Each year the Kingdom of Khearia throws a festival in remembrance of one of their most beloved kings who had tragically perished along with his wife and second son. His first son, Prince Fabian, was the only one to survive. Witnesses claimed his cro...
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Mererid wailed over the body of her dead relative. She draped herself over and clung to the blanket that wrapped him, her shrieks muffled against his neck. Agony gushed out of her.
ㅤIt'd struck Alex heavily, hearing the sound of her cries savaging her throat.
ㅤFirst, she had lost her brother. Now, she had been robbed of her dear cousin.
ㅤIt continued for an eternity. Alex fell cold, chest sinking. Slowly, it dawned, the permanence of it all. It was a tragedy that couldn't ever be undone.
ㅤAlex shouldn't have let Riley sit at that table with the prince. They'd all known their friend was volatile. They should've kept him away.
ㅤAlex would be haunted by her cries forever, knowing he could've prevented everything.
ㅤEventually, she'd been utterly drained of spirit, sitting slumped next to his body on the ground, unmoving, defeated. Her eyes were puffy and red, her soul emptied behind them. The duke had approached her, then. His arm wrapped around her in comfort, pressing a tender but firm kiss into her hair.
ㅤAlex felt anger simmer below the surface.
ㅤ"Why did he do this to him?" she croaked. "What did he ever do? Why... does this happen?"
ㅤ"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," her father whispered, cupping her head.
ㅤNot even the duke's disgraceful tears were enough to dampen Alex's ugly resentment.
ㅤAlex had only seen it once; the duke had seen this scene before. The duke would've watched his poor daughter come undone once she'd believed her brother had died. The duke had watched that— consoled her— knowing Llwyd was alive and safe.
ㅤWhen the pair separated, Alex was still waiting, lingering by the doorway. The duke hardly noticed him, wallowing past alone in his misery. Alex caught his elbow.
ㅤ"Lord Alexander, please. If you have any decency—"
ㅤ"You have to tell her."
ㅤAn unspoken retort flattened the duke's lips. He lowered his head.
ㅤ"She will hate me," he replied.
ㅤ"You deserve it."
ㅤThe duke walked away.
ㅤWhether Duke Straton told Mererid the truth now, it would do nothing to reverse the pain he'd already inflicted on her, nor would it bring Riley back to life. Mererid had been tortured by her father and what that man had done to their family was unforgivable.
ㅤAlex took a calming breath and cast one last look at Riley. Evening had fallen upon them and its dying light pierced through the tall windows. The white blanket that shielded Riley glowed orange, the shadows of the grilles cutting everything in the room in black. He lay in the centre. Mererid's back was turned as she remained there. An aimless and disjointed silence hung the shocked peace.
