CHAPTER 96: MEETING WITH THE KING

The palace halls were quieter than Lumina expected. For the first time, she was to enter his private chamber. Stella walked at her side, guiding her gently.

At last, the guards before the chamber door bowed and pushed it open. The air within was cool, heavy with the faint scent of ink and parchment.

She could feel the presence of the king even before she stepped inside.

King Aden sat with a heavy scroll in his hand, his frame broad even in repose.

His crown was set upon the table beside him. His eyes lifted the moment the door opened, his gaze boring into the little girl who was beginning to shake the wall of his son.

Lumina did not hesitate. The moment her slippered foot touched the threshold, she sank gracefully to her knees and bowed her head low.

"Good morning, Your Highness," she greeted.

"It is an honor to be in your presence as one of your royal physicians."

The king’s gaze lingered on her, for some while. With a flick of his fingers, he gestured, and the attendants at his side withdrew until only Stella remained, her small hands gripping Lumina’s arm protectively.

"Move closer," King Aden ordered.

Stella helped her rise, and together they walked until they stood just a few paces from him.

"You are aware that the title you hold is not granted by your skill alone, but by the name of your husband."

Lumina lowered her head, her fingers curling in the folds of her gown. "Yes, Your Highness. But I will prove my worth with my own hands. I do not need his name to carry me."

King Aden’s eyes studied her for a long moment then he reached for a rolled parchment beside him and let it fall onto the table.

"I have signed a decree," he let out. "From this day forward, you bow to no one but me. No one in this realm may raise a hand against you without my order."

Stella shifted behind Lumina, her breath catching at how cold King Aden’s voice is, but Lumina remained still. Only the soft rise and fall of her shoulders betrayed her relief.

"It’s my honor, Your Highness," she expressed, bowing again, though this time her head did not stay as low.

King Aden rose from his chair, he crossed to the table and braced one hand against it, leaning forward just enough that the firelight caught the lines of his face.

"Do not think this decree is for you," he said. "I did it for my son and because specialty."

Lumina lifted her chin slightly, her hands folding neatly in front of her.

"You speak of Prince Ashen, as your son," she said.

King Aden’s eyes narrowed as he said."Your relationship is getting better than I imagined."

"He might not speak often," Lumina continued, "But I know the silence of a heart that has starved too long.. after all it seems we went through the same trauma. "

King Aden’s expression darkened, his jaw shifting. "So are you saying I am too cruel to him?"

Lumina’s fingers tightened against her gown. "No one in the realm would dare call your judgment a mistake," she said.

King Aden gave a short, mirthless sound that might have been a laugh.

"You once promised you would repay me for saving him."

"I have not forgotten," she replied. Her shoulders squared as she drew in a slow breath. "I will keep that promise, whatever it takes."

King Aden straightened, pacing a slow circle around the table before stopping near her.

"Ashen wasted years doing nothing," he said. "Everyone views him as a curse and I see no importance in him. Then, he suddenly became mature the moment he had a wife."

Lumina’s lips curved faintly. "So you do care for him."

King Aden’s head turned sharply.

"Care?" His hand flexed against the edge of the table.

"I hardened him because I feared what he would become without steel in his spine. But I listened too long to the voices of tradition, and shut out the voice of my own son."

Stella was shocked at the King’s revelation while Lumina only had a sly smirk.

"And now they call him cursed prince," King Aden pauses, staring at her. "Your father told me you are more like a blessing to his realm... so I am going to place my hope on that,"

"Hope? Placed?" Lumina repeated these two words and he smiled.

"Yes... I hope you can change the curse."

"So that your dragons will fly back again

For the first time, King Aden’s composure cracked. His eyes widened, his hand dropping away from the table.

His gaze flicked toward Stella, whose head lowered quickly, though her hands twisted in her skirts.

"Your maid is with you and blurted such a deep secret."King Aden’s voice thundered.

"She is more of a sister than a maid," Lumina retorted. Her hand brushed Stella’s briefly. "She knows many of my secrets..."

But King Aden’s gaze hardened. "But not mine."

"You do not even trust your own son," Lumina replied steadily. "Why would you think I would be like you?"

"Little gir...."

"Stella... please wait outside." Lumina cut him off.

Stella stood up and then bowed deeply to Lumina, then to King Aden, before slipping out of the chamber, leaving only the two of them.

"How do you know that secret?" His voice was low, dangerous.

"A realm so proud of its dragons does not let their skies stay silent without reason, talk more of the skies staying silent when the two realms are collaborating.."

"You see too much for a blind girl,"

"You let me treat the queen when others failed," Lumina replied. "If you still think I am only a blind girl, then you have misjudged me."

For a long moment, neither moved. Then King Aden’s mouth curved in something like a true smile, and a low laugh escaped him.

"You are not ordinary," he said.

Lumina’s lips curved faintly. "I am an ordinary girl with an ordinary life. But I refuse to let anyone choose my limits for me."

She raised her hand slightly, hesitant. "Allow me to take your pulse."

King Aden shook his head once. "Not yet. You will work with my physicians. Prove yourself in their halls. Then, perhaps, you may touch the wrist of a king."

Lumina inclined her head. "I will obey."

King Aden called for the guards, and the doors swung open. The clank of their armor echoed across the chamber.

"Take her to the physicians’ hall," Aden ordered.

The guards moved toward her, waiting for her to join them.

"And Lumina," King Aden said, his voice cutting across the hall. She paused, glancing back.

"Not a word of this to anyone."