"May I present the High Chieftainess of Elder, known in Elder as the Red.” Griswold said and scurried from the room.
"Welcome to Aboria," I started. "I hear you have asked to speak with the king. He is indisposed at the moment, is there anything I can be of service as the Crown Prince?”
She placed her hands on her hips, increasing the intimidating look she already had working for her. "Do not lie to me, prince. I am no fool. I know what is happening to your father, the king."
I stiffened in my seat. The room temperature plummeted to match the chill in her tone and I shivered.
"Fair enough. Then tell me why you have come?”
"I represent the wolf packs of the Kingdom of Elder. We've noticed that something strange has been happening in our woods. I've come to investigate whether this unknown force has spread to your cities?”
"We've heard no such thing,” Lord Anwar said. “Other than the issues with the king, that you claim to already know about, our kingdom is peaceful and content.”
"Then I guess I've come a long way for nothing. Thank you for your time.“ She nodded toward Lord Anwar then tugged the hood back over her head and turned to go.
I bit down on my tongue. Hard enough to draw blood as I tried to force down the words begging to come out my mouth. My leg tapped the platform as she sashayed toward the exit. Then as she reached the door, a guard holding it open for her, I jumped to my feet. There was something she was holding back.
”Stop. Please. I’ve heard things about which you speak.”
The lords looked at me as their mouths hung open and the Chieftainess halted her steps.
"Some call it the darkness, and I've been told it's been spreading east. I don't know what's causing it or how to stop it, but I think it has something to do with my father's condition."
She turned around her arms crossed over her chest. "If you can't stop it then you are no help to me. But thank you for your honesty.” She glared at Lord Anwar, her dagger stare sharp even on the periphery. “I’ll keep to tracking it on my own. Should I need it, would you be willing to offer guards?”
"Absolutely,” I said as I stepped to the edge of the platform.
Lord Covington cleared his throat and I looked over as he made a gesture with his hands. I didn't quite understand what he meant but I had the feeling it wasn't in line with what I just promised.
“Good.” She jerked her head up and stormed toward the door. “You'll hear from me soon."
The guards cleared a path for her to continue, probably more from fear than duty.
As she walked to the door, something bothered me. She was still holding something back. Something she didn’t want to speak about in front of an audience. I ran to her, catching up when she was just outside.
“The darkness. That’s not the reason you came is it?”
She inhaled a sharp breath, then after a quick look around to see there was no one in ear shot, she spoke. “Have you seen my son? His name is Castiel.”
I wracked my brains for the name, but came up empty.
“I have not had the pleasure.”
“Then I shall be on my way.” She turned to walk away again.
“Should I have met your son?”
“He has eyes just like yours, although I see no other similarity. Only the gold circle around your iris.”
My hand instinctively went to my face.
“He set out to come see you. He should have been here by now. I don’t know where he is.”
And then I understood the sadness behind the strength. She too had lost someone.
“If I see him, I’ll make sure to send word to Elder.”
“Thank you,” she said, and this time she walked away.
"Do you know what you've just done?" Lord Covington asked, his disappointed scowl answering his question without waiting for my response.
"No, not exactly. But if this darkness is as bad as I think it is she’ll need every resource we’ve got."
My eyes threatened to close so many times that I nearly fell asleep face down in my soup. I knew being king would be busy, but I never imagined how physically and mentally draining. The silence that echoed through the oversized dining room didn't help. Being king was tough, but being lonely seemed unbearable. The chandeliers lost some of their luster, and the gilded candlesticks didn't seem to shine as bright without people to share them with. I stared through my haze down the long dining room table and ached for someone to talk to.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
"Come in."
Griswold appeared beside me at the table. "Sorry to interrupt your dinner, Your Majesty."
"No problem at all. Why don't you sit down with me for a while?”
I gestured to a large chair where my mother usually sat. Griswold shook his head, but I nodded still pointing. He grimaced then pulled the chair back with the tips of his fingers and sat at the very edge of the seat, his face scrunched between the years of wrinkles.
"Your bird has returned, sir. She's waiting for you in front of the castle.”
"My mother has returned already?” I jumped to my feet and wiped my face with the napkin then tossed it onto the tabletop.
Griswold didn’t move.
"No, but the bird has a message for you and refuses to let anyone else have it. One of the guards almost lost an arm trying to pry it from her.“
"Thank you, Griswold."
We rushed from the dining room. A sense of relief stretched across Griswold's face as he put my mother's chair back into its perfect spot and
