Mark of the Erios

Chapter 7: Enchanted Falls

Krysian Yelt Point of View

"Let me start out by saying that I am the King's brother. Damien's uncle." He watches my face as I try not to react to stupidly.

"You're what?"

"I am Camden's, our kings, older brother."

"You realize that you make you king, not King Blueblood right?" Did that come off rude?

Yes it did my rider. Yes it did.

I look up from the hay scattered across the ground to see Frenasia, eyes gleaming with mischief, watching us as we have our conversation.

"I'll get to that, my impatient child. Would you like me to tell you?"

I nod my head, excitement evident in my body language.

Being from Gunda nobody really knows anything about the Royal's except their little nobles that run around are complete pricks with a weird thing for taxed rice.

"Alright then Krysian. Listen closely," Jonvi takes a deep breath almost as if he is pulling himself together, "Long ago, I was young man free to do as I pleased preparing to become the King of Umbell and marry my beautiful loving mate. We would go to the market together every sixth morning to pick out flowers for the vase on her side of the bed. Her favorite thing to let me do was buy a single sunflower, nothing more, nothing less. It was only a bronze piece and I wanted to buy her every flower that the kingdom had to offer, but she never seemed to want that. She only wanted me and that single sunflower every weekend morning."

Jonvi almost looks as he about to cry turning away from me looking towards the back of the stables. He tries to contain himself.

"Jonvi it's okay if you can't finish-" I start to mutter but he cuts me off with his hand.

"I want you to hear this," With one breath he starts again, "As you know Laress, ruled by the Redux family, is the biggest enemy of Umbell and has been trying to overthrow us for years. One morning Laress declared war on Umbell. As crowned prince, I was expected to lead the army into battle, leaving my love behind. I left before she awoke only a note to warn her to stay in the castle, but she didn't listen. Instead of going to the market like we always did she went to the gardens to look over some of the plants she had growing. Before she got back inside, one of the soldiers from Laress shot an arrow through her heart. He was hiding in the bushes of the garden and killed her on sight. She died and I wasn't with her, I wasn't there to help her. I didn't even kiss her goodbye that morning."

He took another breath, I start to cry with him, "I had to come home to an empty bed and search for her dead body on the castle grounds. She died in the same garden I proposed to her in, the same garden she visited every day to watch over her vegetables and flowers. My beautiful mate that deserved nothing, but the best was killed in a place that she trusted, that I made sure she could trust. I failed her Krysian. I let her die. I had to drop her body into the ground, and I have to live with that regret," Jonvi turned to me and put my face between the palm of his hands looking me dead in the eyes, "Krysian, I want you to think about what you are doing. You only get one mate. You only get one love, and you couldn't fail him even if you wanted to. You won't make the same mistake I did. Just give the poor lad a chance, he'll surprise you. As queen, you'll have him wrapped around your pinky, maybe be able to create some new laws, help fix this broken land once again?"

I throw my arms around Jonvi and pull him close letting my tears fall onto his leather jacket. He reminds me of my father before he passed, my heart needing this more than he does.

"I'll call for a servant to take you to your chambers. I need to attend to the dragons. They are due for a teeth cleaning."

Both the dragons snort, turning away from us. Jonvi laughs at them, standing with me. We didn't speak to each other again, a servant appearing within a few minutes to guide me back.