Blood Supermoon

32. Alone in the Palace

Zaria's first official day in office, the sun was shining so he knew it was meant to be. There was a lot he was being trained on by the committee, do this, not that. Ignore this, not that. He understood the pressure Lue must've felt in her lessons with them and her mother and why she wouldn't want to rule, besides Josandra being a factor.

He wasn't doing this for her. He wasn't doing this so that she could be free. Though with time these feelings he had for her would heal, he knew being King was the right thing to do for Mara.

By 8 A.M., he kicked the committee out, much to their astonishment. They were inundating him with all these rules that he complained he couldn't enjoy his breakfast. He didn't miss their expressions, the irritation and haughtiness. No doubt, they wouldn't believe in him for very long. Let's see if he would make enemies of them and who would be the first to go.

After breakfast, he went to Lue's room and knocked on her door. She was going through her clothes and packing her things. When she saw him, she smiled.

"So, this is your fabric?" she asked.

He nodded, "I picked it myself."

"Looks good," she said, reaching out a hand. Her index finger and thumb smoothed through the black silk and embroidered green and gold small patterns.

"What are you doing here? Where's your team?" she asked.

"I sent everyone away. I wanted to see you before you left," he said.

"Thank you, your majesty," she smiled, but he frowned.

"Don't change on me," he said and she laughed.

She couldn't stop smiling and laughing so much, and he knew also that the sun was also shining for her. He smiled too and sat down on her bed, patting the place next to her. She sat down. The dull yellow of the walls in every room was so familiar to him, as though he had never left.

"It's okay to change," she said.

"I know and I will," he said.

"If anything happens, write to me," she said. "And if you can, please visit."

He nodded, "How are you going back?"

"With Buffalo, of course. It'll take a few days or so, but we'll make it," Lue grinned.

"Okay, I hear the weather is nicer out there," he said, rising.

"It's eternal summer," she said, rising too.

She opened her arms and he paused. They had never hugged before so it caught him off guard. Finally, he stepped into her embrace and wrapped his arms around her. She patted his back and they hugged for a long time.

"If anything happens, let me know and I'll come save you again," she whispered.

He shut his eyes, "Yes, Lue."

***

He watched from her old bedroom as she mounted Buffalo. When she passed the gates, he stayed in the room until the sun set that day. It didn't feel to him as though she was gone, but he couldn't recognize the walls anymore, the creaking floorboards or the chatter of servants.

For the remainder of that week, he kept returning to her room, looking out the window, waiting for it to hit him that she was gone, but it didn't feel real. Then, one day, he stopped going to her room and occupied his mind with his other goals.

"Your majesty!" a guard appeared in the grand hall. "We're ready."

They went down to the dungeon. It was dark and several other guards were surrounding the guillotine. As he approached, they parted off to the side to let him enter the circle. With every step, his heart felt heavier as though it was about to burst. Calmly, he sat down in his chair across from the machine.

A bucket lay beneath Peato's head to catch the blood and he was staring down at the floor. Only torches lit the room. Zaria tried to put all his thoughts together to form a coherent sentence.

"Do you have anything to say?" Zaria asked.

"Will you feel justified in doing this because of your friend?" Peato asked.

"Yes."

"Then do as you please. You are king," Peato said.

He was also his son, but maybe he hasn't been for a long time. With a raise of his hand, he gestured for the guard to proceed. The guard pulled the release handle and the blade came down, splattering blood over Zaria's face.

As he retreated up the stairs, his nerves spiked, but still, he didn't feel real. His father was gone, right? That happened just now.

"Your majesty, you shouldn't walk around the halls just yet. There's blood on your face," one guard said.

But he didn't hear him, he continued walking. His heart was racing and he kept replaying the dullness of his father's voice. Not once had he looked up at him.

When he reached the grand hall, he stopped at the door.

"Leave me alone. I will clean up by myself. Don't return until dinner time," Zaria said.

The guards stepped back and bowed to him. He opened the large doors and stepped inside, shutting it.

There was so much sunlight in this room because of the tall windows, but the hall felt too large to him. For a while, he stared at the throne. Then he breathed and walked across the room, sitting down. His trembling fingers wiped the blood from his face. It was claret red; Peato bled the same color as him. His chest was squeezing so tight against his heart that he couldn't breathe. The walls were suddenly closing in on him.

He wiped at his face because it was wet, but it wasn't blood anymore but his tears. Bending over so that he could breathe better, he began to sob.

How did things end up this way? Where did he go wrong? Although he wasn't royal, growing up he had everything and now he had nothing. Not Jackson or his father.

The sun was shining over him. With time, will he get over this pain?