A Stain on the Royal Tapestry

Chapter 30: An Assassin's Reveal

"What the actual hell are you thinking?" Kaden bellowed at Varick as he and Lewis pulled up alongside Varick who was sitting in the shade about a mile out from the place of the event that was being held.

"I am sorry if I startled you both, but I could not handle saying goodbye to Serephina. I panicked." Shamefully Varick admitted, avoiding looking at Lewis.

"I thought you were going to face them alone and your wife is worried sick" Lewis exclaimed, looking down at his exhausted older brother, relief flooding him that Varick was not going on a suicide mission.

"I never want to say goodbye to her again...and hopefully after this, there will be no reason to." Varick quickly explained, moving back towards his house.

The brothers all rested for a moment before continuing to the embassy castle that was being used for the gathering. They were flocked by a small group of twenty soldiers the entire way in a normal expedition position to show the assassins, who were surely watching, that they were at ease about the current position.

The brothers greeted many other royals and their family members as they entered the embassy, which was already full of royals and their most loyal servants. Varick confidently led the way to the chambers where he and his brothers were to stay. To anyone looking on Varick was a triumphant and confident prince, who had no fear to him. Many of the royals who were not at the fortress prior had never seen Varick before and were taken back by his regal presence. They were even more taken back when his brother's came into view, the three of them looking like a force to be reckoned with to any onlooker who did not know the inner politics of the family.

As all those who made the journey were exhausted so they all retired to their chambers to go over the individual plans that were made for the fake events and for the actual finding of the assassins. Lewis immediately wrote to Leah simply writing "all is well" in case the message was intercepted and sent the note out discreetly. Kaden, Varick and Lewis all quickly settled into a shared room, agreeing that two would stay up while one slept. The first watch was Lewis and Varick while Kaden slept.

"People were awestruck by you today," Lewis commented after about an hour of thick silence.

"Oh? I did not notice." Varick murmured, eyes glued on the lone candle they had lit. Believing Varick was being sarcastic Lewis scoffed,

"You did not notice all the people staring at you?"

"No. I was only focused on making it to our room so that I do not have to keep up a confident kingly act while my heart is constricting." Varick replied with a sigh.

"Varick...Serephina is protected I assure you." Lewis whispered, glancing at Kaden who was fast asleep.

"Yes, her knight in shining armor should be there soon." Bitterly muttered Varick, who looked away from the candle, looking as cold as the night air was in the room around them.

"Can I ask you, something brother?" Lewis watched as his brother gave the go-ahead "Why did you really leave in such a rush?"

"I told you I panicked..." Varick quickly answered again, showing Lewis he was lying as Varick never responds in a rushed fashion.

"Please do not lie to me...it is not worth it."

"I do not know what you want me to admit..." Grumbled Varick, snuffing out the candle so that Lewis could not read his facial expressions.

"Do you really believe Serephina is better without you?" Questioned Lewis, his voice cracked showing how it pained him that Varick could not simply believe in the love shared by him and his wife.