Chapter 16

After mid-day of saving Asena I wanted some time to myself and for the rest of the day I found myself in the chamber alone with my thoughts. I was asked for the dinner but I did not have the appetite to I ended up falling asleep on my work chair with wires and metal band and precious stones scattered on the table before me.

The following morning when I woke up my neck stiff and sprained and my hand which rested beneath my head whole night went numb.

I straightened up but before I could move more there was a shocking pain that invaded my body. And for good minutes I made myself able to move again.

At the breakfast I was seated with Cora next to me on my left and Lydia sat across me. She looked weak and stressed.

It had been days since I had sat at a table for a peaceful platter of food. The last time it happened was before I left with Blaze and Asena in search of the rose.

The rose that seemed to be bounded with my death but my brother was unaware of it. Cora volunteered to put food in my platter while my gaze fell on the chocolate fountain in the middle of the table. It reminded me of Asena. Everything reminded me of her. My ever movement included her. She had been so barged in to my life that it was impossible doing something without thinking of her.

Once I was done with the food I went to dress up for hunting. It had always been one thing that cleared my mind but today I wished to ride alone. Without any guards, this could not happen since I would not like to take Asena or should I say Eloise.

A warrior never lied but she did. The news of her being a Queen had fled so quick how come Arthur did not know about it?

Sitting on the bed I pulled the boots up my lower leg and once I was done I carried the bow.

Before leaving, Cora insisted I take her with me and honestly it was hard to tell her that I was better off alone since nobody ever said no to her even me. But I had learned to say that word I never did.

I liked it or not Asena taught me to live for myself even if it meant killing the people close to you so you could get what you deserved.

I walked between the long grasses that reached my elbow. And I doubted I came here for a hunt. Two deer's ran past me but I did not bother to raise my bow.

I ran my fingers through my hairs in frustration and rage. Why did I ever open up to her. I had this feeling that she knew more about me before I even told her. She might have done a background check on me.

Ahead of me the grass laid flat on the ground unevenly. I paced forward and it was her. Naked.

Before I did a second check if it was really her I removed my cloak and covered her with it. Her mouth stained with blood, crimson dried on her teeth and her fingers tainted too.

She had dark circles beneath her eyes.

"Asena." I stroked her hairs away from her face. She was stunning. Her perfectly balance features, her skin was a shade of pale. I doubted she had sprouted her blood.

I wrapped the cloak around her carefully lifting her in my arms as I walked back to the camp. I laid her on the bedding.

I stood up pouring a glass of water as I sprinkled it on her face.

"Bring me a towel." I demanded as a maid ran off to fetch it.

"Asena." I called again hoping she'd wakeup. My fingers reached her neck to check the pulse. It was fine.

I squeezed the towel in the bowl as I wiped the blood of her face.

"I killed her, no I did not do it." She started shaking. "I did not do it." Tears escaped her closed eyes. She shuddered as she arched her body, hugging her knees. "What do I do, mother?" I cupped her cheek and her eyes slightly opened.

"Don't touch me." her voice wavered.

"You saved me before, that is at least what I can do." My voice hushed, only for her to hear.

"KERES, PLEASE." She sat up. Taking my hand away. There was fear in her words.

"I'll ask the maid to bring you my clothes, cover yourself up." I stood up my back facing her. I did not want her to see how her touch and her words still affected me.

"I won't wear your clothes." She confessed.

"You are, the cloth on your body belongs to me." I turned to look at her.

"You can take it back then."

"I won't want you seen by the others to how beautiful you are." I thought I thought it. But I had spoken it. "You are naked. Will you not be weird walking around with no clothes." I said

And her expression where worth seeing.

"I don't wear what have worn by others." I added walking out the camp.

Next, she came out wearing my clothes. She had managed to pull that clothing off. I averted my eyes from her and I bet she had caught me staring at her.

She walked in my big boots which was kind of funny since she was literally dragging them with her.

"What?" she looked annoyed.

"I still intend to stay here for the hunt. You can leave if you want." I told her and her reply amazed me.

