Havoc of Betrayal

CHAPTER 11 - Fire of Jealousy

CHAPTER 11

Mathias let out a breath of air, pulling the bundle beside him to his chest but frowning when he felt nothing but a puddle of blanket wrinkling in his hands. He opened his eyes, taking in a deep breath, sitting up, eyes falling on Axel who was on the ground with his back to the couch, and between his extended legs was Lona, playing with her toy horse. Mathias bit his bottom lip, fighting not to let the tears gathering in his eyes fall. He swallowed back his relief. Axel's eyes met his when he sat up, smiling at him which had Mathias smile back before slipping out of bed, going to where they were before grabbing a hold of Lona who protested as he started kissing her face, pushing against him but he wouldn't let go, laughing at her reaction.

He looked back at Axel as he asked, "When did I fall asleep?"

"Close to dawn." Axel said, "She woke up almost an hour after, seeming to do better. I didn't want to wake you, so I moved her from bed."

Mathias's head tilted as his eyes looked at Axel, making him frown in curiosity before Mathias said, "I love you."

Axel smiled, but before he could say it back, Lona muttered, "Wob you." She then squealed, looking up at her father, her two lower teeth showing as she repeated, "Wob you. Nona wob you."

Mathias laughed, a tear slipping from his eyes as he leaned down, kissing the top of her head, saying, "Papa loves Lona too, Angel."

"Wob you." She repeated, then turned to Axel, "Wob you." She pointed at him, excited about the new word she learned, and how happy her father seemed, though his happiness stemmed from her being safe, and alive.

***

Mathias knocked on Eloise's room, and it took a moment before one of her maids opened the door, bowing deeply. She stepped aside, letting him in. His eyes fell on Eloise wearing a robe over her nightgown, her sister seated beside her, pulling hers closer to herself, as if they'd spent the night in the same room. His eyes returned to Eloise before he said, "A word."

"My king, I'm-..."

"Eloise." Mathias said, his eyes reflecting his seriousness. He rarely called her by her name when they were in the company of others, using proper titles. She frowned, nodding at her sister who curtsied before leaving with the maid, closing the door behind them.

"Do you even care about her anymore?" Eloise frowned, sitting down before grabbing a glass of wine. He walked up to her, taking it from her before he demanded, "Answer me!"

"She is my daughter, of course I care." Eloise glared.

"Doesn't seem like it." Mathias spat, "She almost died, Eloise-..."

"Don't exaggerate." Eloise cut him off, "The apothecary said it was a low fever-..."

"Which got really high last night!" Mathias yelled, "I spent the entire night praying she didn't die in my arms! Do you have any idea what that felt like?! She could barely breathe!"

Eloise looked fearful before she asked, "Is she alright?"

"Now you care?!" Mathias yelled, seeing her eyes start to fill with tears, "I would've lost my mind had Axel not been there! Get a damn hold of yourself! You are not the only one who lost a child that day! It doesn't mean Lona doesn't exist! She's been crying for you for a week now, don't you have any compassion to a girl not even a year and a half old calling for her mother?"

Eloise's tears started falling heavily down her cheeks, saying, "I didn't know it was that bad... I really didn't know she was that sick-..."

"Eloise, why aren't you loving her the way you should?" Mathias asked brokenly.