Carperia
Queen Renée's POV
I only out in an hour if sleep. After that, I couldn't even if there was warmth and comfort in Dana's arms. Unlike me, she's asleep, soundly so.
I ran my fingers through Rehan's growing hair. I wonder if he would like to keep it long like his father. Reli hasn't suggested a hair cut, not even once so I think he doesn't mind.
"Mama is so stressed there's not enough today. I'm sorry." I apologized to him when he gave me a blank look. I think his food is done with. As the days progress, I'm making less milk. But Reli also had his share early yesterday morning when we were making love. "You should really start liking your bottle Rehan."
I buttoned up my pajama shirt. He didn't fuss. He's quiet. "Dada." He asked me. Or is he telling me?
There's someone in the Shadow of the hallway. I almost jumped until I saw Xanth. "Hi."
"You startled me!" I exclaimed.
"The guard said you're awake. I was just about to leave and I didn't want to leave without talking to you."
"Sit down." I patted the empty spit beside me.
He took a seat and draped his jacket over his lap. "What a night." He sighed. "How are you Renée? I can't help but be reminded of how you were after his fall from the peak of Dargan."
"I'm scared. I'm scared I'll lose him for good this time."
"Dada."
"Rehan, Xanth is not your dada." I reprimanded him. "I'm sorry. He misses his father already."
"He's perfect. You two made something perfect." Xanth smiled and offered his hand to my son. He quickly took it and agreed to be held by a total stranger. They have never met. "Hi buddy."
"Hi." He responded.
"What is that? Your fifth or sixth word?" I tickled him.
"Dada."
"No." I warned him.
"Dada!" He screamed.
"You little confused monkey." I pinched his nose playfully.
Xanth held him close. We had some comfortable silence. It's quiet.
"How have you been?" He asked. "It's been what, a year?"
"I think so or even more. We're you here to meet the prince after he was born?"
"No. I didn't think it would be wise." He cringed.
"Do you think it's wise for you to be here now?"
"Yeah. I'm over you."
Ouch.
"Good. That's good."
"It wasn't easy but uh... I can now say I have zero feelings for you. Like zero mushy emotional sexual feelings gone."
"Okay..." I felt a little disappointed. I dint mind the occasional person who is not my husband noticing me. I feel hot because it's someone else. But nothing more should come of it. "So are you seeing someone?"
"Nope."
"All alone?"
"Yeah."
"Don't you get lonely?"
"Well it does get lonely. But it's my reality so far. I just try to be comfortable with it. Renée, you did great yesterday... No. Early this morning. You did great. He chose the right woman."
"Thank you."
"If you need support, someone to talk to, just give me a call."
"I will take you up on that. No one knows my ugly better than you and Barlowe."
"He's still giving me bad looks."
"Is he the one outside?"
"No. If he was, I would have been turned away." He chuckled. "Reli will pull through. I have never met a guy more resilient. He will pull through. Even if he does not, he lives on in this little guy!"
Xanth lifted Rehan and shook him a little. My son burst out laughing.
I started hearing singing. "Do you hear that?" I paid attention.
"It's coming from outside."
"Renée! Window!" Dana cane running from the bedroom. "People are singing for the king!"
Xanth allowed me to take my son. He didn't accompany me to the open french doors when I stood to look at the people gathered along the street often closed off from the public. They are holding candles and are singing for the king's recovery. It's not even dawn. They woke up early to walk here and support us.
I'm moved to tears.
Dana wrapped her arms around Rehan and I. I didn't expect this. I turned back to check on Xanth bit he's gone. I kissed Rehan. "They love your father baby. They love him so much."
They kept trickling in with candles and in song.
Nesrin's POV
I absolutely hate it when they show up with candles and start singing. Don't they get it? This is the third generation and they still don't get it!
They sang for Dargan. He died.
They sang for Cathan. He died.
Now they are singing for Reli so that he can die?
Stephen says that Reli is speaking in the ancient language of kings, something he learned from Cathan and Cathan learned from Dargan. If he dies who will teach Rehan? I don't speak it. It's not mandatory but it's tradition! Tradition is what pumps life into this kingdom and keeps us from being like everyone else.
He wants to go through the gates of the kings. It's sensible. After he took Carperia, I saw nothing but exhaustion in him. Not getting Daa Haan kept frustrating him. There are times there's nothing but a void in his eyes. He's tired.
But he can't leave Renée in charge. I don't doubt she'll power through but Renée is Reli. She lacks the patience. She lacks the tact. Reli has been trained all his life to be king. Renée was thrown into this overnight. I want Reli to live. He must live even if I have to go through the gates of the kings to get him back.
"Renée." I walked into the dining room. She's alone with her sisters and Rehan. "Good morning."
She stood up to greet me. I kissed both of her cheeks. She did so well.
