✔𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐈𝐈: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈

Chapter 198: A Son's Plea (𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞)

There is no dark tunnel without an exit. Aiden deeply believed in those words, and for many years he held on to them, there—in his lonely chambers where the neglected fire roaring in the hearth could last for days, and for other sleepless nights when his heart was deprived of any good and his life lacked the color his lustrous eyes bore. The saying was the last sparks of hope for an emotionless beast like him who wished to merely earn a heart, and never did he plan to capture another’s.

His fingers crawled under the northern queen’s raven locks, ever so slowly as wafting flames were reflected in the green seas tracing each fading purple mark giving flaw to the woman’s neck. He could no longer grimace, nor could he still cry since it was a frequent matter he got used to tragically. Perhaps he did have a heart; but only a speck of it. And never could he show it to others, but only to the woman resting steadily beside him.

Whirling his head so his dark tresses could shun his weakness, the caged flames turned into a livid inferno. Massive warmth replaced the cool air, yet bothered the mother and son duo none.

His mother was the Queen.

And this queen was the only one out of generations he saw worse than a beggar. He could see her ribs, due to the King’s orders to not serve food to his wife for more than two weeks—and she couldn’t do anything about it since Abaddon always had the upper hand, the supremacy of the crown, and she was just the bystander and the spare he needed.

Oh, so terrifyingly, her son was his father’s pawn.

Well, at least, Aiden could fool his father that he’s accepting himself being his pawn.

What an empty promise he swore, then. His mother should be well-fed, perfumed, scrubbed and robed like the Queen she really is. All he could do in his power was give her the tray of delectables Ronald delivers to him every afternoon, as he hides her faint presence in his room yet it wasn’t enough nutrition.

She was ill and frail as of now, warmer than usual and he had to sneak into the medical wing to snatch the medicine his mother needed. The maids were already suspicious enough that he requested other supplies that could weaken a fever. He sighed. He can’t even feel a day go by.

“W-what are you still doing up, love?” Helena weakly rasped. Warily, Aiden assisted his mother to sit up against the headboard of the single bed as he kept the damp cloth in place above her head. He glanced towards the polished windows once more to look at the looming moon, unable to look at the abused state of the woman.

“Nothing,” he mumbled, hugging his knees out of habit. “Oh? Am I taking up all the space? I can move farther.”

“No. Not it,” he turned his back on her, “Please go back to sleep and rest.”

“Now, now, boy,” Helena frowned, grabbing the thirteen year old’s face and making him face her, “I know you from head to toe and I know it when there’s something wrong and when there’s something horribly wrong. I sense the latter. You’re not escaping so easily.”

“When can I, honestly?”

Helena blinked, astounded by the young prince’s monotone response. “Wha...”

“When can I escape from here?” his voice was devoid of any emotion, “When can I help you properly? When can I change? When can we be free? When can I PROTECT YOU?!”

“What are you blubbering about, little one? You’ve done everything,” Helena rebuked, “It is only your heart which you cannot satisfy and mine’s not included. And do not yell into the night if you would like to prevent trouble.”

“But...”

The ill queen stared him down, looking into the sole heir’s emeralds identical with hers in a challenging manner. She was malnutritioned, bruised and abused, but the raging fire within her was still in her control and not in anyone else’s, and if there was a someone who could awaken her livid flames it was the seething boy in rebellion.