The Lonely Warrior Queen

{Chapter 54}

Xander's POV:

"Your Majesty? Lady Daraa wished to give this to you as soon as you returned,"

Nathaniel held the small piece of paper in his hands. I sighed, taking it. When I opened it, I was quite taken aback.

'Do not repeat your mistakes.' 

For the last few days, everything around me had engulfed me. I had to locate the soldiers we had around the castle and the city. People have been panicking but were cooperative.

Some citizens have to move as their homes were in dangerous territory. Having that all arranged was tiresome work.

I interrogated the prisoner, Lord Esther again. And as always, the efforts were fruitless. He did not speak a useful word, even when I ordered him to be drunk out of his mind. They were just the same information Leon told me.

Tomorrow, I would hear from Quenisa, with a quarter of their army marching toward Anthreal. That would be sufficient since I believe that war would not break out that soon. Even the council seems to agree with me.

Day by day, the older and more experienced ones seems to have either died or been deemed a traitor. The new council had more of their sons, who were trained in swordsmanship but did not have an idea of war. Something needs to be changed.

I did not want to admit that I was scared. Because if I do, that means I already lost this war. I had to be brave and thoughtful, not making any blunders in the process.

Now, I had just returned from supervising the troops assigned to patrol the city walls and I receive this strange message.

"What does she mean by this?" I asked Nathaniel, leaning against the wall of my chambers.

"I do not have an idea," he admitted, shaking his head.

I left him here, to take care of the defenses of the castle. He begged me to take him with me today but his duty urged him to stay here.

Does Daraa want to meet me?  Maybe she does. Perhaps she wanted to advise me on what to do, like in the old times.

"Did she do something in particular today?" I asked him, placing the note on my night table.

"She met the Queen," he told me. "Under your permission-"

"Does she blame me?" I asked, not bothering to listen to his words.

Nathaniel tilted his head in confusion but soon it hit him.

"I suppose she does," he replied.

I sighed, raking my hair softly. She would. She has every right to. But there was nothing I could do.

"What do you think about this, Nathaniel?" I asked, lifting my head. "Am I doing what is supposed to be done?"

He gave me a long look of hesitation before nodding uncertainly.

"In truth, you are doing this to protect her," he said. "But I think..."

"Go on,"

"I think you should have visited her," he replied flatly.

I bowed my head, feeling it slightly ache. He was right. This was not the first time I ordered her to be locked up in her chambers.

I glanced at the note, finally realizing what it meant. I looked at Nathaniel and he was staring at the note too. He seemed to have understood it as well.

"Do not repeat your mistakes," he quoted. "The Queen is already too sensitive, Your Majesty. She might not forgive you if you go on,"

I looked away, seeing that he was only speaking the truth as it was. I treated my wife horribly in the past. I promised her that I will be better and more caring to her. Not even visiting her would mean that I would be going back on my word.