The door slammed open as a guard walked in. The trio turned around, startled.
"Your Majesty, sorry to intrude, the people are gathered at the castle gate. They demand your presence" The guard announced.
"Let them inside the court, I'll be there shortly," she declared, picking up the torn parchment that had fallen. The guard bowed and closed the door behind him.
"I know what to do now"—she said, delivering a candid look at her consolers,—"come with me."
They took a short glimpse at each other and followed her out. When she was out of her chamber she sauntered hurriedly towards the courtyard, Irene and Cameron followed her closely behind with their hands locked together.
"I've missed you," she muttered, looking up at him.
"Me too," he smiled mildly, grasping tight her hands. The atmosphere between them was altered by the situation at hand.
"Mother!" Rufus' voice chimed across the portico leading to the courtyard. The group stopped in their tracks and saw Rufus flouncing toward them.
"Can I know what's going on, Mother?" He rolled his eyes at Cameron and blurted. "You are back!"
Cameron threw a mild smile and mumbled nothing.
"I can hear the sounds of victory outside the castle gate," he continued, looking back at his mother, "I knew you were all stressed about father, but he's back!"
Valeria stared at her son's green eyes with fear, her lips trembled as it debates on what to say. He gazed at the three, noticing the awkward silence between them,
"What's going on?" His voice calmed. Cameron followed her closely behind with their hands locked together.
"I've missed you," she muttered, looking up at him.
"Me too," he smiled mildly, grasping tight her hands. The atmosphere between them was altered by the situation at hand.
"Mother!" Rufus' voice chimed across the portico leading to the courtyard. The group stopped in their tracks and saw Rufus flouncing toward them.
"Can I know what's going on, Mother?" He rolled his eyes at Cameron and blurted. "You are back!"
Cameron threw a mild smile and mumbled nothing.
"I can hear the sounds of victory outside the castle gate," he continued, looking back at his mother, "I knew you were all stressed about father, but he's back!"
Valeria stared at her son's green eyes with fear, her lips trembled as it debates what to say. He gazed at the three, noticing the awkward silence between them,
"What's going on?" His voice calmed.
Cameron sighed as he moved closer to him,
"It's no sound of victory, we lost to our enemy, and we also lost your father."
The boy gulped, his face grew pale, and tears threatened to fall.
"What?" He whimpered, "No way, it's not supposed to be so"
Valeria bit her lip holding back her tears, she looked at him and took a step forward. It's horror, to see her boy mourn, she put her hand on his face, caressing it with her thumb, but she still could not utter a word. The boy pulled back, puffing, and ran out of their face.
Tears fell from her eyes as she watched him leave, she clenched her fist tight and began to utter threats,
"I swear I will hunt Naevus down, I shall have his head on a spike and feed his body to the crows, for this pain he had caused me he shall never know peace!!!"
Irene and Cameron shared a worried glance as she started walking away crying. As soon as she left, they followed without uttering a word.
***
The buzzing noise of the prying crowd was becoming audible as Valeria walked her way up the pylon. There were torches lit around, bringing luminance all over the court. As soon as she was near the top, she heard the voices. It was a mixture of the common people, nobles, and soldiers that surrounded her.
"The Queen should have come out to meet us" someone was saying,
"Yes, she should, we need to know what happened to our noble soldiers" Someone agreed.
Valeria took a slow deep breath, trying to calm herself before addressing the audience. The crowd became silent, and all attention fell on her as she approached the throne and gave her usual greeting of welcome and praise
"Thank you. The rumour you heard is true, our men, husbands, fathers, and sons who set out to protect our kingdom from the Ronans were all taken from us" she paused and exhaled "Your King, my husband was also taken from us".
There were murmurs among the crowd, she turned her head toward Cameron and Irene, they wore a sympathetic look but threw an approving nod at her. She turned back, raising her hands to the crowd and clearing her throat. The chattering subsided as she proceeds to speak.