kalen's pov
"greetings third Don"
as they said those words with pleasant smiles on their faces as if they weren't recovering from a tragedy try as I might I couldn't help but blurt out the words
"how, how could you still smile"
my expression must have been a crazed one but they didn't even flinch at my gaze nor my expression but instead mr king, a tall slender man with platinum blonde hair tied at the back with a silver band he got as a reward for honorable service gold rimmed glasses and eyes in between scarlet and brown took a step forward and placed his hand on my shoulder and said
"look at you, I remember when you were just reaching my waist you looked so lost it was heartbreaking but it was there, that fire that drive to do the right thing in truth I was in awe, I hoped with all my heart that you'd take over our position once you were old enough but look at you, going and one upping my expectations"
his smile never dimmed and I could tell while he looked at me that this was the face of a man who was nothing but proud of the person in front of him, the way a father would look at his son, how did I know, well I got that look a lot.
His wife stepped forward as he withdrew raiseing her hand to my face, I expected a slap as she was known to be quite heavy handed but instead came a gentle brush as her palm met my face the second looked into my eyes with her blue hues curly Auburn hair cascading down her back with her cherry lips parted in a smile as she said
"we heard about what happened"
"you read the reports"
"no, well yes and we had a chat with Felix"
"....."
pin drop silence, that was all that could be heard even the beating in my chest had seemed to stop, this continued for a while before I said
"I'm sorry"
tears clouded my eyesight but I didn't look away from them because if they had heard everything from Felix then they would have know, no they would have probably known for years about what she felt for me and the fact that all of this could have been avoided if I had noticed earlier, my knees became weak but before they could drop she grabbed me and help me support myself while saying
"I didn't raise my daughter to force someone to love her"
"neither did I"
Mr king said his quirky personality coming to the surface
" I'll be honest I was shipping the two of you furiously I mean I really wanted you as a son-in-law but we can't bind you knowing how we met"
he said as he nudged his wife
"indeed"
she replied
"did we ever tell you about how we met"
I had dried my tears by this point and answered
"no you haven't"
Mr king continued
"well since thisbusnt the time or place for a long story I'll keep it brief do you know the kingdom of Appilan"
I nodded, there weren't just cities on Domeneca there were a variety of kingdoms who practiced rule by right of birth where one family reigns for eternity passing the crown to the first born regardless of how strong there are also the tribes a selection of separate and distinct cultures who rule by law of strength like the Don's only it's not necessary for the leader to hold an Arcanum, they pride themselves on being able to bridge the gap in power when battling opponents
"Sarah here was a noble of that kingdom"
I wasn't surprised, for as long as I've know her Mrs King had that air of refinement that was only possible with courtly training
"back then I was engaged to someone I didn't love but when I met Grey well my choose him so we fled the country and became mercenaries"
this story was undoubtedly much longer and even more complicated but I let it slide seeing our circumstances
"the point is we chose love for ourselves, it would be hypocritical of us to force a relationship on someone else especially if it was a young man we saw like our own child"
he said
"we can't be angry at you especially after what you did to the people who did this to her"
"don't you think my rampage was less than ethical"
"maybe"
Mr king shrugged
"but I know that apart from revenge you also wanted to make sure that kind of thing never happens to another innocent girl again, didn't you"
I nodded, i had to during all the fighting all i could think of was how she didn't deserve this how no one did sin kept fighting, fighting to stop this, this tragedy from ever repeating itself, I looked at the people who had so accurately guessed it and wanted to ask how but before I could he replied
"live with someone long enough and you begin to see through them"
indeed he did see through me like inwas nothing but a thin sheet of glass
"just promise me this"
Mrs king said
"that no matter what you will not go back on that code not because it's what right not because it's what Loraine would have wanted but because it's what you set for yourself and that is the most important part"
"I promise"
and with that they hugged me, a hug only parents could give, they would surely nurse the wounds of losing their daughter for as long as they live but for now I would do nothing but they to make them proud.
"I suppose we've kept you waiting long enough"
I said, standing at the corner of the hallway was the head of my battle maids Agnes, he stepped into view while I separated myself from the Kings and said
"Pardon me but I didn't want to interrupt"
"it's alright we were just leaving right Sarah"
"best not keep the Don on his big day"
"indeed"
Agnes said as she took a couple steps towards me and began to straighten out my battle clothes like a house wife.
"we also can't have looking anything less that immaculate on said day"
she said as if she couldn't have simply called my attention to it and let me take care of it myself but I chose to ignore it by saying
"you're right"
and taking hastened steps in order to make up for the time I've lost with Agnes taking even quicker ones to the door it was then that the bracelet she wore shown green announcing it was time, with that she opened the sound proof doors and I was immediately blasted by the blinding light of the sun and deafening roars of those who would now be my subjects
"let's get started now shall we"
unknown to me and probably anyone at the time the game had started a long time ago.