Arthur's Sons (Book 2)

Freya (Part 2)

Rowan had barely shut the door to the physician's chambers when a voice spoke up. "Do you know anything about the girl?"

Rowan whirled after nearly jumping out of his skin and placed a hand over his chest. "Christ Gaius, you scared the blazes out of me, What girl?" He asked putting on his best confused expression as he placed the satchel by the door.

"The girl from the cage. She escaped last night." He told Rowan with a scrutinising gaze. 

Rowan smiled and sighed happily. "Good. I'm pleased."

"They're out hunting for her." He warned and Rowan rolled his eyes irritatedly. 

Rowan ran a hand through his hair slicking it back. "Why can't they just let her be?" He asked exasperatedly. 

Gaius narrowed his eyes at the raven-haired boy who was acting very nonchalant about something that usually would upset him. "Did you help her escape?"

Rowan blinked and looked up at him, his face giving nothing away. "No."

"Rowan?" Gaius's tone held a warning and Rowan held his hands up in surrender. 

"You told me not to get involved." He replied with a shrug.

"You promise me you'd nothing to do with this?" Gaius asked with a raised brow.

"Yes!" Rowan snapped a little angrily. 

Gaius nodded satisfied. "Good. Because when Halig finds out who helped her, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes." He finished before moving off to attend a potion while Rowan watched him for a moment before going up to his room to grab his sketchbook and start a new masterpiece. 

---

That night Rowan had been invited to dinner with his father, brother and mother in the Prince's chambers, he'd been hesitant at first since he promised Freya he would bring her more food but knew his father was trying to repair the bond that had been torn. They had been mostly silent, Arty had barely touched his food and was glowering at his food while Merlyn and Arthur watched him warily. Rowan had slipped half of his food inside the satchel he'd brought and was considering taking what his brother hadn't eaten but was too scared to stick his hand inside the danger zone.

Merlyn looked between them and decided to try and break the ice. "So Arty, Rowan told us you've been spending a bit of time in the library. What have you been researching?" She asked curiously, Arty slowly looked up at her and frowned but didn't answer.

"Arty..." Arthur murmured quietly.

Arty stiffened and glared at his father wrathfully. "Don't." He snapped teeth bared. 

Merlyn's nostrils flared and anger filled her eyes. "Arthur Alexander Ambrosius, do not speak to your father that way!" Merlyn barked causing everyone to freeze. Arty turned to stare at his mother in shock, mostly at the use of his second name which she never did unless he'd really pissed her off. "I know you're angry at him but it wasn't his fault, he wasn't swinging at me, I stepped in the way to stop him from making a catastrophic mistake that could have destroyed everything we've been fighting for." Merlyn was beyond furious and tired of her children giving her the cold shoulder so she was determined to end this feud tonight. 

Merlyn took a deep breath calming herself slightly before continuing. "Your brother understands that it was no one's fault and has given his apologies and forgiveness so why can't you?" Merlyn asks her son harshly, Arty finches away and grips his right hand with his left as if he's trying to focus on the pain. 

"Well?" Merlyn prompted and Arty sighed before glaring at his father, red and gold flickering in his eyes like embers of a crackling fire.

"I trusted you, I trusted you to look after us and..." Arty gritted his teeth and blinked back tears. "You broke that trust when you hurt one of us, and you..." He turned his attention to his mother before continuing. "You threw yourself in front of him to protect a monster and got yourself killed!" He snarled as a tear slipped out. "The only reason you're still here is that you're immortal. If it wasn't for that..." Arty trailed off burying his face in his hands as his shoulders trembled with anguish.