We The Kings: Book Two

Chapter 30

"Why do I have to watch him?" Charles complained.

"Just for a few hours. So I can sleep. Just make sure he doesn't do anything suspicious."

"And what if he attacks me and tries to kill me?"

I drew my sword and handed it to Charles.

"Use this."

"It's heavyyy." He said, drooping his arms to the ground.

"Just for a few hours."

"Daniel is head guard. When is he coming back so he can do this?"

"I don't know. I hope he returns home soon."

I began to worry about Daniel, but I couldn't tell Mavis. I didn't want to increase her already existing anxieties about her missing partner.

I woke up the next morning early, to relieve Charles of his guard duties. I went to the chambers we gave Orion access to. He arose well mid into the morning. He turned his body so he was facing me. He was wrapped into the sheets.

"Good morning, King Bray." He said with a yawn.

I stood by the door with my arms crossed.

"Nice of you to finally wake up."

"I've had a long journey. I'm sure you've spent nights sleeping outside before. It's not quite as comfortable as sleeping in a palace bed."

"I agree." I said shortly.

Orion pulled himself out of bed and began preparing a bath for himself.

"Nothing like bathing in a nice tub either. Are you seriously going to watch me bathe as well?" He raised an eyebrow.

"What if you try to send a message to your father?"

"In the tub? What kind of message would that even be?"

"I don't know. Your father has came up with elaborate plans before. I don't know what you're capable of."

"I am extremely capable, but not nearly as terrible. If you insist on watching me bathe, then so be it."

He stripped down completely naked, revealing deep and long scars all along his body. They were long and red. Some were bigger than others. The scars down his back looked like branches of a tree, with the root of the scar in the middle. He plopped down in the warm water filled with soaps. The soapy water went all the way up to the top of his stomach. He rested his arms on the side of the tub.

"Feels great on the muscles after a long journey, doesn't it?"

My eyes followed the long scars down his body. It looked like he had been mauled by a brutal animal.

"Your full of scars. Did an animal attack you?"

He looked up at me.

"My father is much worse than anything a wild animal could do."

I jerked my head in shock. My eyes pulled away from his scars. I couldn't imagine what his father did to them to create such deep scars.

"Your father did that?"

"I told you him and I didn't get along."

Orion's plea felt organic to me, my gut told me that he was honest. The brutal scars etched into his body only furthered my belief for him. Only a monster would inflict that type of abuse on anyone, let alone their own child.

"I'm..I'm sorry."

He squeezed his fists and sank his body deeper into the tub.

"He's done worse things. Much worse."