Chapter 7 #2
‘I promised you the sunrise before you died, did I not?’ He wept, and as I watched the tears trail down his cheeks, I felt nothing.
‘You only need one eye to see the sunrise, don’t you?
’ I asked, and before he could react, my blade pierced through his right eye.
He screamed wordlessly against the pain; limbless, he was unable to back away or fight it anymore.
‘Do you want the pain to end?’ I cooed. He nodded his head vigorously as blood poured down his face.
I watched him, observing every fleck of emotion in his eyes.
Had I ever felt the desperation to live like that in my life?
I hadn’t and I doubted I ever would. I slammed my small blade into his ear, piercing his brain.
He died instantly as I watched the emotion fade from his eyes and glaze over.
My job was done. I left the blade in, the hilt marked with my royal crest—two dragons circling each other in a dance.
They would know who did this and why it had happened.
I was covered in blood and couldn’t walk through the rest of the campsite unnoticed like this.
I searched the cupboards and found a fresh set of clothes and chainmail.
I placed one of the general’s severed hands into my pocket, the one that contained a ring with the Morgadian crest. I morphed into one of the guards I had seen upon my entry the previous night.
He would likely be asleep, or at least I hoped so, as I couldn’t risk taking the form of the general and arousing suspicion once they found his body.
I could not let the secret of my ability get out.
I walked through the rest of the camp unnoticed and continued into the forest, taking off the chain mail.
It was heavy after a long night of bloodletting.
While approaching the border of my own lands, I noticed Cain in the sky above me.
Morphing back into my own form, I nodded to him in acknowledgement.
He banked and flew faster to our camp, warning the others that I was approaching the border.
Likely to prevent my archers from attempting to kill their own queen if they see someone in the enemy’s uniform trying to sneak in.
When I arrived, all of the generals and my advisors were waiting just on the other side of the border.
I walked past without even acknowledging them and went directly to the tents where they were housing the injured, including Bradford.
When I entered the tent, everyone became deathly quiet.
Sienna waved me over to the bed where Bradford lay recovering.
He looked as though he was barely holding on to this world; a heavy blankness coated him.
I kneeled beside him. Something not one person in that room had seen in their lifetime—the monarch kneeling in front of someone of lower rank.
Even Bradford stifled his pained moans of shock at what I had just done.
I pulled out the hand I had severed and showed him the ring before placing it beside him.
He looked at me, bewildered and almost confused, so I relayed everything I did to the man who had hurt him in excruciating detail.
I described every moment, every sound. The bloody garbled screams, the crunching of bone under my sword and the sound of his skin and flesh melting as I cauterised the wounds.
I described the smell of piss, blood and melting flesh.
I described the fear in his eyes, the loss of hope and the resignation.
By the time I was done, Bradford’s body and breathing eased.
He had a smile on his face as he thanked me, it was barely a whisper.
He could not believe the lengths I had gone to for him.
‘I am the one that needs to thank you. Thank you for trusting me as your leader, even though it brought you here. You honour me through your sacrifice, and I will forever be grateful for all that you have done for me and our people. When you recover, I will find a place for you to continue your work by my side. Though your body may be gone, your mind is sharper than steel; we have need of you yet. Your family will be provided for and Sienna will personally ensure that you have the best healers doing everything they can for you and your recovery. If you require anything, tell me. You served me well, now it is my turn to serve you,’ I said.
A single tear trailed down the side of his face; the man who had looked like he was on the brink of death only moments ago now appeared almost joyful, grateful. Mustering all his strength he looked at me. ‘Thank you, my queen. We will follow you always, in this world and to the spirit realm.’
Turning, I walked through the tent and left as every general, soldier, and Wiccan looked at me in disbelief.
Some with admiration, others with fear and the rest with shock—shock at what I had done to the enemy, shock at the fact that I had just kneeled and expressed my gratitude with such sincerity, or perhaps both.
Leaving without looking back, I headed towards my tent.
I needed a few hours of sleep before we made our way to the Academy.
I would tell them about the maps I had come across later.
Viv woke me after a few hours, sitting in my tent by the fire pit and balancing her sword on the back of her hand. I pulled myself into the chair opposite her, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and noticing the distinct smell of what I had done lingering in my nostrils as I sniffed at the air.
‘I forgot how awful the smell of melting flesh was,’ I said yawning, wrapping my bare legs in a blanket. She placed her sword down as if what she was about to say needed the respect of her undivided attention.
‘What you did… it meant a lot to your people. For them to see you go to such lengths for them. You’ve inspired them. I don’t think before today any of them thought you truly cared about them beyond just your obligation. No one thought you would go to war for them.’
‘How can I ask anyone to go to war for me if I cannot do that for them? Of course, I care. I have always cared. I remember the name of every fallen soldier since the day I took over this fucking throne one year ago. 3,748. That’s how many I’ve lost.’ She looked at me, shocked, not quite believing what I was saying.
‘Then why? Why do you act so indifferent? Your vulnerability will inspire everyone,’ she pressed. I was surprised she even had to ask the question—that she couldn’t already tell.
If I show my people I am vulnerable, I show the enemy.
This war between us and Morgad is not solely based on land; it is personal.
The moment they learn what my people truly mean to me is the moment they realise how weak I can be.
How to make me bend and fold. So, I need to be cold, removed, and steadfast. It is the only way to avoid revealing my hand and leaving my people exposed.
But I also do it for myself. It’s not easy to be vulnerable when unravelling one tiny string can release a tidal wave of trauma that no one, especially myself, is ready to see yet.
She stared at me, absorbing every word I said, and looked at me as if a fog had been lifted from her eyes, as if she were seeing me for the first time after all these years.
‘I thought some part of you did care; you had to, to take the throne. But I thought your people were just a means to an end to get your revenge. You wear the mask well,’ she said.
‘I know my reputation well, Viv. I was the one that created it even if there is some truth to it. But no matter what I do or say, everyone that lives within my borders are like my children, mine to protect. Even you. If that means building walls no one can climb through then so be it,’ I said, rising from the chair dismissing her.