Felix and Evander saw the pain in her eyes. She was trying hard to not cry. She watched them crawl around in an attempt to get up and she shook her head.
"The antidote." Felix groaned. "His pocket."
Diana walked around George's dead body. She slipped her hand into his pockets and searched until she found the antidote. When she did, she threw it to Felix. She was too tired to do anything and somehow, she wanted to die. Maybe if she died, she would not need to feel the pain of not seeing Calhoun anymore.
Previously she had lived knowing that Calhoun was still alive and she could see him whenever she came to Wisteria. But now, she didn't have any such thoughts again. George had stabbed him in the heart and if the powers he possessed could not save him from the attack, how could it heal him?
His skin had turned dark and his eyes were colorless, lifeless. Diana refused to shed any tears. She sat beside his body in the snow. Thrice, his blood had touched the snow. Three times he fought, his blood had stained the ground.
"Lady Diana," Felix called softly. "Let's take him inside."
"What for?" Diana asked softly. "He is dead."
"Yes." Felix nodded in agreement. "He is dead, but it doesn't mean we have to leave his body out in the snow."
Diana got up from the cold ground. She stared at Calhoun who was unmoving. His eyes were open and staring up at the sky. The more his skin turned dark, it had a tint of blue as well.
"Get the guards, let them carry him to his chamber," Diana said. "Also Evander, you organize the rest of the guards to have this place cleaned up."
Evander nodded.
"Let them go further into the woods and clear out all the tents which these Fraco soldiers camped in." She said. "Oh and, the weapons must be recovered."
Evander nodded again.
"Take the king to his chamber," Felix ordered the guards he had brought along. "The rest of you, gather as much of yourselves as you can and follow Evander to clear out the castle and her surroundings."
Diana followed the two guards being led by Felix to take Calhoun's body to his chamber. On the way, Felix pointed Thomas's door to her and she stopped to say hi.
"Diana, hello." Thomas greeted with a smile.
"How did it go?"
Diana stared at him. Could she trust Thomas to father her now? He seemed to have changed a lot. Thomas noticed how weak she looked, almost depressed and he could guess that something wrong had happened.
"Did we lose?" He whispered.
Diana kept staring at him. Thomas felt sad for her. From the way she looked, he knew it was more than just losing the battle, she had lost something worse.
"Where is Calhoun?" Thomas asked. The tears that Diana held suddenly began to pour out. Thomas ran to hug her tightly, placing her head on his shoulder. Diana could feel that he had lost so much weight, he looked slimmer and felt so too.
"It's alright, Diana. Don't weep." Thomas consoled. "Calhoun will return, trust me."
"How?" She whispered. "He was stabbed in the heart and it was poisoned."
"Poison does not work on Calhoun." Thomas reminded.
"This is a type that locks in the wolf! The reason Calhoun revives is because of how strong his wolf is." Diana exclaimed.
"Oh," Thomas muttered. "Don't weep still, look at your boy. He has been quiet for so long, I can guess when Calhoun died."
Diana sobbed louder. "Go and be with him," Thomas said. "Go, sit by his side. At least be with him till his soul finds comfort."
Diana pulled away from the hug and stared at him with her teary eyes. He led her to the door and pushed her softly.
"Go be with him."
Diana nodded once and left. Once she was getting to his chamber, she wiped her eyes. She stepped into the outer chamber and found Felix pacing the floor.
"Why are you pacing? She asked. Although she wanted her voice to come out strong, she could not. Her voice was so weak and shaky, she felt scared too. Felix pretended not to notice just to ensure that she did not cry at all.
"I was wondering where you left," Felix said.
Diana chuckled. "You showed Thomas's room to me, yet you wonder where I left to?"
"I should have known. I assumed you would just follow through and visit him later. I only wanted you to know where your child was." He explained.
"Nice," Diana replied. "How is he?"
"My lady, you have to brace yourself for the news. Calhoun might not survive this." Felix answered. "Perhaps if George was still alive, we would know if the poison has an antidote."
"He locked his wolf," Diana whispered. "His resurrection is evitable. His death is inevitable."
"Don't be so certain. He is Calhoun Montego." Felix argued.
"That's the problem!" Diana whispered and yelled.
"That is the problem! Calhoun Montego is a man who is sought after, he needs to be dead for Wisteria to see peace. His blood reacts to different potions differently."
Felix sighed. "All I'm saying is that we should not lose hope. Okay? The powers he received, they could revive him when he was cut in -"
"When was he cut in half?" Diana cried. "Was his heart stabbed? Was it destroyed to mash? Was his wolf locked? Of course not! If that power that resurrected him before was not capable of rescuing him from George's attacks, how could it bring him back to life?"
