Havoc of Betrayal

CHAPTER 17 - Revenge

CHAPTER 17 

“Andries, I need to know.” Mathias said as they sat for breakfast.

“No. It is better you don’t. For now, at least.”

“What has keeping me in the dark accomplished so far?” Mathias asked, getting frustrated.

“Brother, I promise. It is better this way.” Andries told him, “You wear your heart on your sleeve for everyone to see. That is how you’ve always been. The moment I tell you before I am sure myself, then you will react before thinking. Before asking everything you need to know.”

“I am not that reckless.” Mathias said.

“But you are grieving.” Andries said with a frown. Andries reached across the table, touching Mathias’s hand as he said, “Trust me, for now-…” Andries was interrupted by the door opening, the queen standing beyond them with a heated glare, and red-rimmed eyes.

“Your grace, a word.” She said, barely controlling her voice.

Mathias nodded, glancing at his brother one more time before going to her where she whispered in a hushed tone, “How dare you let him into our home after what he’s done?”

“It wasn’t him.”

“He spins a tale, telling you what you want to hear, and that simply you believe him? That simply you forget how he killed our girl?” Eloise demanded.

“Listen-…”

“Don’t patronize me.” Eloise spat, “I am not a child who understands nothing. I will not stand for this. If you don’t have the nerve to do it, I will. I will take my daughters revenge upon him-…”

“Eloise, enough!” Mathias insisted, “I believe him. End of story.”

“That is not the end of the story-…”

“You heard me. I will not repeat myself. You will not touch him. You will not go near him.” Mathias told her. 

“She was my daughter too. You don’t get to decide this alone-…”

“I do, and I have.” Mathias said firmly.

He met her glare for the longest time before out of nowhere, with no one expecting it, her hand flew out and she slapped him. He turned back to her, still glaring and before she could hit him again, he grabbed her wrist. “One is all you get.” He saw the tears in her eyes, and her anger trying to fight them back as she pressed her lips tightly. “I get that it is too much. I can’t stand it myself, but you have no right striking your king.” He then looked at the knights behind her, saying, “Confine the queen to her room till I say otherwise.”

“I will not forgive this! I won’t forgive this, you hear me!” She said, pulling her arm away from the knight before turning around and marching away. The knight bowed, closing the door behind him as he went to follow his instructions.

With a sigh, Mathias went back to his seat, his eyes lingering on his brother before he said, “I will tell you what happened, and tell me how it could’ve.”

“Mathias, you shouldn’t have let her strike you in front of the guards.” Andries said, “Showing weakness in any way is a disadvantage.”

Mathias’ face twisted in a glower as he said, “All I feel is weakness. The only thing keeping me going right now is the thought of revenge. I took that from her, the least I could do is let her take it out some way.”

“Thinking of others before yourself. I told you to not do that anymore, Mathias.” Andries said.

“If I was thinking of myself the entire time, I wouldn’t have taken the throne. If I was thinking of myself, I wouldn’t’ve married Eloise. If I was thinking of myself, I wouldn’t be hiding my true feelings for the one I truly love when all I want is to be able to kiss him when I want. Now, do you still want me to think of myself first? Because if that were to happen, all these plans you talk about won’t be of any concern to me. Maintaining my throne, the kingdom coming first, will not be a priority of mine. It never was until that day. So, spare me the lecture, Andries, and tell me who killed my daughter.”