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Description
Keeping A Secret

***

"The baby appears to be healthy," the healer announced. "You are now entering your seventh month is that correct?"

"It is," Elincia replied, smiling up at Ike. "The baby will be here before you know it."

Ike smiled, "So it seems."

The healer packed up, told the King and Queen to expect him to be back in a couple of weeks and exited the room.

The Queen fixed her dress and sat up.

"Are you feeling well?" the bluenette asked.

"Quite," she answered. "This day has been lovely. Thank you, Ike, for being here."

He forced a smiled. "You are my wife, it's my job."

She smiled and brushed out her hair. "Are you busy the rest of the day?"

"I have some things to attend to yes, but I will be back to see you soon," Ike replied.

The Queen smiled and kissed her husband on the cheek. "It's so nice to have you back, my sweet Ike."

He nodded and gave her a soft smile. "See you soon." The bluenette turned and left their room.

Elincia sighed happily and turned to look out the window.

"My Queen!" Lucia cried, rushing into the room, breathless.

The emeralde's momentary high caused by her baby's good health and Ike's sudden attentiveness vanished as soon as she saw the look on her dear friend's face. "Lucia? What's wrong?"

The bluenette dried her eyes. "Geoffrey's been attacked. He was poisoned, my Queen. He's being looked over by the healer, but it's a nasty venom... He's not doing well at all."

"Heavens!" the Queen cried. "Let's go, at once!"

Lucia nodded and rushed out with Elincia in tow.

The two made it down to the medic, who was tending to Geoffrey with a recover staff.

"My Lord Geoffrey!" the emeralde cried and rushed over to the Lance Knight.

"My... Queen," he replied weakly, taking the woman's small hand as she offered it.

"Who did this?" she demanded, her cheeks turning scarlet in her uncharacteristic fury. "Who would harm you in my castle?"

"S-... Soren... Ike's pet."

Elincia's heart hit the floor. "How can that be?" she questioned quietly. "What was the cause?"

Geoffrey winced as the medic removed the dagger. Now that the source of the venom was gone, the antitoxin started to take effect. He could feel his strength returning."He stabbed me when I approached the west wing... apparently, my life is meaningless compared to what the King's hidden."

The Queen hastily stood. "And I will soon know what that is," she declared, lifting the hem of her dress and rushing off.

***

Once down the hall Ike came upon a loyal servant and stopped. "I have a request that I need you to fill immediately. Please have someone sent out to the florist to pick up a dozen red roses. Have them sent to the Queen's room as soon as possible."

"At once, my lord!" the server replied before rushing off.

Ike smiled.

IIIIKE!" Mist called, rushing through the halls to reach her brother. "Ike! Ike! It's Soren! He's hurt real bad! Rhys has him!"

"What!?" Take me! Now!" he answered.

The young woman hurried along to the south medical bay where Ike walked in to see Rhys tending to an open wound on Soren's forehead.

"Soren?" Ike called. "What happened?" The King keeled down beside the cot.

"Geoffrey assaulted me on my way to Pit. After beating me and demanded answers I wouldn't give, he tried to enter the west wing. He seemed angry and unstable, so I had to make a decision... I stabbed him," the young adviser informed, wincing as Rhys moved to examine his ribs.

"Soren!" Ike scolded. "Why would you do that?"

"He beat me because he assumed we were having an affair; imagine what he would have done if he found Pit, stashed away in the furthest corner of the castle... I couldn't let that happen," the sage informed.

"Please, try to relax," Rhys whispered.

Ike looked panicked. "This could be war."

"War!?" Mist asked.

"I mean, between Soren and Geoffrey, not to mention what Elincia is going to-" Ike stopped. "Elincia." His eyes shot to Soren's face.

"If she knows about Geoffrey, she'll either go for me... or Pit," he informed grimly.

The King's eyes widened and he turned on his heel to beat his wife to the west wing.

***

Elincia approached the double doors of the west wing. She exhaled. "Okay Ike, everything ends here." She pulled the doors open widely and walked through.

***

Sitting on his bed, Pit watched the shadows slowly travel across the room as the sun moved across the sky. I've never known Soren to be so late... the cherub thought glumly as his stomach rumbled. I hope he's okay...

Just then, the Fallen heard the double doors at the end of the hall open, followed by quiet, dainty steps and a strong, negative energy.

Soren!

The Angel leapt from the bed and rushed to the door, yanking it open and jumping out into the hall. "Hel--... Oh..."

