Chapter 288: The King's Twilight

Deep within the palace, the lamps in the king's Qin Gong glowed dim and yellow.

King Yuse lay on a wide yet somewhat empty bed, his complexion pallid, his breath carrying a hint of heaviness.

The once formidable 'Big Dragon Head' has now had its edge worn away by time and illness.

Queen Igraine sat on the bedside, holding a delicate porcelain bowl filled with steaming dark medicinal decoction.

She scooped it with a small spoon, carefully blew it cool, then gently brought it to Yuse's lips.

Throughout the process, both remained silent.

The air was permeated with the bitterness of herbs and an indescribable oppression.

Former affection seemed diluted by weighty state affairs and an invisible rift, leaving only weary silence between them.

When the medicinal decoction in the bowl was finished, Igraine gently wiped Yuse's mouth with a silk handkerchief, and as she was about to rise and leave, Yuse suddenly reached out, weakly yet firmly grasping her wrist.

His gaze drifted into the void, carrying a trace of remembrance and deep regret, and he asked in a hoarse voice:

«Igraine… our child… how old should he be today? »

Igraine's body tensed slightly, her hand gripping the empty bowl tighter.

On her beautiful face rose an extremely complex expression: a mother's longing, guilt for being unable to accompany him, and perhaps some lingering knots from the past.

She lowered her eyelids and answered softly, as if afraid to disturb something:

«About… eleven years old. »

She paused, lifted her eyes to Yuse, with a barely perceptible hope, «Is… it time to bring him back? »

«No. » Yuse shook his head almost without hesitation, his eyes sharpening somewhat—that was the king's vigilance,

«Too many people, too many eyes watching this position. »

«Those nobles, those potential enemies… if he were to return now, he would be too great a target; they would stop at nothing to find a chance to eliminate him, once and for all. »

His tone carried deep helplessness and a hint of a father's heartache,

«Staying with Merlin, away from the whirlpool of power, would be far safer for him than returning to this seemingly glorious but actually dangerous Camelot… if possible, I even hope he never gets drawn into these conflicts, living out his life as an ordinary person in peace and safety. »

Igraine listened to her husband's words, her lips moved, but in the end she could not utter anything.

How could she not long for her own flesh and blood? Yet she also understood Yuse's concern was a cruel reality; thousands of words condensed into a single sighing whisper:

«I too… so hope. »

Once again, the Qin Gong fell into a suffocating silence.

After a while, Yuse slowly loosened his grip on Igraine's hand, forcing a gentle yet barely concealed weak smile onto his face, trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere:

«However…» a glint of the same light from years past flashed in his eyes,

«He is my Yuse Pandragong's son! His destiny is certainly not ordinary. »

His tone carried an almost prophetic certainty,

«I believe that before long, the world will know his name! His deeds will be sung by bards, his name will endure in this land for ages, ages…»

However, this vigor soon dissipated, his eyes dimming, replaced by profound regret,

«It's just a shame… I, cough cough… afraid I won't see, cough cough cough…»

His words were cut off by a sudden violent cough.

He coughed so hard he bent over, his frail body shaking violently, an abnormal flush rising on his face.

Igraine hastily set down the medicine bowl, sat beside the bed, one hand supporting his shoulder, the other gently stroking his hunched back up and down to ease his breathing, her eyes full of worry.

After a while, the coughing gradually subsided.

Yuse weakly leaned against the pillow, panting, and waved at Igraine:

«All right… I'm fine, just a bit tired. »

He did not want his wife to worry excessively, so he changed the subject,

«Go rest now; tomorrow… there is still a banquet to receive envoys, and you need to oversee the preparations. »

Igraine looked at his strained appearance, feeling sour in her heart, yet could only nod and reply: «All right. You too should rest properly, don't overexert yourself. »

She carefully tucked in his blankets, gave him a deep look, then turned and left the Qin Gong with steps that felt somewhat heavy.

When Igraine's footsteps faded at the end of the corridor and the Qin Gong's door was gently closed, the Yuse who had seemed asleep with eyes closed slowly opened his eyes.

He struggled to sit up from the bed, leaned on the bedpost to catch his breath for a moment, then inch by inch moved to the writing desk by the window.

He picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write swiftly on the spread-out parchment.

The nib scratched the paper, producing a soft rustling sound, especially clear in the quiet night.

The letter's content was not long; he finished it quickly.

Afterward, he carefully rolled the letter, sealed it with a small piece of red wax, and did not summon an attendant.

He extended his bony fingers, slowly tracing several mysterious runes in the air while chanting an incantation.

A faint Magic Aura gathered at his fingertips, eventually enveloping the rolled letter.

In the next instant, the parchment, within a soft halo of light, transformed and unfurled into a blue bird with every feather distinct!

The blue bird hopped twice in his palm, emitting a clear chirp, as if alive.

Yuse gazed at this magical construct and whispered his instruction:

«Go… find Merlin and deliver the letter to him. »

The blue bird rubbed against his fingers, then spread its wings and rose like a blue streak of light, swiftly slipping through the slightly open window seam, merging into the dark night outside, flying swiftly toward the distance, toward where Merlin and Arthur were, and soon vanished from sight.

King Yuse gazed long at the endless darkness beyond the window until a wave of fatigue overtook him, then he slowly sat back in his chair, letting out a long, heavy sigh.