Lovers End

Chapter Three: Part Five

Aurora quietly entered through the open castle doors, the haunting sounds of wailing already reaching her ears, merging with the hurried footsteps of panicked servants running past her. Unnoticed and disregarded, she ventured into a space where she wasn't supposed to be, driven solely by the trail of blood that the servants were following, eventually finding herself in a large room that would have captivated her under different circumstances.

However, her attention was solely on pushing through a group of servants who finally realized her presence. "H-hey, you can't be here," one of them spoke out, but the words fell on deaf ears as Aurora's gaze fell upon her father's unmoving body, A man tended to a wound, partially hidden from her view. Taking a step forward, her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, a sob escaping her. Theodore reached the room, intervening as a pair of knights moved to pick her up.

"It's her father," he explained, pulling them back by their shoulders. Uncertain of what to do, Theodore moved to Aurora's side. When she attempted to get closer to her father, he gently stopped her, picking her up to her feet "You can't he needs the space...come" Theodore spoke softly in her ear, moving hair stuck to her cheeks by her tears as Aurora looked up at him with a broken look. "I can't just leave him." she pleaded as Theodore gently lead her away, he contemplated bringing her to Emeric but he knew that it wasn't the right time Emeric had enough on his plate now.

Aurora didnt resist theodores pull as he lead her out of the castle and back into the cold.Though she didnt want to leave her father, she knew she wasnt able to handle the sight "Please...take me to Emeric." Aurora asked Theodore who just remained silent. She had always thought that Emeric lived in the knights quarters like Theodore so he had to be here somewhere, right?

Emeric, alone with his mother, was trembling more than he realized, prompting Valerie to set aside her own grief and wrap her arms around her son, who was caught in a cycle of repeated apologies. Gazing up at his glassy eyes, she gently cupped his face in her hands. "It wasn't your fault, my boy. You couldn't have known. We will find who did this, and we will make them pay," she vowed, determination etched in her voice.

"You're King now, and you will have your vengeance, Emeric," Valerie asserted firmly. Emeric, swallowing hard, nodded in acknowledgment, understanding that he needed to harden his emotions. A grieving son now thrust into the role of a King, he couldn't afford to reveal weakness. The harsh winter had turned them into a target, and Emeric had to embrace his newfound responsibilities, living up to every expectation placed upon him.

The weight on his shoulders caused his heart to ache. Emeric knew that this day would come eventually; the throne was his destiny, something he was born for, and though he had spent all his life anticipating it, he never felt more unprepared. As the last of his tears fell, his cheeks began to dry, bracing himself for the challenges that lay ahead.

Awhile later after Emeric made sure his mother was resting in bed. He made his way down to the guest wing. "He is in a deep sleep, your majesty, to help him through the pain. His injuries are fatal, but with proper care, he will live," the healer informed Emeric as he entered a bedroom in the guest wing. Emeric had been searching for his father's body but found a gray-looking Franklin instead. Nodding in acknowledgment, Emeric turned his attention as a knight entered the room and approached him, speaking in a hushed tone.

"We have captured one of the Centaurs alive, your majesty," the knight revealed. Emeric nodded thoughtfully and made a decision. "Sir Cooke's daughter will want to see him. Let her in. I must talk to this bastard beast," he instructed, his first order as King. Glancing back at Franklin for a moment, Emeric took his leave. In that moment, he couldn't afford to dwell on thoughts of Aurora. One reason he was reluctant to comfront her, he bore responsibility for the unfolding tragedy. For failing to persuade her father to accept him based on his character. The other reason hindering his presence was this burden of vengeance. Emeric left the room before Aurora could catch a glimpse of him, making his way to the castle's lowest levels.

In the concealed depths beneath the castle, far removed from the outside world, a plaintive moan reverberated through the dimly illuminated corridors. Two guards, within the shadowy confines, lifted the captive centaur off the ground, its wrists bound in shackles. The weight of its robust frame tugged against the restraints, causing the sharp metal to cut into its flesh. Its legs were securely tied, preventing any resistance. The metal gates groaned open, revealing the dimly lit cell. Emeric, still covered in blood of his father, bore eyes filled with nothing but anger and agony as he walked in. "Where's your king, gentlemen?" it sneered, an unsettling grin on its face.

