Mated To The Cruel Prince-Chapter 699: Aldric Would Never Be The Same

Prince Andre never took his brother Aldric out of the winter court contrary to the thought of the search parties currently turning the kingdom upside down in their search for him. If anything they were right up their noses; they took refuge in the palace sanctum.

The sanctum was in the heart of the winter palace, and was dedicated to the ancient Fae gods. However, leave it to Maxi to think out of the box and come up with the craziest idea. It was the last place anyone would expect to find them, a clever gambit Maxi made, capitalizing on the deep-seated respect the Fae held for their gods.

The sanctum was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from a few flickering candles positioned around the room. Their light cast long, quivering shadows on the stone walls, where ancient carvings and figurines of the gods stood watch. The air was dense with the potent blend of burning incense and the sharp, earthy aroma of herbs, filling the space with a heady fragrance that seemed almost tangible and made Andre’s nose twitch.

Even now, neither Andre, nor Issac felt comfortable staying there. Even if it was a smart plan, they were Fae after all. It was as if they felt the oppressive sanctity of the sanctum pressing down on them, a constant reminder of the gods’ silent judgment. And to make it worse, they brought a witch in here. If their kind knew what they had done, they would be calling for their head to roll for this "abomination."

Prince Aldric lay unconscious on a thick, woven mat, his body unmoving except for the slow rise and fall of his chest. The occasional twitch of his eyelids was the only evidence of the turmoil raging within his unconscious mind.

Kneeling beside Aldric was the witch, dressed in dark robes that flowed around her, her presence feeling like a taint against the sanctity of the room. As much as it bothered Andre — he was going against everything he had been taught about reference to the gods — he could not do anything. Surely, the gods understood they were trying to save their beloved son, Aldric.

And yes, Andre had always thought his brother had to be the god’s favorite, after all, how could he be alive so far. Everyone knew Aldric was never meant to live. Yet somehow the gods kept him. They must have a reason for doing so. And what reason would that be, if it wasn’t for the fact he was their beloved son?

The witch’s long white hair fell around her face as she bent over Aldric, her fingers lightly pressing against both sides of his temple. Her eyes, a piercing shade of green, glowed brightly in the candlelight as she examined him. Those eyes, though seeing, looked distant as if she was no longer present, searching Aldric’s mind.

Then her eyes suddenly gained focus, and she began to mutter incantations under her breath. The air around her fingertips shimmered faintly, a telltale sign of the magic she was channeling. She closed her eyes this time as she delved into his head once more.

Prince Andre stood nearby, his face lined with worry and fatigue. His usually impeccable appearance was disheveled, thanks to the harrowing battle and the stress of their precarious situation. He was restless, casting anxious glances at his brother and the witch, his mind racing with thoughts of their next move and the search parties scouring the kingdom above.

When the witch opened her eyes with a sudden gasp, he straightened up, asking anxiously, "How bad is it? Can you help him?"

"His mind," The witch said, "It is so powerful and confusing. I have never seen a mind so complicated, so shattered." She looked Andre in the eyes, "Mad."

Andre swallowed nervously. His gaze moved to connect with Issac’s from across the room. He had always suspected that his brother was unwell mentally and now, the witch just proved it.

Issac said nothing, looking away. Unlike Andre, he was worried about something else. More like someone else. Maxi. There was no sign of her nor Islinda. This could only mean that something went wrong or they were unable to come here and branched off to another location. He had to trust that his mate was okay. It was Maxi after all. She was incredible and capable of doing the impossible.

Now, they had to believe that the witch would be able to heal Aldric and he would return things to normal. Once in the palace, Issac intended to look for them and if they were somehow caught and captured, Aldric would have them released.

The witch reached into a leather pouch at her side, pulling out a small vial filled with a viscous, glowing liquid. She uncorked it with a flick of her thumb, opened Aldric’s mouth and poured a few drops into Aldric’s parted lips.

As the liquid disappeared down his throat, she then reached for a bundle of dried herbs, crushed a handful between her fingers, and sprinkled the fragments over Aldric. The scent of the herbs mingled with the incense, creating a potent aroma that filled the room. Once that was done, the witch closed her eyes and was back in his mind, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Unlike the first time, it took the witch a longer time to return to consciousness, her eyes glowing with power.

There was a look of frustration on her face as she said to them, "Whoever messed with his mind did a lousy job and didn’t care for the aftermath."

"What do you mean by that?" Andre was frowning now while Issac’s attention was piqued.

"His mind was already unstable in the first place and in such a situation, people like him are unable to be charmed. At least not for too long. His mind was always shifting, adapting, fighting it in its own unique way. However, the young witch kept bewitching him using an active yet lethal plant of ours, known for its susceptibility effects, especially when used in large quantities, accompanied with several of her spells. It is safe to say that prince Aldric’s is lucky to have what’s left of his mind intact so far."

Prince Andre and Issac were unable to say a word after the witch was done, left in a state of a shock. The autumn prince did not even realize when his fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white. He trembled with a barely contained rage. As much as Aldric was a pain in the ass, that was his problem to deal with, no one messed with family and went scot free.

His voice, when he finally spoke, was tight with suppressed fury. "What do you suggest we do now?"

The witch replied, "I can undo what the young witch did to him, however, it would take time."

Issac, already frayed by the absence of his mate and the perilous state they found themselves in, snapped, "Time is not a luxury we have!" His frustration bubbled over, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "We need Prince Aldric back at the palace as soon as possible. It’s only by sheer luck no one has thought to check down here. We are on borrowed time, witch."

The witch’s eyes flashed with a dangerous glint, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "You would do well to speak to me appropriately next time, or I will literally sew your mouth shut, pointy-eared fool!"

However, Issac was already close to losing it and that threat from the witch was enough to set him off. His eyes glowed with anger," What did you just say, witch?"

In a heartbeat, he was towering over her, his presence menacing as he loomed. The air grew charged, a gust of wind picking up and beginning to extinguish the flickering candles, nearly casting the sanctum into a darkness.

The rising confrontation was abruptly interrupted by a sharp slap. Andre had stepped between them and struck Issac across the face, a startling move that cut through the tension. "Get a grip of yourself!" he commanded, his voice a mix of authority and concern.

The slap jolted Issac out of his escalating rage. He groaned, pressing a hand to his face as he tried to regain his composure.

He needed his mate! He wanted to see her! He needed to know that he was okay! The gnawing absence of his mate, Maxi, was driving him to the brink. The bond they shared was his anchor, and its disruption left him unmoored and frantic.

Although Andre could not tell what was suddenly wrong with Issac, he sensed he was going through something. It was unlike him. So he softened his approach.

He placed a steadying hand on Issac’s shoulder, his voice firm but compassionate. "Take a long, deep breath. We will get through this. We will find Islinda. We will rescue everyone affected by this ugly incident."

Issac closed his eyes, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath.

When the rage subsided, Andre focused his attention back on the witch." Do what you can now. "He added ,"Please." Having learned from Issac’s incident.

"I never said I wouldn’t help as much as I could, however, there is a little problem."

"By the gods." Issac was already tired of the bad news for one day.

"What is it?" Andre inquired bravely.

"If I undo what the witch did to your prince, there are chances he could never be the same. There could be lifetime damages to his mind. Do you consent to that, Prince Autumn?"

There was tense silence as the news sank into his head. Aldric would never be the same. His brother might turn out better or worse.

Then he answered after a while." Do it. "