The Devil's Temptation!

210 Adryan’s Condition

In Euphrasia...

Helping her father into a better sitting position, Calista carefully placed a pillow on the headboard, making sure it was placed correctly before proceeding to help her father rest his back on it, so he’d be more comfortable.

“How’s your position father?” She asked, wanting to make sure he was comfortable with how she made him sit, and when her sick father nodded his head to show he was at ease with his position, Calista smiled in relief and sat at the edge of his bed.

She picked the bowl of hot medicinal soup that a maid had kept on the table beside his bed, and returned her attention to her sick father whose eyes were closed.

“Father, it’s time to have your soup so you can feel better, the physician recommended it and he said you’d get better when you start taking them regularly.”

“Callie my child,” her father’s feverishly weak tone got to her, his face appeared pale and it stung her heart to see him so sick. He’s been down with this sickness for months now, and there has been no improvement, whatsoever, despite having the best physician look into his health.

The old physician suggested this medicinal soup that’ll strengthen his bones a bit, and it’ll serve as a painkiller whilst her father feels anymore pain, and right now, all she can do is hope and pray that her father gets better soon and recovers from his ailment.

“You don’t have to stress yourself with this type of things,” he disapproved, shaking his head slightly, “send a maid to do this, you must have a lot of important things to do, your marriage with Archer is still on, the invitation cards are being printed, even if I have to die, I want to be able to witness the marriage of my- beautiful daughter before I leave the world.”

He suddenly coughed after making those heartfelt remarks, startling Calista who impulsively rubbed his back in a soothing manner, an attempt to help stop the coughing and within a few minutes, her father calmed.

.....

“You speak too much father,” she queried softly, her heart almost flying from her chest due to how violently he coughed, “you’re my father, and it’s not stress if a daughter volunteers to take care of her lovely father now, you should stop talking and let me feed you the soup before it gets too cold.”

“Where’s your mother?” He asked weakly while trying to hold in the rest coughs, ignoring everything his daughter just said to him and Calista was forced to respond.

“Mother will be back tonight, she left the palace for something important this morning and will be sure to return before it gets dark, now let me feed you.”

Taking a spoon full of the hot soup, she gently blew cool air into it, in an attempt to reduce the heat before feeding it to her father. To Calista’s delight, he opened his mouth to receive the soup, which in turn earned a smile from Callie who was prepared to feed him another spoon full of medicinal soup.

“See father, once you take your medicines like this, you’ll feel better and be able to walk on your own two feet again.” She encouraged with a hopeful glint in her eyes, feeling hundred percent sure that her father would escape it alive, but the solemnity of her father’s demeanor showed he wasn’t as hopeful as her.

“Callie...” he began, “I think this is just the way of the heavens punishing me for my wrong doings.” He took a deep breath, his tone laced with regret and Calista shook her head in disapproval, holding her father’s hand in hers.

“What are you saying father?”

“No Callie,” he shook his head, “I am not a good father, neither am I a good king.” He admitted, panting softly since his breath was coming out short. The violent coughing had left his chest burning in reaction and he closed his eyes for a second, gathering enough strength so he could speak again.

“Mateo was a good man who brought great justice to Euphrasia, he helped Euphrasia in many ways, and I was so blinded by the trust I had for Arlow, I judged an innocent person wrongly.”

Calista wanted to tell him that it was enough, that he should stop talking before he starts coughing again, but she couldn’t do it. It felt like her inner self restrained her from speaking, as though letting her father free his heart from this was the best option.

“Father, Arlow is to blame for everything, he was never in good terms with Anna’s father to begin with, although I never met Anna’s father, but with Arlow’s attitude towards Anna even at her young age, I could tell it was more than just hating her personally.”

“Mateo never made mention of Arlow’s hostility towards him, and I was foolish enough not to recognize it myself.”

“No no.” Calista shook her head, “stop blaming yourself for everything that happened, let’s not remind ourselves of the past, you need to take your medicine or else you won’t get better.”

“Where’s your brother?” He asked another question, looking at his daughter this time around and Calista dropped the bowl of soup on the table, her demeanor a bit downcast at the thought of her brother.

“He’s still recovering... everything will be fine father.” Calista put on a smile to ease her father. But in truth, she was worried for her brother who tends to do foolish things without thinking about it.

Nobody asked him to come look for her, and he even dared to step into the Demon’s den only to return with a broken leg. His knee was so badly damaged that Calista feared he might not be able to walk again. Most times the guards give her information about his Highness waking up in the dead of night, and screaming that a Demon with red eyes was trying to end his life.

Whatever happened to him back there must have frightened him to the point he still dreams about that particular Demon. But she wondered which demon her brother was talking about, she wondered which Demon was capable of frightening her brother to this extent.

Was it Azazel? Or Roshan?