“…It is with great sadness that we of Durcardi say farewell to our dear Crown Prince Nicholai.” A bald man dressed in a long black cape says to the crowd outside the giant tomb they’ve made for Nicholai.
We’re all in black. Me, Axellia, Father, Mother, the servants, and the endless sea of sniffling people standing in front of us. I look behind me inside the giant white tower. Nicholai is lying in a big stone box in the middle of the tomb.
“…brutally taken from us in the sixteenth year of his life. He fought gallantly to save the lives of his beloved citizens, demonstrating more courage and selflessness than many seasoned soldiers twice his age. It is for his bravery, his kindness, and his loyalty that we shall remember him as the king that never was. May his soul rest in peace.”
“May his soul rest in peace,” the crowd repeats.
The man who was speaking motions to me, Axellia, Mother and Father. Mother and Father each take our hands and lead us into the tomb to stand at Nicholai’s side.
He still doesn’t look like he’s gone. He just looks like he’s asleep. I let go of Father’s hand and reach out to tap his shoulder, just to see if he’ll wake up. He doesn’t. He just lays there, eyes closed, hands clasped around his sword. He’s wearing the blue shirt that he always wore to balls and festivals.
It’s supposed to be his party shirt, not his going away shirt.
My vision gets fuzzy. I turn and run out of the tomb. Bebin bends down and holds her arms out for me. I throw myself at her and she picks me up. Some of the people watching begin to cry and some begin to whisper, but I don’t. I can’t. I don’t know why. I look back up to the tomb. Mother, Father, and Axellia are coming out, Axellia crying into Mother’s skirt as she sets a hand on the top of her head. Father walks and takes me from Bebin’s arms.
“Thank you, nursemaid,” he whispers as he begins to rock me back and forth, patting my back like I’m a baby, but I don’t care. I just lean my chin on his shoulder and watch a group of rough skinned men in faded black clothes walk inside the tomb. They pick up the giant lid to the box Nicholai’s body in and set it in place. I watch as the lid covers my brother, knowing it’s the last time I’ll ever see him.
Finally I feel tears on my face. I squeeze my jaw shut to keep myself from making any noise. Father still seems to notice, though, and tightens his arms around me. The men leave in single file, the last one closing the metal doors behind him. Another group of men who have been waiting at the top of the tower light the giant torch on top of it.
Once it’s lit, everyone from the crowd begins to walk by the tomb. They drop flowers and candles, others pour bottles of sweet-smelling oil on the top step. They stop to tell us how sorry they are before leaving. A few of them stare straight at me. Something about their gaze makes me uncomfortable.
“...will be the next king now…” I hear someone whisper as I bury my face against Father’s shoulder, trying to block all of them out. Father sets one of his hands against my ear, helping to keep all of the talking and whispering out.
It’s sunset by the time the last of them leave.
The popping of the wood in the giant torch on top of the tower is the only noise left. A few more seconds pass before Father takes his hand off my back and sets it on Mother’s shoulder. She doesn’t look at him. In fact, I think I see her flinch. She looks…
…angry…
Father takes his hand off and clears his throat. “Let’s go,” he says.
Mother nods and walks ahead, jerking and dragging Axellia behind her. A servant opens the door of the carriage for her and she stomps inside. Father sighs as he follows her. He lets me sit on his lap the whole way back but he keeps his eyes on Mother. Mother doesn’t look at him, or me, or Axellia. Her skin is still a cold, gray-like color instead of its usual deep brown. She stares out the window, her jaw set in a strong frown. Axellia sits next to her for a while, squirming uncomfortably. The creaks of her seat and the rumble of the carriage wheels are the only noises being made during the trip.
After a few more moments of creaking and rumbling Axellia gets up and walks over to me and Father, arms outstretched. Father reaches down and picks her up, setting her next to me in his lap, his eyes still glued on Mother. His skin, though normally paler than the rest of ours, is whiter than usual. His warm tan looks more like sickly ash.
I’m a little scared to speak, but I’m more scared to let the silence go on.
“What’s going to happen now?” I ask, watching both of my parents.
Father sighs, still staring at Mother, who refuses to look back. “I’m going to have a meeting with my advisors when we get back to decide that.”
