Iftia: Royal Medical Department

• Rowan •

Rowan decided to come to the Royal Medical Department to fetch Elianna back to Lyx, since it was near dinner time and Elianna hadn't returned. When he entered, the medical administrator bowed towards him and said, "Your Highness." 

"Where's Doctor Everson?" he asked. 

"Doctor Everson left for Nvre Palace with Professor Hamley in the afternoon, they have yet returned since—" the medical administrator's voice trailed off nervously. 

"What for?" Rowan questioned, his tone was cold and sharp. A sudden heavy pressure filled the air as the temperature of the room fell into temperatures reflecting the snowstorm outside. 

The medical administrator stammered through his words, "I-In the afternoon, there was a request for Professor Hamley from Nvre, saying that it is u-urgent. D-Doctor Everson was brought along." 

Without another word, Rowan turned around and left. He had so many thoughts flooding through his mind right now and it was almost impossible to think them through. Since that day, he never set foot into Nvre and he also avoided seeing Matthias. Knowing that Elianna had gone there, it made him feel all uptight and uncomfortable. He doesn't want her to be there and there wasn't a reason for her to go there. Swiftly getting up his horse, he held onto the reins and rode his way to Nvre. 

As expected, his arrival alarmed the guards. They drew their swords at him, daring him to step forward. Yet, he observed the apprehension in their faces and their frightened demeanour. A mocking laugh escaped from his lips, "Did you all really think that you can stop me?" 

The guards retreated to make a path, still holding onto their swords as they followed him into Nvre. He stomped through the hallways, his steps fast, thunderous and murderous. When he arrived at the door in front of Matthias' bedchamber, the guards stared at him with wide eyes before drawing their swords. 

Rowan didn't even flinch, he didn't even move a single finger before sending them flying out of his sight. Fools. 

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• Elianna •

Elianna heard the commotion right outside the door and all the knights inside the bedchamber had drawn their swords and positioned themselves in a defensive stance. She looked at the Second Prince, but before she could ask about anything, the door was forcefully slammed opened in one violent push. Startled, she pivoted herself towards the door and saw Rowan at the entrance. 

Dangerous air hung around him, and as he entered the room, he brought along freezing tension that would make anyone weak in the knees. She definitely felt herself slightly trembling from the heavy pressure. This was the second time she saw him like this, but the situation looked dire this time. Looking around the room, she realised that he came alone. Those guards following behind him were all pointing their swords towards him, even the Second Prince's knights seemed wary of him. 

"Brother?" the Second Prince called out, surprised. 

Elianna turned to look at him and he was staring at Rowan with wide eyes and there was an unreadable expression etched in his face. When she turned to look at Rowan again, she saw his jaw tightening and those sapphire eyes were practically on fire. Each step he took forward, everyone around him moved in unison and their swords clanked. 

"Doctor Everson, come here," he ordered and anger filled his tone.

"Your Highness—" Elianna murmured and an ache rose in her chest when he spoke to her in that manner. She stood rooted to the ground and completely baffled, unable to comprehend the situation.

"Do not make me repeat myself," he warned, his voice cold and dangerous.

Rowan had never spoken to her in that way before and he had never looked at her with the piercing coldness that was apparent in his eyes now. Elianna felt an icy chill snake down her spine when his words pierced into her and frightened wasn't even the word to describe how she felt right now. Slowly stepping towards him, she stepped closer to the source of overwhelming pressure. 

"Everyone, withdraw your weapons," the Second Prince commanded but his knights turned around and shook their heads. Their hands still holding firmly onto their weapons, causing the prince to sigh as he buried his forehead in his palm. 

Rowan took another step forward and everyone moved together in a panic. The Second Prince's knights straightened their arms, raising their swords nearer to him, threatening him to back off. The tip of their swords was just a thin breath away from hurting Rowan and Elianna quickly shot forward. She pushed on Rowan slightly and stood in between him and their pointing swords, spreading her arms to shield Rowan behind her. She frowned unhappily, "What do you all think you are doing to the First Prince?" 