"I promised Arthur I'd stay till your wedding."

"So you heard about it?"

"Yes."

"I thought you were not good at keeping promises."

"Did I ever promised you something?" she asked me.

"No."

"Then keep your mouth shut." I grabbed her wrist, stopping her to face me.

"I never gave you the right to speak to me like that, if I'm being good that never meant your behavior like this." I stared in her eyes. Dead serious with anger boiling in me.

"Too bad we are not demons but when we go badly we become devil." I stated with my eyes still on her,

"If you are the devil then I'm the hell, KERES." She jerked her hand away.

We returned to the castle without any prey, I entered the gate and before me stood Cora. Waiting for me. I realized. Her eyes moved to Asena who stood behind me, wearing my clothes.

Her gaze met mine again with questions hanging in the air. Tears dwelled in her eyes. I had no reason to give her explanation but I had agreed to marry her. She had right to know it. I ran behind her and caught her midways. My hand gripped her forearm as she turned to face me, single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Cora. Look at me." I held her face to turn to me. "Do you trust me?" I asked her.

"That's what I've been doing Keres. God sake for how long, I don't remember."

"And if I say its noting like it looks will you believe me?"

She nodded her head in agreement. "Of course." I wiped her tear away and embraced her in a tight hug. Pulling away I spoke.

"I made a couple of designs for your crown, It would be better if you'd choose which of then you'd like to wear on our wedding." Her face lit up, never thought it was that easy to make a girl smile.

Rest of the day we spent in my chamber, I twirled the delicate wire around the structure I made for the head wear. I added ruby in the middle small following the design. I asked Cora what she wanted to wear for her wedding and she preferred white gown with red roses.

She sat before me turning the page of one of my books that I knew would not be her liking. But she managed and I believed she did the practice of becoming my bride.

"Have you read all of them?" she asked gazing the wall sized shelf behind me which was loaded with books.

"Why does she stay here?" Cora asked out of curiosity.

"You don't seem to get along with her." obviously I answered in my head.

"It's not my place to speak badly of her. She is just like a women doing men work."

"Why do you say that?" I asked as I put another bead in to the gold wire.

"Women are supposed to look lovely and delicate." Before she could complete someone barged in and who else did I expect? Blaze.

I was happy to see him but he did not look delighted. He was bothered.

"Cora. I'll… go to your room." I did not know what else to say. Because it did not look the best time to let her stay.

The door clicked behind blaze and he started.

"Are you okay? Did she hurt you? No you don't look fine to me. I must call the physician." He was about to leave when I held him back.

"You are absolutely not fine." He added.

"I am. See there is nothing wrong with me." He looked at me all suspicious.

"You know Eloise identity?" it was more than a statement than a question.

"Hmm."

"What is hmm? I asked you something?"

"I know." I gazed out of the window.

"You don't care?"

"no." lies. Total lies. Someone ask me how much It did not matter. It mattered the world to me. Lies following another deception that was all what my life was about. On how many lies was I supposed to tell others that it mattered? He did not know that my mother was alive and that my father was the king of snakes and that I am the true heir of the cursed land.

What else? That my death would mean awakening of Ambra and the rose of immortality which the wolven queen needed to awake her mother.

That was it and all my life was for now was stopping her from what she needed. I could not die because that was exactly what she needed. Id destroy her at the moment where shed not even notice her fall.

I wanted to fail her so bad. But I awaited the right moment to make the move. I learnt one thing from all of the problems above that I was not to trust anyone not even him. It broke my heart to do so since he had known me my entire life he was my best friend. But there was my mother too who gave me birth and my father and the brother. What did they do to me? They were the reason I stood there. Shattered like a glass that was gathered to dump in to the garbage.

A silent cry without tears. That was all left of me. If it meant even a little happiness with Cora I was ready to take the risk.

"Who are you kidding?" I didn't need to reply because he already knew the answer. "Keres." He stopped me from taking a step forward, away from him.

