Quietus

Stardust and grainy sand

"You have to kill the mother while the child is still with her. We can say she slept with another man and therefore deserves death," Kasdahn proposed while lifting a glass, filled to the brim with a clear liquid, to his lips. "We shall send Royal Concubine Nova to her family in the east, was it the east?" Kasdahn asked. Campos nodded and took to word before his brother had time to get too carried away. "No one has to know she is pregnant, and no one has to die".

Campos was afraid his brother would notice that his hands were trembling if he picked up his own drink, so he kept them under the tall table that they conveniently had taken refuge behind.

Kasdahn raised an eyebrow and put his glass down again. "You've grown fond of her, brother." He muttered, and Campos didn't see the point in denying it. "Love is the only privilege royals don't get, must you be so greedy?" Kasdahn continued. Campos looked up at him and tried to find a hint of compassion in his eyes. He wanted to appeal to his feelings, but lately, Campos had started to wonder if his brother had any at all. "I just don't want her to get hurt," he explained and Kasdahn snorted "It's you or her, brother."

Campos clenched his fists under the table. He had honestly thought that Kasdahn would help him, but Campos now regretted bringing forth his concerns for him. Now Kasdahn knew his secret, and he was quite frankly afraid of what his brother would do with that information.

"You're a royal, Campos. People care about your private affairs. If you send your concubine away, people will ask questions." Kasdahn claimed with a nod, his brown hair falling in front of his face. His hair had grown long since the last time they'd seen each other, long enough for him to look more like a barbarian than a nobleman, let alone a prince. Kasdahn followed Campos' gaze and brushed his hair away from his eyes while looking at Campos with a criticizing glare.

"Just kill her, you know you aren't allowed to have a half-blood before you're married," Kasdahn sputtered and Campos couldn't help but look around to see if any of the guests had heard him. He knew it wasn't wise to discuss so highly personal matters in public, at a royal banquet in the Black kingdom of all places, but he rarely saw his brother and was desperate for advice so he deemed the risk as worth taking.

"Nova's mark is white, your mark is brown. Conclusion; your child will probably inherit her mark and not yours. You'll be forced to cast your child away, all you get to choose is if you'd like to get further attached to said child, or if you'd prefer to nip it in the bud and get rid of the girl and the child in one swoop." Kasdahn continued, gesturing wildly with his hands. He calmed himself and lowered his voice as he noticed Campos' discomfort, before he again lifted his glass to his lips.

Campos opened his clenched fists and looked down at his palms. He had always wanted to know what it would be like to have a colored mark instead of his brown skin. He had never really been envious of the citizens of the other kingdoms before now, but his newfound covetousness was overwhelming. "I will not kill her," he stated and ignored Kasdahn's deadly glare. "There must be another way?" he asked, desperate for guidance.

"Send Nova away then, don't kill her, but don't come running to me when she gets kidnapped and held for ransom or something like that. Oh, and remember that I warned you that people would ask questions. I prefer that people know precisely what I'm talking about when I say that I told them so." Kasdahn hissed and bumped the table as he walked away, sending small rivers of some alcohol-infused beverage off the edge of the table. Campos moved away before the drink dripped onto him, but he stood still for a while, deep in thought, before he called for a servant to clean up his brother's mess.

In the end, Campos decided to follow his gut. A decision that only a few days later led him deep into the woods. The night had started to fall when Campos woke Nova and led her to the stable. He ditched his guards and rode deep into the woods with her. He decided to focus on the feeling of her arms wrapped around his waist, instead of thinking about their final destination.