Chapter 5

It was late in the evening when they arrived back at Crescent village. Francis alighted from his horse as fast as he could. He didn't bother taking his horse back to its place like he used to. As he walked by, everyone bowed, but he seemed more angry than usual. Francis was never really in a good mood, but that day was quite different. Francis stormed into his room, where the old man waited for him. The moment Francis walked in, the man fell to his knees. "Your majesty, I hope that you listened to my advice and you left the people a Silver Village alone," the man said. Francis didn't give a response; he only paced around with his hands rubbing his head. The old seer, Sir. Oliver finally raised his head. Seeing Francis's demeanour, he knew something was wrong. Francis was never bothered by anything, not even the greatest and most worrisome things. "Your majesty....is everything okay?" Sir. Oliver asked calmly. "Everything is wrong, Oliver!" Francis sneered, and the lanterns in the room broke. Sir. Oliver stepped back. "I would have seen it if there's trouble," Sir. Oliver mouthed in confusion. "Every single thing is wrong! Oliver! Nothing is right! Why didn't you tell me!" Francis seethed. "I do not understand what you mean, your majesty. Did anything happen at Silver Village?" Sir. Oliver asked, taking steps backwards. He knew the best thing he could do for himself that moment was to get as far from Francis as he could. "I saw a girl at Silver Village, King Lucas's first daughter. I....I felt threatened," Francis hesitantly revealed. Sir. Oliver's eyes creased. "Threatened?" He asked. "Did you notice anything, Your Majesty?" Sir Oliver asked with a sense of urgency in his voice. "Look into my eyes," Francis ordered. "Your majesty....I wouldn't dare to...to look into your eyes." "Look into my eyes!" Francis yelled, and the old man was left shivering. He was confused, and he didn't understand what was going on. Francis was always strict on never looking in the eye...he just didn't understand what he was suddenly requesting. Francis held the old man by his head, making him face him directly. Francis kept looking into Sir Oliver's eyes as if he were waiting for something. He threw the man sideways and walked towards the window. "Your Majesty," Sir. Oliver called, trying not to fall. "I couldn't look into her eyes. It burned," Francis revealed, with a sense of fear in his voice. Sir. Oliver's breath was seized for a minute. "It can't happen," Sir. Oliver mouthed. "When I looked into her eyes, it felt like my eyes were going to melt. I had never felt so much pain in my whole life. It...it seems like she felt the same way too. She reacted," Francis revealed. "And...and when I tried to strangle her, I could only suspend her for a few seconds before I lost control of her. Everything else that I tried afterwards didn't work! I felt powerless!" Francis yelled and Sir. Oliver rushed towards Francis's bed to pick a book he kept under it. He opened the book shakily. "She can't be the girl from the prophecy, can she?" Sir. Oliver asked. "The prophecy? I thought you told me King. Harrington's daughter was the one who was destined to kill me. I killed her the moment you told me. How could it be her?" Francis yelled, losing his patience. Sir. Oliver flinched. "I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I guess we were wrong. It says here that everything about her seems like a curse. There would be a repelling force between you two," Sir. Oliver revealed. "Why didn't you tell me all of this before! We killed someone who didn't even matter. The name is Mala! It means evil! She's the one....and I can't even kill her," Francis said, letting out a scoff. "I am just as worried as you are, your highness. I do not know what we have to do, but the girl surely must die," Sir. Oliver said. "Check the book. Check everywhere, there has to be something!" "I am afraid, Your Highness, there is nothing that we can do about it. We can only make preventions," Sir. Oliver said. "Preventions? Does my life seem like a joke to you? I lived my whole life perfectly, only for me to be threatened by Mala?" "Now we have only one choice, your highness, you have to attack her at her weakest," Sir Oliver said. "I am powerless around her," Francis remained. "I am aware, your majesty. I am sure she is somehow attracted to you, like every woman here in Crescent and beyond. You're a fine man, your highness. Use it against her," Sir. Oliver said. Francis took a while to release a self-mocking laugh. So you want me to use my looks to get what I want, like some cheap man? You want me to fool around with a woman just to get to her? I would do anything. I would kill, burn, and hate, but I would never stand so low and succumb to a mere woman," Francis flatly answered. "But your majesty," Sir. Oliver protested. "Kill her yourself if you must." "You'll die," Sir. Oliver said, nd Francis stopped. He never felt threatened by the word death, not until that moment. She has the power to kill you, but I am sure she doesn't know it yet. It's better that you have her under your control and end her before she figures it out. I have a way out, but it won't work unless she loves you," Sir. Oliver said. Francis sat at the edge of the bed and held his head. "If I...if I make her love me, then what happens next?" He asked. "We'll bury her alive on the night when you become a full beast," Oliver answered. "It's about four full moons away. It's far," Francis yelled. "We do not have a choice but to wait," Sir Oliver answered. "Leave. I'll think about it," Francis ordered. "Yes, your majesty, but be careful. In everything you do, do not fall in love with the curse," Sir. Oliver warned.