COBALT: The Sovereign's Stratagem (Book Two)

Chapter 8: Shiorellus' Tears (Part 3/4)

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Don't worry, we'll be getting back to the leafy green protagonist soon~

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          It was all wrong.

          The corridor was too tight. The guards were too close. Too tall.

          It was too cold, suffocating.

          He was meant to be in the room to at least give him some time to think.

          "Are you alright?"

          The boy snapped to the voice. What was a blink to him, was long enough to land him on the ground, palms to the floor to keep his entire body from shaking. He didn't know how long he had blanked out for, but the king had taken a knee to come closer to him, washed with concern as a few of the surrounding guards hovered over the scene to see where they could offer help.

          "Come lad, can you stand?"

          His gut twisted at the way he tried to help him up, but with Vera bracing his other side he couldn't very well squirm away from the king. He doubted that he'd even have the energy if he decided to. But he knew now with the scene he'd caused that he would have to respond with more than a nod.

          Cilvren would have had his translational enchantments up to date, but there was a standing risk of a few of the guards not having Garaean tongue in their translators by choice to catch a slip up. So, he went with one of the few words he could pull off in royal Livram without an accent. "Bathroom."

          "It's down the hall. Is something not sitting well?" He cursed his luck as the king continued to invade his space, placing the back of his scratchy hand over his forehead. "Not something you ate here, right?"

          Horus and Vera immediately swooped in.

          "Riding gryphons makes him sick."

          "We had a cookie eating contest!"

          Vera and Horus exchanged a look, quickly fixing their stories to accommodate the other as they squeezed against either side of him. The protective gesture was brushed off by Cilvren as he straightened, laughing off the children with a few of the guards. "Alright. Tell any of the guards if you need a room to lie down in. They'll let your parents know where you are."

          "I will inform them your majesty," Horus cut in, hailing a Latos salute that just added to Cilvren's amusement. They finished the small talk, Cilvren ushering Vera away so he could commence the celebrations with her, and taking the armoured crowd with him.

          Horus had stayed behind, likely expecting to lead the boy off to a bathroom. But he certainly preferred the empty halls to his company, and made sure to take a turn opposite of what the king had recommended as soon as Horus turned his back.

          But he was melting. Every step he took ate at strength he didn't have. He was right there, his hand on the hilt of a dagger. The perfect opportunity. He had played the outcome in his head again and again as the king helped him up, stood mere inches in front of him. He was surrounded by ranking generals and royal guards. Caspian had the reflexes to escape that unscathed, although he had the strength of a male coinkidink to his credit. The guards would catch a scrawny boy like him without fail. But he could accept that.

          Vera's laughter as the king lifted her up was the problem. Her excited skip as she entered the main hall at his side. The cost of his revenge would destroy her life.