What We Left Behind

Chapter Ten: Eric Surely Is Hiding Something

Eric didn't like the way Sorin watched him go. 

As if he'd murder him in his sleep. 

He also didn't like the way all the assembled ministers in the hall were looking at them, giving him those weird glances as if he was a creature in a zoo put up for display. 

That is why he was grateful to stumble after Ludivine as she walked out of the throne hall. The huge gates closed behind them, and it was at that moment that Ludivine exhaled a sigh. 

"That was tiring," she whispered. 

"Talking to Prince Sorin?" Eric asked, because he found that the most tiring thing of all. 

"No," Ludivine said. "Realising that Maeve wasn't here and not being able to do anything about it." 

Eric nodded, though he didn't understand it at all. Who was Queen Maeve, and why was she so dear to Ludivine? 

He was just contemplating this when the gates opened up behind them again, and out walked a man. Eric remembered seeing him seated close to the King's throne and constantly looking at him and Sorin. 

"Greetings, My Lady," he bowed before Ludivine, then turned to Eric. "And King Erix." 

This was the first time he had seen someone address someone else before addressing the king. 

Oh, but well, at least he was accepting him as the king. 

And damn, it felt good. 

Erix nodded at him, slightly confused by his presence here. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you at last," he stated monotonically. "I could show you your chambers." 

"Oh…" Eric gave him half a shrug. "Yeah, sure." 

Eric was eager to see if his chambers were as grand and elegant as people in movies showed them to be, and if he was going to get the King's chambers or not, so he walked after the minister. 

"Come on," he whispered to Ludivine, and she looked away and crossed her arms. 

"I'll stay back," she offered, then turned away just as Sorin walked out. Eric decided to just leave. 

On the way he asked the minister walking beside him his name. 

The minister glanced at him. "Silas, My Lord. I am the head minister of court, right-hand man of Prince Sorin to aid him in delegation meetings and assemblies." 

"Silas," Eric repeated, ignoring the rest. He didn't think Prince Sorin would need a right-hand man at all now. Maybe Erix would, though, considering everyone was so eager to hand him the kingdom. "Okay. Proceed towards my chambers." 

Even when they walked more distance along the long corridor, Eric could turn around and look behind himself at the gates where they had left Ludivine. She was still standing there, unmistakable with her shining silver and white clothes, but this time there was someone else with her too. 

Eric could see her and Prince Sorin in a discussion that involved a lot of crazy expressions and hand gestures. 

Silas, ahead of him, turned numerous directions and walked endless corridors after that, making Eric forget the way he had come from right immediately after he passed through it. But one thing he definitely noticed in the way was how the castle's indoors turned grander and the number of soldiers positioned against the walls significantly increased. 

At last they arrived at a closed-off chamber at which Silas stopped and turned to Eric. But Eric's gaze was trained at the life-size portrait of a man that was hung on the wall.