A Clash of Heroes by Robert Stanek

Author:Robert Stanek [Stanek, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Reagent Press

11

Adrina grew stronger during the next several days although she still felt unwell. She knew what was wrong with her though no one had told her. Isador had been distant from her these past days, not like her usual self. Everyone within the palace was so diffident, and the palace itself was sealed tight. Everywhere she went, two guards followed her. When she tried to eat, they stopped her until the food and drink had been thoroughly tasted. She felt like a prisoner in her own home.

From her bed, she stared towards the open sunlit window, though few rays came into her chamber. She sighed, resigned to wait for the summons to come to her door. The summons came and the door swung open and Isador came in.

As the door came to rest against the wall, Isador brought a breakfast tray, a breakfast that grew cold as it was tasted repeatedly. Adrina cast several dark grimaces at the guards before they retreated, and she was allowed to eat in peace. She had little appetite after they had been digging through her food, tasting this, sipping at that; yet she was hungry, so she ate.

Isador could tell something was troubling Adrina. Still, she waited without uttering a word until she had finished her meal. She picked up the tray of food and walked away silently. Adrina called out to Isador and looked her in the eyes.

"I want to hear it from you. Tell me please--"

"It is nothing," said Isador in a weak voice.

"Isador?" begged Adrina.

"I am not supposed to tell you, dear."

"You always tell me everything, Izzy. You are my best friend, right?" said Adrina.

"It is the poison I am concerned about," whispered Isador, slipping.

"Poison?"

"Poison," repeated the nanny. She said nothing further, for she knew she had said too much already.

"But--"

Loud hysterical yelling issuing from the hall stopped Adrina. The message the man was screaming was clear, yet somehow strange. Adrina whispered the words in her mind, "The fallen have returned, the fallen have returned." What did it mean?

Adrina rushed to the door to investigate, but the guards stopped her.

"Isador, please!"

Adrina continued to beg even though Isador was weeping. Finally Isador yielded to the pleas, agreeing only if the guards accompanied them. Adrina's face lit up with a crafty grin. She wasn't quite sure which direction the man had come from although she was confident that if there were trouble, she would find it.

She followed a group of guards as they rushed toward the western wing until she came to a place where she was halted. A group of guards blocked the end of the hall and would not let her or anyone else pass. The sergeant was quite polite in his refusal; Adrina was outraged nonetheless.

"I order you to let me pass!" repeated Adrina.

"I cannot," said the guard again politely.

He dispatched two additional guards to escort the screaming princess back to her room, but they alone couldn't perform the task. Adrina grabbed a door jamb and began kicking. It took four guards to drag her away.

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