The Heirs

Andrew and Amara: Parent's POV

Chapter 37:

(Hildegard POV) -Tangu-

I watched as my daughter didn't say a word. She just had a blank stare across her face as this ambassador continued to talk. She silently walked to her room followed by her new 'attendants' and disappeared in the turns of the hallway. I held my tongue during this because I didn't want to make things worse, but now I was done. After a butler showed the ambassador to his room Clio, James, Zandar and I made our way into a private office to talk about what was going on. As the door shut my composure went out the window, "WHY AREN'T YOU DOING ANYTHING TO STOP THIS?" I yelled at no one in particular but, my gaze locked on Zandar. He was my target and he was the one who was getting the bulk of my anger in that moment.

He let out a breath, "Amara hasn't told us anything about what happened. I can't do anything until she does. I want to kick them out of here, I want to stop this engagement or whatever it is but I can't." "Why not," I snapped not having the patience to think, "You know why. In Tangu people can marry whomever they want as long as both are consenting of their own volition. It was a law put in place to protect the women of the kingdom and there is no way around it. I can't stop this." I knew what he said was right but, my blood was still boiling. "Zandar we know they did something, she was kidnapped and came back with bruises all over her body and an engagement to someone none of us have ever met."

"And we unfortunately have no proof that it was them. Amara has not said anything about what happened and until she tells us what happened and that she does not want this wedding... Hildegard I want to stop this as badly as you do, but if we do anything to them they can declare war on us." I screamed, "AND WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, WE CAN DESTROY THEM?" "BECAUSE THEY CAN TAKE AMARA AWAY AGAIN AND WE WOULD NEVER SEE HER AGAIN," he let out a breath and lowered his voice, "Even if we could destroy them, it wouldn't stop them from destroying her first." The silence thickened the air around us. I felt tears slide down my cheek but I refused to acknowledge them, "Please Zandar, please. She's our baby." He came over and wrapped his arms around me. He gently stroked my hair.

"Wait what bruises?" He asked. I turned to Clio who took over, "I was talking to her in the garden, just trying to figure out what happened while she was gone and she pulled up her sleeve and showed both of us an impressive collection of bruises." I didn't know what they were talking about, "What kind of things were you asking about?" Zandar held onto me as we looked over at Clio. She looked at James, "I was worried that someone might have done something similar to Crown Prince Edward." His body was stricken, "Did he?" She shook her head. He went over and held onto her too as she started to choke up. We were all a mess. "What are we going to do?" I asked looking at Zandar. He let out a breath, "We can only hope Amara tells us something. It is out of our control." I leaned into his chest, "So this is what it felt like for our parents when we were kids. I think we owe them an apology." They all laughed. It was a brief moment without tension before the weight of the situation sunk back in. "I'm going to go find Andrew," James said looking around, "he was in the room when the ambassador and the attendants came in and snuck out soon after." We all nodded and Clio asked, "Want me to come with you." He shook his head, "I got it. Why don't you checkup on Ella?" She nodded and looked at me, "Come with me?" I nodded my head and turned to Zandar wrapping my arms around him, "Sorry." He shook his head, "You had to yell, glad you felt safe enough to yell at me." I went off with Clio as Zandar stayed in his office, none of really knowing what was coming next.

(James POV)

I looked around the hallways until I caught a glimpse of the training yard in the window. He was out there with a sword swinging hard at a training figure. I sighed and went out to him. "Hey, what's on your mind?" I asked knowing the answer. He gave me a look, "Dad I really don't feel like talking right now." He said turning back to begin swingings. I looked around and found another sword, "How about some sparring then?" He cocked his head to the side, "Seriously?" "Don't worry I'll go easy on you," I said with a smirk. "Yeah right, bring it old man." We separated and began lunging forward and back. I let him take the offensive to get his anger out mostly blocking and dodging his advances. He noticed this, "Fight back." I didn't change what I was doing. There was something brewing under the surface that was going to break through and I wanted it to come out.