Chapter 31: Tensions and Turmoil

  Julien

  "We should cut it off!" Hellgarth asserted for the second time. He paced back in forth just out of reach of the king his Warhammer held tightly in one hand.

  Julien understood his worry. He stared down at his father's hand, the small part that was above the liquid but below the elbow was rapidly turning a golden color. His father had passed out from the pain and no amount of yelling was helping. Nor could they pull his father's hand out. As soon as it had touched the water a force seemed to grab a hold of it and wouldn't let him go.

  Olena was kneeling on the other side of him her hands busy with keeping the Kings head elevated. Marith and Barith were holding his legs. The only reason they hadn't let go was because they were unsure if whatever force was holding his father in place would try to pull him in completely.

  Their problem was Hellgarth the huge brute of a knight who had immediately stepped forward and drawn a dagger. He had clearly intended to cut the his father's arm off at the elbow. It was a valid response, if one was dealing with poison. But the liquid wasn't. Olena and he had to put a stop to it.

  Through Hellgarth's angry mutterings he found himself studying his father's face he looked almost peaceful in unconsciousness. A pang of uncertainty racked him. What if the liquid didn't effect everyone the same? What if only his hand changing effected his father in a bad way? What if he could no longer wield a blade? For a moment, just a moment he wanted to take Hellgarth up on his prerogative.

  Then his father's other arm twitched his fingers curling around Olena's gauntleted hand in a firm grip. Her sharp green eyes snapped up at the movement, caught his gaze and nodded reassurance. He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced over it to see Altaya standing behind him, her gold eyes flicking over him with worry.

  "I do not understand how you are being so cavalier about this!" Hellgarth roared, his grip on his weapon tightened even further. "A substance is invading our King's body how could you just let it do so!"

  "We can't just cut the kings hand off," Olena retorted her voice calm.

  "Like hell we can't!" Hellgarth shouted. "If it will save his life we can." Julien took a deep breath trying but not completely succeeding in pushing his emotions aside as he turned as much as he could to stare at the massive knight.

  "His life isn't in danger." His voice came out surprisingly calm sounding. To his astonishment it didn't show even a hint of the maelstrom of emotions welling up inside of him.

  Hellgarth's face morphed into a rictus of scorn, "And how would you know that?" The acid in his voice made him jerk backward. confusion overcame his thoughts, but the Royal knight wasn't finished.

  "This was a trap wasn't it? You Monster! It's obvious you lured us here to..." He trailed off as with one hand Olena spear shot up pointing at his throat at the same time the sound of five blades being drawn signified that Julien's squad had also taken offense to his words. He was reeling, was this the reason for all the suspicious looks. Hadn't they already proved who they were? even with his thoughts jumbled however he knew that not everyone would believe their story. That there would be suspicion among the servants and even the Royal guard was to be expected. But the Knights the closest and most trusted of their protectors? He hadn't foreseen that. He took a deep breath then raised his head to look at the knight. Hellgarth's jaw firmed as he stared back at him defiance glinting in his eyes.

  "What did you do with the real prince? Monster!" This is where he should use his best diplomacy. A fight now would solve nothing. He knew that it was the proper, maybe even right way to handle this.

  "By what right do you call me a monster?" he asked. His voice was cold as winter. It was too much. Too much had happened too fast. He'd been almost killed by elves then ambushed on the very hill they were under. Then he killed for the first time, then he almost died, and then he was changed into something... different. The hits had just kept coming and after talking to his father the pressure had abated somewhat. Now that pressure came to the fore front. He didn't stand, didn't approach didn't move more than to narrow his eyes as the knights pale red bearded face.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "Do you even have the slightest understanding of what has been happening to us since we fell into that pool." he asked the question almost quietly but continued before he could respond. "You're right I don't know what it, whatever it is, doing to my father. I don't even know what is going to happen to my own body! You know what I do know?" Now he stood, briefly he felt Altaya's hand firm on his shoulder as if to restrain him but after a second she let go. He approached the older warrior like a cat stalking a mouse, slow and steady.

