Heart of darkness

Chapter Twelve

~There is abusive behaviour in this chapter. So if you aren't comfortable reading that, either skip the chapter or stop reading the book completely because there will be more. So don't say I didn't warn you~

I didn't want to eat, not with what had just happened. I didn't want anything from these people. My anger grew as I heard Damian and his father talking.

"We must prepare for war." Damian said, and my ears perked. "The witches are growing stronger everyday, we have to defend ourselves."

"Witches?" The king asked. "Witches haven't been a problem since the first war four hundred years ago. Why would you think they'd be growing powerful?"

My heart pounded at the thought of there being witches. They were who the first Redburn's had taken this land from, though they weren't very powerful back then, they would be now. A part of me wanted them to attack, to reclaim this land as their own, to take back what was rightfully theirs. Then and only then, there would be true peace.

"Some of the guards caught a filthy witch trying to sneak into our territory while on patrol." Damian responded, taking a bite of his eggs.

"Well then we must do something about that. Steven." The king called for a guard. "Send a few patrol men to where the guards had seen the witches."

"Love, you better eat something. Wouldn't want you to go hungry." Damian whispered to me, I gulped and stared down at the plate full of food.

I felt myself hesitate as I cut off a piece of egg and brought the fork to my mouth. Questions flooded in my mind. Had these been made by servants who were slaving away in the kitchen, barely making a cent? Did these eggs come from a village that was struggling? A small town like mine?

The questions stopped when I saw that everyone at the table had turned to watch me. I quickly pushed aside my worry and placed the egg gently on my tongue. Taste exploded in my mouth and I bit back a moan. It was delicious. Most of the food in my village was made from wheat, I barely had anything other than pastries. Though there was always the rare occasion when my father would bring home something exotic for mother and I to enjoy.

I quickly pushed away the thought of my father, fearing tears would start to form in my eyes and I quickly started chewing my food. When they saw me swallow Damian and his father went back to talk about war strategies.

"Why don't Aurora and I take a walk around the gardens, I want to know who my soon to be daughter-in-law is." The queen said, standing up and walking towards the edge of the patio and placed her hands on the stone railing.

"Yes, I suppose you can." Damian said, nodding for me to go with his mother, as if I needed his permission to walk with her. "Father and I must discuss plans for the war anyways."

Damian pulled me up and pushed me towards his mother. She took my arm gently, her soft touch brought only the memory of my mother. She slowly walked me towards the stairs that led to a large garden. Once we were out of earshot the queen started to speak.

"I'm sorry about my husband, he can get a bit rough when someone insults him." She said with a genuine smile. Her eyes seemed to know what rough felt like, as if she had experienced it first hand.

"Your Highness-"

"No formalities, you are about to be my daughter in law. You may call me Calia." The queen took my hand in hers as we walked across the gravel path.

"Calia, I mean no disrespect, but I don't want to marry your son." I stated as she walked me into a row of apple trees.

"Aurora, I didn't want to marry Garrett when he chose me. Though as the years went by I learned to love him." I saw a distant look in her eye.