Third Person's POV
Kasian didn't know if to trust her words, so he called for a healer. "I don't want anything from the Pendant Tower to touch my wife and sister-in-law." Rain stood in front of them calmly with his sword drawn.
"Then I can check them for you." Malari spoke up as she stood. Rain looked at his mother, whose back was still to them. Kasian noticed the look in his eyes and turned Opal to look at him.
"It's fine." Opal told him. Malari walked down to their table and checked Varin and Soria's pulses. After some time, she stood. "Four months and three months." She confirmed.
"If I let them go. What can you promise me?" Kasian asked Opal as he placed his chin on her shoulder. "What do you want?" She asked.
"A promise that your sons will leave Regila and stay away. You will stay here with me." Opal opened her mouth to reply but was cut off.
"I disagree!" Kain shouted. "My mother must leave. If you want someone to keep a promise. I will stay." Soria pulled out a dagger and pressed it to her throat. "If you stay, I'll kill myself right here for you to see!" She threatened.
"Soria!" Kain turned to her in panic. He looked back at Opal, tears forming in his eyes. Varin did the same. "Four lives, two bodies." She stated calmly. Rain's grip on his sword tightened even more.
"Let them leave. Don't chase them, don't keep tabs on them." Opal stated. "Mother!" Kain turned to me. "You promised." She looked away from him. "Both Princesses are carrying multiple children. It will be more than four lives, two bodies." Malari suddenly spoke up.
"I'll let you write to her. You won't get a reply but as long as she's alive, I'll allow her to see the letters. We'll talk about visiting at another time." Kasian said, throwing fuel into a dying fire.
"You-!" Rain stepped forward but Varin grabbed his hand. "I'm being serious." She said as the dagger drew blood. Rain dropped to one knee and grabbed her wrist. He looked into her eyes for a few seconds. "Okay." He whispered.
"Older brother." Rain looked at Kain, who was crying and shook his head. Rain and Varin turned to Opal, knelt down and kowtowed to her. Soria kowtowed as well but Kain hesitated.
"Kain." He looked at his mother. "Go." She spoke softly and it broke him completely. He kowtowed to her before standing up. The four of them left the hall quickly.
"I would like to leave." Opal told Kasian. "Okay. We can go." He agreed, even though he knew she wanted to be by herself.
Opal's body suddenly dropped. Dasa saw it happen first, but Kasian reacted quicker. He picked her up immediately. "Mother! Come and check on her quickly." He said to Malari. She rushed over and felt Opal's pulse.
"She's poisoned." Dasa said before Malari start to understand what was happening. "What kind?" Kasian asked her. "Ask your sister-in-law, your daughter and the Queen of Yalki." Bira answered as she stepped out of the shadows.
"What happened?" Kasian asked her. "I knew the three were planning something, but they also knew to guard against me." Kana threw out a servant. "This servant came to confess what was happening to me but doesn't know the full details."
"Where have you been these past few days?" Kasian asked her. "Picking up people." He didn't ask anymore. "The poison isn't complicated, but she's been weak for years, and her body is now starting to recover. If we don't get the antidote, she won't survive the night." Malari concluded.
"Can you make it?" Malari shook her head. "My skills are good, but Ria's was the best. Only someone under her would be able to accurately know the poison and the antidote needed."
Kasian looked at Kana. "Help her." Kana looked at Bira and she nodded. Kana walked forward and felt Opal's pulse. Her eyebrows furrowed and she pulled away like she saw a ghost.
Dasa grabbed Kana's shoulder. It didn't seem threatening, but Kana could feel it. "Is something wrong?" Dasa asked her. "Her veins are a mess. I have to look again." Kana checked again.
Kasian noticed the interaction. "You look like you've seen a ghost." He stated, watching her for a reaction. "That what she should've been." Kana replied.
"I need to get some herbs from the Pendant Tower and two hours." Opal coughed up blood, some of it splattering on Kasian's neck and chest. "Will she continue to cough up blood like this?"
Kana took a pill bottle out. Dasa snatched it from her and sniffed it. She gave it back. "Can you even understand?" Kana mumbled. "I can tell whether it's toxic or non-toxic." Dasa said.
"Then why didn't you know what she ate, drink, touched or inhaled was toxic?" Kasian asked her. "I never said I didn't know." Kasian looked down at Opal as Kana fed her two pills.
"Go and make the antidote." He directed Kana once was finished. "Serin." Kasian looked at him. "Invite everyone to my courtyard. Including the children." Serin bowed and walked out of the banquet hall.
Malari, Railin, Bira and Dasa followed the King while Kana rushed out of the Palace. A new set of chills ran down her back that had nothing to do with the cold wind.
Bira, Dasa and Malari were helping Opal undress and getting her into the bathtub when Malari noticed a mark on the bottom of the woman's foot. "This-!" Dasa and Bira looked at her and Malari covered her mouth.
The two ignored the older woman and washed off Opal's body. "Tears aren't helping, Queen Malari." Dasa said softly. She nodded and walked over to a cabinet and took out some clothes.
In the courtyard, Kasian sat watching those standing in front of him in the snow. Railin sat off to the side, quietly. "Crown Princess Elira. This has nothing to do with you. You can sit over to the side with my father." Elira bowed to him and quickly walked over to Railin's side.