Divine Realizations [ Clarion X Milori ]

Chapter 23

The silence was deafening but necessary to make sure their takeover was successful.
Milori motioned to his general who nodded. Slowly his army surrounded Kealy's keep, making sure they could control who came in and out.
Milori scanned the castle.
It was nowhere near as large as his but still big enough for one to get lost in.
Searching the windows and awnings, he tried to see if he could sense any movement or a tell-tale glow.
Nothing.
The castle seemed dark and Milori surmised that Kealy would be smart enough to not keep Clarion in a room afforded with any opportunities of escape.
While he and his army flew as fast as they could, it took nearly three days to get there as they did not know the short cuts and passages he was sure the soldier who kidnapped his wife had taken.
He gripped Archimedes' reins just thinking about another man touching Clarion.
Not if but when he came out victorious today, he would personally see to it that Kealy and every one of his supporters where prosecuted in full and the castle leveled.
It was time.
Leading Archimedes straight to the castle door, he landed and got off of his owls' back.
Walking straight up to the door, he knocked as though Kealy was an old friend rather than his arch nemesis who had taken so much from him.
Finally, a soldier opened the door, somewhat surprised and motioned for Milori to follow him.
Beforehand, he had told his general he would go in alone and to wait for his signal.
Studying his surroundings, Kealy's castle was sparsely furnished though with expensive pieces.
After a short walk, the soldier led him into what he assumed was Kealy's great hall and connecting throne room.
This was confirmed when he came face to face with Kealy sitting on a throne.
It took all his will power not to strangle Kealy immediately since he still held Clarion.
Kealy laughed,
"You know she doubted you but I never did. Although whether it's love or duty I cannot tell, but I'm guessing the former".
His first guess was right, Milori thought, but he wouldn't throw more wood into the fire and stoke it unless it benefitted him and Clarion. He loved Clarion, with all his heart and it was time to stop denying it.
He was always complaining about Clarion not taking no for an answer and sticking around but it was she who should be complaining.
She was always giving and he taking.
But it would end now because as soon as Milori got his Queen back, he was never letting her go again.
The divorce papers from the previous night had already been shredded.
Unyielding, Milori replied,
"Where is she Kealy?"
Without emotion, Kealy shrugged,
"Who? My future wife? She is as well as to be expected, but onto business."
Before he could continue though, Milori interrupted him.
"No, I need to see Clarion before we do anything else. And she is not your future anything, the only thing I can assure you right now for your future is that she wants to slit your throat as much as I do".
Kealy stared at him for several seconds before responding.
"Both so violent but very well".
And with that Kealy called a young boy over and whispered into his ear.
Nodding eagerly, the boy ran to do his bidding. The minutes passed by agonizingly slow until he heard a familiar cry.
He turned to see the boy leading Clarion down a nearby stairwell and the moment she laid eyes on Milori she began run to him.
He noted she was not flying and reminded himself to check into that later but he also moved towards her, forgetting everything and everyone else at that moment.
However two guards suddenly came out of nowhere, intercepting Clarion and holding her from going to him.
Immediately Milori turned back towards Kealy, "Release her at once, no one may touch a queen without permission".
Kealy lazily waved his hand at the guards who instantly dropped their stances and let her pass.
Not soon enough, Clarion was in his arms and he lifted her off her feet as he held her.
Setting her down gently but not letting go, he visibly scanned her quickly, making sure all was right.
Thankfully every hair seemed to be in place and besides a little weight loss, nothing else was amiss.
Still needing to reassure himself, he whispered into her ear,
"Are you hurt? Has he touched you?"
Milori prepared himself for the worst but she leaned back to look into his gaze and shook her head.
She whispered back,
"I'm so sorry for everything, you shouldn't have come, I won't make more of this if you don't want..."
But she was stopped short as Milori kissed her. Not caring who was watching, he possessively pulled her close,
"You have nothing to be sorry for, it is me who should be apologizing, I did not come just to finally overthrow Kealy but to also get back the one I love and prize most Clarion. Never doubt again".
