The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 3

"It was stress," One nobleman said sagely, "This last time when he sent off a retinue to the war I could see it on his face..."

"He'd been ill of course," Dominic's great aunt shook her head sadly, "I knew it from the moment I took a look at him last fall! Jason, I said, Jason you don't look too well my boy and he said..."

Standing behind his father in the funeral procession, Dominic knew it was none of those things.

It was Claire.

It was always Claire.

Dominic had been there when the news had been brought in to his uncle. It was four years ago and Dominic was eighteen years old.

Jason had been telling a story to Dominic's younger cousins, his favorite pass time.

And Dominic had sat between them pretending Jason had made him.

"The forest rose up," Jason threw up his arms, "And looked down at the little prince and princess and said-"

"Your Majesty?"

Jason had looked up and immediately assumed his kingly aura.

"Yes?" He had asked leaning back in his chair.

"Its news from Tafah sire," Lord Darren had said somberly, "It's not good."

"She's dead Dom," Jason sighed to Dominic, later that night when they were by themselves, "Claire and her husband. They were ambushed and, and killed."

Mourning fell over the room in waves and settled. When suddenly Jason said,

"Hanalea," Jason said heavily, "Oh the sweet child. I can't imagine how this could be any worse..."

It made sense to Dominic that Jason would immediately put aside his own grief for someone else.

He was a generous, kind man. All he had done in his life was give away pieces of his own heart and calm. And this was just another example.

Which is why late at night, unannounced to anyone Dominic had snuck away from the castle. He rode his horse into the woods outside of Tafah and started tracking the witch that had led the ambush on King Henry and Queen Claire.

It was almost ten days later that he walked into Jason's room and startled him with his appearance.

"Dominic!" Jason began predictably standing up, gathering steam, "Where have you been? Your mother has been worried sick! Your father was nearly out of his mind! None of the search expeditions could tell us where you went-"

"It's done," Dominic said quickly on a short breath.

Jason had sat down slowly, trying to read Dominic's face. Then it suddenly dawned on him,

"The witch that betrayed Claire?" Jason's voice caught on the name.

Dominic nodded hurriedly, multiple times before knotting his hands together and waiting for his judgment.

"Oh Dom," Jason sighed, "I didn't ask you to do that."

"You didn't have to," Dominic replied, "It had to be done, so it was."

Jason had nodded and looked away out of his window.

"Alright," He had said and then eventually, "Good."

Dominic had put a hand on his uncle's shoulder to check he was still there when Jason had caught Dominic's hand and kept it there on his shoulder.

Squeezing it, he had said, "Thank you Dom. Thank you."