[ 𝙞 ] 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

Chapter Fourteen

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lose of innocence
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Heirsa sat in his chambers after the day's work had been completed. He rarely had this time to himself anymore. Either he was busy with any of the eight quads or doing some kind of work or he was needed for wedding preparations of some kind. He hardly noticed all the busyness though; with the wedding in three days time, it kept his mind occupied.

Irisa entered his quarters with a brief knock. She stood at the door, hands clasped before her as if she was waiting for something.

"Have you come to gloat or did you have a request?" Heirsa asked, not bothering to look over at her.

"A little of both."

"Well get on with it." Heirsa said, his tone like ice.

"I'm beginning to see your loyalty wavering General. Need I be concerned?"

Heirsa's eyes flashed, but his gaze remained fixed ahead of him.

Irisa gave a lifeless chuckle, silent for a moment. "I trust you understand the consequences if you were to revolt in any way,"

Heirsa blinked, shuddering as he clenched his jaw. He appeared frightened. Weak. "Yes your majesty," he said, his eyes meeting hers for a second before he meekly lowered them.

Irisa inhaled, and it felt as if the invisible walls of tension vaporized as she relaxed. "Good." She said. "I leave you to your work then,"

Heirsa bowed his head slightly. The queen left the room and he breathed in sharply. "Oh no, if one were planning to commit treason you'd be the first person one would tell." He said after hearing her footsteps down the hall outside.

Ronin sat at the evening meal, tuning out the noise around him as he thought. He constantly remembered what things used to be like. His mind would wander to when he and Heirsa and Grian were young, hearing their father talk about his love for the forest. The family had been living in the middle of Kyril for as long as Ronin could remember. His father also spoke of the kingdom he came from, Arc; which was east of Shard. The children would prod him with questions about the splendidness and busyness of such a populous kingdom, but Lunin seemed to prefer to keep it as a fantasy in his young ones' minds.

The remembrance of the parents he'd likely never see again and the brother whom he missed so much, Ronin felt his heart shudder. While the plans of revolt against the Queen seemed to be solidifying bit by bit, he still held onto the doubt in the back of his mind. His soul wrestled between absolute faith that they would succeed in overthrowing their oppressors, and a heart-clenching anxiety that it would never happen.