He looked at me and gestured for me to follow him. I saw his expression and knew that, whatever it was, it was serious. I followed him, leaving the central plaza behind. There weren't that many people anymore. It wasn't silent and there were still some people around, but there was privacy. He took me to a building, the judicial center of the city. I was very young and I know that he was thinking about that and I saw the conflict in his eyes. I thought that maybe something bad had happened and wanted to shout for him to tell me, but I knew that it was for the best to give him time.
"..The plague.. it.."
"The plague what?"
"It arrived on the outskirts of the realm"
"What? how is that possible? wasn't it very far away"
"Yes it was.. and still is"
"What do you mean?"
"There is no nation we know of that isn't suffering with the disease"
"And what are we going to do!?"
"Your father ordered a complete lock down. No one gets out, no one gets in"
"But weren't there people on the realm infected already?"
"...your father, he.."
"He what? what did he do!?"
"He ordered them to be exterminated"
His words hit me in a way I never felt before. The idea took its time to sink and I still don't how to feel about that. I felt like shouting with him, but he was going through the same pain. He waited for me to say something and I just stood there, looking at him.
"Why did you let that happen?"
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"I wasn't there. He just ordered the minister of war after the news came and I wasn't there"
"He didn't seek council from anyone"
"As far as I know, he didn't"
"He is a fool!"
He widened his eyes when he saw my reaction. It isn't something we see everyday. My father or not, I had just offended the king and it could mean death for most.
"You know, prince..."
"What?"
"I have allways seen some intelligence in you. Something beyond the years you lived"
"What?? Are you crazy?"
I was pretty nervous. I thought he knew who I really was and feared the consequence of it. But, he was a wise man and wouldn't do any harm for no reason.
"Don't you want to come with me?"
"Come with you? Where?"
"To my mansion. I want you to study more than dancing and etiquete"
Again, his words surprised me. I still think he was a man with a mind far ahead of the time he lived in. His invitation was all I wanted. I got very good education on my last life, but I knew there was allways much more to learn. Much more so on another world. I couldn't deny that chance.
"I accept your offer"
He smiled. Maybe he thought I wasn't going to accept it.
It was time for us to go, but there was still an issue. My father was prideful and liked to see me grow to the ways he wanted me to be. It woudn't be easy to tell him and angering a king is not the wisest idea.
".. Who is going to tell my father?"
He frowned. For sure he had not thought about that and started to struggle, finally giving up as he saw me watching his expressions.
"It is not something for you to worry.I will take care of that tomorrow. Now, go to sleep"
I slowly walked out and met a few servants. They were the ones that were ordered to attend to my every need and they weren't happy at all, but they didn't make effort to hide it either. They gave me a coat to warm myself in the cold night and guided me to my carriage.
The carriage was made of dark wood and very comfortable inside. But there was something strange. No servant got in with me and I saw the face of Alazar while he was met by many guards and led way. He looked extremely serious and I started to see the soldiers dressed the same way in many spots of the city. I was paying to much attenton on them and ended up noticing it too late.
They were carrying me the wrong way. I couldn't jump, because the carriage was going too fast. I punched the wall behind the driver"
"Stop the carriage! We are going the wrong way! Hey! Stop this danm carriage!!"
I saw the city to one side and the castle to the other as we started to go up the hill.
The wisest man I knew had just made the worst decision of his life.