Kade
an excerpt

"The death toll stands at 423 persons so far. We have not yet heard from Jordun and Kell, but from what is rumored, they could hold one hundred dead each." The elderly man who uttered this horrifying news ran a quivering hand through his hair as he was prone to do when nervous, failing to make eye contact with any of the frowning men in the room.

"Each?" A man across the room asked, his scowl making his already small eyes nearly invisible under thick white eyebrows.

"Indeed, Counsellor," he affirmed, bowing his head.

"But was the body count not below two hundred just two days ago?"

"Sir, it was; and King, if I may, that fact makes this even more worrisome. How are we to deal with the number of victims rising so rapidly every day?"

Nobody answered. The king, a tall and formidable man with dark hair peppered with grey and critical eyes, glanced between the thirteen well-dressed men seated before him for a long moment before speaking.

"Gentlemen, thank you all for your help in this matter. I would like to let you all know now, before the public statement tomorrow morning, that my wife and I will be journeying to Country Elise tomorrow. We hope to figure out the cause to this madness while there."

One of the older men in the room was quite startled. "Is it wise, your highness, to put yourself in danger like that?"

"County Elise has experienced no deaths in nearly five days; it stands to reason that the disease must have moved past that area. If we skirt around County Plait and then up through County Elise into its heart, we can avoid the path of the disease entirely.

The men nodded in grudging agreement. The king allowed them a moment to digest this information before gesturing to the man to his right. "My son Jonas will be acting as Regent while Lenora and I are away. Do be so kind as to make the appropriate measures to stay in the city for the next few weeks, for Jonas will be convening regular meetings to report on my progress and further discuss these somber matters. Thank you, gentlemen, and good day -- but Doctor, stay for a moment, if you would."

The grand doors of King Philip's chambers opened to reveal a well-furnished sitting room, a dozen or so men within. Firelight flickered across their somber faces, and the room echoes hushed tones. They exited in groups of two or three, until only three were left: the king, Prince Jonas, and a small man with limp brown hair and the signature red coat of a doctor.

The king folded his hands and regarded the man seated opposite him with wary eyes. "Thank you for staying, Doctor. I did not want to cause alarm amongst my advisors, lest the news you give me be unsatisfactory -- which I assume it shall be, by the very nature of this situation."

The younger man wrung his hands. "Indeed, Your Highness, the information I bear is not promising. I have seen the dead, and all are alike. But it is like no disease I have ever encountered before; their bodies show no symptoms, nor do their families speak of any pre-death problems. It seems, my lord, that death is the only symptom."