The Hidden

Chapter 38 - [What Needs to be Done]

Lord Roviaryn looked up from his paperwork with his usual frown on his face. He had been sitting at his desk for almost the entire night and was only slightly exhausted. He stroked his chin with his thumb and pointer and noted that he needed to shave soon, but that wasn’t why he was frowning.

     A strange, uneasy feeling filled him and he tried to figure out what the source was.

     He found this utterly important… because his senses were almost always right.

     He let out a breath and then found himself looking across the room at where a bouquet of withered roses sat.

     The roses were the welcome gift that Maryryna had given him years ago, when he first arrived at the palace.

     They still sat there on the same spot on his old desk, across the room from his newer one. The only difference now was that they were brown and withered and no longer as beautiful as they once were.

     Maryryna had offered to replace them countless times over the past twenty-something years but Roviaryn had refused. He found there to be something beautiful about withered roses.

     And as he stared at the roses, the uneasy feeling in him grew.

     Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.

     He blinked before he straightened himself up. “Come in.” He said in his low voice.

     A Lumynos knight walked into his room and bowed low when he reached the Advisor.

     “What is it?” The Advisor asked as he leaned back in his seat.

     “The Maid of your household informed one of the knights on watch that… Avaryn… is with your wife.”

     Lord Roviaryn just stared. “Thank you.” He simply said.

     The knight hesitated before bowing and leaving the room as fast as he could.

     Roviaryn leaned forward, placing his arms on his desk and clasping his hands together.

     His frown remained but now his eyebrows furrowed.

     He looked back at the withered roses and stared for a long time before he stood up.

     The Lord had decided to go see his son.

     Avaryn wasn’t sitting next to Lady Maryryna anymore. He stood in front of her and stared at her with shock. “Lord Roviaryn…”

     Lady Maryryna’s lips quivered as she stared back at the young man. “It was him,” she whispered, “he organized the murder of your father.”

     He stared in start the plan… it wasn’t his idea… it was Lyryn’s… but he did all the organizing…” She suddenly shook her head, “that doesn’t justify his actions though–”

     “Why are you telling me this?” Avaryn asked. He didn’t understand her intentions. Why would she turn on her husband?

     The woman swallowed back her tears. “Because… I…” she took a breath and looked down at her hands. “My father died… right before my eyes. I was there and could not do anything to save him. Then, the man who replaced him died the same way. I was there… but I could not do anything about it.”

     He continued to stare at her, feeling his heart sink deeper and deeper.

     “The truth is what is killing me, Avaryn.” She put her hands on her head and shook it, “it’s why I’m dying. The gods are punishing me for not speaking out!”