War of Faeries

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"What a night." Ryven says plopping too his chair. I got the bathroom and slip into my night clothes. When I emerge from the bathroom, he is still sitting there in his chair head in hand.

"I agree." I sit opposite of him, and he looks up at me.

"Tonight, we were supposed to meet her, get to know her." He shakes his head disappointed we didn't get a chance to talk to one of our subjects.

"We were heading in the right direction, then Jerald had to ruin it. I don't understand why he can't leave Henry alone."

The truth is Henry is our God son, his mother was my best friend growing up, and we always promised our children would know each other. When Miranda got pregnant, she didn't find out until Jerald was whisked away to help fight the war. When Jerald came home and found that he had a child, and no wife- Miranda died during childbirth- he has lashed out ever since. Either because he didn't know she was carrying his child and thought she was cheating- or because he lost his soul mate, and no one can ever replace her.

I took care of Henry until his father came home from the war, but during that time I got pregnant and gave birth myself. Henry and Valarie are only thirteen months apart. It was challenging being pregnant and having Henry around at the same time, and all the while going through a battle to get John back- but we got through it. When Jerald came home, we had already lost Valarie, and Henry was our way of coping with the loss for the time.

He was the most spoiled three-year-old no doubt, but everything was working out. Everything was so perfect I forgot he wasn't mine for a while even. It wasn't until Jerald came back and took him away did, I have to face the facts. For two years our contact with Henry was limited- Jerald didn't want him growing up spoiled. Or that was what he told us, what he really meant was he didn't want us to see what he had become, and what he was doing to Henry.

At five years old Henry walked from his house to the palace, covered in bruises, and cuts hidden beneath his clothing. Ryven didn't even wait to read the note Henry came with before heading out to look for Jerald. After I read what was written I wanted to go find Jerald and kill him myself, but Jerald was long gone by the time Ryven arrived.

For five years we didn't hear from Jerald, until one day he came to the palace demanding to speak with Henry. We denied him that right of course, but that didn't stop him from coming back every year after, sometimes coming more than once a year. Every year it's a different date, every year all he wants it to make Henry relive those horrible days he had to endure. For a while we refused to let Henry talk to him, but now- now he is old enough to make his own choices. So, when he does talk to his father the horrible words Jerald says haunts him for days or weeks at a time.

The one thing we never let Henry read or ever know about is the letter his father sent him here with. I wish I never read those words, words that a five-year-old should never have to hear. Yet somehow, I always knew Henry heard them no matter what I did to keep him from knowing what his father had to say.

"Well there is always tomorrow to ask her questions." Ryven says snapping me out of my thoughts, he rubs his towel over his wet hair, he must have taken a shower while I was thinking.

"I'm sure she has plenty of questions to ask herself." I say pulling back the covers on our bed climbing in.

"You're right. Good night my love." He kisses me on the cheek before turning off the light and climbing into bed himself.

"Good night Ryven."

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