The next morning, Roshan woke up to an empty Palace.
"Where did everyone go?" He asked the chief house keeper.
"They went to evaluate the sites of the attacks, my prince"
"Oh..." Came Roshan's response.
He had been left out again as usual. Even his mother, who was never interested in leaving the capital city, left the palace and he was all alone.
Was it such a bad thing that he wanted to be included in the nation's affairs?
He sighed in defeat and decided to practice his earth bending.
After three hours of practice, Roshan went into the palace to eat lunch after having skipped breakfast.
He staggered like a starving child, clutching his stomach and groaning.
"My prince, you should've come immediately you felt hungry. That's what we're here for. You need not wait until you feel like you are about to die before eating"
Roshan nodded and groaned.
The chef immediately brought a bowl of chicken noodle soup, something that wouldn't upset his already hurting stomach.
After eating, he was given a glass of fruit juice to make him relax.
Since Roshan had nothing to do and no one to talk to, he decided to go on a mini adventure to the surrounding land just around the palace walls.
He didn't tell his personal guards what he was up to but instead let them know that he would be sleeping for 5 hours and did not wish to be disturbed within that time.
He dressed in the most shabby looking clothes he could find and snuck out of the palace.
Yes, he knew his mother would be furious but in his defense, he had been left alone and he really didn't want to be.
He quickly tied his hair up and wore a hat so that he didn't attract attention to himself. However, he still made heads turn with his beautiful face.
At a shop where Roshan stopped to buy a bracelet, a man approached him with a gross smile.
"Haven't seen you before, you a traveller or somethin'?" The man spoke.
Roshan nodded absentmindedly, still admiring the bracelet in his hand.
Noticing this, the man spoke, "I could get it for you"
Roshan turned to look at him and asked, "really?"
"Yes, you just need to do one little thing for me"
"What is that?"
The man leaned closer, grabbed Roshan's wrist and said, "there's a motel nearby. Come with me so I can see what you look like bent over and naked"
"I'm a man"
"I know"
"I'm not interested" Roshan frowned, dropping the bracelet and attempting to walk away.
"You don't walk away from me, boy" the man said with a creepy smile on his lips. He quickly took out a small knife and sliced a part of Roshan's forearm.
Roshan yelped in pain, grabbing the attention of bystanders.
The man panicked and ran away, fearing that an angry mob might decide to take him off the earth today.
However the damage had already been done.
The pain from the wound worsened and Roshan cried.
He pressed his nails into his elbow, trying to ease the pain but it kept worsening by the second.
Roshan knew he had to get home as soon as possible.
He walked to the front gate of the palace and demanded to be let in.
The skeptical guards opened the gate immediately he took off his hat and showed them his white hair.
He stumbled in and received help from the guards.
His eyes were turning darker and darker by the minute.
Roshan stumbled into the courtyard and fell face first.
His head bled along with his forearm.
"What was that sound?" Layel's voice echoed.
Everyone rushed outside and almost immediately, the Queen's scream could be heard by the whole palace.
She dropped to her knees, holding her child.
"Ros, no!!!!!! What happened to you? Ros, don't close your eyes okay? Your mother is right here"
The king, Layel, Zichen and Jihan were visibly shaken.
And the chief house keeper sent for the healer.
Judging from Roshan's condition, he wouldn't last long enough for a healer to arrive.
The queen screamed frantically, sobbing and holding her baby to her chest.
"What do we do???"
"Tell me son, what made this wound??"
Roshan barely opened his mouth and they all heard the word "knife"
Zane who heard all the commotion came outside to see the fourth prince on the ground with blood on his head and forearm being cradled by his mother.
He immediately rushed forward, took Roshan from his mother's arms and carried him inside.
They were all shocked by how decisive the king of vendet was.
He placed Roshan on a bed in a spare room and asked for his bag.
His assistant brought the bag immediately.
Zane assessed the situation and knew immediately that he was struck by a poisoned weapon.
He recognized the symptoms of the poison because he was once poisoned in the same way.
He turned to the royal family and asked if it was okay for him to treat their son.
They nodded immediately.
He took out a potion from his bag and emptied the contents in the forearm wound, making the onlookers gasp in shock.
The potion was quickly absorbed into the wound, shocking them more.
After a few minutes, Zane brought out a knife and placed it near the wound.
To their greatest surprise, the potion began to come out of the wound and stick to the knife.
After a few seconds, the knife was thrown into a fire.
Roshan's body jerked uncontrollably at the sudden removal of the potion until it finally calmed down.
Roshan's respiratory rate decreased drastically and Zane asked him, "do you mind my lips touching yours?
Roshan shook his head and Zane grabbed his chin decisively.
Zane began pushing air into Roshan's lungs. The scene before the royal family made their jaws drop, one by one. It took Zane a good 30 seconds to blow air into Roshan's lungs. He continued until Roshan's respiratory rate had become stable.