Kingsbane

Chapter 17

     Siofra had just finished taking her fertility mixture when Siva entered their bedroom, leaving every ounce of his beguiling nature at the door. "I'm sorry for earlier." She breathed from her spot in the windowsill.
    "They found a wilting rose in the garden. I had them pluck it before any of the court saw." He informed her. "If you don't cheer up, all of Faery is going to end up looking like Unseelie."
    "Perhaps when the lies in my palace cease, my consistent unhappiness will as well." She muttered.
    Siva sighed and crossed the room to join her in the window. "I know I'm never going to make you happy."
    "Siva-"
    "Bring Sverre back."
    "Don't tease me." She hissed, avoiding his outstretched hands as if they were diseased. "I can not undo my mother's banishment. If I could return him to grace, I would have already."
    "If you continue like this life is going to become very bleak for all of us. Faery thrives only when it's Queen does the same." He continued, "I have a solution."
    "Just stop." Rising, she made for the door.
    He stopped her exit with five syllables. "I'll trade him places."
    "You're suggesting that I deceive the entire kingdom?" She whispered, though her heart was elated by the idea. It was not as if treachery such as that had never before crossed her mind, but while it felt so absolutely fair, she knew it was wrong.
    "Your mother should never have banished him in the first place. She knew he was your heart and soul. You'd only be righting the wrong she committed. That's not deception, it's justice."
    "My mother wasn't wrong to punish him." She argued weakly. "And- If I did allow such wickedness, he would have to pose as you his entire life. We would be living a lie."
    "Living a lie?" He laughed darkly. "Are you kidding me? What do you call what we're all doing now? You and I are trapped in a loveless marriage, your putting on an act to keep the people calm, and Sverre's playing the fucking Godfather in Unseelie."
    "The human language is so vile. Speak properly here, won't you?"
    "At least humans are honest. When they're unhappy, they tell you. When they're pissed, the let you know."
    "You have no right to judge my actions. While you've been doing as you pleased all these years, I've been here, doing my duty and yours." Her anger spurred her forward toward the door again, but he was there before her fingers touched the handle.
    "Stop running away." He ordered. "How are you going to sleep with me if you can't even look at me?"
    "I know you didn't go to Avalbane's." Her voice shook, but none of her uncertainty showed on her face as she forced herself to look up at him. "Where were you?"
    "Do you really want to know? Even if it may mean having to banish your king for treason?" Meeting her eyes, he awaited her answer, knowing already what it would be.
    "You shouldn't say things like that to me." She whispered. "I am honor bound to uphold the law."
    "Honor?" He snorted, placing Sverre's ring in her palm. "Honor lost it's meaning when love lost it's authority."
    All his words were forgotten as she looked down at the jewelry in her hand. Tears welled in her eyes and she wanted to scream. How could he return this? "Where did you get this?"
    "It fell from the sky." He breathed, stepping around her and taking his leave.
    She'd had this ring made specially for Sverre, and had presented it to him the day before he'd left for war. That was he day he swore he'd love her until the sky fell. So, that was why there had been no smoke the night before, why there would never be again. There was nothing left to hold on to. He'd let her go.
    She had to do the same, for the sake of her kingdom, for the sake of her own happiness. She could not continue this painful routine. Marching purposely back to the window, she raised her fist as if to throw the ring out of it. The sapphire caught the sunlight and shimmered in such a desperate way, however, that she could go not follow through.
    "I don't believe you, Sverre." She whispered, slipping it onto her middle finger. It couldn't be true. He hadn't stopped loving her. There was simply no way it had come to that. There must be something else going on, and she had a dark feeling it had something to do with her vision from that morning.