They deserve it all.

Chapter 24

"Ready?" Larien asks me.

I nod and asked to get on the Criel, which is practically a humongous frog which can zip zap around, it's the fastest teleportation we have. I could also use a gate or a portal, but that takes a lot of energy and I'd still have to walk a bunch as every castle is protected from miles and kilometers away, so this is much better.

I position myself upright and wave to my father. I find myself smiling, slightly, but smiling with a shy wave of my hand. And he smiles back, and then stops and just looks at me as I ride off. I rip my eyes off of him to look in front of me, tears welling up in my eyes because of all the wind ... or maybe because of him. I don't know, I just follow Larien out with all the Guards around me, also on Criels, also out to the Grand Castle of The Seagrave Kingdom.

"What are you doing here?!"

"Don't—"

"No ... way! You're stalking me!"

"I'm not stalking you, I just ... I missed you."

"A stalker and a liar, good on both sides and a nice addition to the list."

"So there's a list." I push Elliot aside and away from me, my make-up might be waterproof and smudge proof, but I can't risk him seeing anything at all, no texture or cakeyness or whatever, especially if he gets so close. "But yeah, I'm here for your brother."

"Alistair? I thought you hated him?"

"Not Alistair, it's Elias I have business with."

He scoffs. "You hate him too."

"I guess I hate all of you."

"Wow ..." He says softly with his hands on his heart. "I feel so special."

2 giant doors open for me and I walk in the Halls I walked so many times before, except there are more portraits now. I don't see Alistair or Elliot, just their mother with their father and Elias on one portrait, his mother on one and Elias on another, all of them in a row, just standing there so diligently, waiting, begging, for my eyes to divert from one to other to the next to first and back to the second again.

When I reach the second floor, I am greeted by Elias. He forces a smile and so do I before the door behind him opens. I wait for him to walk, but instead he tilts his head slowly, his eyes traveling over me.

"Maybe it is a better plan for you to rest for a bit, to talk later this evening, I had only awoken to find out you were on your way here, though surely you understand—"

I smile again, and push him aside to waltz in the throne room, the room with not just the throne but also the different Royal robes and crowns, his practical study and maybe a few intimate things as well.

He follows with a frustrated groan and closes the door behind us with a bang.

"I'll be quick. No need for me to be stuck here so long."

He sighs and sits behind his desk, on his big chair made out of stone and silver, water flowing around it. "Why? Can't stand this place?" He says with a cocky tone.

"My company would be like small thorns on a chair. You know they're there, you know they won't kill you, it'll sting a bit and hurt for the moments after, but you wouldn't freely sit on that chair, not unless you're forced to, and I am not. So, instead I'll do what I came to do and leave."

"Fine," he says, "though I must ask who that man accompanying you was?"

"Larien?" I ask him. "That is my main servant, born like any other."

He throws his hand in the air, signing to something. "But wouldn't that usually be an older and more experienced person, someone who can take care of the future Queen when she herself cannot."