Maeve

ChapterThirtyThree: When He Still Had A Heart

MANY YEARS EARLIER

A boy no older than nine winters old was watching through a frozen window. Never had he seen a winter so cold and brutal. Even he himself had to dress like a bear to survive inside the walls.

His father had left him alone in there. He left just before Christmass leaving the boy to spend his Christmas with the servant people. The boy couldn't deny the hurt he felt when the closest person to him decided to spend one of the biggest celebrations of the year with whores than with his own flesh and blood.

 Dominic took a deep breath and draw a Christmas tree to the smoke on the window. He could see it on his eyes how beautiful the Great Hall will look like at Christmas. How candles on the chandelier would light up the whole cold room, how the smell of food would make people drool. And the best part of it was the presents. 

Like every other child of his age, he loved presents more than anything. When you opened them and drank a cup of hot chocolate at the same time was one of his favorite things to do. Of course, his father always had to disagree on that.

In his point of view, his son had to be as cold-hearted as him if not even more. A thing so small as a gift shouldn't warm his heart. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in," He muttered and swiped the Christmas tree off the window. A boy who was the same age as he walked in.

"Did you hear the news?" Caspian asked and walked next to his cousin.

"What news?"

The cousin of the future king looked out of the window trying to figure out if he was back already. "Your father is coming back."

Dominic almost fell off his chair, "Why?" Could it possibly be true? Did he really choose his heir over the beautiful women?

Caspian shrugged, "I don't know, mom just said that he is coming home for Christmass." The two boys stayed in silence. Dominic thinking about all the possible scenarios of why his father decided to return and Caspian looking at his cousin with a question mark over his head.

"Where is Marié?" The heir asked.

"Mom?" Dominic nodded, "Probably close to the gates or in the market square."

"I hate that place" The boy muttered.

"I think it's great, the smells and fo-" Caspian said.

"It is a place full of misery and death. Do you know how many people have lost their heads in there?" Dominic interrupted him. The last thing he needed right now was the memory of his mother's death.

Caspian blinked. "You mean the vegetables, right?" He couldn't understand what he was talking about. He is probably just meaning all the poor vegetables that have been cut in half on there.

"I mean the people with beating heart and a soul inside them." The green-eyed cousin was about to protest when his eyes noticed a large figure riding towards the castle.

"He's here." 

No more words were shed as the two cousins ran towards the king of werewolves. Marié, Caspian's mother, was already standing close to the door with a couple of soldiers.

"What are you doing in here, Dominic?" She whispered as her eyes widened. 

"To see my father." 

Marié cursed in her mind. There is no way that she is allowing her nephew to see as his father comes home covered in blood.

"I bet he is tired from the journey. What if you will go to the library and I will tell your father to go there as soon as he has relaxed a bit?" Please, she wanted to add but left it to be only a thought.