  "I fought on that hilltop," he said his finger pointing upward at the cavernous ceiling. "After giving it all we had the elf was playing with us. We lost limbs, I had a hole blown in my torso for primordial's sake! Then we fell into the pool and came out without a scratch. During all this, and despite my appearance i'm still the son of the King!" His voice rose with each sentence spoke, a hint of desperation creeped into his voice but he banished it. It was time to make a point.

  "But you..." Hellgarth sputtered.

  "I what?" he said letting derision enter his voice for the first time. He didn't like confrontation's like this, he didn't like he had anything to prove. But the looks of the men, the sideways glances when nobody thought he was looking. He was tired of it.

  "You think I lured my father here with nearly two hundred men fought dire wolves beside them just to kill them all! For what!? What would that possibly accomplish? We came here for answers! because no we don't know what happened or what will happen." The knight took a step back as he approached but held his ground. The knight wouldn't however meet his eyes.

  "But all that doesn't matter. You know why? Because I am still the Prince, Your Prince! and While my father is unconscious you will follow my orders. I don't have to explain myself to you. Feel free to cut me down if you think ill harm the king. But until then, Shut up and help us figure out solutions!" He ended his rant almost chest to chest with the knight. He looked up into the mans eyes and saw recognition dawn there. It hit him then, He used to yell at his father and tutors like this when he got overwhelmed as a child. Shame burned his cheeks as he quickly turned away. His mind ground to a halt when he turned to find a smiling Olena helping his father sit up. His father was awake and cradling his left arm. But his eyes were staring at him, unrelenting glee filled his father's countenance as he smiled broadly.

  "Yeah, you are definitely Julien," he stated with a laugh. But Julien could see pain crinkling the corners of his fathers eyes. A small change most wouldn't see it but he did. He rushed over and knelt next to his father. Then his father shifted and he got a good look at his arm. From the elbow down golden skin had replaced his father's almost milk colored skin, and his fingernails glistened like crystals, their ends had also been sharpened to fine points. A hundred questions rushed to the front of his mind his anger forgotten. Then not a second later the liquid behind them exploded as Petra emerged gasping and sputtering her Now golden metallic hair glinting in the strange glow lights that were set into the a circle at the very top of the dome. For a second he paused wondering if that weird alien voice from before would speak. but after nearly a minute nothing happened.

  The first one to move was not surprisingly Rose, the young woman had been sitting quietly by the edge of pool eyes staring unblinking at where her master had fallen in. Now, she rushed forward tears beginning to fall as she reached for her mentor. she grabbed the woman's arm and began to pull with all the strength her tiny frame could muster. Olena was the second to arrive. As they began to pull her out, Julien quickly realized that the doctors clothes had been dissolved just like theirs had. A screech nearly tore from his mouth as he spun on his heel and redirected his gaze. Not before seeing more of the woman than he was comfortable with. When he turned he saw that none of the other men had gone to help the woman all of them politely finding somewhere else to look. Altaya's glare, and Katrina's smirk as they raced by him to help gave him something to think about other than the burning in his cheeks.

  Instead he turned to look at the pool as it began to ripple. Worry began to worm its way into his chests and he began to back up before the golden glow of the liquid faded. In fact the golden color of the liquid disappeared completely changing to an almost opaque white. Immediately Julien felt like the room was... lesser somehow. He had no idea why he came to that conclusion nor why he was almost certain that the pool no longer had the capacity to transform any one else. Before he could dwell on it too much he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind, there would be time to agonize over the question later. A sputtering weak voice came from the place where they had pulled Petra out. He didn't dare look however. The voice was tinged with no small amount of awe, but also their was an undertone of unfettered excitement.

  "Bring me my bag!" Petra demanded her voice hoarse. "I must begin running tests."