Blood Royals Book #4: Long Live The King!

Chapter Forty Five: The Cycle

King Relian's POV
There's w lot of laughter and life in the dining room. It's nothing like the usual formal serious dinners where we all endeavor to look regal and stuck up with our noses pointed up in the air. In this comfortable setting we sit close to each other, we send the servants away and we serve ourselves. We laugh and we talk about things that make absolutely no sense. It's fun and comfortable.

Mom is endlessly talking about her wedding plans and dresses she would like to wear. Her maid of honour is Renée. I hope the wedding is after my son is born. Renée wouldn't want to be photographed pregnant.

Cormac tells us his navy stories under the condition that I don't address any indiscipline in his navy. They are funny stories. I have never known a man as serious as he is can laugh that much.

QM and Rehan are constantly entangled in disagreement,mostly over my son's poor table manners and of course the blasted jam. Rehan is now walking on his own and sometimes he runs. He's of course in a destructive curious phase. But I'm grateful that everyone keeps an eye on him so we don't have any incidents.

Renée is due any time now and I can clearly see how tired she  is. We are glad and excited to be receiving our son. She still doesn't know that I know. I hope I can fake a convincing surprise expression.

Arrla got six cubs! Six! I asked Rehan to name one and he called it Kitty. His own cub will be called Kitty. Renée and I will name the rest. We want to be more creative than Rehan.

It's with a heavy heart that I have to end this excitement. My feet feel so heavy, I'm not sure if I can move without a nudge.

"Open the door. I'm ready." I told the guards standing at the dining entrance. They opened the doors for me and they all fell into silence as they looked at me. I forced my feet to move, one step after another until I reached the table.

"Reli, what is it?" Renée asked me.

"I just got off the phone with Griffin Hugh. Nilsa was found dead in her cell today."

My mother dropped her tea cup, eyes so wide I thought they would pop. She started shaking her head hysterically. "No... No..."

"Takara-"

She pushed Cormac aside, taking quick strides towards me. "No... I saw her yesterday. I saw her! She was fine! She was so happy to be moved up to a cell with a window! She was fine Relian! So what is this none sense about my daughter being dead?"

She's breathing hard, eyes blood shot.

I was also shocked to hear that because I told her I would see her this weekend. It took me about half an hour to move after Griffin gave me the news.

"She was found dead in her cell today." I repeated.

"What happened?" QM asked as she made her way to me.

"Griffin suspects poisoning. But we are yet to know more." I answered.

I'm trying to be numb but my mother suddenly falling to her knees and wailing broke me. I covered my face, my tears hot and endless. I felt QM's arms around me and soon after Renée's. We have lost too much already. Did we have to lose her too?

The lively dining room stopped being a place if happiness and became a room of sadness and tears. I never thought I would cry for Nilsa but I am. She's gone and it must have been a painful exit from what Griffin described.

I pulled away from my wife and grandmother. I have to tell Stephen. I have asked Griffin to keep her death under wraps. I know there are people dying to celebrate her demise. It will kill me even more if they do. It's inevitable but I'm not looking forward to it. I have to go to Cray Thera, the death bed of Kaelans and see it for myself.