I nod. I feel a little better. The advisors are smart people, they’ll know what to do.
“Until we get to the bottom of this,” Father continues, “I want the two of you to stay in your nursery with your nursemaid, where you’ll be safe.”
That doesn’t sound like fun, but I don’t feel like arguing. I have a feeling it won’t do me any good. Axellia shifts uncomfortably next to me. “Will the bad elves that killed Nicholai come back?”
“No, they’re all dead,” I answer, remembering the floating line that turned into white fire. I still wonder what it was. I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve never even heard of anything like that.
“Yes,” Father answers slowly, now his jaw is set into a frown, changing his entire body. He’s now longer sad and drooping but angry and harsh. It makes me shudder.
“But there might be more, so until we find all of them, I want you two safe.”
“All of them?” Mother finally turns and looks at us. I can’t tell what her face looks like. It’s a little scared, a little excited, a little sad, and whole lot of…
...nothing.
“All of them,” Father repeats sternly.
Mother’s face goes completely blank. She doesn’t smile, frown, or cry. She just stares, then turns and looks back out the window.
“Cai?” Father asks, looking away from Mother and back at me. I look back at him. He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me, and pats my head. It is quiet the rest of the way home. Axellia and I are too afraid to say anything while Father rocks us and holds us close. Mother never takes her eyes off the window. She barely moves until we finally make it home. They let us in through the first gate, and then the second.
Father takes a deep breath before standing to step out of the carriage, setting me on one hip and Axellia on the other. Mother beats him outside and races straight towards the castle, head held high as a long line of guards watch her, muttering to themselves. The doors open to her. She steps in, never looking behind her at us, and the door closes behind her.
A guard dressed in important clothes, not just orange, but gold as well, steps forward to me, Axellia, and Father.
“King Donar,” he says with a bow, “Here are the men you asked for.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Father answers.
Bebin walks up to us from the servant’s carriage that followed behind ours. Father sets me and Axellia down next to him, keeping a hand on either of our heads as he turns to the guards. Bebin takes her place behind us, hands folded as she watches, a look of worry on her face.
“As you know,” he says. “My son…” he stops to swallow. “Crown Prince Nicholai, was murdered yesterday by Elves. Until we have resolved this issue I am charging you all with the protection of my remaining two children, Prince Cai and Princess Axellia.” Father pats our heads. “They are to be kept in their nursery until this issue is resolved. You are to see to it that no one goes in or out of there without mine or the Queen’s permission. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir!” all of the men shout.
“Good,” Father nods in approval. He motions for Bebin to come get me and Axellia. Bebin walks forward and takes our hands. Her palms are sweaty, and her fingers trembling as she begins to lead us towards the front door.
“King Donar! Your highness!”
Bebin stops. I turn and see Fredricks running towards us. He looks so sad and it scares me. I’ve never seen him look upset before. His pale face and dark eyes are red with crying as he rubs at his flat nose. He stops in front of Father, panting, head bowed.
“Sir, I’m so sorry that I couldn’t…I should’ve…I didn’t…”
Father reaches out and puts a hand on Fredricks’ shoulder. “You saved Axellia. I am in your debt.”
Fredricks looks surprised. “But Prince Nicholai…”
Father hangs his head and sighs. “Would be glad to know his sister is safe.”
“All the same, sir, please, let me make it up to him by protecting the Prince and Princess,” Fredricks begs.
“I thank you for your willingness,” Father smiles. “But as of now, I need you elsewhere. I am on my way to a meeting to discuss the recent events. You have the best knowledge of the fighting techniques and war strategies of all of Benedomin’s kingdoms. I will need your knowledge to get to the bottom of this.”
Fredricks thinks for a minute. He looks scared. He glances at Bebin who nods slowly. Her hands begin to shake all the more.
“Bebin?” Axellia asks.
She squeezes both of our hands and gives us a false smile.
Fredricks looks down at us. His face changes again, I can’t quite figure out what it looks like as he turns back to Father and nods as well.
“Shall we?” Father asks, motioning to the main hall that’s just a pathway away from our part of the palace. Fredricks nods again, and they walk off.
“Come on, children,” Bebin whispers to us, and we follow her inside.
Comments (0)
See all