51. The King is dead.

Arthur managed to return to the palace later on, with Alexander's body on his horse. This came as a shock to everyone who welcomed him, as they didn't believe the king could die so quickly. And if at that, that he could die at a faraway land.

The news of King Alexander's death had spread in the whole palace like wildfire. Bad news sure spreads fast. While some were sad about his death, many were happy about it, especially the slaves whom he had punished in one way or the other during his tenure as king. Some however, were not moved in anyway about it, because they believed Hunter was the crowned prince and to them, he was no different from his father.

"I really don't understand why most of you are happy about the late king's death though." One of the slaves said. They were all gathered in the slaves quarters, including Winifred, and the topic on their lips was no other than the news on the ground about the king's death. "What is there to be so happy about, why would any sane person be happy about it?" The slave lady added and scoffed.

"What is there to happy about? A lot! King Alexander is gone forever. Now, we can be a little at peace and a little more free, he wasn't exactly a good king, remember?" Another slave replied her.

"Free? Is there any difference between him and his son, the crowned prince? He's going to be crowned the next king anyway, so I don't get what difference you are expecting to experience in this kingdom, the Crown Prince is exactly the same as his father if not worse, the jubilation is futile if you ask me." The first lady replied and rolled her eyes at the one that just replied her, while others just watched them bicker.

"Uh, I don't think so though." Winifred who had been silent since finally spoke. As she did, she got the attention of almost all the slaves in the quarters.

"You don't think so about what?"

"I don't think the second son of the late king will be the next king actually." She said, making the other slaves to stare at her as if she doesn't know what she was blabbing about.

"What! Why am I being stared at in that manner?!" She added, her voice raised a bit.

"Because right now, you sound like you haven't been living in the palace. What do you mean by you don't think he'd be the king, do you not know what crown prince means? I'll explain then if you do not know, it means he's automaticallythe next king." One of the slaves lectured her.

As much as many of them didn't like Winifred, they listened to her views whenever there was a cause for them to discuss about something together. The only reason they didn't like her that much afterall, was because she was prettier than them and that she could stand up for herself to anyone and wherever she happened to find herself. It was something many of them could not do, so they respected her for it. But since she was also a slave like them, they could not possibly voice it out to her, so they replaced their respect for her with jealousy and a little sprinkle of hatred.

"I guess you all don't know what I know then." Winifred muttered, but it was loud enough for everyone in the quarters to hear her.

"Know what? What is it about? What do you know?"

"Yes. Let us know."

"What do you know that we don't?"

"Just tell us if you heard something."

"If you have news, just let us know already."

Those were the replies from some of the slaves as they were all anxious for her to speak.

"Fine, fine. The late king left the mantle in the first son's hands, I don't know why it isn't everywhere yet!" She exclaimed, which made all of them gasp.

"The icy prince?"

"He gave the mantle to the icy prince?"

"But he's not the crowned prince."

"That means he's the next king!"

"He is the right one for the throne anyway."

"Prince Hunter only took it away from him, so he has claimed his position back."

"How are you so sure about that anyway, why are we even believing anything that comes out of your mouth so easily? The lady who had first spoken said to Winifred again, trying to make sure what she had just said was true.

"She's the personal slave of the icy prince, of course. Whatever she says is bound to be the truth, since she's the closest to seeing him here. She must have seen the mantle in his hands when he returned." Some other slave replied before Winifred could even speak.

"Oh, poor Prince."

"He must be so sad right now," another one added.

"So so sad."

It was not new that most of the slaves preferred Prince Arthur to Prince Hunter. This was because Arthur was not as wicked as Hunter, and most of the slaves had never been punished by him. Besides, he only just started making use of a personal slave, which is Winifred, he was know to be the coolest of the family although he can be way too cold to them. They'd take that coldness above brutality.

"Is this how you all will gather here doing nothing and gossiping about things that don't concern you?!" The head of servants, Florence said immediately she walked in to see the slaves all gathered together discussing, instead of being where they were supposed to be working.

Immediately they heard her voice and sighted her presence, they got up immediately and bowed their heads in respect as they all rushed out of the room. Winifred didn't bow her own head though but Florence didn't notice. She just joined the other slaves as they went out of the quarters and dispersed to their various masters' rooms and other workplaces they stayed.

Winifred walked to the door of Arthur's room. She had not really been alone with him since his return from the trip with his father. She felt he needed an alone time because of the loss of his father, so she decided to give it to him. But hearing that he was sad from one of the slaves some minutes back, she suddenly wanted to see him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. As soon as she got to his door, she knocked.

"Yes, who is it?" His raspy voice was heard from inside the room.

"It is Winifred. Can I come in?" She asked from the outside. It was weird for her, because she had never knocked on his door before walking in. She had always barged in like the room was hers.

He scoffed before replying. "No. Stay out there."

Winifred acted like she didn't hear what he said, and she opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her. He was lying on his bed with his face up to the ceiling of his room.

"Uh, hi?"

"Thought I told you to stay out there?"

"Now that I'm in, I can see that you were not doing anything, so why did you ask me to stay outside?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"Because you knocked. I mean, you normally don't knock, so what's with the change in attitude? Don't tell me you're also treating me that way because you heard I am most likely to be the next king?" He asked her teasingly, with a small smile on his face as he stared at her from the distance between them.

"Eww, no. What's my business with your whole royal thing? I am happy for you though." Winifred added the last part and shrugged a bit.

"Hmm." He said and paused. Then, he continued. "Why are you here though?"

"Me? Uh… you know… just because." She said as she scratched the back of her neck.

"I didn't tell anyone to call you. You came by yourself, so that means you have something to tell me?" He said, but it sounded more like a question.

"Well, are you okay?" She asked, a look of seriousness suddenly on her face.

"Of course I am."

"Are you sure? Look, I'm really sorry about your father's death, that you had to see him die in your own arms. It must be so hard for you. And you must be so sad and all of that."

"So, you're here to console me?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"If that's what you see it as, then yes."

He chuckled before replying. "I am not that sad, Winifred. I appreciate your kind gesture, but I don't need pity and consolation."

"Uh?" Winifred asked, shocked to see him that way. He just lost his father and he didn't look like he was sad. In fact, he just stated it point blank that he wasn't that sad about it. "You're not that sad?" She asked again to be sure she heard right.

"Yes. He doesn't deserve my total sadness at all."