The Things We Do

Chapter XIII: Scheven

It had been a week since Scheven had arrived in Rielweth and thus he was still getting adjusted. Rielweth was known for their laid back ways, but Scheven hadn't anticipated this. He had only been here before for one night, for he left with Anastasia when she went to marry Ideus after the taking of Rielweth. He had of course heard stories from Soren, but being there was a different experience. He walked around outside, brushing his hand across the short wall. He remembered when they took Rielweth that they only had to have a short crate for Beau to stand on to help everyone over the wall and get down safely. The palace in Imperial City had a much larger wall, but the Rielwethian people hadn't bothered to build more of their wall.
As he walked around he soon came to the gate where he saw a cloaked woman being let in. He ran to her, immediately recognising that it was Luna. She saw him running and quickened her pace too. "Oh Scheven, thank goodness you're alright." she said through tears as she came to him. "What happened?" Scheven asked as he led her inside. "They came to Imperial city. Soleil ran one way, I ran the other. I thought she was right behind me until it was too late to go back. They all followed her, I think. I don't know where she is or if she's alive. I don't know what's to happen to Soren either." They thought as they walked. "Who all came?" he asked at long last. "Beau, Tage, Chloe, Lost Lover and..." she trailed off. "And?" Scheven asked again. "Arlie,"
"Arlie!" Scheven yelled. "How?" Luna shook her head. "I don't know. It was her, undoubtedly." They sat down in the dining hall, wondering how Arlie was back. They had both watched Anastasia kill her, Scheven had thrown the weapon in his forge and didn't bother to wipe the blood off. Scheven had gone to her small funeral, he had watched her body be lowered the traitor's three feet compared to the citizen's six and the hero's nine. The deeper you were buried, the closer you were to the core of the earth and more a part of the earth itself. The deeper you were buried, the more honorable you were in life. "How could this have happened? Arlie's back, Soleil and Soren are likely gone, and I'm just sitting here." she stood. "I have to go back. I'll need some armor, I'll head to the armory then be on my way." Scheven stood too. "Let me come with you. We'll leave Ryaxleb's brother Masxvia in charge. I heard that he and his wife still live here. Let's go and find them." Luna nodded and they headed out.
They came to the address and knocked on the door. A middle-aged woman answered the door. "King Scheven, Queen Luna. To what do we owe the pleasure!" the woman asked while curtsying. "We've come to speak to you and your husband. Is he home? We need to speak to the both of you." Luna asked. "He's in our backyard, I'll go get him. Please, come in." She stepped out of the doorframe and motioned for them to enter. "The kitchen table is over there, please make yourselves comfortable." she said as she closed the door behind them. She walked to the back door. "Masxvia! King Scheven and Queen Luna are here to speak with us." she called. Scheven heard a faint reply, then footsteps. He resembled his brother well, and one might have thought that they were twins. Masxvia was younger than his brother by about ten years, but when they both reached adulthood they resembled each other in extreme likeness. Seeing Masxvia now made it seem as though both Arlie and her victim had been brought back from the grave. "King Scheven! Queen Luna! Is everything alright?" he asked as he and his wife sat down. "Not quite. That's why we need your help. Masxvia, you've still got royal blood. I know you've tried to disassociate with that side of your history, but it's needed now. In absence of a leader we'll need you now, and possibly in the future." They looked confused as Schevenspoke. "No leader? But Scheven-" Luna cut him off. "Scheven is coming with me. He may return, he may go back to Zellarid. In the event of the latter we'll need you." Masxvia looked down to the table. "Could my husband and I have some time to talk?" his wife pleaded. "Of course, take your time. It is quite the decision, but quite the honor." Luna said as she and Scheven rose. Scheven knew what Luna was doing, he had seen her do it too many times in the past few hours. They walked around the corner into the kitchen, where they stood by the doorway to hear them.

"Masxvia, think of what this could do for our family!"

"Olixson, I've already told you that I've shed that side of my history."

"We would be starting over. Our bloodline-"

"Is half of the Yag line. You know what happened to my brother. What if the same thing happened to me? Calxyan was never seen again, he lived out the rest of his days in fear. And that's hoping he's been granted the sweet release of death. Do you wish that for yourself? For our children?"

"That was during war Masxvia"

"We don't even know why we need a replacement. A new war could be starting!"

"What happened to your brother isn't going to happen to you. It was different circumstances in different times. Iphica is one now, there's no more Mirirejar against Zellarid. Any war would be with the Isles or among the leaders. They can sort those things out themselves, and General Tage can lead us to victory against the Isles. There is nothing to fear for us."

"We don't know."

"You're being awfully short."

"You're being awfully long"

Luna and Scheven locked eyes. "Should we do something?" Scheven mouthed. Luna squinted and looked to the corners of her eyes. "Not yet." she mouthed back before they put their full attention back on the conversation.

"What's gotten into you Masxvia?"

"I don't like being reminded of this stuff."

"It would be best for this family."

"Maybe for you and the kids. But not for me."

"You're hurting this more than you're helping."

"Fine! But we'll make it known that this is temporary. As soon as they're done with whatever they're doing, either King Scheven, King Soren, or some other ruler needs to come back."

Masxvia's wife, who they now knew was named Olixson, called them back in, unaware as to how loud they were. "We've agreed to do this, temporarily. We aren't fit, but we can't refuse your orders." Masxvia said sternly. Luna smirked and Scheven smiled. "Good. You shall move in tonight, for we leave in the morning." Scheven told them before he and Luna left to prepare for the journey ahead. He was flabbergasted at the events that had happened in just a few weeks. He had convinced the son of his former enemy a daughter of his current one to join him in killing Anastasia, been betrayed by Selene and thrown in jail with Soren, been rescued by his former enemy and her wife, attempted murder once more, made Anastasia go insane again, break out of prison again, successfully kill Anastasia, been forced to give up the Mirirejar crown back to his former enemy, Luna, who gave him Rielweth, and was now helping her save her family before killing the rest of Anastasia's, though through Soren and Selene the two families were one. He was absolutely flabbergasted.