King Jared and Mars visited the Prestons at their magnificent mansion not far from the royal palace. This was their home in the capital. They also had their own castle outside of the capital but they spent most of their time in this one.
"Your Majesty," Duke Preston and his wife bowed down and curtseyed when they received the king and the crown prince at their door.
"Duke Preston, we are here to visit Lady Ellena, your niece, and check on her condition," King Jared said. "How is she doing?"
"Thank you for visiting us, Your Majesty. She is still recovering in her chamber. We have our own doctors taking care of her. They all advised her to rest aplenty and not to think about anything stressful," Duke Preston replied.
"Can she see us?" The king asked again. "I have something important to ask her."
Duke and Lady Preston exchanged glances. On the one hand, they seemed reluctant to let Ellena meet the king, but on the other hand, they knew they shouldn't say no to the sovereign.
"She will see you, Your Majesty and His Highness the crown prince," Lady Duchess Preston. "But please, we beg you to go easy on the poor girl."
King Jared scoffed. "Do you think I'm a monster who will eat her? Don't be preposterous!"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I don't dare to be preposterous. That's really not what I meant." Lady Preston hurriedly apologized. "I am just begging you on my niece's behalf. She has been crying all day and is very stressed. I hope Your Majesty will be kind to her, at least by considering that she is Prince's Mars childhood friend,"
"Okay, Lady Preston. Now, take us to see her."
Lady Preston nodded with respect and then motioned them to walk inside. She let the king walk first while she followed from behind him, together with the prince and Duke Preston. Respectfully, they showed the way for the king to go.
Ellena was resting in her chamber. It was a very beautiful and big chamber on the second floor of the mansion.
There were three maids taking care of her and fulfilled her every need. They immediately notified Ellena of their king's visit and she tried to sit up when the door was knocked.
"Please open the door," she ordered one of her maids. Ellena was hoping that the king and the prince would visit her after she was injured and she was happy because they came faster than she expected.
This made the pain that she endured since the day before become worth it.
When the door was opened by a maid, the small group entered and Ellena made an audible gasp when she saw how the king and prince were standing in her private chamber.
"Lady Ellena, how are you feeling?" King Jared asked the young woman with his attentive voice. He was no stranger to Ellena because this girl grew up together with his son and their two families had a good relationship.
"I-I'm sorry, I am unable to come down and show my respect to you, Your Majesty and Your Highness…" Ellena could only lower her head and apologize for being unable to curtsey.
"Don't mention it. I come here to see how you are feeling," said the king again. "I have heard of what happened yesterday from several different people, and now I want to hear directly from you the reason why you did it."
Ellena stole a glance at Mars and bit her lip. She remembered what happened yesterday very vividly. The scene played in her mind over and over again.
She took his sword and stabbed herself with it to show how much she was hurt by the accusations thrown by Mars that she was suspected to protect the witch.
When she took the sword, Ellena was worried that she would hit a vital organ and she would bleed to death, but apparently, everything went according to plan.
"Your Majesty, I am very sorry to have caused the commotion in the crown prince's castle. I was not in my right mind," Ellena's tears began to stream down her face. "When the prince insisted that I have to tell him where the witch lives, I was stressed and cornered."
She added with a hoarse voice. "Somehow, I was feeling deeply saddened by his treatment. From the way he interrogated me, I felt like he thought I was involved with the witch and intentionally do things to make him suffer. His suspicion broke my heart because…"
Ellena finally looked up and turned to Mars. Her eyes looked sincerely sad. "It broke my heart because I finally saw the reality that Prince Mars no longer wanted me and I have been making a fool out of myself for thinking that there would be a chance for us to be together…"
Mars felt like the air was choked out of his lungs when he heard Ellena's confession.
He always knew Ellena loved him, but this was the first time that she was being blatantly honest to him, and their parents about her feelings for him.
"Ellena…" was all he could say.
"What I did yesterday, was stupid, I know that now. But at that time, I was blinded by my broken heart and jealousy." Now Ellena was sobbing despondently. "When I saw how the man I love has had another woman by his side, I felt defeated"
"The pain was so deep, that I didn't want to live anymore." Ellena cried. "That's why I did what I did, and now I'm ashamed of it. It was truly a moment of weakness on my part."
"Ellena…" Mars spoke gently. "I only asked you to tell me where the witch lives, so I can take care of her once and for all. But you keep refusing to do it. I don't want to suspect you of being involved with the witch, but if you put yourself in my shoes, can't you see why I'm feeling suspicious? Why do you want to keep protecting the witch by not telling me her location?"
Ellena bit her lip and shook her head. "I can't say where she lives…"
"Why not?"
It's not that I don't want to…" she had bitten her lip so hard that it now started bleeding. Her face slowly looked desperate. "She actually put a curse on me…"
"Curse?" Mars was surprised to hear this. "What curse?"
Ellena closed her eyes. "The day I reveal her secret, is the day I will die."
