In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 98: Reconciled~

February 13th, 1652

Zayn's POV

He sighed as he stepped down from his horse and passed the reins to a stablehand. Almost without thought, he reached into his coat to touch the writ of pardon there, ready to wield it at anyone who looked at him crossways. Adrian had been very... generous in the writ, pledging that the courts of Mullingar forgave Zayn of all crimes, confirmed or rumored. It was a sign of how desperately Adrian wanted to cling to the remaining members of his family.

Returning here didn't feel like coming home, though. The Partheos had always been more of a home than Mullingar ever had. But with that loss, Zayn couldn't ignore his dwindling relations any more than Adrian could. And Adrian deserved to have help from someone who wasn't looking to wheedle power away from him.

A Royal escort awaited him as he approached the castle, a group of clean-cut soldiers whose job was to provide formality during Royal affairs. He was entitled to this formality, always had been, but this was actually the first time he had been greeted upon his return to the castle as a Royal. Bastards didn't have to be acknowledged, let alone given their rights as part of the Royal family, but Adrian seemed to be changing that. Zayn almost didn't know what to do as they escorted him through the corridors with all the proper fanfare.

His group passed many nobles as they walked. The nobles' reactions to his arrival surprised him. Sure, the majority of Mullingar's elite still looked at him as if he were the refuse from the streets molded into a person, but still others looked at him with interest, confusion, fear and optimism. The difference was palpable.

The differences in the castle were never more apparent than when he finally reached the throne room. No sooner had he been introduced and stepped into the room then Adrian was rushing forward and pulling him into a hug, his arms clasped tight.

Zayn was dumbfounded. Shared blood had never stopped his family from avoiding physical contact with him; the concept of "muck-skin" was too deeply ingrained.

Now, his uncle was fully embracing him and all Zayn could do was stand stiff and unyielding.

"Welcome back," Adrian greeted, releasing him. "Come in, please. We have a lot to talk about."

Perhaps there was a place for him here after all.

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Kalysta's POV

If it was over, why didn't she feel peace? The Mad King was gone. Finley was safe. She was home. But though her bed was soft and plush it might as well have been made of rocks for how comfortable she felt. And it wasn't as if she got much sleep, with Finley's cries to be fed. One would think she would snap up any chance at rest, but here she was, tossing and turning.

Eventually she gave up, climbing out from under the covers and donning her heavy robe against the frigid air. She stoked the fire once more in an effort to return some heat to the room. There was no reason to be both sleepless and cold.

"Come here," she whispered, going over to the crib and lifting Finley. He fussed for a moment, but calmed as she settled him in her arms and swayed back and forth. His sleight weight was comforting, for it made her feel secure, and she took a deep breath to calm herself further.

"I can't sleep and it's not even your fault," she murmured. Delia said it was good to talk to a babe even if they couldn't understand the words. "What's on my mind, Finn? I can't even get to sleep enough to have my usual nightmares." She continued, ruminating mostly nonsense.

After a time of contemplation, she gained a better idea of what was plaguing her; it was a sense of... expectation, as if there was something hanging over her, waiting to happen. It wasn't dread, for she knew that well after being dogged by it for so long. No, it was simply expectation, as if the world was still holding its breath.