Chương 121: Interlude: The Responsibility of a Witness (Prince Aric)

Prince Aric was dancing with Lady Luxia Valis, Daren's little sister, so she could be ready for her debut ball the following week. Her governess played the piano to give them something to dance to while also serving as their chaperone, carefully watching their movements and occasionally correcting Luxia's posture. Aric was impressed by her form; she was quick on her feet and moved gracefully, though sometimes she could get a little too eager and move closer to her dance partner than was strictly proper.

Aric had danced enough at the academy that it was second nature to him, so he made sure to guide her through the dance without making her feel as though she were being instructed. Aric was about to lead her into another turn when the ballroom doors opened, and Knight Henry entered. Lyth's bodyguard looked slightly ragged in comparison to his usual composed figure.

His armor was slightly dusty, his clothes beneath it looked damp, he was carrying his helmet under one arm, his hair was sweaty and disheveled, and his face looked exhausted. The knight stopped just inside the doorway and looked around the ballroom before his eyes settled on Aric. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, as though he had only just realized that he was interrupting something, before walking over to one of the wooden chairs along the wall.

He deliberately chose a seat away from the couches, presumably because he did not want to damage the expensive furniture with his armored frame. Aric exchanged a glance with Luxia, whose expression made it abundantly clear that she resented the interruption. Aric almost smiled at that, but he knew better than to encourage her. He gave her a small nod, signaling that they should finish the dance, and the two continued while Henry removed his gauntlets.

One of the maids quickly approached him with a handkerchief and a glass of water. Henry accepted both with a thankful nod, wiping the sweat from his brow before drinking deeply. Aric watched him from the corner of his eye as they continued dancing. Something had clearly happened. Henry was not much for theatrics, but it also didn't seem to be urgent enough to interrupt a prince mid-dance. Aric finished the dance with Luxia and gave her a polite bow before turning toward the knight.

Luxia curtsied in return, but her expression remained sour as she returned to her governess. Aric approached Henry, his curiosity already getting the better of him.

"You look exhausted," Aric said. Henry rubbed his face with both hands, leaning back in the wooden chair, before letting out a long breath.

"I don't know where to start, Your Highness."

"Start from the beginning," said Aric. Henry stared at the floor for a moment before looking back at the prince. He hesitated for a second, then began explaining everything that had happened since they headed to the academy, including his encounter with Alexander Waxillam Nurad, the man calling Lira by the wrong name, his search for Lira Velora, and his conversation with the information broker named Pallan. Aric was very much interested in the details of that investigation.

Though he had never met Pallan, he was a known entity. He had taken over the Ink and Blood Syndicate at the age of twenty-five, and now, in his mid-thirties, he had an even stronger hold on part of the city. He almost had a monopoly on street-level information, and Spymaster Miloud often claimed that his reports were the most credible, especially when it came to finding dissenters and revolutionaries. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Pallan was a dangerous man because, for a gang leader, he could pass for a legitimate merchant, and he was too useful to get rid of. Is Lira associated with him? But Henry seemed to gloss over most of it as if it were an afterthought, which was weird because, from his description, the knight had spent a full day investigating her. Yet somehow, something had troubled him enough to have completely derailed his focus.

"That's when Pallan said, 'I have a report here informing me that three children in the western slums probably will not survive the summer due to a lack of medical attention. You have been informed. Go do something about it.'" Aric blinked.

"Of course, after I was done talking to him," said Henry with a sigh, "I said to myself that, unlike him, I am not letting children die on my watch, so I headed toward the western slum." Aric frowned.

"What happened?"

"I was able to find them easily… the children, I mean. But my only healing spell didn't do anything…" The knight paused for a moment.

"That was yesterday. I spent today visiting every healer in the city, every temple of Mercy, Virtue, and the Goddess. None of them were willing to go see them, let alone treat them… As soon as I described their symptoms, they just shook their heads."

"What's wrong with them?" asked Aric with a frown.

"What did they look like?" Henry was quiet for a moment.

"They were small, thin enough that you could see their bones. The eldest of the three couldn't move his legs, and the girl could barely lift her head."

"Their parents looked resigned…" he added.

"They weren't even surprised when my healing spell failed to help."

"Infantile paralysis," said Aric with a grimace. No wonder he wasn't informed about this. After last time…

"Once the sickness runs its course, there is little a healing cantrip could do, let alone a mundane physician." Aric explained with a sigh.

"I was made aware of that," sighed Henry.

"Repeatedly, by every healer that was willing to meet with me. Still, I can't help but feel responsible."

"Why do you say that?" asked Aric. The knight in front of him was two years his senior, but at the moment, he looked like a kid about to lose his innocence.

"I may have insinuated to that Pallan guy that he was responsible for knowing and letting children die, so he shackled me with an impossible burden to punish me." Or maybe a distraction from your original investigation.

"You are being ridiculous," Aric reprimanded instead, "and a little bit conceited, if I might add." Henry lowered his head.

"Those children would have suffered whether or not you had witnessed them," said Aric.

"Besides, no burden is truly impossible." Henry looked up, his eyes meeting those of his prince.

"Come on, let's go get Daren," said Aric.

"I might need his help once I am through."