Meanwhile, Prince Kelton, Sir Hamnet, and Sir Droyn made it back to Greywolf Castle. It had taken them longer than usual because Prince Kelton was still feeling strange after his forgotten night with the Dragonwoman. The feeling affected him enough that he nearly tumbled from his horse when they entered the courtyard. Sir Droyn and Sir Hamnet steadied him until he could be assisted from his horse and taken inside.
“Dilligens,” Prince Kelton protested as Sir Hamnet half carried him to his room.
“Sir Droyn is getting him now, Sire,” Sir Hamnet replied.
Prince Kelton stumbled as he bent his head forward in acknowledgment.
His manservant, Gailan, was quick to assist when they entered the room. They laid Prince Kelton on his bed.
“What happened?” Gailan asked, worried.
“We aren’t entirely sure,” Sir Hamnet replied. “But we are fairly certain that Prince Kelton married a Dragonwoman while we were in Palion City.”
Gailan shook his head in disbelief. “He wouldn’t do that to Lady Iredys.”
“He was drunk, Gailan.”
He shook his head again. “Kelton wouldn’t….”
Sir Hamnet looked at him with pity.
Prince Kelton moaned and shifted on the bed.
“We should make you more comfortable,” Gailan said, struggling to shift his attention to removing Prince Kelton’s sword belt and shoes.
He had just finished removing them when Queen Leona and Dilligens entered the room, followed by Sir Droyn. Dilligens approached the bed and felt Prince Kelton’s pulse. He then looked into his eyes.
“How are you feeling, Sire?” he then asked.
“Listless, nauseated,... tired.”
Dilligens turned to Sir Hamnet and Sir Droyn. “Did either of you notice any strange markings when you thwarted his kidnapping?”
“He had a solid Diamond band on his left ring finger,” Sir Hamnet said.
“A band that looked broken when he seemed to come back to himself after our arrival in Salgon Town,” Sir Droyn added.
Dilligens’ brow furrowed before he walked around the bed to check Prince Kelton’s left ring finger. He slowly slid the Garnet ring from his finger, revealing the cracked Diamond band that had been carved into the flesh.
“What is it, Dilligens?” Queen Leona demanded.
“I can’t quite say for sure, Your Majesty,” he replied. “Dragonfolk are not known to leave this kind of marking when they claim a mate. What I can say for certain, is that magic was involved. I’m just not entirely sure how.”
“Inform me the moment you learn something. If it is the Dragonfolk, then this means war.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Dilligens, Gailan, Sir Droyn, and Sir Hamnet all bowed as Queen Leona left the room.
“She doesn’t actually mean that, does she?” Gailan softly asked Sir Hamnet.
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Prince Kelton laughed then coughed.
Dilligens was quick to get him some water to drink.
“Thank you, Dilligens,” he said.
“My pleasure, Your Highness.”
“Unfortunately, Gailan, my mother is serious,” Prince Kelton said, turning his hazy focus toward his servant. “She will do all she can to eradicate magic, most especially when it threatens me.”
“But…,” he started to protest, but stopped when Sir Hamnet grabbed his shoulder.
“I would refrain from speaking further, Gailan,” he warned. “We’d hate to see you lose your head.”
Gailan’s mouth opened and closed a couple times before he closed it and bowed to Prince Kelton. “My apologies, My Lord. I don’t know what came over me.”
“Forgiven,... Gailan,” Prince Kelton said, before he fell asleep.
When he woke again, his eyes burned and felt very dry. His nose was plugged up and his throat felt dry and scratchy. He tried to push himself up into a semi-reclined position, but his arms felt weak.
“Gailan,” he rasped.
“He’s stepped out for a moment, Sire,” Dilligens replied. “Here. Drink this.”
Prince Kelton accepted the tonic that Dilligens had brought to him, but after a couple swallows he coughed and nearly gagged.
“Dilligens, what…?”
His question was cut short as Dilligens forced him to drink the rest of it.
“Dilligens! That’s….”
Prince Kelton covered his mouth and sat up as his stomach cramped. The sweet, yet bitter, spicy, and caramelized citrus flavors teased the back of his tongue. His stomach cramped again as bile rose in his throat. A bucket was placed on his lap as he threw up. A black substance came out of his mouth. It was sweet, and earthy, and definitely putrid. The smell alone was strong enough to make him throw up some more.
“Ugh,” he moaned before he gagged and spit more of the nasty black stuff out of his mouth.
He drew in a breath and immediately regretted it. He threw up again, expelling more of the horrible black stuff.
“What is this?” he wondered, before he threw up a mouthful of yellowish stomach acid.
“The worst kind of Magic,” Dilligens said before removing the bucket.
He helped Prince Kelton drink some water then had him drink another bottle of the sweet, yet bitter, spicy, and caramelized citrus stuff. It didn’t taste so bad the second time, but the painful cramping in his abdomen said otherwise. Prince Kelton hurried to get out of bed, but struggled to remain on his feet. A sweet, earthy, and putrid smell hit his nose again. He did his best to breathe out of his mouth after that, but the scents were strong enough for him to taste them again. By the time his guts stopped cramping, he felt oddly refreshed and energized.
“May I see you left hand, Sire?” Dilligens asked.
Prince Kelton held out his left hand and Dilligens partially removed the Garnet ring he wore. The Diamond band looked as clear as it had the day he felt it engraved into his finger. Dilligens ran his thumb over it, but it didn’t flake off at all. He tried to pick at it, but the Diamond band had no edges to get purchase from. His brow furrowed in confusion.
“What is it, Dilligens?” Prince Kelton asked as Dilligens turned his hand palm up as he continued to inspect the Diamond band.
Although none of the black cracks remained, a thin strip of new skin broke the ring on the palm side of his hand.
“I’m not entirely sure, Sire,” he replied. “I expected the Diamond band to disappear with the evil that tainted your body, but it hasn’t. However, the break in the ring leads me to believe that you are no longer bound to the woman you bedded.”
“What would be the reason that the ring would not disappear entirely?” Prince Kelton wondered.
“I do not know, Sire,” Dilligens said, before he tried to pick at the corners of the broken band to no avail. “It would be my guess that, when you were with her, you were willing to remain faithful and loyal to her.”
Flashes of that night came to his mind. Dilligens’ words made sense based on who he thought it was he had brought to his bed. However, if it was her, where would she have gotten the evil magic from? Why would she feel the need to use it on him? It made more sense for someone who was not her to use it.
“Do you think it will ever go away?” Prince Kelton asked as Dilligens slid the Garnet ring back into place.
“I wish I could tell you, yes, Prince Kelton,” Dilligens replied with a sigh. “One way to find out is to see if you can find the woman and hope she will be willing to give you some answers. Otherwise, you may have that for the rest of your life.”
“Will it interfere with me getting married again?”
“Where the band has been broken, I doubt it.”
Prince Kelton nodded. “Thank you, Dilligens.”
“My pleasure, Your Majesty. I will let you know if I come to learn anything more.”
“Please do.”
Dilligens nodded, bowed, then left the room.