Birthright: The Contested Seat

Genna

How could she have been such a fool. The man she had known for only a few days had asked her to live with him and she was blissfully and willfully ignorant to the signs. Seeing Levi leaving the castle without his healing bag was all the evidence she needed to label him a spy. Lord Varyth had been right to be suspicious of him.

Genna had been pretending not to know for several weeks now. She did her best to keep her behavior the same until she could figure out how to escape. She had worked up the courage to poison him, but she couldn't bring herself to carry out the deed. She attempted to slit his throat while he slept but even still, she could not enact the plan. Spy or not, Levi had been nothing but good to her. She couldn't kill him. If she was wrong, she would have taken an innocent life. She would not be the cause of any more innocent bloodshed.

Samantha had been pressing her about her flight from the castle for some time. Genna could never give her a good reason and she had been quite skeptical about it. She had found out pretty quickly, once meeting Levi for the first time, that he was the other man at the castle that day. Though she didn't know exactly why, she just knew that the sight of Levi caused her friend great distress. She had been punishing him ever since. 

She gave him seething stares, was always showing up at the cottage unannounced to inspect Genna's person for signs of violence, and she was never far off when the pair were out in public together. Levi never understood the reason for her disdain, and Genna felt horribly for it.

The door to the cottage opened and Levi walked in. His face brightened when he saw Genna, how genuine it was, she could not say.

"My sweet Margarie," said Levi as he kissed her forehead, "how lovely it is to see your face after such a long day."

Genna felt her stomach churn every time he called her Margarie. It wasn't his fault, but she had courted this man and he didn't even know her true name. Genna thought to herself for a few moments and decided that she should ask Levi why he was at the castle without his bag. She needed to know the truth, and how he answered would give her a strong indication if his intent.

"Levi, come sit. I want to speak to you about something," said Genna, motioning towards the table.

Levi furrowed his brow and concern washed over his face. Genna could even make out a bit of fear.
"Is everything alright," asked Levi as he sat at the table, never taking his eyes off of her.

Genna joined him at the table and took his hands in hers.
"A few weeks ago, the day I met Samantha, I saw you coming out of the castle without your bag. You lied to me about where you would be that day and it has bothered me since. What business do you have there if not to attend the Lord's health," she asked softly.

Levi's face drained of all color. He became so pale that she thought he would be sick. He was clearly frightened which somehow gave Genna more confidence than it should have. Now was the time for her to get the truth, and if he truly loved her, he would give it.

"Just tell me the truth Levi, that's all I ask of you," she said, trying to hold on to his clammy hands.

"If you knew the truth, you would no longer want for my company. I do not wish for you to leave," said Levi, his voice shaking.

"I am more likely to leave if I can't count on you to tell me the truth. As long as you are true, I will always be here," exclaimed Genna.

She felt guilty for saying such things. She dared to lecture him on being truthful yet she had been lying to him for weeks.

Levi stared into her eyes, as if searching for the trust he desperately wanted to have in her. 
He took a deep breath and took her hands. 

"My true name is Leviath Averick Maverly. Lord Maverly is my father," said Levi quietly.