Page 9 of Lost Heir
The caravan resumed its journey with the first light, the rhythmic trot of the horses and the gentle sway of the carriage a constant as we navigated the path towards Valoria. By noon I was getting antsy and peered out my window to catch a glimpse of the world outside. I quickly realized we were no longer in the Central Plains. Without being told, I knew we’d crossed the border to Valoria.
Rolling hills covered in a quilt of green and gold stretched towards the horizon, dotted with clusters of trees that swayed in a gentle breeze. Fields of wildflowers bloomed in riotous colors, painting the landscape with strokes of lavender, yellow, and crimson. The air was fresher,imbued with the scent of earth and blossoms, a marked departure from the dusty openness of the plains.
Amid the enchanting scenery, a figure caught my eye—a mage soldier marching with a casual grace that set him apart from his companions. His presence piqued my curiosity. For a reason I couldn’t explain, he looked familiar compared to the others who marched nearby. I glanced at Selene sleeping soundlessly beside me and then back at the soldier.
Leaning slightly out the window, I beckoned to the mage. “Excuse me!” I called out, then waved him over. “What’s your name?”
He paused and turned towards the sound of my voice. In that moment, he was transformed. His dirty blond curls that sat as a chaotic crown atop his head were brushed aside to reveal a crescent moon birthmark—a mark of distinction for those of Valorian descent. His smile, bright and disarming, crinkled the corners of his eyes, reducing them to mere slits of vibrant green that sparkled with an unreadable emotion.
“Viktor, Your Highness.” His voice bridged the gap between us as he stepped closer, the distance shrinking with each deliberate pace.
My gaze drifted beyond the carriage, seeking the horizon’s secrets. “Do you know how far we are from the capital?” The question lingered in the air, mingled with the scent of fresh earth and the distant murmur of our caravan.
Viktor’s gaze followed mine, squinting to get a better look. “Roughly another hundred kilometers,” he estimated, his eyes reflecting a sliver of the journey ahead. “We crossed the border about an hour ago.”
That meant we would arrive by noon tomorrow at the latest. With such a large caravan, we couldn’t travel faster.
I bit my lip. I was hesitant to ask, but decided to take the risk. “How have things been in my absence?” I ventured.
“We’ve made many advances, building our army and even training some female mages. But …” A pause laden with something unsaid hung between us.
“But what?” I prodded, sensing the undercurrent of his hesitation.
He leaned in subtly, his voice a hushed tone meant for my ears alone. “Keldara's silence has been deafening. Our preparations have mirrored the quiet, but we believe Keldara has been secretly preparing as well. It’s been far too quiet across the border. We expect they’re working on something big,” he confided, the concern in his eyes mirroring the tension in his voice.
Surprise flared within me, and realization dawned sharp and clear. Valoria, for all its advancements, remained blind to Keldara's quiet storm. Keldara had found a material called Aetherite that muted a mage’s power. I felt it firsthand when Mykal captured me. Didn’t my father and the others know about it? Not wanting to alarm him, I kept quiet, knowing that when I arrived at the palace, I would have to tell my father immediately.
As Viktor moved parallel to the carriage, his silhouette a constant companion to our journey, I was enveloped by a sense of familiarity. There was something unmistakably known in the curve of his jaw, the set of his shoulders—echoes of a past interaction, perhaps, or a shared moment lost to memory.
Leaning forward, my curiosity thoroughly piqued, I posed the question that had been gnawing at my thoughts. “Do we know each other?” My arms found a perch on the windowsill, bridging the distance between us. “You look very familiar.”.
His response, a chuckle muffled by the distance, drew my gaze to his movements. Viktor glanced down with a momentary contemplation of his boots before meeting my inquiry with an air of amusement. “Something like that,” he offered cryptically.
The ambiguity of his answer furrowed my brow in confusion. “What do you mean by that?” I pressed, seeking clarity.
He lifted his gaze and we locked eyes. The smirk that played upon his lips carried a depth of knowledge, a shared secret yet to be revealed. “I'm Sir Edric's son,” he disclosed, the words landing with the weight of a thunder bolt.
Surprise seized me and a silent gasp escaped as Viktor's words settled into reality. My seat became a necessary anchor, preventing the physical manifestation of my shock from sending me tumbling to the carriage floor. “You-You’re Sir Edric’s son?” The words tumbled from me in a stutter of disbelief.
He affirmed with a simple nod, embodying the legacy of his father with quiet pride. “The one and only.”
Memories of a young Viktor filtered through my mind. He was fifteen or sixteen when his father smuggled me out of Valoria. Sir Edric often spoke about him. Viktor, the beacon of Sir Edric's life, now stood before me, a bridge to a past marred by sacrifice and separation.
“Viktor …” My voice softened, laden with the weight of unspoken apologies, a heart burdened by the price Sir Edric paid for my safety. “I'm so sorry.” The guilt, a shadow companion of mine, grew darker with the acknowledgment of his loss. Sir Edric had risked it all for me. As if I was his own daughter. Worse still, I didn’t even have an answer for why he was murdered. I couldn’t help but feel responsible.
“Your Highness?” His gentle voice made me look up athim. “You don’t owe me an apology. You did nothing wrong. I hold no resentments.” His reassurance was a balm, yet my heart wrestled with the burden of what remained unsaid.
“I know, but—”
“But nothing, Your Highness. Please.” He glanced down at his booted feet again. “I’m assuming he is no longer with us … Would you mind telling me what happened?”
“Of course.” I situated myself and recounted the story I shared with Caelan and Marcellus the first night of our journey back to Valoria.
Viktor listened intently, without becoming upset or emotional. He simply nodded with each word I spoke.
“Sir Edric was like a father to me,” I admitted. “He protected me from everything and everyone. He trained me well so I could eventually protect myself. When things got hard, he never once abandoned me. He always made sure we had a roof over our heads, and even if he went without food, he made sure I was never hungry. Sometimes we could only afford a single meal a day which we shared, but he hardly ate to make sure I had my fill. I can’t express how sorry I am that I couldn’t protect him. I owe you a debt, Viktor.”
A sad smile spread across his face as he looked up at me again. “Thank you, Your Highness. I’ve spent many years wondering, and I’m glad to finally have closure … I hope to protect you just as my father once did.”
