3 A Sad News

Silver woke up yawning widely as the sun spread its glittering rays. Beside his bed there was a window through which he could see city outside. There was a shop with a young and exceptionally beautiful lady selling fruits and vegetables to the people. Seeing those people he remembered his own home town and a tragic fate he had suffered.

Sizen is a closed nation that is surrounded by the landof pólemos which lies near to the ocean. The population of the country was about Two Lakhs Seventy Five Thausand. The country had castle, one at each land.

Fire village to the north, Wind village to the east, Lightning village to the west, Earth village to the Southwest and Water village to the Southeast with capital at the centre. Each village is about about Hundred miles away from the capital and each village had population of Twenty Five Thausand. Whereas, capital had population of One lakhs( 100000 ) .

About Fifty percentage of the population of capital were ordinary humans while others were Elementals. The capital is surrounded by huge black wall. The walls have five different gates which directly leads to five different castles. King of Sizen is selected through election voted by the people of capital alone, from one of the eldest prince of five lands. One prince is son of the king and four are sons of four councillors who works alongside the king. The king and his four councillors are leaders of one of the villages.

The king was Pawan Davis from wind village.

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A month ago.....

In the water village, Country of Sizen.....

Early in the morning the golden sun rose up turning the dark and gloomy sky into a bright and cheerful blue sky. The milky white clouds were hovering around the vast sky. Blue and black birds were singing and dancing with the clouds. There was a huge farm beside the castle and a lake next to it. A black wall stood tall Southeast to the lake which surrounded entire water village. The remaining face of lake was surrounded by a small forest. There was a huge gate in the wall at the northwest side of the village facing towards the capital.

In the forest the trees danced with the whistling cool wind which welcomed the new morning. Men wearing muddy and tattered clothes were working in the field. Other men were cutting the woods and few others were lifting the weight. Two men were guarding the gate of the village. Childrens were playing and bathing in the lake, woman were washing the clothes and doing dishes while watching childrens play.

A farmer was saying, " hope we have a huge harvest this year unlike last year. "

Another farmer replied " I hope so too. " — and yawned.

An old lady smacked both Farmers and said, " We will never have a good harvest if you guys keep talking all day long, will we now ? "

" Sorry mam " the farmers replied with little fear in their voice and started working again.

On other hand the women were crying to their childrens, " Don't go swimming too far away from us. "

Their childrens replied laughing and splashing water at each other, " Ok mom.... don't worry about us. " and continued to swim again.

It was a joyful, pleasant, beautiful and a normal morning as every other morning but little did they know of the horrors that was to befall them.

Soon....

An army of 2000 people arrived at the gate of the village. The group in the front were carrying a red casket.

At the prince quarters, Silver was with his mother, Kara Davis. The room was rather Small. There was a wooden bed opposite to the window. There was a table below the window, a wardrobe near to the table and small dressing room next to it. Silver was sitting on the table and his mother was sitting right next to him holding a piece of paper and a pen.

Silver was learning the art of healing, poisons and medicines from his mother for he was to become future physician to the king or even The King .

Kara was asking questions to Silver about poisons and medicines whereas he was answering to her,

Kara : Which is the most effective potion tostop heavy bleeding from wounds..?

Silver : Witch Hazel (smile)...

"Tell me about blue rocket..."

"It's a flowering plant with flower of violet colour. A deadly poison can be extracted from its root. It is commonly used by assassin. But it can also be used to neutralize another poison made from sea weeds, sea devil."

"humm..... what about ' Winter Blessings '....?"

"It's a potion derived from the leaves and bark of the shurb of the same name. It can stop the effect of the poisons , this potion is effective for about...."

As he was explaining about the winter blessings he was interrupted by a guard who came in there hurriedly sweating all over his body.

Guard : Forgive me my lady....but...Ummm.... can we speak in private.....its a....ummm..... matter of upmost urgency.

Kara looked at silver and gave him a piece of paper that she was holding..."Go to the forest and collect all the herbs listed in this paper."

"Fine!." Silver replied with a disappointed voice and took the basket that was on the table, looked at the guard with anger and left the room.

"What is it ?.... Is something wrong?" She asked to the guard with curiosity.

"Well.....ummmm.....aaaaaa.... actually the.....aaaaaa..... "said the guard, his entire body trembling with fear. He looked too scared even to speak.

"Well Spit it out already...."

Guard snapped out of his fear.

Looking down at his feet, "Forgive me my lady to be bearer of such a sad news but his imperial majesty is dead and your husband along with him. I was told that both of them were poisoned to dea...."

Kara fell on the ground crying and screaming with her heart out putting her right hand on her head and pulling her hair.

"Noooooo..... he is not dead , he can't be..." she looked at the guard and yelled, "tell me it's not true." She was in utter denial.

Silence of guard told her everything she needed to know and she cried in agony yet again.

"Noooooooooo , not him too."..." why...?"

"My lady please pull yourself together , I can't see you like this." guard tried to calm her down.

Kara took her time but she finally calmed herself down and removed her hand from her head as she took deep breath couple of times. Then she stood up wiping her tears from her face.

"Who gave you this news?"

"It was Ser Jones..."

"Ser Jones.....? He's here?"....

"Yes My lady, he is here with an army of two thousand carrying your husband's coffin and he wishes to seeyou at the village gate.

"An army? Why would Ser Jones need an army?" she thought to herself and said "Yes, we must go and see him I want to know everything."