"I don't trust you?" I shouted. Wrong, what did I do? This was not supposed to happen but he kept on pushing the idea of me spilling out. "Because every other person I seem to trust just comes out wrong. My mother my father they all proved me wrong. Made me realize that I was the one who did bad trusting them."

I did not know what he thought of me at the moment because the truth was I could not distant myself from my best friend even after all those deceptions. He embraced me in a hug, one that meant I will be there for you no matter what.

"You know you can tell me, Keres." He moved away from me.

"I know." The words were half afraid to let out in the air, to be heard by someone else. But I knew I could not hold the secret any longer. I had been telling everyone that I was fine but he, he just made me want to speak the truth.

"My mother, she is not dead." I averted my eyes from him.

"then?" he asked, making it difficult for me to carry on with the piece of information I had been keeping from a while now- actually very long time- before Asena practically dumped me.

"You remember how I got the scar on my brow during the blood valley battle and the only thing I remembered was my mother trying to save me from those wolven but somehow it was only me there when they attacked me because the snakes had taken my mother away because they could not afford… they could not afford to lose their queen too." Our gaze connected.

"Their queen."

"Blaze, my father wasn't a merchant. He was the cursed king. That means…"

"That means that you are the true heir of the cursed kingdom. You are a snake." I nodded as he finished the information.

"Right." I replied.

"Maybe that is why the snake queen never made an appearance in front of her people or someone from other land. The reason she had the marriage."

"And Brenna is my half-sister." I added. It was hard to accept the truth aloud.

"Your mother does not know. So this war was for nothing. You can't marry the snake princess." Blaze pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Yes." I nodded.

"It has ended now you don't need to worry about the war. But I can't say the same for the news about your mother and father. By the way does your brother know about it?" blaze asked.

"No, he must not. Not now."

"And are you sure about Cora?"

"Why do you ask?" I doubted his intentions

"Keres, we have grew up together."

"I know that. You don't need to remind me." I complained

"And I know you never loved her."

"That's the least thing I'll ever get in my life. And I am expected to die miserably which comes out I could have few years being happy." I could see in his eyes that he believed what I said. And there was no way out.

Blaze was about to inquire something else when Cora barged in. he looked hesitant and I indicated him to keep the quite with my eyes and he nodded in reply.

"I must leave then, Keres. Good seeing you Cora." He looked back at me before he left.

"Keres, can we do something fun, a remembrance for our love. Then we will get married. Things won't stay the same." Her hand held mine while she move it casually.

"What is it?" I asked, sitting on the table just behind me.

"We should try a picnic. Just the two of us. Obviously in the castle since Arthur won't allow you to leave without the guards?" that was thoughtful of her and honestly if I wanted to be happy with her I'd had to get to know her, the other way around. As in a romantic relation.

"We will get to know each other more. And I wish you don't see me as your sister anymore."

"Of course, Cora." I cupped her face in my hands. The hue of her irises soft brown.

"Tomorrow, at noon." She submitted. And left, I let her leave. I had no intentions of holding her back, no. Not now. I wanted to relax. So much had happened today and I needed to accept it.

At the dinner I sat before the queen, she looked happy but tired. And her gaze consciously moved to her husband who looked tense.

Her hand reached his and gave it a little squeeze. Arthurs gaze fled to her wife and a sad smile played on his lips.

"Are you alright?" Lydia asked him and he nodded in response.

I did not expect a conversation out of blue.

"I am happy you agreed to the marriage, Keres." I stared at the queen with surprise.

"Yeah, I did not believe it at first too." Arthur added.

"Sometimes life gives you turn that make you realize how important some people are. It better you embrace them before you lose them."

Arthur stopped his wife from putting the roast in her platter. I understood why and it was kind of cute how despite all that had happened lately he still managed to care for her.

"There is a lot of preparation to do for your marriage prince Keres, do you mind helping me."

"Your idea won't differ from that of the princess consort." I replied with a smile on my face. "For the upcoming days my time will be all yours." I pushed the platter away and removed the handkerchief dumping it beside the platter as I took my leave.