"Then what do you want us to do? Just go ahead and dispose of his body? Like he did not mean anything to us?" Felix demanded. "Even if he did not mean anything to you, he meant everything to us. He... Calhoun was more than just our king!"
"You don't dare say that to me!" Diana exclaimed.
"I dare to!" Felix returned. "You just upped and ran away, coming back with our enemies and joining us to fight. Somehow, our king dies and you want to just toss him aside? Tell me the truth, you intentionally planned this. You wanted to make your new lover king, hence you-"
Pah!
Diana glared at Felix whom she had just slapped. Her eyes were bloodshot red with anger.
"Don't you ever doubt my fidelity to Calhoun?" She whispered. "You did not know when I was going through all I did."
"I sacrificed my livelihood for his sake. I only wanted the curse to be broken and that was because I loved him."
"Calhoun used me." She cried. "Coco came as a result of being used by Calhoun. So even if I fall in love with another man who is more than willing to take care of my son and me, am I wrong?"
"Calhoun never saw me as a human. He never saw me as someone deserving of his affection."
"Yet he ransacked the entire werewolf kingdom in search of you. He fought many wars in search of you. Killed so many servants he felt that watched you leave without stopping you." Felix explained. "Calhoun might not know how to show it, but he is in love with you, Diana."
Diana cried all the more. "Leave."
Felix stared at her. She was not in the right mind now and he knew he had to obey her. He had to allow her to grieve for all she was worth, she could still realize whether there was hope, or not. But regardless of what happens...
"Regardless of what happens, I want you to know that we are all here for you," Felix said. "And as much as we might not match up to"
"God, Felix, leave!" Diana yelled.
"I'm leaving, I'm leaving." He said, walking towards the door. "We might not match up to Calhoun but we are here for you. Whatever you do, think of Coco."
Diana was finally left alone. She sat on the floor and cried some more. After which she got up and entered his bedroom. He was laying on the bed so still. His eyes were closed and his skin didn't look so blue anymore.
Could there be hope for his resurrection? Or was it possible that Calhoun did not die? Was it possible that he would just open his eyes and chuckle and say something sarcastic?
"I never knew you could care so much about me, Diana." She whispered. "Don't be mad at me, I just wanted to see if you would still care for me the way you did."
She kept whispering different things which she hoped Calhoun would say when he awoke. She was so busy, she didn't notice any difference in him. After speaking to herself, she placed her hand on his face and as she trailed it down, she noticed that her hands were dirty.
"I will just take a shower." She said aloud. She began to undress. Would there be anything for her to wear if she returned? She opened his wardrobe and all she could see were shirts and trousers. She could manage that. Then her eyes caught his sleepwear and she smiled. She took it out and took his towel, then she went into the bathroom.
She mixed the water hot, just the way she used to like it, but Calhoun never liked his water to be hot. He said it got him in a mood and she should never do that unless she was ready to satisfy him.
Now he wasn't here anymore, she could bath to her taste. Diana soaked in the water for two hours, the water turned cold. It was the wind that blew passed her from the small window that was opened, that woke her up. She had slept off in the bath, now the water was cold. Rather than warming it again, she came out of the bath, dried her body, and dressed in Calhoun's night dress.
By the time she returned to his room, it was already turning dark. Was there a need to stay with him? She could just get Coco to stay with her instead. At least, she would still have a part of Calhoun with her.
Well, since it wasn't so dark yet, she still had some decisions to make. She walked out of his chamber and strolled to the meeting chamber. Felix and Evander sat there, still in their battle fits. They seemed tired and had nothing to say to each other.
"Felix," Diana called. "You are still here? That's good."
"How is he?" Evander asked. "Any signs of waking up yet?"
Diana went silent. Then she spoke up again, "He is still the same way he has been."
Evander sighed. He turned his gaze back to the wall where it had been. Felix stared down at the table.
"I want to know all about George and Patricia." Diana suddenly said. She walked around and sat at the head of the table where Calhoun used to sit.
"That's King Calhoun's seat."
"I'm the mother of his child." Diana refuted.
Felix shrugged. "What do you want to know about them?"
"All, Felix. I did say, tell me all about George and Patricia."
The two men exchanged a glance. Felix decided to speak first.
"George has been Calhoun's servant for a long time. From the time he was still learning to be the takeover Alpha."
"Hm, that's quite a long time. Were they close?"
"Not at all. Calhoun has always been one to run away from relating with people. Calhoun only spoke with people who would benefit him one way or the other." Felix answered. "George to him was just fulfilling his duties by respecting him, he saw it as nothing."
"Tell me more." Diana urged.
"George was always respectful to Calhoun, every day he supported him until one day, something strange happened."
Diana's gaze became serious. "What happened?"