"Is he still sprawled lifeless in the snow? Oh, how I yearn to—," the centaur's words were abruptly halted as a knight lashed him with a whip, the cruel lash cutting into his exposed back. Emeric maintained a stern and aggressive expression. "I have you in my grasp, yet you dare to disrespect his memory?" He questioned in a low, almost growling voice. With a resolute demeanor, he unsheathed the sword from his waist once more—its blade still tainted by the blood this beasts friends he had slain. "Who are you? "

"Mock his memory," The centaur seethed, repeating Emeric's words with clenched teeth. "He's the cause of our kingdom's demise... the one who took my parents' lives. No, I spit on his memory." The centaur tilted his head defiantly, even as the frigid, stained steel of Emeric's sword pressed against his neck. "A knight of Asatus answers to none but his king," he declared crudely, dismissing Emeric's threat as inconsequential. Emeric circled the centaur, maintaining pressure with his sword against the creature's neck. The blade's movement caused the centaur's long hair to be neatly severed. Emeric restrained himself from drawing blood at that moment.

"You hail from Asatus, i know that much." Emeric remarked. "Your kind violated those you deemed inferior, simply because they lacked powers. We crushed your kingdom rightfully. Have you learned your lesson?" he questioned with a smug tone. Moving to stand directly in front of the centaur, Emeric looked at him disdainfully. "You speak of his doings, yet your act of murder doesn't elevate you above what you condemn us to be, you whimpering Quim," Emeric dug the tip of his sword into the beasts shoulder, pulling a pained groan from it. "Who is your king? I'll ensure he pays for taking my father's life."

The centaur hissed,"HUMANS THREW US OUT LIKE DOGS FOR EXISTING!" His voice surged louder, briefly filled with emotion before a smirk played on his face. "Your king has misled you. Were you not taught that all this began as a scheme by your avaricious ancestors, craving more from the land? The only payment coming will be the kingdom that was never meant to exist. We've come to reclaim what is rightfully ours, another possession stolen by your king." Emeric's eyebrows lifted slightly, and his eyes narrowed in sarcastic intrigue at the centaur's outburst. "Is that so...?" Emeric spoke slowly, lowering his gaze to meet the creature's eyes once again. The smirk on the centaur's face infuriated him, but he concealed his irritation.

He refused to let this creature sense any power over him. As a king, he couldn't afford to be vulnerable. "My kingdom crushed yours in the name of virtue, and we'll do it again if your so-called king desires it. This means war, and the suffering of your people will be the consequence of your actions today," he declared sternly. Emeric raised his sword and slashed it through the centaur's chest, deep enough to pierce the surface of his skin and draw forth dark red blood, but not so deep as to be fatal. "You'll prove useful to me, whether you like it or not, and I'll make you witness as your kingdom burns."

A hiss escaped the centaur as his chest was slashed, the chains wrapping around his wrists rendered him unable to retreat. He drew in a breath and let out a boisterous laugh. The centaur's laughter pricked Emeric's nerves, but he turned away, heading for the door as the creature continued to speak. "The war has never truly ceased, only silenced. Did he think we wouldn't discover it? We've been watching for a long time. Our savior will come home, and she will be mighty," The centaur declared, like he was speaking of some divine being. He gazed up toward the damp dungeon ceiling, as though attempting to see the stars. Just as Emeric was about to exit, he halted at the beast's words, she? Tilting his head slightly, unsure of what the centaur meant. Perhaps he was referring to Asatus's Queen, but a nagging feeling in the back of Emeric's mind suggested otherwise, instilling a sense of fear. He walked out of the dungeon, allowing the guards to secure the cell with numerous locks.

**Shit Em go off. vote/comment/follow**