Long Live The King

“I didn’t even see his face,” Is my first thought. He had tied a scarf around his face like I did. I sit up rubbing my head. I don’t know what he looks like or who he is but he knows my face. There’s no excuse for this. I slam the pavement with my hand as I stand, Aden is king for one day and I’ve already failed him. If my father is smart he’ll exile me and just watch Aden himself. Not one of the former eternals would have failed like I did, mainly because they never had someone kiss them to distract them.

           

I was reckless, I should have killed him when I saw him, I should have let Aden find this man dead at his door. So now I’m a failure and I need to fix this.

            What will I do tomorrow when I’m with Aden and hundreds of lords prance through the room and I don’t know which one knows my secret?

           

Nothing, that’s what, I’m going to have to sit there knowing that the next one to walk through the door will know. I can’t do it. I have to leave. I have to find this guy before he tries again. My father can watch Aden against the smaller threats. On top of that if I’m gone while the accusations are being made they disprove themselves.

           

I work my way back through the castle to Aden’s room. The guard has just been changed and I checked all the exits and possible entrances. Aden should be okay till the morning when the buzzards descend.

           

I have a fitful night’s sleep, I just keep thinking about what I’ll tell my father and how disappointed he’ll look. There’s only ever been one thing that I couldn’t stand and it’s that look.

 

I knock on my father’s door. “Come in,” he says from the other side of the door. He’s still up; I suppose old habits die hard. I open the door, it sounds like its creek is the loudest thing in the palace. “Shouldn’t you be with the king?” he asks as the door closes again behind me.

 

“I messed up.” I say. My father puts down the book that he’s been looking at since I came in.

 

“How bad?” he asks calmly.

 

“Someone knows my face,” I say, “Someone who got away.”

 

“That’s not good,” My father says.

 

“I want to go after him,” I say.

 

“Well you’ll have to won’t you?” My father says coldly, “you can’t just disipear though.”

 

“I thought of that,” I say’ “Three days, I’ll tell Aden tomarrow that I’m going on a trip to visit some family in the country for a while, I’ll pack for the next two days, and then I’ll leave.”

 

“So basicly you only came here to ask me to babysit,” my father says.

 

“Yes I say,” my eyes haven’t left my shoe since I’ve walked in but they do now. Unexpectedly my father only looks intent not disappointed. My father sees my surprise.

 

“What is it?” he asks.

 

“I just…”

 

“thought I’d be mad,” my father finishes.

 

“Yes.”

 

“You’re the youngest eternal ever, you’ve had it harder too because the lords have never been more untrustworthy, honestly I’m proud you’ve made it this far. So yeah, I’m not angry, I’m proud that you’re going after this man,” he says. That’s the most my father has ever praised me, or ever even hinted at that he knew how hard it was, how much I struggled. I’m amazed.

 

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

 

“The guard changed?” my father asks.

 

“Yes,” I say.

 

“Good, go get some sleep, I’ll start the preparations you need,” he says. I nod and leave the room.

 

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            I wake up to loud knocks on my door. It’s early, I’ve only been asleep for three hours. Ordinarily I’d get one more hour. I’m glad I changed into my nightgown instead of sleeping in my battle clothes.

            I throw the door open an annoyed look on my face. “What in the Lord’s name are you doing?” I demand.

            “Good morning Novra,” Lukas says.

            “There is no sun, how can it be morning?” I ask. Then it hits me, why he must be here. “What happened?”

            “Aden needs you,” he says.

            “What happened?” I asks again.

            “It’s the king…he’s dead.”