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“Your Highness, I really advise against—”
He didn’t wait for me to finish. He pushed me aside and headed towards Cass. His eyes filled with disbelief and anguish as he beheld his beloved daughter, so full of life just moments before, now forever stilled in death.
“No, no, it can’t be true,” he whispered, his voice breaking with grief. “Cassandra, my dear sweet child…”
The weight of the loss was too much to bear, and he crumpled to his knees beside her, his shoulders shaking with sobs. The air in the hallway was heavy with sorrow, and those who had gathered could feel the king’s heartache reverberate through the castle walls.
I watched him as his hands shook, reaching out to touch Cassandra’s still form, his fingertips brushing against her skin. Like any beloved and brave king, he had seen battles and faced dangers, but nothing could ever prepare a man for such a profound loss.
He was no longer a king. He was a father, who had lost a child. His heart-wrenching cries echoed throughout the hallway. The mighty king was now a broken man, grappling with unimaginable pain. Everyone stood in silence, watching him. Our hearts were all heavy with sorrow. His grief was a palpable presence, casting a dark shadow over everyone present. And yet, even in the hour of his deepest sorrow, he remained regal, his presence commanding, but his pain was unmistakable.
At that moment, the doctor approached the king and placed his hand on his shoulder. It calmed the king down a bit as he lifted his gaze.
“We should take her to her room,” Doctor Zalkind suggested. “I would like to examine her.”
“No, no, no,” the king shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “I will not let you cut up my child for whatever reason.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing, Your Majesty,” Doctor Zalkind spoke kindly and with much respect. “But we need to see what caused her…”
Death.
That was the word he wanted to use, but he couldn’t. To be quite honest, I don’t know if I would use it either. Seeing this broken man like this, we all knew that the word would bring him even more pain and sorrow.
“I just want to do a basic examination, so we have an idea of what happened,” Doctor Zalkind kept on speaking with much respect, and it was obvious from this that he and the king had seen many things together over the years. One would even say that they were friends.
The king finally got up. It seemed to me that in the last couple of minutes, his physical form had shrunk, as if a vital part of his body was missing now, without any hope of ever returning again.
He patted the doctor on the shoulder. “I know you will take good care of her. I just… I…”
“I know,” the doctor nodded. I thought that he too would start crying at any moment, but he managed to control himself.
“Adrian?” the king turned to me, his voice having aged as well as his eyes. “Can you please take Cassandra up to her room and put her on the bed?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” I nodded immediately.
It seemed as if he wanted to say something else, but then, he almost dropped to the ground, his legs unable to carry the weight of his body any longer.
“Take him to sit down and bring him some water,” Doctor Zalkind urged one of the servants, who immediately rushed over and did as they were told. Then, he turned to me and nodded.
I looked down at Cassandra’s body. She looked so small, so delicate. I was afraid that if I didn’t take her properly, I mightbreak her. I was afraid of doing something to her, of hurting her even more by being careless.
With a heavy heart and a deep sense of responsibility, I gently lifted Cassandra's lifeless body into my arms. She felt so light, almost weightless, as if she had become a fragile ethereal presence. My steps were slow and deliberate, carrying her back to the sanctuary of her room.
Upon reaching her room, I carefully laid Cassandra on her bed, making sure she was resting peacefully. I stepped back, allowing the gravity of the moment to sink in. She looked as if she was merely sleeping, as if she would wake up at any moment and laugh at us, telling us it was just a joke. But nothing would ever be the same.
Cassandra had always been kind and warm-hearted, treating everyone with genuine care and affection. She had an uncanny ability to bring joy to any gathering, and her presence had brightened even the darkest days. I couldn’t even imagine what it was like to have someone like that in your life and then lose them like this.
At that moment, doctor Zalkind came into the room and closed the door behind him. He looked solemn, his eyes heavy with sorrow. He was carrying his black leather bag with him this time. I stepped away from the bed, all the way to the wall.
“Is that all?” I asked, thinking that he would probably want to be alone while doing this, but his answer surprised me.
“Stay,” he urged. “I… I don’t want to do this alone. And I can’t ask the king or his daughter to be here while I do this.”
I nodded sympathetically. He inhaled deeply, then started the examination. He was careful and respectful, not to lift her nightgown too high up, although I was sure that at some point, he would need to inspect her entire body. But maybe the king would not allow that either.
After a few minutes, he pulled away, pushing his glasses further up his nose. “I don’t see any visible wounds or indications of foul play,” he told me.
I frowned. “So, she fell?”
