The War of Queens

Chapter 60

Aryavan

He found his father in a small clearing outside of the town. He was sitting beneath a tree, his back leaned against its trunk, eyes closed. However, Aryavan knew better than to think the Great Shadow was not perfectly aware of his presence.

He knelt down beside him. “Father?”

The corners of the Shadow’s mouth twitched upward. “Hm?”

“The Kahari says we’ll be leaving soon,” he said.

The Shadow’s eyes opened and he stood up. “Well, we better hurry, then,” he said and began walking. When he realized his son was not following, he stopped and turned around. “What is the matter?”

Aryavan looked up at his father. “Where is it that you go, when you go north?”

His father sat down once more beside him. “You know that. You know I have a work to do.”

He looked down at his hands. “Your work is to kill people. I’ve figured it out by now.” He looked up at his father. “Is that why the man asked for you on the battlefield?”

The Shadow frowned. “What man?”

“King Raynor,” he said. “He asked if you were with Asha, and she denied it. That’s because you don’t want them to find you and arrest you, isn’t it?”

The Shadow looked away, at the trees. “I won’t deny that.”

“Then why don’t you stop? You don’t need to work, you are cared for here.”

He looked back at Aryavan. “I don’t know. I just don’t want to. Sometimes, there are just things we feel the need to do.”

Aryavan nodded. “Like mother needed to leave us.”

The Shadow sighed and leaned towards his son. “Aryavan, you’re a man soon. Almost fifteen years old. There are certain things you must understand.” His gaze searched for Aryavan’s. “Your mother felt she had a duty. I did not always understand the things your mother did, but I always knew they were important.”

Aryavan finally looked up at him, eyes narrowing against the sun. “You never doubted her?”

“Never,” the Shadow said. He cradled his son’s face with his hands, an unusual gesture of affection that Aravan relished in. “I know I am not the best father, and I do not deserve a son like you.”

Aryavan wanted to embrace his father in that moment, just like he had when he was a child, but he was not a child anymore. He was a man.

It did not take as long to travel to the capital when they were only a handful of people rather than an entire army. Queen Elizabeth was there to welcome them before her people, and so was Lady Caterina and Queen Anne. It was strange to see the castle this way - in a new, peaceful light.

That night, the Queen held a feast like no other Aryavan had every attended. Everyone there wore such fine clothes and music filled the room. After the food had been served and finished, the tables were moved to the sides of the Great Hall by servants so that the night could continue with dancing. Some still sat around the tables. By then, Aryavan felt a little drunk, so he decided to settle down on one of the benches.

“Excuse me?” a man said. He looked up to find a man, probably in his late twenties, looking down at him. He was dressed all in black, which Aryavan found strange. “Are you Aryavan? The next Kahari?”

Aryavan nodded.

“It’s an honor to meet you,” the man said. “I am Henry Baldwin and this is my friend - and sometimes enemy - James Archibald.”