"Good morning. Have you gotten any sleep?"
"How can I when I'm cursed to worry about that boy?" I took a seat close to her. "Good morning girls."
"Good morning." They answered in unison. "What about you dear? Did you sleep at all?"
"Hardly. I'm worried. I want to see him."
"You know that is not possible, right?"
"I know." She looked at Rehan. I touched his little cheeks.
"But I'm going to see him." I informed her.
"They said he's contagious." Charle spoke up. "If you catch it-"
"I'll die. I'm old, I have nothing more to lose. He can't be alone at this time. He needs to be fortified with strength and since it cannot be you, I'll go."
"I can go too." Takara announced as she entered the dining room.
"No. You stay."
"QM, I'm more disposable than you are. No one will miss me if I get sick and die."
"Don't say that." We all spoke at the same time.
"I'm the one with nothing more to lose. Reli is sick. He's the only one I have left and I have to make things right with him. Should go."
"We can both go." I told her.
"And leave me alone here? No! You guys are the backbone of CN. You've been here longer! One of you has to stay preferably you QM. No offense Takara but you're not as political as she is."
"I understand. Like I said, I'm not needed here." Takara shrugged.
"Fine. It's resolved then. Takara will go. Takara, may I have a word with you then?"
We took the exit to the balcony outside the dining room.
"Is something wrong? Can it be worse?"
"Stephen told me Reli is giving up. He keeps saying that he wants to go through the gates of the kings. He's giving up. You need to talk him out of it. If there's a time for you to bond with your son and pull him out of the darkness it's now."
"I owe him that much. I stayed for Nilsa and now it's his turn. I will do my best."
South of Lokefar
Stephen's POV
It's quiet.
I can't hear anything, not even a cricket. I can't see the fireflies that decorate the night. I'm looking for her, wondering if this is a trap. What could she want? What does she expect from me? At least I don't have to worry about the girls. They are safe at the palace.
"There's no need for the gas mask. The air is clean." I heard her but I can't see her.
"Pardon me but I don't trust anything you say."
"Which is fair really given my track record." I turned suddenly to meet her dark eyes. She peeled the hoodie off her head. I have never seen her with long hair. There's a first for everything. My heart stirred with the emotion when she gave me a small smile. "You look so good Stephen. You look do good."
I snapped out of her lure. I even took a step back. I took off the gas mask. "What do you want? Do you know the king is on his death bed?"
"Do you know what the problem with my brother is? He suffers from a hero complex. He can't help it but save people. That boy without a gas mask should have been left to die. It wasn't supposed to be him." She frowned. "It wasn't supposed to be anyone."
Elsher is looking like her by the day. She is saddened by her mother's actions and she mostly stays indoors too ashamed to come out.
"I don't have time for games. What do you want?"
"There are gas pipes under this ground. They come from the Gas station in Daa Haan. Adair filled a tank dedicated to Lokefar with the poison. But the good thing is that the pipes are blocked and nothing gets past that point." She pointed to the high point ahead.
"How is it leaking?"
"Good question. I don't have answer."
"It's your poison and Adair is your buddy!" I drove her into the trunk if the tree.
She smiled at me. "I always loved it when you got rough. Stephen, I have been with many men but none of them ever dominated me like you did."
"One more minute and I'm gone. Say something useful."
She stopped smiling.
"I'm going to reach into my pocket. Am I allowed?"
I stepped back. She showed me a clear glass vile. There's an amber coloured liquid inside. "What is this?"
"I have not always hated Reli. I was jealous of the attention he got from everyone. I was just the daughter expected to hear children and be quiet. I craved for recognition. I wanted my father's approval. I worked hard. He still chose Reli over and over again. It hurts to be put second by your own parents. So I decided that he shouldn't exist. After that it got easier to hurt people. They didn't mean anything to me. But I have had some time to think. I regret my actions. I can't change anything but I regret my actions. That's why I'm giving you this. It's the only antidote."
I took the vile.
"What do you want in exchange?"
"Nothing. Just tell him what I have done for him. He will decide what happens next."
She has a solemn look on her face that I have never seen before.
"I need two. There are two patients."
"I only had one. I always make one. You should go. He won't see sunrise."
She walked away.
"Nilsa."
"Yes Stephen?"
"What is that poison?"
"I call it the Death of Kings. I wanted to use it on my father but I couldn't. I wanted to use it on Reli on the peak of Dargan but I couldn't. Adair stole it from my samples. Before I caught on, it was too late. It attacks the nervous system. After the hallucinations, you die. If Reli starts seeing things... you don't have time. Go."
"Is it contagious?"
"No it's not. If you want to save the king, go."
I hurried away in the opposite direction.
It is at least two hours back to base on foot. I have much ground to cover and I'll have to run all the way.