A Kingdom of Bloodshed

*¬*Chapter Twenty Two*¬*

Knowing what awaits us the following day, you'd think I'd be eager to sleep or would try to figure out what happened to me hours before. But no, instead here I am sitting in the gardens and staring aimlessly out the large stained glass windows. The sunlight soothing the chill on my skin and my thoughts are lost to worry and concern about what will be waiting for my family tomorrow.

Family. That's the first time I've ever thought of anyone from this court as family. But they are. They're my family now.

More so than the family I have back in my kingdom, whom I haven't heard from since I left the second time to attend the coronation ceremony.

It makes me sad to think that they haven't bothered to reach out, that my mother or Rosemary simply accepted my absence as normal and haven't bothered to come visit me. That thought hurts more than I ever thought possible.

"I don't understand it." I whisper to the listening bushes.

"Don't understand what?" Arrow's voice slips into the room. Her soft steps tapping against the ground until she's seated next to me on the stone bench. "I don't understand how my family has yet to contact me since I came back here for the coronation ceremony. Why haven't they wrote? Do they not care at all?"

Arrow frowns at me, her lips falling to the side and brows furrowing. "Thea..."

"I mean they must have written right? My mother at least should have, if not then Rosemary."

She's silent for a few moments, forcing me to face her fully and scrutinize her face for a reaction.

"I am not supposed to tell you this, but I will because you're my friend and possibly my High Lady and I wish to have your trust."

"High Lady?" I tilt my head to the side, confused. But Arrow pushes forward, "Kaz didn't know how to bring it up to you, so he kept quiet about it. Since you're now asking about your family I think it's fair to mention it to you."

I swallow deeply, suddenly feeling as if my stomach may burst through my throat. "What is it Arrow?"

She sighs and nibbles her lip. Her hands clenching together in nervousness before she sighs and whispers, "Kaz sent a letter to your family, asking to have an audience with them. He wanted to update them about your health and your new magic, thinking it would make you feel better to see them again."

My chest releases and joy fills me instead. How incredibly thoughtful of him. "But the reply he got back wasn't positive. Turns out your parents are pissed that he 'took' you away from them. They were even more shocked to find out that you two are mates. The request for an audience was denied and to quote what your father said: "I would rather miss seeing my daughter than ever letting a bastard like yourself into my home." I'm so sorry Thea."

His words hurt. Why would my father say that? How could he deny wanting to see me when I haven't spoken to them in months. The silence in the room is too loud, too uncomfortable.

"I see. Thank you for telling me Arrow." Turning away from her, I face the window again. Instead of processing this right away, I turn to the fact that she mentioned me being High Lady. "Arrow, what did you mean earlier when you said I might possibly be your High Lady?"

When I meet her eyes, I see the light glowing in them, her hair cascades past her shoulders; making her more ethereal than ever. "Oh, I just meant that there's a possibility since you are my high lord's mate. But there hasn't been High Lady in many many years."

Odd that both Kaz and Arrow bring this subject to me in the span of a few hours. Deciding to not think about it too much, I reach over and squeeze Arrow's knee before standing and turning to face the exit. Arrow stands and gives me a small smile, before turning and walking out of the garden. I follow suit shortly after.