Rick could sense the tension in the air long before he knew its source. The palace, always a place of silent power struggles, now felt like a coiled spring ready to snap. Servants moved with unusual haste, their whispers barely audible but laced with urgency. Rick, pretending to be engrossed in a toy, kept his ears open, picking up fragments of conversation that hinted at something larger at play.
Chick floated beside him, his tiny form flickering like a candle in the wind. "Something's going down, boss. You feel it too, right?"
Rick nodded subtly. "Yeah. It's different today. More… intense."
As if on cue, the door to the nursery creaked open, and Marie entered, her expression carefully neutral. But Rick had been around long enough to notice the subtle tightness in her posture, the way her eyes darted around the room before settling on him.
"Your Highness," she said with forced cheerfulness, "it's time for your afternoon walk."
Rick allowed himself to be scooped up, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed to know what was happening, and more importantly, how it might affect him. As they moved through the palace, Rick noticed the guards were more alert than usual, their eyes scanning every shadow, every movement.
They passed a group of nobles conversing in hushed tones. Rick strained to listen, catching snippets of their conversation.
"…arrived this morning… the King's brother…"
"…something big… the King's mood…"
"…dangerous…"
The mention of the King's brother sent a chill down Rick's spine. He had only seen the man from a distance, but even that brief encounter had left an impression. The King's brother was tall, with a commanding presence that exuded arrogance and power. But there was something else—something that set Rick's instincts on edge.
As they continued their walk, Rick noticed Chick had gone silent, his usual banter replaced by a focused intensity. Rick didn't have to ask to know what Chick was doing—gathering information, just as Rick had instructed him.
By the time they returned to the nursery, Chick had reappeared, his expression grim. Rick could feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves, even before Chick spoke.
"It's worse than we thought," Chick whispered urgently. "The King's brother is up to something big. He's been meeting with some of the nobles in secret, and they're planning something—something that involves the King."
Rick's heart raced. The King's brother wasn't just visiting; he was plotting. And if the nobles were involved, that meant the power struggle within the palace was about to escalate.
"Did you find out what they're planning?" Rick asked, keeping his voice low.
"Not the details, but it's definitely not good," Chick replied. "They're waiting for the right moment to make their move. And it's going to be soon."
Rick's mind raced as he considered the implications. The King's brother was dangerous, and if he was planning to move against the King, that put everyone in the palace at risk—including Rick. He needed to gather more information and fast.
But how? He was still just a child in everyone's eyes, and despite the knowledge from his previous life, his current body was weak and limited. He couldn't confront the King's brother directly, not yet. But he could observe, listen, and piece together what he could.
"Keep an eye on him, Chick," Rick instructed. "I need to know everything he's planning. And see if you can find out who else is involved."
Chick nodded. "Will do. But be careful, Rick. This guy… he's bad news."
Rick watched as Chick faded out of sight, his form merging with the shadows. Left alone in the nursery, Rick couldn't shake the feeling of impending danger. The King's brother was clearly up to something, and if he succeeded, the consequences could be catastrophic—not just for the King, but for the entire kingdom.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of anxious waiting. Rick kept his ears open, listening for any hint of the King's brother's plans, but the palace had gone eerily quiet. Even the usual palace gossip seemed subdued, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something to happen.
That night, as Marie settled Rick into his crib, Chick reappeared, his expression tense. Rick didn't need to ask to know Chick had found something.
"I managed to overhear a conversation," Chick began, his voice low. "Two of the nobles were talking about the King's brother. They mentioned something about 'everything being in place' and that they're just waiting for the right moment."
Rick's heart pounded in his chest. "What else did they say?"
"One of them asked what they were going to do about you," Chick continued. "They called you a 'cursed child' and said that once the King was out of the way, they'd 'deal with you as they see fit.'"
Rick's blood ran cold. He had expected as much, but hearing it confirmed sent a wave of fear through him. The King's brother wasn't just after the throne—he was after Rick, too.
"We need to do something," Rick said, his voice shaking with the urgency of the situation. "We can't just let them get away with this."
"I know," Chick replied, his tone equally serious. "But we have to be smart about it. We can't take them on directly, not yet. We need more information—something we can use to stop them."
Rick nodded, his mind racing. He needed to warn the King, but how? The King barely acknowledged him, and Rick doubted he would take the warnings of a child seriously, especially when that child was the one he believed responsible for his wife's death.
But he had to try. He couldn't just sit by and let the King's brother destroy everything.
"I'm going to warn the King," Rick decided. "Even if he doesn't listen, I have to try."
Chick looked at him, concern etched on his small face. "Are you sure? This could be dangerous, Rick."
"I'm sure," Rick replied, his voice filled with determination. "I have to do something. If I don't, who will?"
Chick sighed but didn't argue. "Alright. But be careful, okay? We can't afford to make any mistakes."
Rick nodded, his resolve firm. He knew the risks, but he couldn't let fear stop him. The King's brother was planning something, and if Rick didn't act, it could mean the end of the kingdom—and his own life.
As he lay back in his crib, Rick's mind buzzed with plans and strategies. Tomorrow, he would find a way to speak to the King. He would make him listen, somehow. And if that didn't work, Rick would find another way. He wasn't going to give up—he couldn't afford to.
Because if there was one thing Rick had learned in his previous life, it was that the only way to survive was to fight. And he wasn't about to let anyone take that fight away from him.