Chapter 28

Daniel made plans to leave the next morning to retrieve Johnny and other members of the Lafayette rebellion. Mavis, Charles, and a few loyal Belmonte soldiers stayed behind in anxious anticipation of their arrival.

I held Opal in my arms, reading the young princess to sleep. Her hair was curling. Her cheeks were rosy. I read her a soft story about talking bears. I hoped that her dream world was much more pleasant than the reality she would wake up to.

Mavis entered the nursery room.

"I see she finally decided to take her nap." Mavis said.

"Didn't take too long. Any word from Daniel?" I asked her.

"Not yet. I'm worried. What if something happened to him?"

"I'm sure they'll be back very soon. Within the next week or so."

"I hope so. We have so much to do. So much to prepare for. I'm worried we aren't ready for this fight."

"What do you mean?"

"We're going to war with an empire with a dragon."

"We're already doing much more than we were a few months ago in that toasted cottage. Plus, we have a dragon too now."

"I'm worried that you won't know how to control it."

"You're right. I don't. But I'll learn. Somehow."

"What if we don't have enough soldiers? We don't even have a war general. The Belmonte war general ran off along with most of the castle staff, and General Link from Lafayette died in Samuel's attack."

"Maybe Daniel can, or even Johnny." I suggested.

"They're both good at fighting. But not war strategies."

"We will find someone appropriate to help us if needed. The road ahead won't be easy, but it's necessary." I reminded her.

Just then, Charles entered into the nursery. He was clean, well shaven, and returned to his original peacock style.

"Mavie! Can you tell some servant to cook lunch? I'm starving!" He complained.

His loud voice awoke Opal. She began to cry in my arms.

"Shh. Go back to sleep." I attempted to shush her, but there was no taming the crying baby. I passed her to her mother. Mavis attempted to soothe her but her crying had only worsened.

"Nice going, Charles." I said.

"How am I supposed to be fine! No one here can cook!"

"You can cook. Put your ass in the kitchen and do it your damn self." I snapped.

"We're royalty. We deserve people to cook for us." He said.

I could not tolerate the insufferable peacock any longer. After months of resistance, I had exploded.

"No, you're not royalty. We are." I pointed to me and Mavis.

"You are just some asshole that showed up one day and won't leave. No one wants you here Charles. You contribute NOTHING to our lives. You have NEVER once done anything for anyone else. So why don't you get the hell out and GO HOME?"

"I may not be royalty, but at least I didn't sleep with my enemy and get my entire kingdom destroyed. I would be a much better leader than you." He stormed off.

Opals cries didn't stop.

"That wasn't very kind of you." Mavis said to me.

"I couldn't handle his complaining any longer. He should be grateful for the life he has. All he does is complain."

"That's just how he is. I get irritated with him as well, but I don't know if it's worth blowing up about."

"He made Opal cry." I said.

"She's a baby. She cries a lot. It happens. I think you should apologize to him."

"Apologize? To Charles?"

"You heard me. How can we fight a war if we're all fighting each other?"

"Maybe he'll go home now and we won't have to deal with him."

"Is that a good way to end things? Even if he does go home, you and him had been through a lot together. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think you should leave as well. I'm going to try to get her back to sleep. Peace and quiet may be good for her."

I did as she requested and left her with her baby. Charles had been so irritable and straight up rude not just to me, but Mavis as well. I could not understand her tolerance for him. I do not think she had any romantic feelings for him, but pitied him.

With the lack of staff at the castle, I found myself performing duties that weren't typically mine. I went outside to tend the horses and ensure they had plenty of water. One stall was vacant, but was hopefully returning soon. Daniel and Johnny were masters of their skills. We needed them, and the people of Lafayette if we even wanted a fighting chance.

Charles was sitting in the back gardens near the stables. He sat by himself in the sunny weather.

"I'm surprised you're still here." I walked up to the garden, approaching the white bench.

"What do you want, Zander?" He asked.

"Mavis told me to come apologize."

"You don't have to. I know I'm a fool. I understand why you don't like me."

"You do?" I said.

He let out a sigh.

"But the truth is, I have nowhere else to go."

I sat down and joined him.

"What do you mean? Don't your parents live in Belmonte? Isn't your father a nobleman?"

"Yes. He is. We used to have a great relationship."

"Used to?" I raised my eyebrows.

"You don't want to hear about it." His head slowly dropped.

"Tell me about it. Maybe I can help." I said.

He let out a huffy laugh.

"You of all people? You couldn't help me."

"Try me." I said.

He took in a deep breath and blew it out.

"We used to get along. He's a nobleman here in town. He was so happy when he had a boy. He was good friends with the king, Mavis's parents. My whole life, it was my father's dream for me to marry her and become royalty. But as you know, her parents and yours had other plans."

I continued to listen.

"So he's mad that you didn't? It's not your fault."

"I'm getting there." He wiped his moist palms onto his green trousers.

"Mavis and I were good friends as a result of all this. You probably didn't know this but me and Mavis, you know. Long before you were betrothed." He winked and elbowed me.

"I know."

"You do? What did she say? Much better than you, I'm sure. Probably better than Daniel, too." He let out a cocky smirk. I shot him a sharp glare. I remembered how Mavis had very different memories of their experience together.

