Trusting Dust

Chapter 12

A few rays of sunlight shone through the window as the queen sat patiently staring at the bed. She sat staring at a boy, one who was braver and stronger than anyone she had ever known. She held his hand gently, but he didn't notice. He hadn't been awake all day. The queen stared at the boy who had saved her husband. Tears filled her eyes thinking about how the boy might have given his life for him. He hadn't woken up yet and it had been around thirty-two hours. The royal family had called in doctor after doctor, but they said that they had done all that they could do. Now they just had to wait. The queen moved a strand of hair from the boy's face and looked at him as another tear slipped down her face. She knew something about the boy, that not even the boy knew, and because of that, it made it even harder to imagine the boy dying.

She gripped his hand a little harder, hoping for some hope or sign that he would be okay. She watched his face for minute or two, and that's when she saw him stir.

***

Connor blinked a few times as he tried to focus in on his surroundings. The place looked foreign to him, with painted walls, expensive furniture, and a bed that he appeared to have slept in with silk sheets. He jumped when he noticed that he wasn't alone and it sent a burst of pain through him. The person next to him, a lady, gently laid him back down and smiled.

"Don't move too fast, you're okay." Connor's eyes widened once he realized that the lady next to him was the queen. He moved one of his hands down to his side and felt the bandages wrapped around his gut. He thought back to what had happened.

***

He ran as fast as he could as his father pulled the trigger of his pistol. He heard the loud crack as the bullet left the gun and went sailing towards the king, but it never hit its target. Connor had gotten there first. The queen screamed as Connor jumped in front of the king felt a blast of pain sweep through his body. He fell to the ground and his vision blurred as the king and his father stood in shock. The cavalry arrived and Ava rushed over to him, but stopped short once she saw the blood. She started crying as the bandits were surrounded. Connor's eyes made contact with his father once more before the world faded away.

***

His hand traced the bandages and he cringed when he found where he had been hit. He looked back at the queen.

"Why am I here?" His voice was rough and groggy since he had just woken up. The queen smiled, but ignored his question.

"You know; everyone is talking about you." Connor looked at her confused.

"Why are they talking about me?" The queen smiled even brighter.

"Well, because you are here, the whole kingdom is celebrating. You saved the king and you're alive and here." Connor was still confused.

"The king has been saved before, what importance does it have that I am here?" The queen looked at Connor and her smile dropped a little.

"Connor tell me about your family." Connor cringed at the word family.

"My father was the one who kidnapped your daughter. I don't remember my mother. I was told that she died during the massacre of 1876, but I was also told that my father died in that massacre, but that was a lie." He gritted his teeth thinking about his father. The queen was looking at him with concern.

"Connor," she said gripping his hand again. "He's not your father." Connor looked at the queen's eyes confused for a second, but then everything seemed to click. When the queen had first seen him, his dream, the lies, Ava, it all made sense now. Connor looked at the queen with surprise. The queen smiled again.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." Connor didn't know what to say. He looked down at the sheets.

"You mean all this time. I was..." He trailed off, and met the queen's eyes again, but this time he saw her differently. "Mom?" The queen smiled brightly as tears of joy slid down her face. She leaned over and held her long lost son. Hidden memories filled Connor's head as everything came back in a flood. He had a family. One that loved him.

He saw two figures appear in the doorway so he pulled away from the queen's embrace. The king looked at him in awe, and Ava just stared with tears in her eyes. She ran over to Connor and hugged him, happy that he was okay and the king joined the rest of the family and held his wife's hand. He looked at Connor, his son, and a smile formed on his face. Connor too was in awe. He had a family. He had finally found his home.