However before she could respond in kind, Kealy said,
"This is wonderful and all but before we get too far ahead of ourselves I believe you and I have something to settle Milori".
Closing his eyes tightly, Milori slowly turned towards Kealy and scowled.
"What shall it be then? My army surrounds you as we speak. Did you not think I wouldn't come prepared? I outnumber you by nearly 500+".
Only now did Kealy start to squirm and look unsure.
While saying this, Milori kept a protective arm around Clarions' waist and neatly transferred her to behind his back where she leaned against him and listened.
"I did not come here for death Kealy but I won't hesitate to go there. Is it money you want? Name your price that will ensure we never see you again, or surrender. Either way you cannot fully win in the end".
Now Kealy was fuming,
"You forget who holds your life in their hands right now".
And with that Kealy motioned to his soldiers. "I'm sure you agree, Lord Milori, that this does not require an audience".
With that, the soldiers appeared next to Milori and reached for Clarion.
She shrank back and Milori stepped in front of her but then paused.
He turned towards Clarion and whispered, "He's right, you don't need to witness what may happen next, go with the guards and I will find you as soon as I'm done".
He could see her start to protest and instead of waiting, he kissed her hard then handed her over to the waiting soldiers who marched her back upstairs.
Turning once more to face Kealy he waited, letting him mull over options. Eventually Kealy stood and withdrew his sword.
"We will solve this the old fashioned way, one on one duel. May the best king win".
Milori nodded, eager to be done but before they could start, Kealy had one more rock to throw.
"By the way I want you to know that however this turns out, I will still be the winner. You see while you may get Clarion, I will still have what you've really always wanted. Arden. You must be stupid if you still think her riding accident was well, an accident. Know that I always get what I want in the end".
Rage filled Milori until all he saw was red.
The murdering bastard had tampered with Arden's riding saddle making sure she would fatally fall on that fateful day.
However all the months of anger, hatred and resentment filtered away.
It didn't matter anymore.
While he would always love Arden he also realized he could love another in the same, or even a fuller, way than before.
He loved Clarion.
It was time to end this once and for all.
He never wanted Kealy to threaten anyone else in his life ever again.
Without warning, Milori drew his sword and lunged at Kealy.
Within a few short movements, he caught the surprised Kealy unaware and thrust his sword right through his chest.
It was done.
Kealy fell with a hard thud and died quickly. Wasting no time, Milori sounded the signal and as his men swarmed the castle to take care of the rest of Kealy's soldiers', Milori took the steps two at a time to find Clarion.
Bursting through one of the first chamber doors he came across, he pointed his sword to the throat of the first soldier he saw.
Looking around the room, he saw another one who was unarmed and Clarion lying still on a bed.
Alarm raced through him and he bit out
"What did you do to her?"
The frightened soldier immediately answered,
"Nothing my lord, she was just fighting back hard and we were given orders to sedate her".
Anger pulsed through Milori.
She had been through so much that if anyone so much as looked at her wrong now, he would not hesitate to react rashly.
"Get out, now."
He uttered darkly, and the soldiers rushed to do his bidding.
Sheathing his sword, he quickly stepped over to Clarion.
Even in an induced sleep, she looked like an angel.
He noticed she was not floating like normally and assumed it was due to a lack of Pixie dust over the last few days.
Noting to make sure she saw a doctor when this was all over, he gently scooped her up and started for Archimedes.
Leaving his general to take care of the rest, he transferred Clarion into the arms of one of his men as he mounted.
Once settled, his soldier handed her up to him and set her on his lap.
Wrapping his cloak around her, he took off for home.
Whether this was at Pixie Hollow or in the winter realm, he did not care.
All that mattered from now on was that she was with him.
Forever and always.
He bent low to whisper into her ear, praying she heard him.
If not, that was fine too, for he would repeat it gladly everyday until breath left his body.
"You are my kingdom. A lifetime spent loving you is the legacy I want to be remembered for above all else."