Simina followed Matilda to the King's room. He eyed them both with a dangerous expression.
"What is the meaning of this?" the King croaked. Simina babbled.
"Your majesty, I fear Prince Nar is-"
"Silence!" he bellowed, followed by a long coughing fit. "Did I say you could speak, peasant?"
Simina frowned deeply at him. "Your son is in danger!"
"How do you know this?" The King looked skeptical.
"He gave me an enchanted flower that will never wilt until he starts dying. It started wilting, and a petal fell," she explained.
The King harrumphed, seemingly unconcerned. "What do you want me to do about it?"
Simina gawked at his lack of concern for his son. "Can't you do anything to find him?"
"Why should I? He's nothing but a wretch! Maybe if he dies, I'll finally be free of this curse he put on me!" he hollered.
Fury pulsed through Simina's body and she leaned down close to him, shouting, "You'd let your one and only heir die?"
He shrunk away from her, but still glared. "I have a brother! The Darkla line will continue!"
Furious, Simina yanked a pillow out from under his head.
"Aah!" he cried out in surprise. Simina held the pillow above him.
"Help me find where he is or I swear to Zormon I will kill you," she threatened.
"Simina!" Matilda gasped. "If you attempt such a thing, I will be forced to call the Royal Guard!"
"How dare you threaten me..." the King hissed. "Fine! Give me that crystal ball."
He gestured to a desk in the corner, where miscellaneous papers and books sat. Dropping the pillow, Simina ran over and grabbed the crystal ball. She handed it to the King.
The King placed his hand on the ball and poured what little magic he had left into it. It glowed purple.
"Show me Prince Nar," the King boomed and removed his hand from the crystal ball. Simina and Matilda leaned closer to gaze into it. Simina saw the Dark Castle and then the image moved away from the castle to the Snowy Hills. Lying in the middle of the snow was Nar, passed out. He looked pale, paler than usual, and his lips were turning slightly blue. Simina flipped.
"Nar!" she shrieked, voice cracking up. She didn't even see the blood staining his shirt. Slowly, the image faded, and the crystal ball went dark.
"Send out a search party," the King said to Matilda. Simina didn't wait for anybody else. She ran back the way they came, Matilda trailing behind her and into the snow. Simina ran, the cold wind biting her skin, whipping through her clothes, sprouting goosebumps across her skin. The cold snow pressed against her bare ankles, getting into her shoes. She shivered but continued onward.
"Nar!" she called. "Nar!" Simina didn't want him to die. Guilt sprouted in her heart at her previous reluctance to express herself. If he died, he'd never know how much she cared for him, and she'd never get the chance to love him. She wanted that chance. Simina's chest began to ache. Matilda ran behind her, searching, too. Simina ran until she finally found his limp form lying in the snow.
"Nar!" Simina cried and knelt in the cold snow, shivering. A terrible, strange choking sound burst from her chest as she looked at him. Blood stained the snow around him: fresh, raw, and red. His shirt was torn, and a deep red gash cut sharply into his side, exposing his flesh. Simina gasped, tears streaming down her face.
"No...Nar..." she whimpered. Blood still leaked from his wound. Immediately, she checked him for a pulse. Her hands ran over his cold skin, which was still slightly warm. She placed two shaky fingers on his neck. She checked for a pulse. There was a slight flutter against her fingers. She breathed out with relief, feeling hope arise within her.
"He's still alive," she told Matilda. Simina took his face in her hands, caressing his face. He looked like he was sleeping, but his face was too pale and his lips were blue. Simina heard horses and the murmur of shouting guards and soldiers in the distance.
"Over here!" Matilda shouted to them, standing and waving her arms about wildly. Simina held his head in her lap. He was like ice, cold to the touch. In a jiffy, soldiers rushed to his aid.
"Outta the way!" they shouted and shoved her. Two soldiers picked Nar up from the ground.
"Get a horse!" Another soldier brought a horse, and they helped Nar get on top of it. Simina followed them into the castle as they rushed him up the stairs and into a room. Simina pushed through the soldiers to get to Nar, wanting to make sure he would be okay. Soldiers yelled at her, telling her to go back.
"Get that girl!" one yelled. But Simina kept running. She wouldn't let anyone get her.
"Simina! Come back!" Matilda called to her. Simina didn't listen. She followed the soldiers carrying him into the room, where she saw them lay him on the bed. Through all the chaos, Simina heard his voice.
"Ugh...what's going on?" Nar groaned in pain. He growled. Someone removed his coat and shirt to inspect his wound. Heart aching, Simina pushed forward until she got to his side.
"Nar!" Simina yelled out. Nar heard her and turned his head in the direction of her voice.
"What?" He thought he was hallucinating or hearing things. She knelt at his bedside.
"Nar, Nar, I'm here. It's me," she said softly. Nar turned his head to look at her. His eyes looked glazed.
"Simina?" he croaked out weakly. Simina took his face in her hands. Some color had returned to Nar's face.
"I'm here, Nar," she assured him.
"We need a healer here!" Matilda yelled. She was trying to attend to his wound. Nar breathed out. He brought up a hand and brushed a gentle finger along her jawline. Simina leaned into his touch.
"I'm so glad to see you," Nar whispered hoarsely. Simina smiled sadly, stroking his cheek. He placed a hand over hers. Nar's dimming purple eyes fluttered to a close. He passed out again. A soldier grabbed Simina and shoved her.
"Get the girl out of here! She doesn't need to see this!" a soldier said. Simina spun her head wildly.
"What?" she squeaked. Two soldiers hoisted her up onto her feet and started dragging her away. Nar began to get farther and farther away from her.
"Wait! No! No! Let me go!" She fought against the soldiers restraining her. Simina was shoved out of the room and handed over to two guards. Simina kicked her legs.
"No! No! Take me back!" She wanted to stay with Nar.
"Take her home; there's a carriage waiting outside. Make sure that horse she borrowed gets back to where it belongs," a soldier barked at the guards. They saluted and dragged Simina out of the castle. She was thrown into a waiting carriage and taken away back home. Simina banged on the windows.
"No! No! Driver! Turn back around!" she shrilled. The driver didn't listen. He just went faster.