After All

Chapter 17: Navigation

"Mother! I've done it! I've captured the Elanans!" Quillian boasted as he burst into the throne room.

"Take me to them!" Bellona exclaimed, eagerly rising to her feet. Quillian beamed with pride as he led his mother to the castle dungeons. Sitting side by side in separate cells was Catherina and Zacharias. Bellona's eyes gleamed upon seeing Catherina in chains, however her sick joy was soon dashed upon seeing Zacharias.

"You got the wrong man." Bellona angrily snapped.

"But mother, there was no one else-" Quillian began to explain.

"Until the King of Elan is recovered, you will never rule the continent!" Bellona shouted, glaring at her son with infuriated rage.

"Then what are we to do with the old man?" Quillian asked, glancing over at Zacharias. Bellona exhaled a frustrated sigh before replying.

"Send him to a private interrogation chamber, I would like to have a word with the infamous First King of Elan myself. The mistakes of the past must be corrected." Bellona hissed, turning on her heel and storming out of the prison. Quillian wordlessly glared at a pair of prison guards, signifying for them to do as his mother ordered. The prison guards gave Quillian a salute before entering Zacharias' prison cell and dragging him down the hall.

"Where are they taking him?" Catherina asked, rising to her feet and approaching Quillian.

"To be interrogated and likely tortured." Quillian stated in a condescending tone, feeling unnecessarily obliged to explain himself.

"Please... take me instead! My father is old. His body won't be able to handle torture!" Catherina pleaded.

"The mistakes of the past must be corrected." Quillian nonchalantly recited.

"But how will you live with yourself in the future after all that you've done?" Catherina softly asked. Quillian paused for a moment, trying to process what Catherina said. He had never given much thought to his future aside from becoming king and ruling the continent. The idea that he could ever experience guilt never crossed his mind. He suddenly thought back to his father and a sudden pain spiked in his chest. Quillian shook his head in an attempt to shake off whatever he was feeling before wordlessly leaving the prison. He didn't have time to think about his feelings, he had a king to capture and a sister to slay.

After hours had passed, the Elanans finally arrived at the end of the escape tunnel. They climbed out of the cellar of a seaside shack as dawn began to break. Despite their shared exhaustion, they did their best to help each other onto the beach.

"Emilia?!" Lief called out, glancing around for his daughter.

"Over here dad!" Emilia replied, rushing towards her father alongside Omar, Samuel and Ivy. Lief quickly pulled Emilia into a tight embrace, breathing a sigh of relief upon reuniting with his daughter.

"Is your mother here?" Lief asked, pulling away from Emilia.

"Queen Catherina? No, we haven't seen her, Sir." Omar grimly reported.

"Our grandfather didn't make it out either." Zane hesitantly added.

"Damn it... how did this happen?!" Lief angrily exclaimed.

"We've lost a lot of key outposts. It's almost as if... they knew where to attack." Samuel surmised, causing all the Elanans to turn towards Adonis and Artemisia.

"My mother... she must be working with Quillian. She is the only one with intimate knowledge of Elan." Artemisia explained, much to the Elanans surprise.