The Guardians of Time

Chapter Fifteen: Endings

Ayden landed softly on the remnants of the veranda as smoke continued to rise from the large holes beveled into the castle grounds below.

He looked out over the gardens where just hours before people were crowded around to watch him receive the crown; now empty and eerily quiet. People were helping the apothecaries minster to the injured, and in grizzly comparison, there was a gated area of land set aside in the shadows where the bodies of those that did not survive were laid, covered in white sheets.

Ayden felt anger building in him again. He looked down at Skylar, who was still asleep in his arms. He brought his eyes up to see Kathryn and Jakoba step out into the afternoon sun. She looked entirely disheveled; parts of her hair that had come free if the bun drifted around her dirty face and there was a tear in the shoulder of her dress. She approached him, reaching out for Skylar. She took him gently, placing a kiss on his forehead before handing him to Jakoba.

"Jakoba, can you take him to his room, please?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"Yes, Your Highness." Jakoba replied in a voice that was cracked and heart broken. His eyes were red and puffy like he had been crying. He took the child, bowed, and strolled away.

Kathryn turned to her husband; a look of sadness in her eyes. There was a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach as Ayden realized that something was terribly wrong. Carefully, and without saying a word, she took his arm and began leading him into the castle. He followed her for a moment without question; the silence between them filling his head with any number of awful things he could hear and eventually he couldn't take it.

"Kath, what is it? What's wrong?" He asked, softly pulling his arm free, and placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked down at the floor as if to compose herself before giving him her eyes. He didn't like what they said.

"It's....your mother. She hasn't woken up." She replied as a single tear careened down her left cheek. "The apothecaries fear she's lost too much blood. Her back.... when she fell.... its broken." Her voice cracked and she sniffed as another tear followed the wet path down her face.

"C--can't they heal her?" He asked, his face going pale. Kathryn had to look at the floor again before shaking her head.

He pulled her into a hug and squeezed tightly, looking up to the ceiling as if by some miracle this was not what he was hearing. After a moment, Kathryn moved free of him and took his arm, guiding him down the hall; their pace faster than before. When they arrived at Emelia's room, the guards opened both of the large doors so that the king and queen passed through without missing a step. Ayden quickly rushed to the bed and took his mother's hand. She was still warm but her body showed no reaction to his touch. The only movement he could detect was the rise and fall of her chest as she took short, shallow breaths.

"Mom. Can you hear me?" He whispered to her. He blinked and could feel warm tears sliding down his face. He bowed, putting his forehead on the back of her hand. "You can't do this.... not now."

He sobbed for a long while, holding Emelia's hand before standing and sitting on the bed next to her. When the crying stopped, he stared at the floor; his mind going completely numb. Kathryn knelt before him and brought a hand to his cheek.

"Ayden, I'm so sorry." She whispered as she stood and embraced him. "There's just too much damage. Her body isn't responding to medicine or magic."

He wallowed in the silent blanket of sadness that had taken over the room. What was he going to do? He had just started to build a relationship with Emelia. And while Kathryn was his everything, Emelia was supposed to be there to help him navigate the waters of being a king. Now the safety net was gone. If he could just talk to her one more time; just find out if she's okay and--suddenly Ayden took in a sharp breath, startling Kathryn.