Chapter 65

Diala had been informed by her father of the imminent invasion about three days before it happened. A messenger had delivered the letter to her in her room shortly before she served Fabian's breakfast. Recently, he had taken to his room more as a result of the debilitating status of his health. It was obvious already. Everyone in the palace knew it. Around the palace courtyard, servants and soldiers talked about in hushed tones. Even members of the council chambers had become concerned and Fabian had had to stop attending the meetings. He would remain in his room all day, only attended to by his personal servant and Diala, who was steadily poisoning him. He had also refused to see Anthony, the court physician, and that had only made his situation worse.

Early that morning, Fabian jerked up awake from sleep at the sound of a very loud bell. It was the church bell and it was only rang with such insistence when there was danger, or something had happened that would put the c