I looked him in the eyes. Time seemed to freeze for an instant as those deep blue pools engulfed me into their now familiar depths. I remember a time when these eyes were nothing more than a terrifying abyss.
This man had changed, undoubtedly.
And maybe I had too.
We both changed to suit each other.
Life was about compromises and we had unexpectedly done that well.
And I knew things would only get better from now on.
I answered him with utmost confidence.
"No."
A smile lit up his eyes with childlike glee, "I knew it!"
He planted a quick kiss on my lips before doing a small jig – only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. He immediately froze and sat down as if nothing happened. He cleared his throat and put on a serious face.
"Come in." His baritone voice rang through those mahogany doors.
Sir William presented himself, "Your Majesties, I apologize for the interruption."
Ash excused him and gave him permission to continue. Sir William hesitantly eyed me, as if he needed to speak of something but not in my presence.
I raised an eyebrow, "Is my presence a disturbance?"
He hurriedly shook his head, "Not at all Your Majesty, it's just... the "King's Will" is back."
I saw the color drain from Ash's face. I placed my hand over his.
"You may proceed, it's quite alright." I answered for him.
He nodded as he hastily pulled out a flyer from his pocket and placed it on the table before us.
"This was found circulating around the village."
My eyes scanned over the script.
"You believe you're righteous because you confronted the truth for once in your life? Look around you. Look to your past. Dig through the generations of debauchery and see if the crimson cruelty will wash away from your juvenile hands with the few pretty coins that you are so proud of salvaging. If you believe a trite ball is enough to cover the sins of your forefathers, you must still believe that the citizens of this Kingdom amount to nothing more than imbeciles.
But that must be the King's Will."
I could see his face flare up with anger as he finished reading the open letter obviously targeted against him.
"Where is this from?" I asked Sir William.
"It was printed and distributed by a local press, but the owner claims the original letter itself was sent in anonymously. He decided to publish it for the extra money and attention he'd earn due to people's curiosity. We tried to stop—"
"No, freedom of speech is a right every Sedalian citizen is entitled to." Ash interrupted.
"Which is exactly why we didn't pursue the issue further. However, we have someone comparing the handwriting of the original letter to old documents that Marcellus penned. If it's a match—"
"I want him arrested on sight." Ash completed his sentence.
Sir William nodded, "Since the work with the Parity Clause has been carried out, the attention of our force will be solely focused on capturing Marcellus."
With that, he dismissed himself. Ash crumpled up the letter and threw it into the fireplace. I watched as the embers engulfed the ink, until nothing was left but ashes. He ran his hand through his hair and let out a low groan.
"If this is indeed Marcellus, I don't understand his grudge against me. I understand anyone would be bitter after being let go, especially from a respected position. But to murder? To slander? He may even go as far as an uprising if this keeps up."
The word "uprising" sent unpleasant chills down my spine. I tried my best to ignore it.
"I think the public opinion is still in our favor. It will take more than a silly letter to sway the truth."
"What I fear is that the letter contained more truth than lies. I don't know much about my ancestors, but the little that I do know still makes me apprehensive. At times, I regret being a Devereux. I don't want our future children to feel the same guilt." He muttered.
I pulled his hand into mine, "They won't, because their Father is good man and will leave an even better legacy."
He smiled at me, "I hope so."
I smiled back, "I know so."