The Prince of Nothing

Chapter 27 - [Abdication]

When we returned to Saphryn's world, Midina took us straight to king Arya's mansion. It seemed that the mirror had been relocated to a small building just outside of the mansion, which, might I add, was heavily guarded.

Probably my grandmother's doing.

When we got to the King's office, we saw that she was sitting at her desk, the usual look of annoyance on her face. It seemed like the man who was speaking to her was briefing her on something, but she was immediately distracted by the sight of Saphryn.

King Arya stood up when she saw him.

Saphryn had told me that he hadn't seen King Arya since he found out his mother did not die in childbirth. He said that he was told by Lady Iva that she came to check on him multiple times while he was knocked out. Once he woke up, however, she had been dragged off to deal with the angry True King, who wanted Arya t pay for the damages made to his shining palace.

She marched over to us and when she reached him, I saw Saphryn begin to wince, expecting a beating or something.

However, she didn't hit him. She didn't even yell at him. Instead, she put her arms around him and hugged him so tightly.

With her heeled boots on, King Arya was about an inch taller than Saph, so it really did look like a worried mom hugging her son.

It was kind of cute.

Saphryn looked shocked, but he hugged her back and sighed.

"Stupid boy," she said. "Where you in the human world for the past week?"

"Yeah," Saph said, pulling away. "I needed some time away."

"Did it help?"

"Yeah... I guess," Saph turned and looked at me with a smile.

King Arya looked at me too, her expression surprisingly gentle. When she looked back at Saphryn however, she frowned. "This was not how you were meant to find out about everything–"

"Yeah, I heard," Saph interrupted. "I wasn't ready."

"That's not what I mean," she said, crossing her arms. "It should have been told in a situation that would bring you joy–"

"Oh, I was supposed to be happy to find out that everyone lied to me–"

"Saph," I called, cutting him off.

He relaxed, pouting, but let her continue.

The king sighed. "The truth about your birth and the identity of your parents had become a political secret of sorts," she started. "That was why we couldn't tell you."

"Well, explain, now," Saphryn said. "Seeing as I know... what's this big political secret that has to do with my birth?"

His voice seemed to suggest cynicism and disbelief, but at the very least he was letting her explain.

"Well," the King started, "I'll have to start from the beginning of Saphirian as the King of Warriors–"

"Go for it," Saph said, walking over to a chair near Arya's desk and sitting down. "I'm all ears."

King Arya sighed, as did I. "As you know already, Saphirian was extremely loved, including by the humans. They respected him as a hero and a leader and many humans would have happily accepted him as king, especially seeing the way that the current True King and his descendents were headed..."

"Saphirian could have had the potential to reunite the two kingdoms for the first time in centuries," I heard my grandmother say.

Everyone turned and bowed when they saw her walk in, including King Arya. My eyes widened at that. My grandmother really was important, wasn't she.