TW// Misogyny
Her people were starving, and she didn't know what to do. Both the kingdom of Lucine and Naydawin had been struggling with that problem for years. Krens could provide some of the necessary provisions, but not everything. They had ought to have allies outside of Krens and with it, steady trading routes. But they had been blocked by pirates and mostly The Rose Sparrow, despite their hidden alliance.
After the death of Sabur and Elias taking his place, they managed to secure those routes. Krens had more food than ever in hundred years. People were greedy. They thought that now that they had enough food, they were safe. That was until Elias' disappearance. Their stocks had run out in mere weeks. Everything crumbled into pieces in seconds and starvation hit harder than any previous year.
Seeing everything with her own eyes, hurt Rea even more. She needed to fix this. She needed to find Elias or come up with something else. Quickly.
Just as the sun had set and they were almost by the castle walls, two horses joined them on the path. Rea couldn't believe her eyes.
"Tivon?"
He managed a weak smile. Why are they here? Tivon and Cornelis were always occupied with so much work that they barley visited. She took a good look at Tivon. His face was covered in dread. She hated to admit it, but he looked even worse than last time she saw him. He had come to her to ask her about Elias. Till then she didn't even know he went missing.
"W-what," She stumbled on her words. "What are you doing here?"
Tivon opened her mouth to speak when Cornelis interrupted. "He needs to go inside where it's warm. And if you have some Versie flowers, make tea out of it."
Ivan moved his horse to Tivon's. "I'll escort him. There should be some Versie flowers in the garden."
Tivon followed Ivan without another word. Rea turned to Cornelis, who was just turning her mare back from where they came from. "Wait, Cornelis!" She stopped but didn't turn to face her. "What's going on? What happened? And where are you even going?"
"He had seen something." She said sharply. "We were in Rhiamon." Rea flinched at the name. "I tried to connect with the spirits when I heard him scream. He was shaking with fear or shook - I don't know. But he was terrified." She looked at Rea, her eyes frightened. "I don't know what or who he saw. I didn't want to push him, I had pushed him too much already. I thought that it was a good idea to bring him to you. He needs to rest. Maybe he will tell you about what he saw, but I wouldn't press on him." Cornelis gripped the horse's reins. "I'm going back at the village. There must have been something there."
She pulled the horse into a run before Rea could oppose. "Wait! Cornelis!"
This doesn't make any sense. Something was off about the situation. She looked towards the castle. What have you seen Tivon? Her motherly instinct kicked in. Tivon was her friend, she knew him since they were little. Rea would help him every time he got hurt and he would always tell her about his problems.
Tivon needed help now. Rea could only hope that he would tell her what he saw.
She found him in his room, a cup of tea in his hand, sitting on the side of his bed. He didn't seem to notice her at first. She slowly approached him.
"Tivon?"
He finally looked up at her. Tivon managed a wry smile. He looks so tired. Rea just wanted to pull him in his arms.
"Sorry for coming here out of a sudden."
"No, no, it's okay." She came to him and sat beside. "Gosh, you are always welcomed here."
"Thank you." His voice was low, barely audible.
He looked back at the ground and Rea just stared at him in silence. "Tivon?" She took his hand. "Is everything okay?"
He didn't look at her. "Mhmm."
"You know you can tell me."
"I know." Tivon squeezed her hand and looked at her. "I'm just tired."
Rea tried to read his face. She always seemed to find something there. But this time, she couldn't figure it out. "Is he still-"
"Yeah." He nodded. "He's still missing."
Rea stroked Tivon's hand as she nodded. She didn't know what to say. None of her words could comfort him. The only thing she could do, was stay beside him.
"Do you want me to stay with you for the night?" Rea asked softly.
"Please."
It was like the old days, the nights when none of them could shut their eyes. One would always sneak in the others room. They would tell each other stories using the candlelight to make shapes with their hands, shadows reflecting on the ceiling. They would comfort each other through those nights, till one of them fell asleep.
They wouldn't fall asleep tonight. Rea figured Tivon couldn't, even though he was tired, and she was used to staying awake the whole night. Rea thought that Tivon might have fallen asleep until he spoke. "Have you heard anything from him?"
She turned her head to him. "Elias? No, nothing." He just nodded like he was expecting for those words to leave Rea's mouth. "I'm sorry." Said Rea with a hoarse voice.
"Don't be. You can't do anything about it."
"I can always send more troops out. Send some on land-"
He looked at her. "You've already done that."
