince was saying, Rion nodded. "I will do that and I will be the one leading them, Your Highness. I will make sure that no one gets the chance to attack Commander again."
* * *
The next few days were very hectic in the capital of Jerivia. With the royal doctor tending to the Masked Commander, the Second Prince continued his search throughout the capital. However, he had to be careful not to draw too much attention.
The Crown Prince was also busy with his duties. However, he spent all his free time next to his friend's bed, waiting for her to open her eyes. The medicines and the antidote seemed to be working as the Crown Prince noticed even the slightest change in the Commander's looks each day.
True to his word, Rion selected a very few capable and loyal soldiers to guard the chamber and its surrounding hallways. He led them personally to ensure his Commander's safety. Meanwhile, Jolene and Zire worked together to keep the situation of the camp in check.
King Tobias explained the situation to the Princess of Nathania who was very understanding of the situation. She also promised not to spread this news, to which the King was feeling really grateful.
After their conversation, Princess Athena walked towards the chamber where the Masked Commander was tended for the past days. However, Rion blocked her way before she could reach the door.
"Am I not allowed inside?" the Princess calmly asked Rion who seemed to be pretty serious. However, despite being a royal, she didn't even appear to be offended.
"I'm afraid that's the case, Your Highness. Only the royals and a few military officials from this kingdom are allowed inside the room," Rion said to the Princess in a formal tone.
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom "Alright. I wish her a speedy recovery," Princess Athena said and then tried to turn around, but...
The door was opened and Crown Prince Zaro appeared. "Let her in, Rion. I can vouch for her."
Though Rion still felt a bit reluctant, he can't insist, especially after hearing the Crown Prince second sentence. Then he bowed his head. "Yes, Your Highness."
With a gesture from Rion, Princess Athena walked inside the Commander's chamber. She noticed that the Crown Prince was already sitting beside the bed again and all the time, his gaze was on the Commander.
It had almost been a week since she arrived in Jerivia and though she never says it, she never failed to notice how the Crown Prince looked at the Masked Commander. Even now, she knew how he was spending much of his time here, in this chamber.
Princess Athena slowly approached the Crown Prince and stood beside him. She briefly glanced at the Commander before she shifted her gaze to Zaro and asked, "Do you love her that much, Crown Prince?"
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