Chapter 17

    

    *Third Person's Pov*

    

    

As soon as they entered the infirmary, the queen's heart were torn apart when she saw her daughter's state. She's laying on a bed with bruises in her once fair white skin. Her pinkish lips turned pale and her golden hair almost fade it's glow. 

"My daughter," she said in the middle of her tears. She caressed her daughter's cheeks who were as pale as her lips.

"Mommy is here my princess you don't have to be afraid." 

She held her daughter's left hand and gently kisses the top of it. 

"Maurice, she will be fine," the king said to comfort his wife. He held his daughter's hand as well and kisses her forehead.

"Their will never be light in our lives if we lost you darling. So please wake up and come back to us. We beg you." The king wasn't able to stop himself from crying.

She might not be their own flesh and blood but in their hearts she is their one and only daughter. The one who brought joy into their hearts.

    

    

"Wake up darling, we will wait for you. Please wake up!" the queen and king cried while they both hug their daughter.

"Your majesty, your highness," Leana called them nervously. She's afraid that they will blame her for her negligence. But she is ready to be blamed, she accepts the fact that it was her fault as well. If only she stayed with the princess, things shouldn't have turned out this way. She could have protected her!

The king and queen both turned around to face her. Leana bowed down her head while her hands were shaking.

"How could you let this happen Leana?" the king shouted angrily at her.

Leana's legs trembled in fear. She's constantly sweating and wasn't able to utter even a single word. 

"Answer me Leana!" the king yelled at her.

    

   

"Your-----majesty, I left that morning to get some food for the princess. I thought nothing bad will happen to her since I left her inside our room. But when I return I saw her on the ground," she said while crying. "I'm really sorry your majesty, I failed to protect the princess. I deserve to die," she continued.

"Just pray that my daughter comes back to us safe from that venom or you will be sold to the slave market for your negligence!" Leana froze because of the king's words. She's not afraid of being sold in the slave market, she's afraid of the punishment the Gods and Goddesses would give her if they lost the chosen one.

"Calm down my king, we don't have to blame Leana. We both know that she's very loyal to our daughter. What happened is not her fault," the queen said to calm her husband down.

"Whatever you say Maurice!" 

    

    

"Your Majesty!" The doctor who have just came back after she left to get some medicines for the princess greeted the king and queen nervously.

"Tell us some good news doctor!" the king shouted angrily at her.

"We're sorry to tell you this but the princess is in a critical state. We don't know how to remove the venom from her blood," the doctor explained.

The queen cried even more because of what she heard. While the king slammed his fist on the wall. Both Leana and the doctor trembled in fear because of what he did.

    

    

    

"We will bring my daughter back to the palace. The royal physician will take care of her!" the king stated.

The doctor slightly nod. She's thinking that it's the best thing to do right now. Royal physicians were trained very well and they have passed through a lot of tests before they become one. That's why she's really confident that the royal physician will be able to cure the princess using his skills.

"I told Caflon to inform him as soon as possible. Now all you have to do is ready the princess because we will be heading back to the palace!" the king ordered the nervous doctor.

    

    

Meanwhile, Princess Diane and Prince Lyndon were on their way to the snake hunter's lodge.

"What the hell is this place? I don't even hear a single sound from an animal. Is this forest dead or cursed?" Prince Lyndon complained that made Princess Diane mad.

"Will you please shut up Lyndon? My head is about to burst because of the too much stress you're giving me!" she complained.

"I'm sorry Diane. It's just that, this forest is a lot more different than the first time I went here," Prince Lyndon explained. Princess Diane stopped walking and turned around to face him.

"What do you mean? You've been here before?" she curiously asked.

"Yes, me and my dad used to come here during autumn season."

    

   

"What were you doing here then?" the princess asked while raising her left brow.

"We always come here to talk to the snake hunter. Because we always receive complaints from our people about the wild animals  killing their sheeps. So we went her to seek help."

"It means that he's not just a snake hunter? He can also hunt different kinds of animals?" The prince laughed hard because of the princess's statement.

"Of course! He's a hunter and he is capable of hunting everything. It's just that he's more tough when it comes to hunting snakes that's why he was called snake hunter," the prince explained.

    

    

"Oh that makes sense. Then what about this forest during those times? Did you see a lot of animals in here?" she asked curiously. The prince nodded in response.

"Did you know that once we stumbled on a lion in here? I was really nervous that time that I was constantly screaming for help." Princess Diane wasn't able to stop herself from laughing so hard because of what she heard.

"A prince that's supposed to be mighty and brave knows how to scream?" she teased.

"I was still young at that time. And mind you, it wasn't just an animal. It's a big carnivorous lion!" he said emphasizing the word lion.

"I know, but still it's inappropriate for a prince to scream like a girl who have just seen a frog!" the princess said while laughing.

"Go on, laugh all you want!" Prince Lyndon said angrily. Then he walked pass her.

"Sorry, it's just that I never thought you were that afraid of lions."

"Everyone's afraid of lions!" the prince insisted.

"Enough of this nonsense! We need to hurry look for that hunter so that we could justify our accusations towards Amira. We need to punish that traitor!"

"You're right. We have to hurry!" Then they started looking for the hunter's house again.

    

    

     While looking for the hunter's house they stumbled on an old woman who looks so skinny. She's wearing a rag and her face is covered with dirt.

    

    

    

"I'm thirsty," the poor old woman said. They suddenly felt pity towards her that's why they offered her some water to drink. 

"Thank you, you two are very kind," the woman said politely.

"We are always happy to help grandma," Princess Diane told her with a smile. While Prince Lyndon just gave her a smile.

"I know, and I could see that you are both destined to do great things. You will save this world from disaster!" the woman said that made them speechless. They looked at each other as if trying to figure out what the woman had just told them.