He cleared his throat.

"Anyway. That was great. When my father heard that she was betrothed to you, he was pissed. I wasn't. I never thought of ever exploring relationships with anyone else. I didn't think I'd have much of a choice, until then. I discovered some things about myself."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"There was this...Person. A baker."

"A baker? Who was she?" I said.

"He. He was the baker's son."

My eyes widened in realization.

"Oh. A man?"

"Yes, a man. You cannot surpass judgement on me, especially you of all people who fell in love with a man who killed your parents." He snapped.

"No judgement. I'm just surprised. I didn't expect that you'd like men."

"My father was surprised, too."

"Oh?"

"I started going to the bakery more and more after I met him. One night, I took him back to my home. My father was supposed to be gone all evening, but he wasn't. Came home to me and the Baker boy fully naked together."

My mouth dropped open.

"We didn't even get to go further, we had just gotten into bed. My dad flipped out when he saw it. He threw him out of my bed and punched his face in. He threatened him that if he ever spoke of what we had done, he would kill him. He grabbed his clothes and ran as fast as he could." Charles's eyes began to fill with tears.

"As for me, he told me how I had disgraced him. How he hated me, and how he never wanted to see me again. I had nowhere to go. The next day, I began my journey to Lafayette. Mavis was kind, I knew she would let me stay with both of you."

He did his best to keep his tears from falling. He balled up his fist.

"I know I have high standards, despite having no right to. I was hoping if I acted above people that people would treat me as such. That worked for my dad."

"Your dad is not a good person. I'm sorry that happened to you, Charles. You don't deserve that. No one does."

"That's why that no matter how much I complain, I never leave. Even in that crusty cottage in the middle of no where."

"Does Mavis know?"

"No. She doesn't. I've never told anyone. I never said it, but I am so grateful that you saved me from those merchants. They were going to take me to the pirates to hold me for ransom. There's no way my father would have paid to save me. I would've been killed."

"I'm sorry. I'm glad we made it out of that."

There was silence for a moment.

"Now do you see why you can't help me? Not even king Zander can solve this."

"I might not be able to fix your relationship with your father, but I can support you in finding love again. No one will hurt you here for loving who you love."

"That's great and all, but I can't support my own lifestyle. I think I'd rather die than be a peasant again." He wrinkled his nose.

"Look, Charles. If you try to humble yourself, and join the war efforts, I'm sure status can be bestowed onto you from me and Mavis."

"If you win. Vendov is huge."

"We will be too. But we need help from anyone who will. It won't be easy, but I believe in you, Charles. What do you say?"

He was quiet for a moment.

"I'll try not to disappoint you. Or my queen." He said in agreement.

"Good."

"Now, are there ANY servants here to cook?"

No one said that change happens over night. I let out a light sigh. There were only a few remaining staff, mainly guards. I would never order any of them to cook for Charles.

"Maybe start with making your own food. I can help you."

"Meh. No thanks. Perhaps being hungry is a better option."

After our heart to heart, I didn't want to damage it by arguing with him anymore.

"Alright, Charles. I'm going to go see how Mavis and the baby are doing." I said, leaving him by himself in the garden. The sun began to set.

The next day, I visited Mavis in her chambers.

"Are you and Charles getting along now?" She asked while brushing her hair at her vanity.

"As good as we can be. He's not as insufferable as I thought."

"He has his moments. But I think deep, deep down, he is capable of good things." Mavis said.

"I agree." I said.

There was a knock on Mavis's chamber door. It was a Belmonte guard.

"Your majesty. There is a man approaching on a horse."

"That must be Daniel! Is he alone?" Mavis jumped off her stool.

"Yes, it appears so."

"Are you sure? He should have a bunch of people with him." Mavis said.

"It appears he is alone, your majesty."

A wave of worry wiped over Mavis's face.

"Maybe they're not far behind Daniel. Let's get down to the throne room and greet him. I'm sure he'll explain what's going on."

Mavis and I waited at the throne room. She stood next to the vacant throne of her father.

"I hope nothing had happened to Johnny. I can't imagine why Daniel would be coming back alone." She said to me.

"I'm sure he'll explain. There has to be an explanation."

We heard the palace gates open. The large castle doors entering the throne room opened.

It wasn't Daniel at all.

The man was tall. His skin was pale, his hair was as black as a crow's feather. His face was smooth. He was dressed in black. A black cloak draped over his shoulders. On his chest, a black and red seal clasped the sides of his cloak. His arms were covered in scars.

I immediately reached for my sword in my sheath.

"Do not dare come any closer!" I warned.

"What's going on?" Mavis said with a gasp.

"He's a Vendov soldier. Look at his seal." I said, pointing my sword at him.

He grabbed his sword from his sheath and pulled it out. I tightened my grip on my sword's base and stood in front of Mavis. I was prepared for a showdown.

He dropped to his knees and laid his sword on the floor. His head bowed.

"What are you doing here, soldier of Vendov?" I said, not letting down my guard.

"I am no soldier. I am Orion Vairo. The Prince of the Vendov empire, and I am at your service."