She pulled him behind her, the sharp ends of their swords right in front of her eyes. Yet, she is not afraid. Instead, she was filled with irritation and anger at their hostility towards Rowan. 

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• Rowan •

He would never choose to come to Nvre under any circumstances, except if it concerns her. 

The swords that were held against him didn't bother him at all and the wariness of everyone in this palace towards him had no effect on him. All that infuriated him was that everything here screamed of what happened back then and reminded him of every horrible memory. 

Before this palace belonged to Matthias, it belonged to his mother. She didn't like the hustle and bustle of the Royal Palace, so she had chosen to retreat to Nvre for peace and quiet. Rowan's entire childhood was sealed within this place. Walking down the hallway reminded him of his mother's light footsteps and stepping into this room, he could hear her voice calling him with all her tenderness. 

It wasn't that he didn't want to be reminded, but knowing that everything had reduced into mere memories maddened him, pained him and tormented him. Nvre wasn't a place that he should enter for this place had also become the property of the Queen of Iftia and entering here was like throwing himself into the lioness' den. If not for Matthias, he would've killed every single person in this palace. He would never allow these rats to audaciously point their swords at him or to even exhale their disgusting breath in this space that meant so much to him.

Then, he saw Elianna standing firmly in front of him, refusing to budge as she tried to shield him away from their swords with that small body of hers. It warmed his heart but didn't erase the anger within him when he still couldn't understand why she had to be here. She could've returned to Lyx after her visit with Professor Hamley but she chose to be here. A moment ago, she was also smiling so amicably towards Matthias as though the two was brought close so naturally. 

Placing a hand over her eyes, he shielded her away from the sight of those pointing swords and grabbed her by the waist. She was startled by him but he only let go of the hand covering her eyes when she was turned to face him. He didn't say a word, only nudging her towards the door gently. The guards followed right behind with their swords armed and Matthias warned dangerously, "Everyone put down your swords, I won't say it twice." 

The swords were lowered and Rowan took Elianna out of Nvre. 

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• Elianna •

On the way back to Lyx, Rowan did not say a single word to her. Elianna could feel the anger radiating off him. Still confused about the situation that happened in Nvre, she wanted to ask about it but she knew better to keep silent at the moment. They rode on the back of his horse in silence until they reached back to Lyx. She was guided to the dining hall with Rowan beside her and everyone was already there, looking towards her with a worry that she didn't understand. 

Throughout dinner, Rowan remained silent and no one in the dining hall dared to utter a single word following the silence and tension. Elianna hadn't seen him so cold and void of emotions before and it bothered her. She really wanted to ask but words wouldn't form and she wasn't brave enough to tear the silence apart and ask him about the situation. 

She wanted to speak to him alone after dinner, so she waited in her seat even after she was done. Yet, when he was done, he left his seat and walked past her without acknowledging her presence. Unease coiled within her, knowing that she must've been the cause of his anger and it had to be because she went to Nvre. She straightened her arm to grab on the sleeve of his coat. Hoping that he would look at her, she tried, "Rowan?" 

He didn't. He simply removed himself from her hold and strode out of the dining hall. 

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• Rowan •

He didn't dare to stop until he reached back into his bedchamber, and he knew that he made a grave mistake towards her. The heavy pressure against his chest was blaming him for treating her as such but he couldn't bring himself to look at her and speak to her. He was afraid that the deeply seated anger within him would cause him to hurl hurtful words towards her. 

In all honesty, when she reached to hold him back there, he wanted so desperately to pull her in and hold her tightly. He wanted her to ease all the unsettling emotions that resurfaced with all the haunting memories. Yet, he also knew it himself that he wasn't ready to tell her all the pain and resentment that he bore in his heart. 

The blood, the evil laughter and his dead mother. 

The thought of everything easily stole all the air from his lungs and he was suffocating at all the recollection of it. It wasn't just a heavyweight tugging against his heart, it was everything that changed him forever — it was the day he fell from the light and grew within the dark abyss. 

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