A Queen Conflicted (Alys Book #3)

Chapter 43

When Endolynn entered the chambers where she had left Dastrehan and Jocelynn hours before, she looked as refreshed as she could be, though her eyes indicated how exhausted and stressed she was still was. Dastrehan stood from the chair he had been sitting in, quickly moving towards his wife, searching her face for indications of how she was.

"How is Rose?"

Endolynn smiled weakly, letting her husband pull her into his arms and hold her.
"Well enough, now," she murmured into his chest, "She had a healthy boy."

Dastrehan felt his tense body slacken a bit at that good news.
"What did she name him?"

Endolynn hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Zaid."

Dastrehan tightened his arms around her slightly, knowing that the pain shooting through his chest was dull in comparison to what his wife was feeling.
They were silent for a few minutes, standing there together and soaking in the comfort of each other before Dastrehan said softly, "You should sleep."

Endolynn sighed deeply as she pulled away slightly, "No time for that. I have a meeting with my advisors immediately."

Dastrehan's shock momentarily muted him. The young queen had not had even a few minutes of true rest since arriving at High Cloud Palace. She had just spent hours helping her sister-in-law. And this was the time for a meeting?

Dastrehan tried to bring his wife back to his chest by tightening his arms, "The meeting can wait. You need to rest."

Endolynn resisted the embrace, going as far as to step back while gently but firmly pushing his arms from around her.
"You may rest if you like, but I have called a meeting and I will be attending it."

Her firm tone had a touch of coldness in it, reminding Dastrehan of how much his wife had been through. He feared that he had not even scratched the surface of what she had endured at the hands of his brother.

"Join me, or do not."

Without hesitation, Dastrehan fell into step behind his wife despite how tired he was. Like rocks he would go to bed while his recently liberated and grieving wife headed to a meeting alone.

They walked in silence through the halls until they arrived at Endolynn's study.

Multiple intense memories came back to Dastrehan as they stepped inside the study that they had had many private meetings in what seemed like ages ago. Endolynn moved to stand in front of a floor to ceiling bookshelf, and Dastrehan shoved the memories away. Now was not the time to get lost in his thoughts.
"What is this meeting about, My Love?" Dastrehan asked carefully, watching as his wife as she selected a large rolled up parchment and turned back to her desk. She unrolled it, revealing a map, which she spread out and dropped colourful rocks on it to keep it down. Her father had used the rocks as paperweights.

"Let us wait for the others."
Dastrehan did not protest, but he could not stop the feeling of uneasiness that had settled into him. Endolynn was not like herself, that much was very, very clear.
Lucky for his unusually thin patience, Rohesia, Ivo, August, and Clement joined them within a few short minutes. Krea followed her sister into the study, struggling to carry a golden set of armor that Dastrehan could not stop himself from frowning at.
Krea deposited the armor as best she could on a side table within reach of where Endolynn stood behind her desk.
"Thank you, Krea," Endolynn said without looking up from her map, seeming oblivious to the chunk of amor that slipped from the table and clattered onto the floor. Krea bent to retrieve it as the others spread out in the room.

"Thank you all, as well, for joining me on such short notice."

Everyone looked disheveled but presentable, likely due to the early morning hour. They all stood, sharing concerned glances when the queen continued to stare down at her map.
"Your Majesty..." Ivo finally spoke up when none of the others did, "I was told you were with Rose while she as labouring, and have not yet slept-"