Wildfire

Forty Eight

"I do not understand why. Why does Shen think he can amass a following when Rayne is so kind and gentle and he constantly looks upon others as if he's smelling foul when most times the only foul thing in the room is he himself." Akeno shows no mercy at all for the man who was once a fellow advisor to him at some point during my father's rule while we try to decipher what on Earth that ignorant traitor is doing that he needs to try and garner supporters for his misguided vendetta, "As if any child of mine would be allowed to ruin their reputation like he's describing. The only male staff we have at the estate is my own footman who has never been alone with Rayne in the entire time he has worked for me, and a young boy in the kitchen who has not yet reached maturity, and neither of them would ever insult me in such a way as to take a pass at my only son."

The wayward Hirai had been seen in the market of the nearest neighboring village preaching vile lies about my precious Queen in an effort to tarnish my Beloved's reputation and discredit his claim to my heart as if anyone would ever fault my sweet cherub for possibly loving another in his youth... A rumor he is trying to start that is actually very untrue... Calling my sweet pure Moon Beam unclean and all other sorts of deviously rude names when he had started to weep at even the thought of not waiting for whatever dragon had caught his own beasts attention when the hurtful message had been delivered to us from Cho's lips, regret written on his face as he witnesses my beautiful shard of starlight try and muster enough courage to wipe away his tears in the face of the men who shall stay steadily by our side through this ordeal. 

"We have not been able to ascertain his whereabouts after leaving the market there, but everyone my men spoke to made sure to tell them that no one paid him any attention other than to try and run him off. Most people remember what this Kingdom remembers what it was like to have a Queen able to temper our King's foul disposition and wish quite fondly for it to be our reality once more." Cho takes a chance on trying to comfort my bride, his eyes trained on the far wall to avoid making eye contact with either of us even though Akeno had been kind enough to seek out a light sleeping shift for Rayne to slip on over his head to at least keep his arms and chest covered without having to encumber him in full robes that would no doubt feel heavy and restrictive in these moments of continued distress, "Everyone knows better than to believe what that foolish man is saying about you, Your Majesty... It's just a matter of us catching him before he tries to hurt you again. The people know better than to doubt Prince Emrys's judgment of who is meant to reign by his side."

...

Rayne

...

"Cho is right, son. Anyone who meets you agrees that you are the sweetest creature to ever walk the cobblestones of this Kingdom. No one would ever be so foolish as to follow what a Hirai has to say, especially as word circulates of the shame brought upon their own heads for harming you." Papa is kind as he does his best to console me, his hand having found its way into mine as I cling to my sweet Prince in an effort to shut my heart to the painful suggestions being spread around to the people I am expected to eventually rule over and care for... Sure... None of them may believe what that evil man is saying about me and the state of my virtue, but it does not stop them from hearing his words... It does not stop him from spewing his negativity into the world as though it were infectious pus seeping from an open festering wound. 

"All I want is for this all to be over..." I want to go back to yesterday morning with my family... Back when I had finally started to feel truly safe here in my new home with my new guard and the knowledge that I never have to truly part with my parents and sisters as I had originally feared... I had been so close to being exuberant when we had originally taken to bed so that we might spend the afternoon resting before Cho had brought our trepidacious sense of calm crashing down around us in the most spectacular fashion with his delivery of the news that Shen Hirai was very much indeed alive and well having escaped the vengeance of my beautiful fiance. 

Being the only one to truly make out my muffled words as I let them spill into his chest between the stress-filled sobs wracking my very being my sweet Emrys tightens his hold on me and starts to rock us gently back and forth as he begins to discuss plans with Papa and Cho on how best to try and track Shen in the neighboring village without overextending the protection his men offer to the Palace, and how long it might be safe to assume that Shen is still even in that village at all or if he might have already picked up and moved due to lack of interest in his cause. 

I try and focus on what I can of their conversation through my tears to try and calm myself with the details of both the offensive and defensive plans that they have devised and revised over a dozen different times to try and figure out the best approach of ending the life of the man who had found such pleasure in striking me over and over... The man who took such pleasure in beating me and robbing me of the memories of what that night should have been will be ended... And this time it shall happen in front of my own eyes no matter how blurry my vision is on the day he is found... And I shall watch him writhe and listen to him scream just as I had screamed as he pleads as I hope he will when the flames start...