Secrets of the Realm Series: The Dark Knight

Chapter 6

Veara

The morning air is crisp and cool. I roll to my side and see the balcony. The sun is just beginning to rise; it’s cool orange tones peering through and beginning to warm my face. I remember the voice that called out to me. It was so familiar and warm. I felt drawn to it; like fly to light. 

A knock came at my door.

“Veara? Are you awake?” It was Reysalor. I recalled the heated conversation I had before he stormed off. If looks could kill, I would have been dead yesterday, like ten times over. I am anxious but I reply before I make him more angry. 

“Hold on.” I got up and a dress lay on bench, but I didn’t feel it would suit me. I dressed in my old clothes and opened the door. Reysalor’s brilliant silver eyes look up at me with guilt. Guilt?

“Let’s take a walk?” He suggests. I nod not sure what to expect. Did he feel guilt because he has to punish me for disrespecting him as the future king? 

We walk in silence for what seems like forever. But we finally stop. my heart is beating so fast and hard.

“I am..” We both stop as we realize both are speaking at the same time. We laugh nervously. 

“Why don’t I start first..” Reysalor says “I am sorry Veara, I am not sure what came over me last night. I felt so much anger. It could be all the diplomatic tension. I am not sure. But nevertheless, I feel horrible for the way the night ended.” I am shocked by the revelation and that he is sorry. I place my hand on his shoulder

“It’s alright. I really had no right to speak to you in such a matter. Especially because you are my prince and future king. Please forg…’’ Reysalor raises his hand to silence me.

“Please don’t apologize. You are my friend and I appreciate your honesty and candor. I was being pigheaded.” 

“Well..” I gesture in agreement but my actions are silly and Reysalor sees it. We both begin to laugh. I give Reysalor a hug. He seems shocked but after a moment hugs me back.

“You will be a great King one day, there is no doubt about that.” I peck his cheek and go to the dinning hall as he goes the other direction. As I arrive, I can hear Ruven speaking to the King. I stay back in the shadows to hear the conversaton.

“You can’t be serious. They lost it? Ruven! This is a disaster. I knew we shouldn’t have even trusted the wizards with such a weapon.” I can hear the loud shuffling, assuming it only to be the anxious pacing of the king. 

“I know, but there is nothing we can do now. We need to find them protect them.”

“You expect me to trust the wizards after they lost the Medallion of destiny? That medallion may be useless on its own but with all the power finally back in its original vessel.. the things that thing can do.. no one should ever have that much power.” 

“No, I am going to get the medallions and bring them here. I am going to find the medallion of destiny and we will keep them all here. I know they will be safe here.” I could not believe what I was hearing. I am ready to barge in and make a scene, but I know better. I wait to hear if there is more. There is silence, do they know I am listening?

“Ruven..” The King finally says. “Have you spoken to Veara about this? You seem to have gotten close to her.” Ruven is quiet and I feel hurt. How could he hesitate? I thought we were getting close. So he can kiss me? But these things are too trivial to speak to me about. Does he not trust me?

Ruven

I do not know what to say. I want to trust Veara, and I do, but I just can’t risk telling her and having her be in the middle of this. I am protecting her. Or at least that’s what I tell myself to ease the anxious feeling I am getting and the lies I am planning on telling her.

“She doesn’t need to know. After we find the medallions this wont concern her. Moril, she can’t know.” I look at him desperately. Hoping he will trust me. 

“How are you going to hide such a betrayal? Ruven, a girl like her doesn’t come along very often.”

“I know, but you know why it won’t work.” If I get close to her, she will be my weakness. She already is. I need to stop before she will get hurt because of me.

“Ruven! She already has feelings for you! Have you been leading her on then? You cannot treat her like this. I know I taught you better than this.” I can’t explain it but I am drawn to her. I feel things I never thought I would ever feel for anyone. There were many women who tried to get to me. Who I was close to going all the way physically. I am a man after all. But I couldn’t. Something stopped me.

“I…I just..” I don’t know what to say. Moril grunts at me and begins to leave the room. “Moril.. where are you going?”

“I suddenly lost my appetite.” He leaves and I feel a heavy  in my heart. How could I let myself become so close to her. I knew it could never work between us. No matter how much I cared for her. When I am around her I feel like I can tell her everything. I feel free. I can feel her strength, yet there is a gentleness to her that envelopes me. I want to touch her, kiss her, and feel our souls become one, but I cannot. I need to put distance between us. I too, have lost my appetite and leave to the training room. 

Veara

I left after the King questioned Ruven’s intentions with me. He is playing me. I truly believed that Ruven had feelings for me. How could I be so naive? Tears threaten to spill over but I hold them back. I will not cry over that bastard. I will not be broken. I walk to the training room suddenly ready to punch and fight anyone who speaks or even looks my way. No one is in the training room since it is breakfast time, so I begin to train. I take my bow and arrows and aim. I hear someone come into the room. Its Ruven, he doesn’t see me at first. I aim my bow and shoot.

“What in the De..” He looks my way in shock then his expression changes to anger. The arrow nearly grazes Ruven’s cheek. He strides over to me as I lower my bow. My face hardened by anger. I will not let this go. 

“What did you do that for?” He is now inches from my face and lips. I my heart skips a beat but I do not let it show so I quickly  smirk to mask my true feelings. 

“I was checking your reflexes. You never know when someone can ‘stab you in the back’” I emphasize. He narrows his eyes. I push him and try to throw a punch. He deflects it. I do a somersault and land behind him and kick him in the back. He stumbles over but regains his composure. He turns to me. 

“I will not spar with you when you are angry. Something is obviously bothering you.”  I run charging towards him. I am too angry and erratic that he deflects my charge and pins me against the wall with my back against his chest. 

“Let me go Ruven! Now! Let go!” I scream. Before I know it, tears are streaming down my eyes. “Please let me go” I say in soft sobs. He lets go and I run not turning back. I can hear him calling my name but I don’t care. I just want to be alone. 

As I begin to slow down, I realize I am in the woods. How did I manage to get here? I thought I was running to my room. “Veara, my sweet flower, why are you crying.” That voice! That sweet kind voice.  “Thats right, follow my voice. Find me.” His voice  echos through the woods. It sounds real, yet so unreal. I walk in the direction I believe I heard the voice. I walk past a couple of trees and there near a small waterfall is a man standing near the edge of the pond. 

“You found me my little flower.”