Gold's Rule ✔️

Chapter 19 - Sparking Solutions

The fire sent sparks flying back into the logs. I watched Draco's note curl up and turn black, crumbling into ashes. The library was cold and quiet, all the shelves empty and bare.

I remembered when the library was full, and cozy. It had the warm feeling and the smell of books. I remembered the long days I would spend up here. With my mother or my siblings. Come to think of it, I have never seen my father in the library.

"Mother. What are villains?"

I remember asking her on a dark night. I was sitting by the very fire place, having just listened to my mother read a story about a princess kidnaped by her own father and sold as a slave.

"Well, let's see."

She paused, thinking. Our eyes collided, and she gave me a warm smile. The smile I miss everyday.

"Well lets just say this. All hero's are broken beyond repair. All villains are just hero's who chose truth over dare."

"Don't good people do bad things sometimes?" I asked, twisting a lock of my hair as more rain patterned down onto the windows.

My mother nodded, and got up to put the book back. "Not all the time. In fact, good people are like candles. They burn on themselves to let other people shine."

"Do I make you shine, mommy?"

She chuckled and slid the book back onto its rightful place on the shelf. "Everyday honey." I tilt my head, not expecting that answer. "If I make you shine, do I burn myself then?" My mother walked over and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"No, because I make you shine. So together, we shine as bright as the stars."

I wondered what my mom would say now, to this situation. Would she have encouraged me to try to repair Draco, or would she have let him go, believing he was broken beyond repair?

"Your majesty, the commanders are waiting for you in the throne room." Daniella said, poking her head inside the library.

I stood up from where I'd been crouching by the large window re-installed in the library and followed Daniella out. I'd requested a meeting with Alec and Kyran after I had left the mail tower. I had invited Lunar and Rainbow, but they'd gone out earlier and had not returned yet.

I pushed open the throne room door and nodded my thanks to Daniella before she hurried away. Kyran and Alec were already there, sitting on opposite sides of each other. They were talking with each other, which I took as a good sign. Alec looked better now that all his cuts and wounds were bandaged up and cleaned up. They looked up as I walked in and both stood up, giving me a salut.

I rolled my eyes. "I thought we were over that." I'd requested them long ago to stop saluting me whenever I walked in, since we were friends. Or so I thought.

I sat down on my throne-chair, which was raised slightly higher than theirs. "Alright, let's get down to business. First off, you both got the message about the head guard position, yes?"

They nodded.

"Good. Then I suppose there's no disagreement there?"

"I quite agree that Kyran should take my place. The soldiers aren't very trusting of me right now, and I need to regain their respect." Alec said. Without speaking, I could tell Kyran agreed.

"Of course you would think that. It was upon your request that he rose and took your place."

Silence. I cleared my throat.

"Alright. I'd just received a note from Draco." I proceeded to tell them about the message, and how I'd burned it. "We should be expecting an attack from him soon, presumably a fire-y attack."

"Do you think he'll burn down the castle again?" Kyran asked.

"I don't think so. I know Draco, and I know he won't do the same attack twice. It's too boring for him." I said, disgusted.

"We'll prepare giant hoses, just in case." Alec decided, hands squeezed together. "And what about Funneh, if the attack does happen?"

"We'll have 2 guards stationed outside her door and window 24/7, and they'll be taught how to correctly roll her bed and tubes out." I said, grabbing a paper and scribbling a quick note to Nurse Lilac, before handing it to a nearby maid, who scurried off.

"Alec, I believe you haven't told us about your trip quite yet." I added, looking a him. As much as I wanted to believe he was innocent, I'd like to know the context of his adventure.

"I was very upset, Gold, you have to understand that." Alec said, staring right back at me, his eyes clear and honest.

I nodded and swallowed.

"There was an empty wagon with a horse outside, so I grabbed that and rode away. I didn't know where to go, I only wanted to go visit the place where Funneh.." He trailed off and swallowed. "Where Funneh fell. I went there, and was attacked by a savage animal with gleaming red eyes. That's how I got this." He pointed to below his rib, where thick bandages were covering his long scar. "I think... somehow, Draco has started poisoning innocent animals to turn savage."

I frowned. That makes things way more complicated for us; animals out-of-their-mind savage was not good news for the guards and villagers.

"While I was escaping from the beast, I rolled down a hill and into a cave. It wasn't very deep, but there was clear evidence of people who'd been there. I saw a shattered vial on the ground, with a little bit of purple liquid left in them. I placed it inside a pouch and carried it back to my wagon, if you'd like to see it."

I should give it to Lunar. She'd always been good with chemistry, she might be able to find out what liquid it was.

"I found where Funneh was staying, or so I think, when she ran away. It was a small cottage in the middle of nowhere, and had an red apple tree out the back."

I sucked in a gasp of air. Our cottage, of course! Funneh loved that place... no wonder she'd gone there.

"I lived there for a bit, trying to heal myself." Alec said, wincing slightly. "I hope you don't mind."

"No! Of course not, Alec." I said quickly, smiling at him. "I'm glad it was of use to you."

"After I'd healed my huge scar, I decided I need to come back and share that mysterious purple liquid with you. It was very hard finding my way back though, and I many thorns and splinters." He said, gesturing to his various scratches.

Kyran snorted, clearly amused. "Wow, I guess cactuses and thorns really love you, huh."

I let out a small huff of amusement and smiled at Kyran, which quickly faded as he ignored my smile and eye contact.

Alec shot me a questioning gaze, which I shrugged at. I guess Kyran was still mad at me, for whatever reason. "I finally found my way back though, and here I am."

There was a moment of silence while we processed this information. I stood up. "Okay, I think that's enough for today. I need to go visit Funneh."

Alec nodded. "She seemed fine, when I was with her this morning. And lunchtime."

"I'll accompany you, Your Majesty. You need a guard." Kyran spoke up. "Alec, you can inform the guards of the water hoses and Draco."

I looked at Kyran with my eyebrows raised as he stood up and started to follow Alec out.

"I need a guard? Are you kidding me? I need a friend, that's what I need!" I said to Kyran's back furiously, once Alec had left.

"I am your friend. That's all I am, anyway." Kyran replied, muttering the last sentence. (Cady is very proud of that exchange, btws :P)

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, crossing my arms over each other and stopping in front of him, blocking his way. "What's your problem?"

But before he could reply, an explosion sounded and shook the ground.