Allegiance

Chapter 32

Virion walked silently through the halls of the floating castle, with the pile of information he learned this morning heavy on his mind. He held his chin up high with elegance as he walked by the several guards in the halls, but his gaze was downcast, glued to the floor, paying the people around him no mind.

Alea kept quiet as she followed closely behind him, watching Virion and his surroundings. She could tell he was deep in concentration and didn't want to disturb him while simultaneously protecting him from any possible danger. Albeit, Alea didn't honestly expect any real threat in the floating castle, but she knew you could never be careful.

Alea's eyes flicked to Virion, seeing his elegant posture, acting like nothing was bothering him. However, she knew he was troubled by the information she told him. After she explained to Virion what Bairon had told her, he seemed to be in a trance as he processed the information for several minutes before leaving the training room and roaming the halls without a word. Alea didn't want to distract him as he took in and processed the information, so she'd been following him ever since.

Virion eventually approached the door to his family's suite. He stood there, unmoving, for several moments, staring at the doorknob, looking deep in thought before eventually grabbing it and slowly entering the room.

Sitting at the dining table in their family suite, Merial and Alduin held their coffee mugs in their hands, and the breakfast plates in front of them were empty as they had finished their food and had been eagerly waiting for Virion's return. At the sound of the door opening, they looked toward the door and smiled with a hint of excitement, seeing Virion enter the room, wanting to know what Virion had learned about Arthur. However, their smiles soon faded as they noticed Virion's expression. While Virion held an astonishing poker face, Alduin and Merial had seen it many times and knew when something was bothering him.

"Father," Alduin called out to Virion, his voice laced with concern, as Virion and Alea entered the room, with Alea closing the door behind her. "Is everything okay?"

Silently, Virion approached the dining table and sat in his seat, his gaze locked on the table. Alea walked to the wall opposite the door to the family suite where Aya was standing and casually stood next to her.

Aya's gaze flicked to Alea, with her eyes looking Alea up and down, and her lips curved into a smirk, seeing the lovely little marks on Alea's neck. Using sound magic so only Alea could hear, Aya laughed inwardly and whispered in her ear, "Lovely little marks on your neck. Have fun with Bairon?"

Alea physically tensed at hearing Aya's tease, and her face grew slightly red in embarrassment as she quickly and subtly tried to cover her neck with her hair. Alea looked at Aya seriously, and Aya's smirk promptly faded upon seeing Alea's expression. Alea mouthed to her, Not now, and motioned to Virion with her head. Catching onto Alea that this was no teasing moment, Aya nodded and turned her attention to the royal family.

Merial and Alduin shared a concerned gaze after Virion didn't respond to Alduin and continued to sit there silently at the table.

Merial looked back to Virion, leaned forward in her chair, placed the coffee mug down, and rested her arms on the table, "Virion?" Virion's gaze flicked to Merial, seeing her looking at him with concern. He looked at Alduin, seeing the same expression behind his eyes. "Are you okay?" Merial inquired.

Virion's gaze flicked down to the table, and he nodded, "Yes, I'm okay." Merial's and Alduin's eyes narrowed on Virion with curiosity, hearing the tense tone in his voice like he was pondering something. Finally, after a few more minutes of silence, Virion sat straight in his seat, his eyes flicking between Alduin and Merial, "Forgive me, I just had a lot to consider."