Arius
The complaints started a day after that strange beam of light. I was in my hall when the first set troop in from the distant part of Northshore, they must have been on the road for at least a day and with the worry on their face, they certainly were not there to see their queen.
“You need a woman with you when they get here. Faye is here and pregnant with your child if I should remind you, use her.” Kastav said but I glared at him.
He betrayed me, he should have told me about Faye coming to meet him instead of telling the council and right now he was trying to push Faye in front of my people. That was not something which I would allow, not now, not ever.
“No, I will not present my mistake in front of my people and parade it in front of my bride, I will not give Gwenn that disrespect.”
“You need a woman beside you.” Isolde answered and when I looked at her shock, she hurried and added to her statement.
I thought if there was anybody on my side about not letting Faye to seat with me and preside over meeting with Northerners, it would be her. She hates when women use the fact that they are women to advance in anything.
She hated Gwenn for that until Gwenn corrected her notion by threatening the council, she paid closer attention to Gwenn then and what she saw was enough to make her be in Gwenn’s corner fully.
“You need someone beside you but I never said Faye.” She added while Faye hissed angrily but she knew better than to interrupt a commander. Even with her pregnancy, she needs to trend softly. “Your sisters are there, why not you chose one.”
“Because they are more inappropriate than Faye will be.” I said already tired this morning. “Where on God damn earth is that woman?” I roared.
“She is not in the Palace or its vicinity anymore.” Sorian entered with Silana right behind him. Silana eyes were clear which was a rarity.
None of us knew what was wrong with Silana, what we know is that she always says the most inappropriate things and I remember when we were young how she told me about things which nobody knew, things which seemed unbelievable and sometimes things that will later happen.
“How did you know that she is not?” Kastav asked him and he shrugged.
“My brother is not around too and he fancies himself as her shadow.” He answered as Kastav nodded.
“Well they looked kind of cozy when I saw them yesterday in the courtyard, acting like they were practicing her skills with the whip.” Kastav said as my mind froze.
“What did you just say?” I asked him with my tone low and my eyes narrowed.
“We don’t have time for that, right now. That smaller throne occupant needs to be fixed.”
Silana walked to the smaller throne beside mine and sat on it. “There, problem solved brother, Kastav you were saying something.” Silana leaned out of the seat and looked at Kastav in the eyes. “I am very interested to hear what you have to say.”
Kastav shifted uncomfortably, right from time, the two of them never agreed. Kastav referred to Silana as a witch and Silana always referred to Kastav as a greedy little bastard. Right from when we were young, she has not changed her insults once.
“She and Sorens bodies were almost fused together yesterday.” Kastav raised his chin at Silana.
“You mean that innocent action is suspicious, not in my book though. I mean it is not as suspicious as Faye in your rooms at night is it?” She asked and my eyes widened when I looked at Faye whose face was red while Kastav blanked his own.
“I have never been alone with Faye, Catia was always there.” Kastav started to defend himself but Silana released a harsh bark of laughter.
“Faye’s child is Arius own but what I am referring to is your plotting together.” Kastav face went pale this time as he glanced at me only to see I was watching him.
Silana looked at him with pity. “Don’t do whatever it is that you want to do Kastav, I still believe in you, you can change, I don’t want to lose my brother. “ She said with a soft look as Kastav turned his face away.
“Silana.” I called.
“Don’t, I cannot tell you brother, sometimes it is best to watch everything play out. That is the only way in which we get to survive sometimes.”
I sighed as I went to seat besides my sister, she was just as stubborn as me and sometimes even more so. Her telling me that she is not going to change her mind meant just that, she was not going to change her mind on what was she was going to tell me.
Our siblings left the room while Isolde remained behind, she was the council member who was going to be with me for the first half of attending to visitors today.
“Oh, by the way before I forget, Faye.” Silana shouted. And When Faye ducked her head back in the room in question, Silana continued.
“Stay away from Tantrums. They are not good for your pregnancy.” Faye rolled her eyes, thinking Silana has gone off to the deep end again before leaving.
Silana pinned me next with her gaze.
“Brother mine?” She started.
“Yes Silana.” I answered.
“You should not have slept with Faye, you will regret a lot of things in the future because of it.” And with that, she face forward just in time for a knock to sound on the door.
“Open.” Isolde yelled as a group of merchants jumped in to obey the order in her voice even if she had not compelled them with a command.
“My king, princess.” They bowed and me and Silana extended our hands with our palms up to show that they were welcome and in good company as par the traditions.
“We wish to lay a few complaints, children has been disappearing from our village, we need someone to help us look into the disappearance just like we want to know the cause of that strange beam of yesterday…” One of the merchants stated immediately they got the greeting out of the way but another elbowed that one.
“We would like to offer our congratulations about the news that you have gotten a beautiful fair and strong queen. We would like to see our queen.”
“You will if you stay until lunch, you see she went out to investigate that strange lightning you saw yesterday. She does not like it when something threatens her home.” Silana chips in.
The merchant exchanged glance with the rest of his members in his group.
“We would like to stay until lunch so we can see this hunting Queen.”
“It would be our pleasure.” I answered with a smile as Silana smiled too like she was getting what she wanted.
I did not know what Silana was up to but it was clear that she was on Gwenn side and that was a good thing. Gwenn needs someone on her side.
I failed her as her husband and as a man, I don’t want to even think of Gwenn being failed right now. She really didn’t deserve this from me and I as a man should have never done that to her.
“You can go right ahead and wait for Gwenn.” Silana said as they bowed again, by the time they left Silana turned to me.
“You will allow Gwenn to go with them, she needs the time away from you.”
“What are you going on about?” I asked Silana who frowned.
“If you want Gwenn to love you, don’t try to cage her, if she says she wants to leave. Let her do it. You know that she is going to come back.” Silana smiled at me.
I couldn’t help but feel dread for when me and Gwenn would finally talked out this issue with Faye.
I did more than fail her, I failed my mother and myself too.