Her King Of Shadows

Chapter XXXIV.

She sat in her chambers waiting for the time to go by. Tomorrow she will leave the castle. She will go back to school. She didn’t know how it all happened, but tomorrow she will have a normal life. And the only thing left to do was to have a simple dinner. She heard a knock on the door.

-Eandil Shana it's time for dinner.-she heard Einars' voice. She calmly opened the door and went out. She followed him downstairs, her heart beating faster. But he wasn’t taking her to the same dining room as before. They climbed a different staircase to the second floor. He stood in front of the golden doors and showed her to enter. She looked at him in confusion but he just smiled encouragingly. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like it at all. She opened the doors and adjusted herself to semidarkness. Candles were showing her the way to the round table. But there were only two seats prepared for dinner. And all the food was already on the table. Emerald eyes looked at her with a small victory. She wished to turn back. Araphel was not in his uniform this time. He had a simple white sweater and washed-out jeans. His hair was falling on his shoulders as if it had just come from a shower. He stood next to a glass wall that showed a large part of the forest at the back of the castle and the full moon. He had set this all up for her.

Before she had time to react, Einar closed the doors behind her. And something told her, maybe even locked them. She didn’t have a choice now. She stepped inside cautiously aware of who was in the room with her.

-Nobody else will be joining us?-she spoke, looking down at the table.

-They are indisposed.-he said. She almost smiled at those words. Or ordered not to come, she thought. He was waiting for her to sit down first. And she did so in defeat. She noticed a small smile on his face when she did so. He poured her a glass of wine, taking his seat next to her. That was the problem with round tables. It was difficult to sit across. He was sitting next to her but turned right to her. It would be difficult for her to ignore him. He touched his glass but she ignored hers.

-For education.-he lifted his hand in a toast and took a sip. Shana looked at him. This was the first time she saw him out of uniform. Why was he doing this? Why was he forcing her to stay in the same room as him when he knew how difficult it was for her to do so? -Why did you save me?-she asked him. He didn’t expect it. Araphel put his glass down. A part of him longed to tell her the truth. But she wouldn’t believe him. She met his worst.

-I will tell you later. Not now.-he said openly. He didn’t want to ruin this evening with another fight. It has been enough. -Let's eat. The sooner you finish your meal, the sooner you will be free from my presence.-he added bitterly. She looked down at her plate. It was red bean soup. Next to it was homemade bread. She couldn’t eat in front of him. Her stomach hurt. Reminding her of the taste of blood in her mouth.

-We had so little food in the desert. Just a little bit of rice and sometimes vegetables on a good day. Sometimes I wouldn’t eat for the whole day. While in the fort they would throw food all the time. Rishon only wanted the best. But the thing that bothered me most was the lack of water. It seemed I could never get enough water. I was thirsty all the time. My heart craved for water even in my sleep.-she started thinking out loud. He listened to her voice. He wanted to spend his whole life listening to it. -Water and honey. I love honey. I would steal honey all the time. I didn’t care if they would catch me…-she stopped herself. Memories came in without warning. Araphel noticed her hand going to her neck. As if checking if the silver chain was still there. With the black stone, he gave her a long time ago.

-What would happen if they caught you stealing honey?-his voice was calm. Shana shook her head as if she didn’t want to remember.

-They would tie me up and leave me in the sun for the first time. After that… I don’t really remember. I would wake up already in my room but my body would be hurt. It was full of bruises and sometimes a hand would be broken. Or a rib. Once even my finger. I don’t really remember that much about what they did. The only thing I remember wanting honey so badly I didn’t care. And now I can't even stand the taste of food. I can't even make myself eat, even I can have whatever I want.-she was surprised to tell him all this. He noticed her hand shaking. He emptied his glass of wine, feeling the rage rising in his heart. He knew that her life in the desert hadn’t been easy. When he saw her for the first time, she was so thin. So fragile. So lost. And the things he had said to her. Names he called her. Insults he threw at her. He broke her even more. He looked towards the glass wall, giving her a moment to compose herself. It could be difficult to escape memories.

-You're not in the desert anymore.-those words brought her back. To a dark room with him inside. She nodded her head.

-What was her name?-she whispered. Araphel looked at her not sure who she was talking about. -The lady Rishon killed?-Shana explained. She noticed him taking a deep breath.

-Scarlett. She was Einars' sister.-his voice was still calm. But on the edge of becoming a storm.

-Did she really love him?-she continued. Araphel was gazing at her. She was wearing a simple black dress. Her hair was pulled at the back of her head into a bun. But a few strays had decorated her pale face. In the light of the candles and the moonlight, her black eyes filled with light. And the only thing she wore was his black stone.

-She was young. She didn’t know what love was at the time.-it was difficult to talk about it.

-They have told me you have sent her there.-she admitted. It didn’t come as a surprise to him. He turned his body to her. This had to be made clear to her. He longed to touch her hair. Just to feel how soft it was.

-When a woman loves a man. It doesn’t matter who he is. She will go for him. She will fight for him. Maybe he is the right or the wrong person. It doesn’t matter anymore, Shana. Nobody could stop her. I have failed two women in my family. I have let them follow their heart. One of them was Scarlett. I have let her leave. A part of me wanted to believe in her love. Even though I knew Rishon I hoped that they would survive. I hoped her love would be enough. She begged me to stay out of it. She swore that she would come back if it ever became too hard. And in the night she called me. She cried in the darkness. But she didn’t get the chance to come. She was dead.-dark eyes showed pain. Loss. -The other woman was your mother. I didn’t come on time to save her. She didn’t call me. She was too proud to do so. But I felt the danger. I felt her fear in my mind as I can feel your fear in my own heart. But we both know what happened there. Don’t we?-he asked her bitterly.

The black eyes were full of tears.

-It wasn’t for you to save us. I had a father.-she reminded him. Araphel waived his head. He put one hand on the chair behind her and the other on the table in front of her. He held her like that, not letting her back away.

-I will not dare to fail you. To abandon you. Never again. You are a part of me. No matter how much you fight now. No matter how much you hate me. I will not let you go into the darkness without me. I will risk it all for you. I have already given you my life. My heart. My soul. Everything that is mine is yours now. Take it all. But I will not fail to be there when you need me. You need to know that.-his words were breaking her heart. What did she get herself into?

-I am not Scarlett. I am not my mother.-she tried to remind him. He was too close. His face came closer to hers. She could recognize the smell of leather and wind. Very cold wind.

-You are my Queen.-he whispered. Those words made her jump from her chair. She took a step back, still looking at him.

-You cant do this.-she refused. His dark eyes just smiled at her.

-It is already done, Shana. You can't fight it even if you try.-he had no mercy. She went to the door and opened it. It was better to run now. Before she said something that would really get him out of control. Araphel let her leave. He will wait another year. He still had time. Not much, but enough to make her accept his truth.