The Offering

Chapter Fifty Six - Varis

The hour is late and yet I cannot sleep. My mind continues to circle around the events for the past weeks. Preparing for the selection and Prince Arden's visit and their so called proclamation of peace had taken up much of my time and now both were dark stains on my role as advisor to the King.

I had suggested to Harwyn that we wait until after the selection for their visit, I had asked him, but he had not listened, and now, now the selection will forever be remembered as a day of terror and chaos.

Queen Marlia had used her magic to attack the King in front of hundreds of guests, witnesses, rumours were spreading like wildfire throughout our Kingdom and no doubt others. I should have seen it, I should have prevented it.

My spies had told me nothing. While I had been concerned about the visit from prince Arden it had still happened and now, now our kingdom has been attacked, the King attacked and that foolish human girl, Daella, had been a part of it.

I had been told when she had woken up of course, been told that the Princes had not left her side since the attack. Their attachment concerned me, that both of them remained by her side. I had feared one of them choosing her at the selection but both of them? It made no sense. And while I wanted to put an end to it I had more pressing matters to concern myself with.

A knock on my door startles me and I sit up from my desk.

"Come in." I call out and the door opens.

"Excuse me My Lord, but the King has woken up." The young servant girl says and I stand instantly, finally he is awake.

I can hear his angered voice as I near his rooms, he is shouting, demanding the guards move out of his way.

I move past the guards standing outside his doors as more stand inside the room stopping him from leaving.

"Varis! Tell these idiots to get out of my way immediately, I need to see Marlia!" He yells across the room as soon as he sees me.

"Your Majesty, I am so relieved to see you awake but it is very late in the hour, we need Oenus to check you before we can let you leave, for your own safety." I say as calmly as possible.

"Bullshit! I am your King and I demand to see my wife!" He yells back, his nightgown fluttering around as he paces back and forth, hunched over slightly. I move closer to him, wanting him to sit down at least.

"Father?" I hear Demwyn walk in behind, half dressed and wide eyed.

"Demwyn, good, tell these men to stand down now, I need to go and see your mother." He says sternly, struggling to stand upright with the current exertion.

"It's alright." Demwyn turns to the guards, and they nod, leaving the room. Just as the doors are about the close Alvaryn and Aeris walk in, both wide eyed, shirts rumpled and barefoot.

"You're awake, are you alright? Where is Oenus?" Alvaryn asks coming closer into the room. He places his hand on his father's back to move him closer to the bed. "Maybe you should sit down and wait for Oenus."

"I'm fine!" Harwyn snaps angrily. "I just want to see your mother and then I want to know what the bloody hell happened?!"

"Your Majesty, Queen Marlia is sleeping, shall I wake her?" A young servant woman says entering the room, her small voice wary.

Harwyn studies her, chest heaving and expression hard. He lets out a heavy sigh and shakes his head. "No, no don't wake her, let her sleep." He eventually relents, the servant curtsies before leaving the room.

"Come on, just sit down and we will tell you everything." Alvaryn says guiding him to the bed.

Harwyn stops fighting and sits down, Aeris and Demwyn move closer, standing in front of him while Alvaryn stands at his side.