Chapter 42 - The Prediction

The day began with the king and queen of Arimelari holding a meeting with the subjects of the kingdom. During this, the king had announced the queen's pregnancy to the people and they congratulated him.

Alexander announced a four days feast to celebrate the good news. They returned to the palace and were now having lunch with the rest of the royal family.

"The seer will come by later. I want him to tell us what future the heir has and whether or not he will be affected by the curse or not," the queen informed everyone at the dining table.

"Yes mother, we will be sure to be present for it," Mordecai said.

"I too will come," Alexander told.

"What about you Francis?" Alex asked looking at him. "Hmm," Francis said looking up from his plate. He was lost in thought thinking about the events of the previous night that left him on a silent treatment to the king.

"I asked if you will come with us to welcome the seer and hear what he has to say," he said and Francis just stared at him as though he couldn't hear what he was saying.

"Francis," The queen's mother called to him. "Will you join us?"

"Yes mother," Francis replied immediately and went back to his food.

Alexander smiled and continued to have his food. The weird smile on his face and the weird behavior from Francis didn't go unnoticed by the queen or the Queen's mother.

The queen mother felt happy to be victorious and that Olivia was losing. It pleased her that her son found love and was happy in his life and even if her time were to come she felt content that at least he would have someone by his side that did not use him for his status.

Olivia was burning with rage from watching the two of them. She thought that after what she did yesterday Francis would distance himself from Alexander but the opposite happened. The two of them seemed to have gotten closer.

"Why are you acting like a shy lovesick puppy?" Mordecai asked in a whisper in his ear.

"Nothing," Francis replied almost immediately.

"I see just don't forget that you owe me a favor. I have kept Olivia away from the king as you had wanted," he said.

They had their food and each went their separate ways after. Alexander went to the royal throne room. He looked around missing the presence of his father in the beautiful wall and wishing he could turn back time and take things to the way they used to be. He was still not over the loss of his father and being long-only made his situation worse.

He felt like he was trying to replace his father and the last thing he wanted was for people to forget his father the king and the great things that he had done for Arimelari. He stood in the throne room for hours without moving.

Memories of his life with his father flashed before his eyes and tears of sorrow ran down his cheeks. He felt empty without his biggest strength there by his side but he had to stop himself from falling. He had a kingdom to think about and despite feeling like he could suffocate from all the negative energy inside him. He remained intact for his people.

"Father," he uttered in a soft voice brushing his hands on the throne he used to sit on. He took the crown in his hands and recalled how good it looked on his father's head.

"I miss you so much father," he whispered and placed the crown on his head. He looked down from the throne. His father's figure stood at the bottom of the stairs looking at him.

His day was filled with memories of the man who gave him the strength to live on despite the curse. The man who did everything he could to make him feel at home in his kingdom.

"Are you okay?" he heard a very familiar voice ask him and looked up from the ground.

"Silvia," he said as she climbed the stairs to reach him.

"Are you okay?"

"Why do always ask me that?" Alexander asked recalling the numerous times she had asked him if he was okay since they met.

"Because everyone is always concerned about their problem. But you are selfless and hence you worry about others before yourself. That is why I ask if you are okay, carrying so many people's problems must be tiresome," she said sitting on the queen's seat.

"I am fine," Alexander replied. "But why are you here?"

"Well, the queen mother came to see me. She asked me if I could join your council and she refused to take no for an answer so here I am," she said cheerfully.

"My mother can be persistent when she wants something," he said. "But I doubt that Olivia is going to happy to see you here. And she might create problems for you for being here" he added.

"I have dealt with her for so long that I have gotten used to her. I am not scared of her but she should be scared of me because now nothing is stopping me from fighting back since I am not her co-wife anymore," She said imitating how Olivia normally spoke.

"I am glad you are here," Alexander said.

The two of them made small talk and spend the rest of the evening together. The talk was nice and relaxing to Alexander's troubled soul and allowed him to stop thinking about his father and how much he missed him.

"Sire," a voice came from the door. The two of them looked up to the door. Malcolm came into the room and bowed to the king. "My king, the queen mother wishes that I inform you that the seer is here," he said.

"Thank you. Shall we," He said and offered his hand to her. Silvia placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her out of the throne room.

"Why is the seer in the palace?"

"To tell us more of Olivia's child," he replied and they walked to the family room.

"Then this is a family matter. I should stay away from it."

"You are family," Alexander said opening the door to the family room and they walked inside hand by hand.

The queen mother and the others were already in the room. Francis sat alone in the corner while the Queen mother sat by her younger son. Olivia sat at the special seat, there was space next to her reserved for the king.

Silvia let go of the king's hand and left him. She walked over to where Francis was sitting and gave him a sweet smile.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked him. Francis moved and let her seat next to him.

"It's nice to see you, Silvi," he said to her. "I'm glad you came or I would have died of loneliness here," he said embracing her in a hug.

"I am happy that I was missed. And no need to feel lonely. I am here now," she said. The seer walked into the room, they all stood up to show their respect for him. He walked directly to the king and queen and bowed his head in respect to the crown and sat by Olivia's side.

He took out his tools from his bag and laid them down to her feet. He arranged them nicely and started reading what the future hold for the heir of Arimelari. He took a couple of minutes looking at the bones, the people present in the room held their breaths hoping for a good prediction.

"Your son will be a dragon," he began getting the attention of everyone in the room." He will be the epitome of pain and suffering for the one closest to your heart my king," he said. Alexander lifted his head and looked at Francis.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked his heart getting restless from the prediction.

"He will be born as the black moon dragon that is destined to destroy all supernatural creatures except his kind. He will the fear of all that is close to you and is bound to kill the one you love the most," the seer said.

The King got up from his seat angrily. He couldn't believe what the seer was saying. His head was vibrating and his thoughts were flying around confusing him. His love was the only thing he had that was keeping him from completely losing it and now that to had a deadline.

Having been told that his son will be the one to end Francis's life he couldn't help feeling hatred for the mother and unborn child. Both of them were hellbound on taking Francis away from him.

"Is there a way to evade this?" the queen's mother asked.

"There is a way. A kiss of true love can change the dragon prince's fate," he said to them.. "Only with this kiss will he be able to spare the chosen one," he added causing the room to go silent.