Once Upon a Lost Prince

Chapter 4

"Isabel!" A man's voice came from behind Irwin and he turned to see the owner of the voice running to meet a woman holding a child and coming out of what once was the entrance. Her figure was bent, looking at the ground the whole time and a hood full of debris and ash covering her head and coming as low as to cover her face. The boy, who looked no older than seven, was sobbing uncontrollably into his mother's chest, hugging her with all his might as she kept him protected, close to her heart.

"You insolent woman!" The man shouted again, he appeared to be of royal status if his way of dressing was any proof. "You want to be praised like a heroine don't you?" He asked again, anger and distaste showing with his tone, "you want people to see that you saved my son?" The man scoffed again referring to the boy in her arms.

Irwin was non-existent in the whole scene; he could see everything, but no one can see him. And what proved that, was when he walked closer to the woman and bent down just a little to see her face and went unnoticed. His eyes lingered on the woman's face, horror marring his features. "Mother?" he asked, the words hung in the air, it was as if he wanted to make himself present somehow, as if he wanted to let the woman with the burn marks and tearful eyes know that he was there for her.

The mother didn't care about what was around her and once she came out of the trance the fire left her in, her eyes snapped to her son, whimpering in her arms. "Are you alright my love?" She asked him and the little boy only managed a slight nod, his hiccups calming in his mother's embrace. She gave no attention to the man who was accusing her for she was used to that and at times like these, she didn't expect any different treatment. Maybe deep down in her heart she did, maybe that was what caused her tears to fall even more, even when she learned that her husband's heart would never come to love her years ago.

Diabolos then walked closer to the mother as the grown Irwin took a small step back upon seeing the look of rage and hatred in the eyes of the man who's supposed to be his father.

"Give him to me Isabel." It was impossible for a sentence as simple as that to hold so much anger, however with the king, it did. He snatched his child from his mother and placed him on the ground behind him, keeping him out of his mother's sight.

Young Irwin didn't know what was happening and couldn't help but pear from behind his father's fur coat and look at his mother, as if wanting to reach out for her with his eyes. His father took a step forward and took the hood off of his wife's head showing her face for everyone to see. The fire's engravings were visible around the festered flesh. In her attempt to save her only child, a wooden panel fell from the ceiling causing her disfigurement, but she didn't regret it, not for a second, and she'd do it all over again without delay if it meant saving her heart.

"I had no excuse to throw you out of my castle before, but now..." The king looked at his wife, his face scrunched up and his eyebrows furrowed with loathsomeness, "Aphroditē will be on my side. So be gone! Be gone you ugly creature, never let my eyes lay on you again." Finalizing his speech, the king turned and walked away, trying to figure out where he was to reside until his castle was re-constructed, not giving a glance towards his son; not assuring himself that his child was unharmed and well.

"Mother!" The seven years old boy exclaimed, not understanding what was happening, in his eyes he saw no difference, it was his mother. The woman in front of him, looking so helpless and broken, was his mother. He can't see why everyone was looking with disgust and turning their eyes away. She was the very same woman that gave him birth and played with him. Isabel was the one who wiped his tears when he fell and encouraged him to go up again. A mother, no matter what shape she takes, is the same in her child's eyes.
The queen however couldn't bring herself to meet her son's gaze, her eyes hovering over his figure, but never meeting his forest greens. "Mother! Don't go!" Irwin started to feel what was going to happen, his mother was to leave.

"Someone stop her," the young boy shouted. Irwin, the observer, tried to walk forward and do something but he knew better. He was only able to watch, regain what he lost. It was a scene passing like a feigning of his imagination, a series of events that already happened. A dream that came to remind him of something from the past. It was a memory, a sad, broken memory.

"Please don't go mother!" That was all what he heard when he lost his vision for the second time, only this time he was coming back into the present world.

"I can tell that all your questions have been answered." The oracle's voice welcomed Irwin as he regained his position between the living.

"I need to meet the king."

Faye was confused about what was happening and of what her husband wanted to do. "Where does that come from?" She inquired.

"My father has to pay." It was all the Faye needed to hear. That one simple sentence was the one that completed the puzzle and all the questions they had before now proved to have answers. "I escaped to live with my mother one day, and she brought me here to see you once," Irwin addressed the oracle.

"Aye, it's true," the older man said, "Queen Isabel wanted me to hide your memories, she wanted to save you the ache of knowing that you could've become king one day, but refused when you were so young, driven by emotions. You wouldn't take it to be parted with her at that time." The nostalgia sensed by his words caused Irwin to question it.

"What was she to you?" Irwin asked. So many feelings poured couldn't only be out of respect for the late queen.
A long pause followed, the oracle's eyes burning with the raging fire in the pot. Irwin watched his every move, how many emotions flitted from one eye to another now that his face was on display. The wrinkles on his forehead were of so much labor, age being a mere component in the equation of time.

"Isabel is my daughter." The oracle finally broke the silence as he felt Irwin's analysis growing more complicated. "She was my daughter." He repeated, "She wanted to protect you, she wanted you to forget your origin to protect you from yourself were you to grow wanting power and not have it granted."

Irwin breathed harshly as tears threatened to escape their green confines. Faye was silent the entire time, listening and waiting for her husband. It was so much for him to take in and Faye can understand when her husband needed space.
"We need to leave." Faye said. Sensing that Irwin was in dire need of a break to arrange his thoughts and memories. "We'll stay in the inn for today and come back tomorrow." Faye told the oracle, Irwin's grandfather as it had been figured.

"It's not safe for you here." Irwin objects to his wife's suggestion. "Your brothers-"

“You are with me Irwin,” Faye whispered interrupting her husband, “You won’t let any harm come my or our child’s way.” She said sure about every word; she believed in him.

"There won’t be any harm coming your way either way,” Firmin said before Irwin could reply, “Not if you brothers had their way to the afterlife that it is.”

"What?" The husband and wife were startled with what they heard. Faye feeling her heart straining.

"Adancc and Abigor got lost in the forest that day," answered the old man, "your warnings were futile to save their lives, but at least you tried. Pride and hatred blinded their reasoning and made them fall victims for their own doings."

Everything went silent after that, making Faye’s pained breath audible. She and Irwin stood from their sitting positions and walked some steps to exit the small dark space that was only illuminated by some candles; they both weren't able to find the proper words. Irwin abruptly stopped and turned to look at the old man in the colorful fabrics.

"You may be in doubt, but I assure you I’m telling the truth.” The old man read his questions, “I have no reason to lie to my grandson, and if you doubt that too, the king won't for the moment he lays eyes on you he’ll know who you are. And believe me that man is many things but never a liar and you can ask anyone of the ton." Firmin motioned his hand in the general direction of the outside.

Firmin was right about every word he voiced. The brothers were a lost cause and the king was a cruel man, but he was one that would say things as they are and would very much confess his mistakes. Telling the truth wasn't a virtue he acquired from birth, it was rather his way of cooperating with guilt and remorse that gnawed at his heart.