Forbidden Essence

Forbidden Essence : Steely Gray Eyes

Forbidden Essence 

Chapter 26 : Steely Gray Eyes

I was frozen as I gazed up at Edmund. I hesitated as I guardedly asked,

"What do you mean?"

Edmund smiled slightly, nearly a grimace. "My mother... she can be quite bitter. It would be wiser for you to know the whole truth before having you meet her."

"I-I," I paused, catching my breath. Edmund watched me, amused. "Shouldn't I look more.. presentable?" I asked hesitatingly as I pulled on the robe and tied its girdle to cover me. The moment of surprise finally hazed over and I distantly remembered Edmund telling me of her death. Her connection to my family was impeccable, she had the same surname! But if This Granna had relations with the West, how could she have them with the East as well? That would have been an abomination! Until now, of course. 

Edmund chuckled, bringing me out of my thoughts. He leaned close until our noses touched. His golden eyes winking in the light, as he spoke huskily, "No, you don't need to. Or rather, I don't want you to." my cheeks heated at the underlying meaning and I ducked my head, My hand instantly snapped up to swat his chest, but Edmund's hand shot out faster than I could blink, and grabbed it before it made contact with him. "You look quite presentable.. for me." 

"You are such a forward cad." I notified him, but a wide, shy smile let him know that I was only merely teasing. "May I remind you we were about to meet your mysterious Granna?"

Edmund did not seem unfazed as he gave me a tart look. 

"Where is she? I thought she had..." I trailed off, suddenly very unsure. There was a lot about Edmund I remained unknown to. What if Granna had never been burried? What if her bones sat waiting to greet me with its wide grinning teeth? 

I halted my odd and dark train of thought with a shock as horror ran through me. What has come over me?

"You'll see." Edmund answered. I gave him a cautious look but he only smiled and pulled me by my wrist. He led me to the far end of his room, his steps faltering as we neared. I noticed with a startle that there was a door. It was an odd one, with no knob and no extravagant designs, it was simply disguised as if it was one with the wall. To hide it more effectively, A large painting hung before it.

"That is quite peculiar husband. Are there treasures hidden behind this door?" I remarked with chortle as I turned to Edmund. Curiousity tempted me to run and push the door open, but the mystery and subject of his request caused an unsurity in me that I was a bit reproachful of seeing what is on the other side. 

He turned me towards him with a pointed look, "Wait here, wife." I watched as he slightly opened the door, a creak escaping its hinges, and his back faded into the darkness. I wanted to step inside to see what it contains, but disappointment that Edmund did not want me to see stubbornly kept me standing where I was. He soon walked back out, his face void of all emotions. He did not meet my eyes as he tenderly placed the painting before me.

I cautiously lowered my gaze to meet eyes with the woman in the painting. She was... Beautiful. A term loosely used, as her fair skin stood out in the portrait along with her graying chestnut curls, cupping her face admiringly. Out of all her elegant features that could be described nothing short of perfection, her steely gray eyes stood out like a beacon. 

Her gray eyes held a sadness and anger that held me captivated. They reminded me of the beady eyes I would never forget as they gazed down at me in hatred. I would never forget my father's eyes, or the unfortunate fact that I had the same ones The woman's eyes weren't cruel, but they had a rare determined look about them. I glanced back up at Edmund, sure that my expression looked much more different than it had a moment ago.

"This is Margaret St. James. Mother of your father and late wife of my grandfather."

It took me a moment for my mind to register what Edmund had spoken, as I had returned to stared in wonder at the woman in the painting. My head snapped up, my face blanched out as I sputtered a shocked, "What?"

Edmund nodded grimly.

"Granna's husband, your grandfather, had died in a battle against the South for the Midland between your kingdoms. South claimed victory with the death of the East King. Queen Margaret was suddenly left without a husband. Your father was to step up as the next king in line, but my grandfather had declared to her a deal of sorts."

Edmund sighed as he leaned the painting on the wall, and ran a hand roughly through his hair. I silently listened in a trance as he began speaking again, "My grandfather told your grandmother of the war that was to occur between the West and the South, as they had begun attacking others in greed for more. He asked for support in the war, as he knew that she had wanted vengeance. She agreed and before your father's coronation, he offered her a marriage proposal between the two kingdom that would not only strengthen their lands as one, but make them the most powerful kingdom that no one would dare to test."

Somehow, I knew what had happened next. "What did my father do?" I whispered in dread.

"Your father was always a bitter man." Edmund stated dryly. "He felt betrayed that his mother would abandon his father's love so quick and marry another. He tried his best to stop them, but my grandfather grew angry..."

My eyes widened as he trailed off. "He had your father beaten by my father and fed a concoction that left him up chucking and bedridden for months, with several broken bones. Granna never found out, and even if she had, she would have gone on with the wedding, regardless. Your father hated my family with a passion, he was blinded by the anger and resentment. He... killed Granna and my grandfather the moment they had entered the room to consummate the marriage, and so it was never considered one. I had been the tender age of four as I had innocently run into the room at the ruckus. I had watched the kind woman die in front of my eyes."

My mouth opened and closed in shock and horror. Edmund's face was blank, but his face had grown slightly pale. I neared the large man carefully as I tenderly laid a hand on his arm while attempting to accept his words. It was not very difficult. Both of the kings were conniving old bastards. However, listening to everything, something did not add up. Father could not have hated the West with such venom that he would go as far to murder his own mother. I frowned, unable to word my thoughts or feelings. As if Edmund had read my thoughts, he continued grimly,

"My mother had been your father's first love. They were to be married before your grandfather's death, but my father.. my father stole her from your father out of spite."

I let out a strangled cry and paced the room. I felt a tumult of emotions, unable to decide whether I felt anger, sadness, resentment, regret, sympathy or desperation. 

Edmund's eyes were glazed over, as he slid down to sit on the bear skin carpet in front of the fire place. He poked the embers, unseeing of my disturbance, continuing on and overwhelming me.

"My father did not care at all the havoc that had been caused. He did not care that his father had been killed, all he had wanted was the power of the king anyways. The lands separated once again, and my father waged war on your land. An eye for an eye he said to his people, but only my mother and I knew what he had planned. The war went on for years, and your father found a wife in those years, and mine abandoned his. He lusted after your mother- it seemed he wanted everything your father had. His wife, his sons, his power, his land. His everything. He knew how he could take it away; if he knew he couldn't have it, no one could stop him from destroying it. He had your mother killed and watched you kingdom fall apart."

I fell to my knees, unable to hold my tears back. The existing anger at King Reddings bloomed to intense hatred. He took everything from my father, everything. He's the one who caused his heartless state, his emotionless and cruel behaviour - his inability to love. Murderous thoughts took over my mind like a heavy shadow, and for a moment I regretted allowing my curiousity to keep listening to Edmund.   

I did not realize with the force I had been trembling, until warmth touched my cold hands and I instinctively grabbed them, twisted them. When Edmund let out a surprised cry, falling back with a pained grunt, I let him go. I scrambled to reach his face in horror at my actions, "I'm sorry Edmund! I don't know what came over me." he grabbed my shaky hands without a word and kissed the middle of my palms. His eyes filled with compassion, an emotion I had not seen in him before. He yanked me down till I lay on him, with his arms around me. 

"They hid it from me." I whispered, my voice trembling with the unkempt anger. Edmund's arms tightened around me. I felt his head shake,

"They had their reasons, Ara-"

"They kept it a secret." I halted him with force, pushing him away. "They sent me here despite it all." My brothers did not even once send me a letter in all these months despite it all? Edmund had been right that day I had been caught. He had been right, I thought as my heart wrenched.