Loud gasps rippled across the venue,then a scream tore through the courtyard as the guests rose to their feet.
The king rushed to him,the attendants had stopped moving,the guest stood startled their eyes afixed on the collapsed young imperial prince.
"Call the royal physician!"a king yelled from the raised platform."Arrest these attendants!"
They had gathered around him,a few attempting to heal him with outstretched hands glowing faintly with mana,while others stood back in stunned disbelief.
Some royals nobles rushed forward,drawn by loyalty,while others watched from where they stood,their eyes darting and voices lowered as they began spreading whispers that slithered through the crowd.
The courtyard gates burst open and more imperial knights flooded in as their armoured steps echoed harshly against the ground,some racing to the platform and others standing along the walkway,facing the guests with drawn swords.
"Protect the imperial family,protect their majesties!"Zero yelled out.
"No one leaves!...search all guests!,seize anyone suspicious!"King maxmillian roared from the raised platform.
They seized the attendants,overturned trays and carefully searched each noble before they were allowed out of the courtyard gates.
Tyran however had carried Ramses from the table and was knelt next to him with an arm firmly supporting his head,his shoulders trembling from fright while hoping he was putting on the perfect act.
"Ramses!...No—no no! Ramses you mustn't!"Tyran cried out as he placed him against his chest,his hands clutching him tightly before slightly lowering his head to listen for a breath.
When he discovered he was breathing,he heaved a trembling relieving low sigh,hugging him tightly,his heart soaring but he knew eyes were watching.
'The prince was gone',he had to feign the perfect act,
Tyran's brows knit together,his eyes shut tightly,teeth gnashing in grief.
"Ahhhhhhggrrhhhh...You mustn't!—you mustn't!"he cried out even louder,his voice trembling after each word.
He buried his face in Ramses's body before slightly raising it,the brief absence of grief flickering across his features when no one could see as his eyes darted sideways at the features surrounding him.
Ren was no where in sight.
He couldn't smell the general,if the spell had worked,why was the prince unconscious Had the general had knocked him out to perfect the act?
But more importantly where was he?how was he?
Tyran vanished with his son when he caught sight of the royal physicians racing towards him,people who might ruin his perfectly crafted plan if they discovered the prince was unharmed.
He appeared at the door to Fiona's bed chamber where the blind aged Royal physician and the lead royal assassin stood waiting.
They bowed to to welcome him, trailing behind him when he pulled down the barrier.
Tyran rushed to place the prince on the bed before stepping aside for the blind physician who was guided by the lead assassin.
The physician reached the bed,then placed a hand on his neck to feel his pause before resting a hand on his forehead and turning in the emperor's direction with a calm reassuring smile.
"The child is safe and sound and in no apparent danger...he only appears to be under a slumber spell".
A slumber spell could only work on an opponent with a higher magic energy, and Ramses's magic level was higher than the general's,to think he had pulled it through.
Carolene stormed into the bedroom and her eyes immediately fell on the prince's body,her expression melted in confusion.
She bowed respectfully before turning Ramses's way.
"Your imperial majesty,it's his birthday—"She stopped midway and rushed to his side in a panic.
"Is—is he alright?..."
"He is fine"Tyran assured and turned to the lead assassin"You both wait outside,I will return in no time"
He walked out the barrier,sealing it completely before vanishing to appear at the door to general Ren's residence,an enormous white and gold coloured mansion occupying a vast major part of the land in Urah's third district nicknamed the scarlet district after he had bought the whole district to himself.
The mansion had no servants or workers and somehow managed to remain spotless and untouched.It was said to only allow in those the general's barrier wasn't restricted to,the imperial family.
Tyran had only been here once as a child with his father who dared not visit him again after the general scolded them that day.
He pushed the large door at the entrance before racing towards the general's scent.
The stench of blood that hung in the air made his heart pound violently.
When he entered his bed chamber,Tyran's blood ran cold,as he took in terrifying sight before him.
Ren lay sprawled on the cold floor with a small pool of blood underneath his head.
"Ren!"Tyran yelled,running to him.
"Ren!...Ren it's me!..wake up!"he called out,his voice cracking as he shook him vehemently.
But the general's cold body helplessly lay unresponsive on the marble floor,his eyes shut,his usual cold stare and overwhelming aura was gone,completely gone.
He had never found himself yearning so much for that cold glare again he badly wanted Ren's scolding again.
"Don't you dare!"
Tyran listened for a breathing,there was none.
He couldn't sense his magic energy either.
He felt pain and grief surge violently within him
"Ren—Ren—Ge...general... General!"he called out,his voice shaking from fright.
He raised the general's head before parting his scarlet hair blood drenched to reveal a clean uninjured scalp,the bleeding wasn't from his head.Then his eyes caught sight of the blood stain on a corner of his lip.
He was bleeding internally.
After gently placing him back on the ground,he placed a firm palm atop his chest and the other palm against the first then forcefully though carefully began pushing against his chest attempting to restart his heart,while stopping at intervals to check if he was breathing.
"You can't—die,you wouldn't—do this to me would you?You have been so—disobedient—I am yet to punish you for all your arrogance...If you do i will go back to the underworld to find you and punish you myself!"
Tyran pushed with all his might,his desperation fueling with every movement, clinging to the fragile hope that anyone in his position would grasp unto—Ren was not dead,he couldn't be.
The general was one who had lived for centuries.
A mere poison would never be able to take his life.
"It's my fault Ren...it's my fault,you can scold me as you please I beg youuu!!"
He pushed even harder until suddenly the general coughed up more blood.
Tyran stopped for a split second before rechecking,to notice a faint breathing.
Relief crashed over his gloomy features.
And with both his arms outstretched,he began healing him,his hands immersed in a golden glow as he poured all his magic energy into him.
When the healing was completed,he teleported them to the entrance to Fiona's quarters, blasting open the barrier before rushing in with the lead assassin and healer.
"This is an imperial order,you must save him at all cost!"Tyran commanded.
The physician approached him to check for a pulse before opening his mouth to feel his bluish coloured tongue.
"Your majesty tonight will be the most critical period,if he survives the night,he will live".