The Royal Series 0 - A Royal Archive

Chapter 8

† Elex †

It took an hour for Spencer and Jaycob to return, and once they did, Norman was curled up to sleep by Keno's side and Elex himself was ready to return home. It had been a long evening, with the hearing taking place after Spencer's shift had finished at the hospital at one in the morning.

Once everyone was gathered, Prosper rose from his seat and held his hands up asking everyone to be quiet for a moment. As Averie was still leading Harrington into the room and quietly explaining the situation to him, Prosper waited until they were all seated before speaking.

"Elex and I have discussed the case in length, while you were gone. And, though I am happy to hear that Charley will make a full recovery, I must admit that the decision is more lenient than I would care for," he confessed, with a glance towards his husband, who seemed thrilled to hear his words.

"As Elex explained to me, the stolen books were simply taken in an attempt for Charley to heal himself of this sickness, which I believe was caused by a wound that had become infected," he continued, waiting for Spencer's nod of agreement before giving one of his own. "Very well. Charley will be granted some reprieve. He will work within the community, to help better himself and the local area. He will be tasked with working within the hospital for a period of three years, that he may learn to put others before himself.

"Do I have your approval?" Despite being King, Prosper always ensured that he was only the deciding vote of a majority, so that no one could ever claim he had an ulterior motive. Though asking his son, husband and family friends to vote on the matter could be seen as shielding Charley from the shame of his crimes becoming public. Just as he had done for Jake and Risteph. Not a soul outside of the family circle knew of their crimes against Jaycob or his family, and Elex did not doubt they never would.

"I second the vote," Elex called out, as they had agreed.

Spencer nodded firmly and raised his hand. "And I offer a third."

It was not necessary, but even Jaycob, Averie and Harrington offered their support for the ruling. Prosper had already promised that if Elex seconded the vote, it was guaranteed, because there was no way that Spencer would vote against it.

"Excellent, then you can all leave. It is late and some of us require sleep," Prosper decreed, motioning for them to get on with it and get out.

More than happy to do so, Elex rose from his seat and was shocked to find Rence approaching, before he could so much as cross to collect Norman from his spot by the fire. "Good night, Rence."

"There is something I think I should return to you, if we are not to see each other for another twenty years," he blurted out, unable to meet his gaze as he held his hand out.

Unable to stop himself, Elex held his hand out palm up, to receive whatever trinket Rence thought so important. It was dropped into his palm and he did not even have the chance to look before Rence turned and walked away.

Tears pricked behind his eyes, as he gazed down at the paper heart with their initials scrawled over each folded side. He remembered making it, folding it in half and talking softly to Rence, late one evening, about how they were two halves of the same whole.

He had not noticed Spencer approaching until he heard a soft sigh by his ear. "I have one of those," he admitted quietly. "It is the watch Prosper gave me on the first night we truly met. The night he brought me to his home and asked me to be his."

"Like our glass flower?" Averie asked Jaycob, standing on his other side to gaze down at his paper heart with gentle smiles of understanding.

"A token of love that is small and would mean nothing to another, but which means the world to the one who gave or received it," Spencer explained, watching Elex closely.