THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

Thirty-Five |

Thirty-Five |

My eyes watched as the sword moved through the space, before it slammed against the ground, the blade snapping into two. I looked back to Aldrich who panted hard. He looked at me, anger contorting his face. A flash of fear filled me and I took a step back.

"I am not killing you!" He cried, grabbing the front of my shirt. "I am not killing you. How could you even think of such a thing? How could you ask of such a thing?"

My eyes widened.

This...this was not what I was expecting.

"And you!" he let me go, turning to point a finger at Edric. "You are a fool! How could you consider such a crime? How can we ask our subjects to obey and follow our laws when we do not do the same? You have always spoken of the burden of that day, but now, when it is time to answer to your burden, you think of shoving it back down?"

Edric's face turned red. "I-I—do not speak to me—"

Kahuna's blade rested against his throat. Her eyes narrowed but otherwise silent aside from the tears that had dried paths down her cheeks. She rose her chin, staring at him carefully. Such a position had Edric's fingers digging into the sides of the throne but he didn't speak.

"Kahuna," Aldrich whispered.

"I grow tired of this," she growled. "Outdated words of those who should retire. If you continue to act without a head, I will be happy to assist."

"This is treason," Edric muttered.

She smirked. "Oh? Treason? How could an old king falling onto the blade of a sword be considered treason? There is three witnesses that watched such a pitiful death."

He sighed. "Betrayed by my own children. Very well."

The blade lowered and he rubbed his face. "Forgive me Ciara. I have done a great disservice to you and your father. To my brother. It seems you know our greatest secret and we are not in a position to take your life for that. What do you want from me?"

I didn't smile. This was not a victory; this was simply what was just.

"The truth."

A bitter smile stretched across his face. "I suppose that much is owed to you."

"Father?" Aldrich asked softly. "What is

He took a deep sigh before speaking again.

"Aurora Walden was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. We'd met for the first time on the night of my twelfth birthday and it was the smallest ball a royal family could have. Of course, the entire castle celebrated, and it looked more like a festival than anything else but neither me nor older brother Jerrik were allowed to leave the keep. There was a change happening, ever since Father invited the Walden family into the castle and even offered them status as the official royal guards. I had been so angry that day, because of course, yet again Jerrik was the center of attention. So when the girl with the fairest locks I'd ever seen and brown eyes that shone so bright they looked like liquid gold dressed in a beautiful white gown my fate as sealed. It was as if she'd worn a wedding dress, and in some ways she had.

            Aurora was only two years older than me, and yet we seemed eons apart. She was a fae hunter, a good one at that and I was a spoiled royal son who could barely hold a sword. When she offered, we escape the ballroom, I was excited. When she kissed me, it felt as thought I had been found. Nine months later Aurora gave birth to a daughter. The Walden family was still so close to ours politically so it only seemed right we wed. However, when we wed, we seemed to fall down a spiral of political happenings. The fae were upset we'd aligned to a family sworn to kill them and the Walden's were upset we still allowed the fae to talk down to us. Perhaps it got into our heads because mistakes were made and the fae lost but so did we. The former king and queen fell and the Walden's demanded I become King. It was only right, after all, Jerrik did not have any children yet and he seemed so close to the fae.

            So Jerrik and I agreed. For the sake of the public, I'd be king, and only the fae and him and myself knew the truth. For a long while it seemed things were getting better. The Walden's had eventually left. It seemed their business had always been "liberating" us from the fae. However, Aurora remained. Eventually, the truth came out. She was no Queen and I was no King—we had no say in brother's means to fix our relationship with the fae and he'd almost done it too. Until Ipuina sent assassins after him. I don't think they knew he was King, I think they were after the Black Rose, brother fell in love and declared his new wife. Aurora was angry. Up until now, we had always been clear that a male heir had to take over the throne. Jerrik didn't agree but he had no children, so he didn't care much upon the matter. Aurora became with child, a son, and she had this idea in her head that our son could become King. It was foolish and I should have shut down such an idea but how could I? She was my world. When we learned Jerrik's wife—the true Queen was with child—a daughter, Jerrik told Aurora that it would be her who sits upon the throne. Aurora, my beautiful Aurora was so angry. She became unwell you see. She'd thought for so long she'd be queen and then everything was being taken from her.

            Everything fell apart after that. I tried to stop her but it was too late. Aurora tried on many occasions to take the Queen's life, and yet there was never any proof. Jerrik knew it and I knew it, and still I picked my wife's side over my brother. I suppose Aurora finally realized the only way to change my brother's mind was not through the fae-protected queen but the fae themselves. I'd never seen such dark magic used before. Many fae died that night, and when the fae demanded answers, I demanded Jerrik stand at the side of his family. Jerrik had no choice but to be absorbed into the shadows and pass over the crown to me. It seemed Aurora still wasn't satisfied and I hadn't realized it until it was too late. The night before my brother left Neorian, Aurora tried once more to take the Queen's life. This time with no fae to protect her, she almost died. That was the last straw. Jerrik and I...argued and he left. Aurora and I agreed for the sake of the land Aldrich had to be declared the eldest child. We were quiet about raising him until he was eight and Kahuna was thirteen. Sometimes we'd have Kahuna pretend to be our son at social events, it wasn't hard. She was a smaller girl and he was a larger child so it wasn't hard to convince the land that he was older but smaller and she was younger but larger. As for Aurora and I...we fell out of love I suppose. I could no longer love the woman who had forced my hand, or perhaps I never truly loved her. I loved the way she made me feel."

            "Mother took her own life the day after I turned fifteen," Aldrich said softly. "I found her body in the dungeon. It seemed she attempted to communicate the fae. We don't know why, but whatever the reason, she took her own life."

            I glanced at him.

            Such pain.

            Such obsession.

            I nodded slowly. There was no words I could offer them. This truth was not an excuse for what happened to my family, it was simply an explanation. I could not allow my own pain to be overshadowed by theirs just because I care for them. They had betrayed me.

            "The dungeon," I speak softly, unable to find any strength. "What is in the dungeon?"

            He sighed. "Our biggest failure as an Albion."

            "That means nothing to me," my words are venom.

            "No, I'm sure it doesn't. The dungeon is the final resting place."

"Of?"

"A beast called Saphira."