The First Betrayal

Chapter 5

"What do you mean killed them? My family was killed in an accident not a murder."

He looked like he truly was sympathetic about my situation, but I also knew he was going to tell me the truth. I did not want to hear the truth.

"Blair, it's not an easy conversation. But it was not an accident. The night they died their carriage was stopped by the kings' men. Your family was confused as to why they were being stopped. Your father was the first to step out and try to talk to them. That was, until the king stepped out from behind his men and killed your father." He sighed, "Then he didn't stop at just your father. Your mother was next, and then your sister. Your brother only survived because the king missed his vital organs. He was smart and laid still until it was clear to get up. He was devastated. But he knew he couldn't turn to you, lest risking putting you in danger."

My eyes were wide, and my mouth had run dry. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It couldn't be true. But I knew he had no reason to lie to me. I barely knew him but from what I could tell he was not a cruel person. He was actually quite kind, which is how I knew he was telling the truth. And it broke my heart.

It was bad enough living with the knowledge that he had tried to kill me. It was even worse now knowing that he killed my entire family, save for my brother. My brother was alive, this small fact made me feel some sort of relief. At least now I know that I am not completely alone in this world. Then I remembered,

"Oh, dear God he is in the palace. He is in the one place that is sure to get him killed. Nothing slips past Noah. We have to get him out of there. That is more important than revenge."

Jonas nodded, "I agree but we cannot go in without a plan or without backup. It was foolish of your brother to go in without a plan or backup; we will not be doing the same."

I grew a bit frustrated, "Then what are we doing here still? Why aren't we rounding up whatever team you are speaking of and get him. Every second we waste could mean the difference between life and death. I will not lose my brother a second time." I knew I was being a bit harsh, but we needed to waste no time.

"Okay, you are correct. Let us be off then." He turned to Millie and bowed to her, "Thank you for everything you old hag. We will meet again soon."

Millie smiled, "Alright enough being sappy you troll. I'll see ya when I see ya."

Even though she said it in her joking tone I could see the thin coat forming over her eyes. Jonas must have noticed too because he quickly ushered him and I out of the door. She must not like others seeing her emotions.

We quickly left the bar, but not without a couple of uncomfortable glances in my direction. It made me shiver.

We started walking towards what looked to be an old barn.

"What are we doing going there? Didn't I say we needed to leave." I huffed.

He groaned loudly and smoothed both his hands over his face, "Would you just trust me and stop bossing me around? You aren't the queen right now; you can't just boss me around like I'm one of your servants." He took a deep breath, "I'm getting a horse. Is that alright with you, your majesty." There was a bite to his tone and his frustration was boiling over."

At first, I didn't understand his frustration. But then it occurred to me that it was abnormal for me to let someone else take the lead. When you've been commanding as a queen for the past several years it's hard to let someone else take the lead. Not even Noah told me what to do.

Even saying his name in my head was painful. All of our memories, good or bad, are tainted. Those years, lost. I will never be able to get my youth back. Never be able to fall in love for the first time. He was supposed to be my forever person. The one person in this whole kingdom, no, this whole world that I could trust. And he threw me away, literally threw me away. All for some rumors that weren't even true. All because I wanted to be myself.

"Blair, I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap. Please don't cry." Jonas said as he reached out and brushed the tears off my cheeks.

I hadn't even realized I had been crying. I must have been too deep into thought. Too focused on my past that it was all consuming.

"I'm sorry." I said trying to get my emotions under control, "I was just lost in thought is all. It wasn't because you yelled at me."

He furrowed his brow, "I did not yell-"

I put up my hand to stop him, "I know. Poor choice in wording. But it was not because of what you said. I'm not used to someone else taking the lead; considering I was a queen. It's a new concept for me so I hope you will grant me some patience."

"Of course, Blair. My apologies I had forgotten that you were in that position of power for a moment. It's just you seem so normal that it is almost unfathomable that you would be a queen."

"And what is that supposed to mean." Planting my hands firmly at my hips I continued to stare daggers into him.

He shook his hands widely, "No, no, no, I did not mean anything bad by it. Just that, I've never seen any other queen in history act the way you do. It's refreshing. You don't act as if you are above anyone else. You've talked to your people as if you were a commoner yourself. You heard their demands and granted them without hesitation. I admire that about you."

I sighed, "Thank you Jonas. Apologies for assuming. It's crazy that even after everything I've done for my people, they still had the nerve to call me crazy. That I wasn't fit to rule alongside the king." I scoffed, "They think that any other leader would have listened to what they had to say; let alone do everything in their power to fix it." I looked right at Jonas, "Do you know how many nights I stayed awake, searching for solutions. Not even the king himself did that. Would you like to know what he did while I killed myself for my people?"

He hummed.

"He slept! The bastard slept without a care in the world of how his people were doing. He always made promises he could not keep. I was the one who had to keep them. And day in and day out I would have to listen to him tell me how 'tired I looked' or how 'you've really done nothing to make yourself look presentable today'. Not once did I think he meant it in a mean way. Now I am seeing how malicious his every word was towards me. How much he hated me." Without realizing it, the tears had started streaming down my face again.

Again, he reached out without hesitation and wiped the tears from my eyes. It was the nicest thing anyone had done for me in a very long time. I had almost begun to forget what a genuine human touch felt like. Without thinking I leaned into his hand more and closed my eyes. He let me stay there and as time went on the less embarrassing it became. Until it did become embarrassing and I realized what I had just been doing for the last five minutes.

I snapped my eyes open and looked at him. Instead of him looking annoyed or mortified he looked at me so softly. His eyes were gentle, his lips were in a slight frown; not the kind that was sad but the one that was relaxed. It felt like he was looking at me and not just surface level, but it felt like he was looking into my soul. It felt invasive but for some reason I didn't mind. I wanted to look at him in the same way he was looking at me.

He noted me staring back and cleared his throat, "So, we should probably head out before we run out of time. Remember we are working on a schedule now."

I broke free of my trance as well, "Of course. The one thing I remember about my brother is how much of a fool he was."

Jonas laughed, "That he is. It has not changed I can assure you. Clearly so as he is in the damned castle right now." He rubbed his brows, "How are we even going to get in?"

I smiled at him, "I think I know, better than anyone, how to get into the palace.