Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

3.7.

The king looked at Alva with gentle sadness, but when he spoke, his words were harsh.

"Alva, what have you done? You killed a hostage I had sworn to protect."

"I am so sorry, sire. I didn't mean to kill him. He was a rapist and a scoundrel, yes, but God is my witness, I did not want him dead."

"But he died by your sword."

"It was an accident. As if demons drove my hand. He is a great swordsman; I couldn't wound him or get him to drop his sword. By every expectation, it should have been me laying dead there."

"You knew he was from the steppe, a warrior raised to kill. And you provoked him by hitting his lover! Dear God, Alva, how could you? Rennarte is a nobleman, and a King's Chancellor! Rennarte can be vicious, and I understand how you must have felt, but that's no excuse! I had thought you rational ... Oh, Alva!" Suddenly the king hugged Alva and kissed his forehead.

"It is not only Fairiz's heart you have pierced, but mine. I thought I could trust you. And you threw your life away in a jealous fit. Do you get that you could've just started another war?"

The pain in Daronghi's voice was hard to bear. Why does he, Alva, always make those who love him suffer?

"Forgive me, sire. I was only defending Ithildin's honor. They were forcing him, I am certain, or else I would never have drawn my sword."

"Rennarte says Ithildin went with them willingly."

"He lies."

"You are talking about an honorable man, a prominent statesman! Magnanimously, he asked to have you pardoned, even though you had murdered his lover. 'I cannot forgive him, Your Majesty, but it pleases our Lord when we show mercy,' he had said to me. Rennarte's only fault was arranging that accursed meeting."

"He has threatened Ithildin into submission! You should have seen Ithildin's misery! You would never believe he felt anything other than disgust for the pair of them! And now Ithildin is completely defenseless before Rennarte. Please, sire, I implore you! Please take care of Ithildin – none of this is his fault. I will accept any fate, but only if I know that Ithildin is safe!" and Alva fell down to his knees and wrung his hands.

The King held Alva's pale face to stare into his eyes. "If I did not know you quite so well, I would think you mad over a lover's infidelity. But even if you were right, Alva ... It saddens me immensely to remind you that Ithildin is not, strictly, a nobleman. Unlike Fairiz, ranked with royals."

"There is more nobility in Ithildin's one little finger than in Fairiz and Rennarte together! But if I need to justify my actions before the law, fine. Ithildin is the member of my household, so they had dishonored me – and you, sire, as well, since Fairiz is your hostage and Rennarte is your Chancellor, who must be beyond reproach!"

The King paced up and down the room, deep in thought. He no longer looked as devastated as before, but merely preoccupied. He finally stopped and glanced at the young Chevalier with fond concern.

"Oh, Alva. I love you as much as I had loved your late father, as I would love my own son. But I am a sovereign too, and I have to uphold justice. I'll have to invoke my right to be the Supreme Judge, the right I haven't used in a decade! Fairiz was my ward, Rennarte is my Chancellor, and you, my dear boy, are the member of King's Guard. Thank Heaven, I can be judge at your trial. I would not trust anybody else with it, what with Rennarte's influence over the Court and the Enqins' storied vengefulness. So tell me, why didn't you try to confirm your suspicions? Why didn't you challenge Fairiz as the Code of Duelling dictates? You could have given him time to cover himself, at least!"