ROYAL TRAGEDY — JUST 5 MINUTES AGO! The Palace in Mourning as the King’s Cry Echoes Through the Night 😰
The clock struck midnight, and all of Aldermere Palace seemed to hold its breath. A cold wind swept through the marble courtyard as the royal guards bowed their heads. No one spoke. No one dared.
Inside, the air was heavy with sorrow. Prince Rowan, his face pale and streaked with tears, sat at the foot of the hospital bed, clutching his brother’s hand. “Stay with me, Adrian,” he whispered. “Please, you can’t leave us now.”
The faint beeping of machines filled the silence. Doctors moved like shadows around them, whispering instructions. Then, one by one, they stopped. The chief physician removed his gloves slowly and bowed his head.
“I’m so sorry, Your Highness.”
For a long moment, Rowan couldn’t move. His lips parted, but no sound came. And then it happened — a cry so raw, so broken, it seemed to tear the walls apart. He buried his face in his brother’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
Outside the room, the palace aide pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. “Inform the King,” she whispered.
Within minutes, word reached King Alaric IV. He had been waiting in the palace chapel, praying beneath the flickering candles. When the messenger entered, the King rose slowly. “No,” he said before the words even came. “Don’t say it.”
“Your Majesty…” The aide faltered. “Prince Adrian has—”
The King’s knees buckled. He reached for the altar, but his strength failed him. “My son…” he gasped, his voice echoing through the chamber. “Oh Lord, my son…”
He sank to the floor as guards rushed to his side. The chapel doors were sealed. Outside, thunder rolled across the London sky.
The Palace immediately went into lockdown. All media were barred from entry. The royal flag was lowered halfway, its fabric heavy with rain.
In the hospital corridor, Princess Helena, the Queen, arrived moments later. Her eyes were red, her hair disheveled, her voice barely a whisper. “Where is he?” she asked. “Where is my boy?”
Rowan looked up, his expression hollow. “He’s gone,” he said simply. “I tried to save him, Mother. I held him. But he’s gone.”
The Queen pressed a hand to her chest, staggering backward. The guards caught her just before she fell. “No,” she cried, shaking her head. “He was only just here. He promised he’d come home.”
By dawn, candles burned in every window of the city. Crowds gathered outside the palace gates, holding flowers and photographs. The kingdom had not heard from the royal family, but whispers filled the air — of grief, of silence, of heartbreak.
Finally, at sunrise, the Palace issued a short statement:
“His Majesty the King and the Royal Family are deeply saddened to announce the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Adrian of Arendale. He was beloved by all, and his legacy will forever shine.”
As the bells tolled across the kingdom, the King emerged once more — his face lined with sorrow, his crown glinting dully in the pale morning light.
He spoke just four words before returning to the shadows:
“He was my heart.”
And as the sun rose over the palace towers, its golden light spilled across the land — a kingdom mourning a prince, and a father grieving a son.