She had. As soon as she got the words that he was missing she sent troops to look for him. None of her ships had found him or any traces of The Rose Sparrow. Well, all those ships that managed to come back. The more ships she sent out, the less came back to the kingdom. She didn't want to tell Tivon that.
"I just want to find him. I could never imagine how hard it must be for you." Rea looked at him. "I promise I will find him. I can't bear to see you so sad and worried all the time."
"I'm sorry." He whispered.
"Don't be. It's okay to feel what you feel. You are hurt, you have all rights to be hurt and feel what you feel."
Tivon tangled his fingers into Rea's hand, which was answer enough for Rea. The sun started creeping in through the window as they lay in silence.
"Can I go to the village?"
Rea hesitated. She would have said yes if it weren't for the exact village, he wanted to go in. Yarrin and its people were devoted to Urien. When Tivon gave the kingdom to Rea, they had protested against her. It was safe to say that the village hated her. Because of that, they despised Tivon too.
But who was Rea to stop him? She couldn't just tell him no and the idea of her coming along wasn't good either. She stayed away from the village as much as she possibly could.
"You don't need to ask for my permission Tivon." She said finally. "Yes, I may almost be a Queen, but you don't need to ask me."
"Do you want to come along?"
"Do I need to?"
"No. I was going to ask you if I could go alone." He looked at her and frowned. "Sorry if I got your hopes up."
"No, no. It's okay." She looked at the ceiling and sighed. "Just be safe. Okay?"
Tivon smiled and nodded. He sat up and took his coat. Before he left the room he turned around and spoke. "I'll be back for lunch."
Rea smiled as Tivon closed the door. She laid down and looked up at the ceiling. He's just not the same. It could be because of what happened to him – whatever did happen to him.
He needs Elias back. At least he needed to know if he's safe. Rea sighed and closed her eyes. She wanted so desperately to help him, yet she didn't know how. She already did all she could.
Her eyes suddenly opened. There was one person who might know where Elias could be. Rea hated the thought, but she needed to try. She sat up and headed to the prison cells. If she gives away just a tiny bit of useful information, it will be worth it. At least Rea hoped it would.
Just the look of her irritated Rea to the point that she wanted to leave. She was already annoyed that she had much more stuff than a prisoner should have. She was facing her back towards Rea, smoking her cigarette.
"What kind of festivity must you have, that I am honoured enough to get a visit from the Queen." She turned around to face her. Rea must've had the most angered face on her because Luana grin winded. "Oh, my apologies. A Queen to be."
Rea didn't have time for chatting. If she needed to be here, she would get straight to the point. "Where is Elias?"
"Elias?" She turned around. "How should I know? Did poor marily went missing?"
"Yes."
Luana flinched. She slowly turned around, her green eyes fixed on Rea. "Did he now?"
"Just tell me where he is!"
Luana stepped closer to the bars. "Look princess. I don't know." She gestured around the cell. "I've been stuck here for almost two years." She inhaled. "Or it could be more. I don't remember."
She puffed the smoke in her face.
She's mocking me. She knows something. "I know he paid you a visit. You know something." The guards had told her so. Rea wasn't sure what Elias was looking for here, but he wouldn't just come here for nothing.
"He did pay me a visit, what a generous boy."
"Spit it out Luana!"
Luana was taken aback. "Calm down, marily. He came here to ask me about a ship with blue sails."
"And?"
She shrugged and leaned against the cold stone wall. "Don't know it." She looked up at Rea. »Look marily, I don't know where he is." Rea turned around, fuming with anger. "But if you find him, tell him I miss him."
"Shut up..." Rea said quietly.
"Maybe he did listen to me. I said that boy was making him weak. Maybe he finally realized-"
Rea reached into the cell, grabbed her collar, and shouted. "Shut up!"
Luana didn't flinch. She only smiled and waved her bad hand. "You don't want to hurt me." She leaned forward. "They won't be happy."
Rea shoved her away as Luana laughed. She turned on her heels to leave.
"You can send me to find him. I'm pretty good at that and I know how to handle a bunch of people."
Rea looked over her shoulder. "I would never. And how could you know how to handle people."
Luana smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Honey, I have over a thousand pleasure houses inside and outside of Krens."
"That's not the same." Hissed Rea.
Her eyes glimmered. "Isn't it though?"
That was enough. Rea had enough. If she stayed here with this dire woman for even a second more, she would've lost her mind. She started heading out.
"I'm glad I put the knife through your hand."
She smiled viciously. "You will regret it, princess. One day-"
Rea slammed the door shut so even the guards jumped. As she walked back to the castle, she could hear Luana's malevolent laugh rumbling through the walls of the prison tunnels.