"Bram, assist Ella with moving her room to the quarters next to mine. Orien, follow me. We're going to visit His Majesty. Everyone else—dismissed."
According to Maera, the king had final say over my impulsive decision. Orien's support would help... but it might not be enough.
The room tensed. Still, once Orien rose to follow, the others bowed and left. Maera lingered a moment, casting a long, unreadable look at Orien before turning away.
As we walked toward my father's study, I glanced at him.
"Why did you accept, Orien? Aren't you the captain of the guard?"
"Regretting the decision already, my prince?" he asked, far too cheerful.
"No. I just didn't expect it to be so... easy."
"That's surprising. I am in charge of palace security, and yet you were nearly killed."
"Don't you think you'd be better off atoning as captain?"
"Honestly, I half-expected to atone with my head. But no. I'm a knight. I was only made captain as a symbol. Maera was already running the important things—she just needed my sign-off often enough that I ended up causing her more trouble than I was worth."
As much as that made sense, I didn't miss the phrasing.
"You were made captain as a symbol. And I just took away the nation's symbol."
"Indeed you did." Orien clapped me on the back with a grin. "But don't fret—it'll turn out okay."
I didn't trust that smile.
We reached the king's study. This late in the day, he wouldn't be in the throne room. The guards outside didn't even look at us.
Before I could knock, the command came.
"Come in."
Measured. Controlled. Not angry enough to lose composure. That was good.
We stepped inside, and the moment the door shut, the full weight of the king's Birthright crashed down on us, dropping both Orien and me to our knees.
Thalia's power was impressive. This... was on another level. It didn't wrap around me—it ripped mine away. Even thinking of resisting made my blood run cold.
Still, I managed to part it just enough to breathe, though I dared not lift my head.
"You must've suffered a grievous wound to your faculties, Darian. You dared to claim what is mine."
"I—I simply claimed what I was owed, Father." The words scraped out through clenched teeth.
"You believe you were owed what is mine," his voice rang through my skull. "Your arrogance speaks louder than reason."
The air turned sharp with the scent of death. I'd known this was risky, but this level of fury?
"Your Majesty," Orien gasped. "I beseech you."
"We will speak of your disgrace, Orien! You foolishly gave your honor to this child! Only his death could sever that bond! Even then, the stench would cling to you forever!"
Wait, did I just sign up to die?
"It is not foolish! You know I'm not fit for command. That's why you allowed Maera to handle things! That's why you allowed me to train my prince in the first place!"
I blinked. He asked to train me?
"I let you play teacher because it served a purpose. This madness does not. Your prince cannot hold you."
Orien was trembling now, face flushed, breath ragged. The king was pushing him to the edge—and Orien wouldn't dare push back.
"Why, Father?" I forced myself to my feet. "What makes me unworthy? Mirelle holds the tower. Thalia commands the military. Alric rules the nobility. I ask for a pittance."
I raised my eyes to meet his. And for the briefest second... he flinched. Barely. But I caught the shift in his breath. The fear behind the eyes.
"Orien is different. He's the kingdom's strongest. Only Duke Ilysera Solinar rivals him—and he's not done growing."
But the shift had happened. He was negotiating now.
"He's still all those things under me."
"You are to be married to Auremath."
I stiffened. So, I was being sent. It made me want Orien all the more, though I saw the issue in taking him away.
"Then I'll return him to your service before I leave." He would grant me more freedom now, even if I couldn't take him with me.
The king let up on the pressure and finally sat. He slumped slightly, then caught himself.
"It's not so simple. He has sworn himself to you. That vow cannot be cast aside."
He made the damn vow in a moment of drama.
"You speak of throwing away my honor too easily, my prince." Orien said with a tone in his voice that I wasn't used to. I turned to look at his flush face and found him staring at me, angry and hurt.
He made the thing so easily that I hadn't thought it would be a big deal to walk it back. Maybe he put more thought into it than I believed.
"I apologize, Orien. I merely wished to find a middle ground that would cause the least amount of complications." I gave a bow.
"Please keep in mind the weight of this vow for the future." Orien was still on edge, but the apology seemed to relax him a moment.
"And so we are back where we began. I will hear your other ideas." The king let out, annoyance breaking into his tone.
I didn't have another one. Not a single clue how vows worked in this place. I looked at Orien, hoping for a lifeline.
"Could His Highness not bring the Princess of Auremath here instead?" Orien offered. "If he swears fealty to Prince Alric at the right time, it should be no issue."
"No. Changing the terms of Thalia's arrangement would be... unwise. Not for this."
I glanced at Orien. Then back at the king. I needed a loophole for this stupid vow.
The vow could only be broken in death... only broken if Prince Darian is not around.
"What if I take on Princess Thalindra's name?"
The king's brow twitched. Orien looked stunned.
"He swore to Prince Darian Serathorne," I continued. "Without a Prince Darian Serathorne around, would that vow no longer be valid? I don't mean to continue and throw away your honor, Orien. I mean it as a last resort."
It was flimsy. Desperate. But maybe...
The king rubbed his chin. "It could work. But would you truly accept that?"
No idea, but the fact that this was the first time he asked me anything gave me pause. Not that I have much attachment to my name. In fact, I really hope to be out of here before this would even happen.
"If there's no better option."
The silence that followed wasn't approval but consideration.
After a beat, he nodded. "Orien, you are dismissed. This is not over—but I must speak with Darian alone."
Orien bowed, shot me an unreadable look, and left.
The room fell silent.
"Come to me... my son."
He stood by the window, awash in twilight. He looked tired.
I stepped beside him.
"You have... changed."
My heart thundered.
"Nearly dying forced me to reevaluate things." I tried to sound steady. It came out thin.
He didn't respond immediately. Just stared outside.
"You should return to keeping your head down, as you've done this past week."
What?
That was not what I expected. I wasn't just quietly surviving—I'd nearly been killed.
"That will be... difficult," I said, straining to hide the anger that consumed fear.
The king sighed. "It's for your own good. Your birth was a mistake. It will not be forgotten. Make noise, and you'll invite worse."
"I fail to see how it gets worse than being killed, Father."
He turned, eyes hard. "Then you fail to grasp the wrath this world can offer."
He returned to his seat.
"You have a destiny. As all royals do." He paused, then added, "Return to your chambers. You've gotten what you wanted. Don't slack in your duties."
I left without bowing.
Orien was waiting outside. He looked as if he had more to say, but chose not to press the matter. He fell in behind me as we walked in silence.
A mistake. What a piece of shit.
No wonder this kid was so broken. And that woman in the vision—violet hair, royal bearing.
Whore's blood.
Was I a bastard? The child of some illicit affair he couldn't help but have?
You ungrateful thing.
You couldn't be my child.
If only...
Memories surged. I pushed them down, focusing on something—anything—else.
My mind move to the king's fear. Mirelle had said she didn't want to kill her siblings—because I could cut through Birthrights. I hadn't even meant to stand against him, I was too caught up in the moment... but he had feared me.
So why not kill me? It would be easy for him.
Before I knew it, I was at the training grounds. The moon was full and glowing blue. Clouds traveled across it's surface.
The moon has an ocean and an atmosphere. I stared, forgetting to breathe.
Orien stepped beside me. "Beautiful night."
"I suppose so."
He walked away for a moment. Returned with two wooden swords.
"You've been slacking, my prince."
I looked at the sword. Then smiled.
"That I have."