Andrew Darklore: The Lunar Blade

Chapter 5 : Lies

Andrew laughed and turned at the knights, who suddenly stopped in their tracks. Andrew looked at them with a craze in his eyes. It was not that of a madman out of control. But of someone who could rocket out of his sanity but was holding himself back.

"You know," Andrew said to the knights, withdrawing his sword and running his finger lightly over the sharp edge, "It is really weird how you are supposed to protect the Darklore family and yet do not hesitate to raise your blades at the heir."

"They serve the Crown-" Edmund began.

"Yeah yeah, the Crown," Andrew cut-off, swinging his sword carelessly around his fingers, in circles, "The thing that you and my ancestors have loved more than your family. More than yourself too, maybe. Not to mention...the thing that honestly looks very ugly sitting on that balloon head of yours."

"How dare y-"

"Shut up already," Andrew said, his face scrunched up in annoyance, "I have enough of your Oh-I-Am-So-Majestic-How-Dare-You-Say-That crap to last a lifetime."

The King flushed in anger at the humiliation. Steam almost coming out of his ears, he pointed at him and threatened, "If you utter another word, I will ensure that you don't see another day."

"Like you did to my mother?" Andrew asked, his eyes fixed at his blade instead of Edmund. He, however, could see Edmund's finger falter.

"What?" Andrew questioned, frowning, "Was I not supposed to know that?"

"I did nothing to your mother," The King said after regaining his composure, "She eloped with another man and you already know that."

"Do I?" Andrew asked, finally meeting his father' eyes and staring into them with no emotion. This lack of display of any feelings, rattled his father even more.

"Andrew, I have to tell you something." A voice called out from behind him. He turned to find Noxheart who stood there with a hesitant look on his face.

He had been emotionally drained and was really not willing to hold a conversation with anyone.

"It's something important. In private," Noxheart added and pointed towards an empty room. Andrew followed him in. Noxheart closed the door behind them and rubbed his hands nervously. 

"T-There's something Alexander wanted to tell you," Noxheart finally said to an impatient Andrew. This spiked up his curiosity.

"On the first night of the battle, we had set up our base. I had been waiting for Alexander to discuss battle strategies when he came into the tent. I could see that he was bothered by something. I asked him to tell me what it was. He refused to share at first and just said that he heard something that he needed to tell you.

But I honestly couldn't see him so shaken so I coaxed him into telling me about it. He said that he heard his father talking about the Queen's death..."

Noxheart was again hesitating but continued, "She never eloped, Andrew."

Andrew took in a sharp breath and stood there shocked. According to what he knew, when he was six, her mother had eloped with her lover. Some days later, her dead body was discovered in a ditch. Apparently, the man had killed her. This is what he had heard people whispering about. This is what had always brought shame to him.

But some part of him always refused to believe that his mother could have run away. She loved him dearly and though she didn't hold any affection for his father, she wasn't the type to run away.

"His Majesty had gotten drunk that evening. The Queen and him got into a fierce argument. The argument was unlike the previous ones.

"Andrew...The Queen was killed by His Majesty."

"I don't really like this silence," Andrew said, "I will ask you again, Your Majesty. How did my mother die?"

"She was killed by the man with whom-"

"WHO KILLED HER, YOUR MAJESTY?" Andrew shouted. The intensity of the voice was so inhumane that the knights were forced to take a step back. But The King, to maintain his dignity, stood rooted to his spot.

"You are spouting nonsense, Andrew," Edmund gasped when he felt the sharp edge of the sword touching his neck. He could feel the sting of it that probably had drawn a trickle of blood.

"Who killed my mother, Edmund Darklore?" Andrew asked, his fingers shaking. Edmund stared at him and decided that it was no use hiding it anymore.

"I did," He replied quietly. He was not ashamed, Andrew knew. He was just scared of the sword and the fact that his knights, due to inexplicable reasons, had frozen.

"What...did she ever do to you?" Andrew asked with his teeth gritted and a lone tear down his eyes.

"I have my reasons and you would not understand. We had some arguments and I just...lost myself to my temper. I made a mistake but it is long in the past," The King said, trying to dismiss the whole topic. This irked off Andrew even more but he did nothing other than lowering his sword and bowing his head to the ground.

The King, thinking of the action as a defeat, lifted his hand to touch Andrew's shoulder as a form of condolence.

"You know, I regret doing that and feel sorry everyday..." Edmund trailed off.

Sorry. The worth of his mother's life. As soon as Edmund's right hand came near him, Andrew swiped his blade in the air and cut off the hand from his father's body. The hand that had raised the sword at his mother lay on the floor.

Edmund screamed in pain and fell on the floor, cradling the bloody stump in his other hand. His crown had fallen off his head and was now smeared in his own blood.Andrew stared at him in disgust and threw down the sword.

"It's alright, Your Majesty. Everybody makes a mistake. The only difference is that..." He looked at the pathetic form laying on the floor, and continued with a smile, "You won't be making the same mistake again."

The doors slammed open and in marched dozens of soldiers with his uncle, Lorcan Darklore, in the lead. He commanded the soldiers but Andrew could hear nothing. His ears were ringing and it was as if he was finally coming to the realization of what had happened. He was scared. Not because of whatever was coming up. But of who he had just become. A small part of him was rather pleased with what he had done.

He felt himself being grabbed by his shoulders and dragged back. He felt contentment as his uncle helped his father get up. Then he felt a sharp pain at the side of his neck and started seeing dark spots. His legs were giving away. Soon, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he went limp. 

Author's Note - The truth behind the Queen's death was shocking wasn't it?