Page 35 of Her Royal Blood

I met Hawk in the hallway. He wore a backpack and was dressed for weather with a coat and hat incase of glaring sun or rain, both were forecasted for the coming days.

“Always hard to say goodbye,” I said, hoping he’d understand.

“Especially when you’ve just said hello again.” He knew.

“Exactly.” I didn’t want to be despondent, but it was a heavy weight.

“You’ll see her again and when you rule together, yours will be a strong, resilient nation. A tyrant like Polonius doesn’t set his sights on an ordinary woman, he covets Queen Aria because she is extraordinary. Be grateful and glad that she’s already yours.”

I’ve never really thought of my relationship with Aria in those terms but he was right.

“Thank you,” I said and clapped him on the back. “And thank you for taking up this fight.”

“I’m doing it because at the end of this is a big glass of cold ale, a comfortable bed, and perhaps a woman I man fall in love with. I’m ready to live somewhere safe and stable, so I’m fighting for that,” Hawk explained.

“Well brother, we are fighting for the same things.” We both laughed and walked down the hall to the dinning room wheremy brother, my father, and Derringer were already assembled. “Where shall we meet?” I asked Hawk before we parted ways.

“In Brahman’s Peak. I’ll find as many recruits as I am able to gather and keep them in one of the safe houses I often use. When you reach Brahman’s Peak with your Navarrian troops we’ll be ready to join you. I’ll have the men train and keep their skills sharp while I’m on my recruiting mission. We’ll march on Polonius together.” Hawk thrusted his hand out for me to shake and I took it.

“That is a promise.” I shook his hand and then left him to start his journey as I joined my father and brother.

“Well this is it, Lex, time to fight,” Cheyenne said as I approached them standing around the table where we’d held our meeting the day before.

The sun was still many hours away from rising in the sky, but if we wanted the upper hand we’d have to travel most of the day, then stay clear of the ships until night fell and start our attack as soon as the sun had fully set.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked him, wanting to impart brotherly advice he no longer needed.

Standing before me was a man, not only a soldier and a skilled warrior but a formidable ally and full grown adult who exuded valor and honor. Somewhere during the course of time my younger brother had become my equal, a royal as qualified and worthy of the throne as my father or myself. In that moment I brimmed with pride.

“I’m going to be more than okay, and so will you. It’s time brother that Poloinius and the Crypt Claw learn to accept defeat!” He raised his hand in the air and I felt the electricity of his conviction and mine.

“Yes. Monumental and widespread failure!” I clapped him on the back. “This is our goal.”

“And we will attain it.” Cheyenne clapped my hand. “There is no stopping us.”

With that we gave each other a brief hug and I watched as he went off with his men to the Obsidian Valley. He was going to secure airspace for us to try our airship and then he’d continue on to Brahman’s peak to destroy the workspace where Polonius was having his aircraft created. Since he had very few airbound, we knew he still hadn’t completed production on most of his fleet. If Cheyenne could destroy their workshop he’d disable Polonius’ power in the sky. I watched him leave as my father entered the tunnel that led out to the streets.

“I wanted to talk to you before you left, son. I know you have precious little time, but I feel this is a matter of importance.” My father stood in front of me, his face looking withered and worn.

“Yes,” I said, knowing that whatever he wanted to say was going to be important for me to hear.

“I want you to hear this before you venture out again. Having you nearly killed twice now, I realized how precious and tenuous your life is. Any of our lives, really, but as of late your’s has been in the greatest amount of danger. So I want you to know that I was wrong about Fallon and Polonius. I wish I’d headed your pleas when you were trying to get me to see their treason,” King Helix tightened his lips in frustration and remorse. “Had I listened to you and done my own investigation I would have learned that they were plotting this long before I knew any of it. I would have been able to spare my kingdom this heartache and the pain of seeing all I’ve lived my life for in such peril.” My father’s expression fell into a look of deep regret.

Finally my father conceded my concerns and gave me credit for them. While there was no joy in being right, I was happy that he finally saw me as more than a headstrong young man who was clamoring to be seated on his throne.

“Thank you for your acknowledgement, it means a lot, but I also have to be honest with you. I’m not sure that killing them at the time would have been the wisest move. What if our kingdom rebelled against you for murdering a beloved Beta without just cause in their eyes? Perhaps Polonius would have launched an all out war, just as he has, but without us being aware of his warships. And most importantly, Aria wouldn’t have found her mage and resurrected Onyx Rah. Because of the chain of events she is a queen and Tobran has a restored kingdom.” I was so grateful that Aria had become who she was meant to be, otherwise I’d be begging my father to let me marry a servant who I loved.

“True. Fate is strange. I’m happy that she has found her rightful place. Now we must defeat Polonius at all costs and when this is over, I expect you and Aria to help me unite the kingdoms of Tobran and all of Voltaire. We need to be a unified collection of kingdoms without threat of tyranny.” My father was likely saying this more for his own edification than mine, but I nodded in agreement.

“We will,” I said, bowing to my father and showing him due respect. “It’s time to go, but I’ll return and when I do, we’ll fight this war together.”

“Good luck on your journey my son and return soon.” With that my father brought me into an embrace and I left through the passageway to meet Derringer at his house near the docs.

The underground tunnels were dank and lightless with a torch every few yards to provide dim illumination. I traveled several miles to Derringer’s house alone to avoid suspicion. The Royal Guardsmen who would be on my mission with me left with him the day before, but since there was still a massive target on my back, I needed to be as unseen as possible. When I neared the end of the tunnel system I pulled my cloak’s hood over myhead and walked out of the tunnel which dumped me into a dirty and secluded alleyway.

Exiting the alley, I joined the few people who were starting to conduct their daily business on the docks before dawn. Many of the Crypt Claw were meandering about looking bored as the fishers untangled nets and set boxes of bait in their boats. None of the soldiers were watchful or on the alert as most of the citizens at the ports were traders and fishers making early morning preparations.

The Crypt Claw had long since defeated my father’s guard who were stationed at the ports before Polonius’ attack. Not wanting to risk further defeat he evacuated the kingdom and left the remaining Royal Guards to watch the skeleton crew left at the Palace and the safehouses where my family and the other women and children from Navarrah City were being sequestered. He also had guards at his stronghold in a dilapidated apartment complex in the city as well. When I arrived at Derringer’s house I was ushered into his abode quickly.

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