(End Chapter)

Description
Keeping A Secret

***

"The baby appears to be healthy," the healer announced. "You are now entering your seventh month is that correct?"

"It is," Elincia replied, smiling up at Ike. "The baby will be here before you know it."

Ike smiled, "So it seems."

The healer packed up, told the King and Queen to expect him to be back in a couple of weeks and exited the room.

The Queen fixed her dress and sat up.

"Are you feeling well?" the bluenette asked.

"Quite," she answered. "This day has been lovely. Thank you, Ike, for being here."

He forced a smiled. "You are my wife, it's my job."

She smiled and brushed out her hair. "Are you busy the rest of the day?"

"I have some things to attend to yes, but I will be back to see you soon," Ike replied.

The Queen smiled and kissed her husband on the cheek. "It's so nice to have you back, my sweet Ike."

He nodded and gave her a soft smile. "See you soon." The bluenette turned and left their room.

Elincia sighed happily and turned to look out the window.

"My Queen!" Lucia cried, rushing into the room, breathless.

The emeralde's momentary high caused by her baby's good health and Ike's sudden attentiveness vanished as soon as she saw the look on her dear friend's face. "Lucia? What's wrong?"

The bluenette dried her eyes. "Geoffrey's been attacked. He was poisoned, my Queen. He's being looked over by the healer, but it's a nasty venom... He's not doing well at all."

"Heavens!" the Queen cried. "Let's go, at once!"

Lucia nodded and rushed out with Elincia in tow.

The two made it down to the medic, who was tending to Geoffrey with a recover staff.

"My Lord Geoffrey!" the emeralde cried and rushed over to the Lance Knight.

"My... Queen," he replied weakly, taking the woman's small hand as she offered it.

"Who did this?" she demanded, her cheeks turning scarlet in her uncharacteristic fury. "Who would harm you in my castle?"

"S-... Soren... Ike's pet."

Elincia's heart hit the floor. "How can that be?" she questioned quietly. "What was the cause?"

Geoffrey winced as the medic removed the dagger. Now that the source of the venom was gone, the antitoxin started to take effect. He could feel his strength returning."He stabbed me when I approached the west wing... apparently, my life is meaningless compared to what the King's hidden."

The Queen hastily stood. "And I will soon know what that is," she declared, lifting the hem of her dress and rushing off.

***

Once down the hall Ike came upon a loyal servant and stopped. "I have a request that I need you to fill immediately. Please have someone sent out to the florist to pick up a dozen red roses. Have them sent to the Queen's room as soon as possible."

"At once, my lord!" the server replied before rushing off.

Ike smiled.

IIIIKE!" Mist called, rushing through the halls to reach her brother. "Ike! Ike! It's Soren! He's hurt real bad! Rhys has him!"

"What!?" Take me! Now!" he answered.

The young woman hurried along to the south medical bay where Ike walked in to see Rhys tending to an open wound on Soren's forehead.

"Soren?" Ike called. "What happened?" The King keeled down beside the cot.

"Geoffrey assaulted me on my way to Pit. After beating me and demanded answers I wouldn't give, he tried to enter the west wing. He seemed angry and unstable, so I had to make a decision... I stabbed him," the young adviser informed, wincing as Rhys moved to examine his ribs.

"Soren!" Ike scolded. "Why would you do that?"

"He beat me because he assumed we were having an affair; imagine what he would have done if he found Pit, stashed away in the furthest corner of the castle... I couldn't let that happen," the sage informed.

"Please, try to relax," Rhys whispered.

Ike looked panicked. "This could be war."

"War!?" Mist asked.

"I mean, between Soren and Geoffrey, not to mention what Elincia is going to-" Ike stopped. "Elincia." His eyes shot to Soren's face.

"If she knows about Geoffrey, she'll either go for me... or Pit," he informed grimly.

The King's eyes widened and he turned on his heel to beat his wife to the west wing.

***

Elincia approached the double doors of the west wing. She exhaled. "Okay Ike, everything ends here." She pulled the doors open widely and walked through.

***

Sitting on his bed, Pit watched the shadows slowly travel across the room as the sun moved across the sky. I've never known Soren to be so late... the cherub thought glumly as his stomach rumbled. I hope he's okay...

Just then, the Fallen heard the double doors at the end of the hall open, followed by quiet, dainty steps and a strong, negative energy.

Soren!

The Angel leapt from the bed and rushed to the door, yanking it open and jumping out into the hall. "Hel--... Oh..."

(End Chapter)