As the sun was disappearing behind the thickly wooded forest at the other end of the lake, the group made their way towards a large house.
"Welcome to Guinevere. The only house left from the grand war that our kind didn't build. Also, the last place father will send the guard to look for us."
"So the king is watching us?" Larc asked, looking in awe of the grand staircase.
"Not watching, hunting. I'm assuming he had the last gernadio with him, they sense lies. Lifting what's left of their wings when they sense one. He had an archer in the tree. Clearly not an experienced one, he would have gotten us if he wanted to. Probably just a scout, gathering intel on you."
Lucas led his company to the kitchen where he threw an apple towards each of them. Larc caught hers and began eating, while Avanth tried catching his but only bumped it letting it fall to the ground beside him.
The prince stared at Avanth, concerned. He was looking at a child, no more than eight. He clearly wasn't in fighting shape, hadn't been trained in any way, he was nothing like his sister. But maybe he'd find a way to be helpful or more likely to happen, maybe Lucas would find a way for him to be helpful.
While Avanth and Lucas chatted about skills and ways Avanth could help, Larc walked out of the kitchen. Finding her way to the first bedroom a few doors down. Pushing the double doors open, she admired the king-sized canopy bed and threw herself onto it as if it were her own. Larc was now able to see the wall on the opposite side of the room. A floral wallpaper covered the walls and was peeling in the left corner. In the middle of the room there was a white vanity and just above was an unbelievably large painting of the king and his son along with another boy who looked slightly older than him.
"I see you've found my mother's room. Nice isn't it?" Lucas walked in slowly with his hands behind his back. Larc continued to stare at the painting wondering who the other boy was. Her body stayed still but her mind raced a million miles an hour. "Spacing out again?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. It's just my brother did the same thing. You know, just sort of drift off into his own train of thought."
"Well, I'm not your brother am I?"
"You certainly aren't." Lucas sat himself down on the bed, beside Larc, a person who he was really hoping to call a friend. He never had any. Well, any real ones that is.
"Is that him?" Larc asked as she swung her arm up to point at the painting. "Your brother?"
"Yes. I was 14 and my brother was 13 when this was painted. You remind me of him."
"Why haven't I seen him before? He's royalty. Your face is plastered all over the place, why isn't his?"
"You and the questions." Lucas's face went pale and his eyes became swollen with tears he tried to hold back. Larc knew very quickly what the boy was going to say. She stared at him with a look of sympathy. He recognized the look. He was given those looks by the servants. They were the only ones who truly knew what happened to the second prince; everything else was speculation.
The prince didn't exactly know if he could get enough courage to open his mouth; to tell Larc what happened. His father made it quite clear that no one was to speak of the young prince, especially Lucas.
It took time for Lucas to turn to the girl beside him, after that even more time passed. Larc stayed by his side, remaining as patient as possible. She soon began fidgeting which Lucas paid close attention to. Once again Larc reminded him of his brother. He tried to keep his mind focused on talking to Larc. He told himself he'd count to three; it's what his brother always did.
1
2
3
"My father killed him."
Silence filled the room as Larc processed what had been said. She was in fact surprised, however, she understood. She noticed her fidgeting but had no idea of how to stop. She then saw a tear fall from Lucas's eye. She wasn't good with her own emotions, but others she was so much worse with.
"I get it. And before you say I don't, I have a sister and father."
"And?"
"My father died when I was seven. My sister too. My mom made me and Van believe that they left us. You're not the only one with a fucked up family."
Lucas was now the one having to process what was being said to him. He'd never met anyone that had a similar experience to his. That being said he had never really met many people or shared any detailed stories with them. Now seeing how much it helped him, just being able to say those four words to someone made him wish that he hadn't been born a royal. If he wasn't he'd have experienced what he was never able to before. But that's not what he was dealt. What he was dealt was a girl who seemed to be helping him extinguish the fire that was his life.