Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Gwenn

I came back to the palace to see Arius pacing round just outside the gate, I was not in the mood for whatever he wanted.

“Husband alert. I heard you punched him when you came around the first time and this morning, you slapped him.”

“Really? You heard already?” I cringed at what the people who had not seen me will think of me who always hit their king.

“The news is everywhere, people are already thinking of you as a queen who does not take nonsense and that is a good thing in my book.” Sorian added.

“This was not the impression I wanted to have…” I said but Sorian shook his head.

“It should be, but can you try and do any of those things now, I want to tell people that I had a first-hand experience of seeing you put the king in his place.” Sorian said.

“He is standing right in front of you.” Sorens tell his brother who raised an eyebrow at him?

“So? Can you Gwenn?” He asked as Sorens inhaled a loud breathe.

“I don’t even have anything to say about him.” Sorens mumbled as I smiled.

Their relationship was fun to watch.

“Gwenn.” Arius breathed a sigh of relief at seeing me.

“Is everything alright?” I asked him, this was not the Arius I was used to seeing. This one wore a worried expression on his face, his brows joined together.

“You are with both of them?” He asked.

“I thought you would be happy that me and Sorens were not alone.” I said a little bit peeved at Arius, he was acting weird, seriously weird and he has only talked twice.

“I am happy about that but have you heard anything yet?” He asked cautiously as I raised my eyebrow.

“No, nothing yet.” I answered coolly as I crossed my hand across my chest. “What did you do this time, your majesty?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He answered, looking at Sorens and Sorian a little too long.

“You are fidgeting Arius. Is there something I should know about?” I asked again sensing that there was something important going on that he was not letting me know about yet.”

“There is nothing.” He answered. “Hopefully, it will already being taken care of and you will not have to hear about it.”

“Sorian?” He called and that was even weirder. What would he need Sorian for? If he needed to warn anybody off, it will be Sorens.

“Yes your majesty?” Sorian stepped forward.

“Come with me, we have some important topic to talk about.” Arius said as he put his hand on Sorian shoulder and led him away. Arius was not a touchy feely person

Something was definitely off.

*******

Flicking the whip at a dummy some meters away, repeated the hits, left and right. Over and over again.

“You are really good with a whip, even more so than you are with a sword.” Sorens said stepping behind me, into my personal space and breathing down on my neck.

I tilted my head up to look at him with an unspoken question.

“I am sorry, My queen.” Sorens apologized and although his apology felt genuine, his used of the title queen, felt more like an endearment. I was not so comfortable with it.

“Queen Gwenn.” Someone called from the top of the steps that opened to the large rectangular space which was used as a sparring ground of the royals. A mini fighting ground of sort but then again, nothing about Northshore was mini or small. The place which they called a village was so wide spread that it was nothing short of a town.

I turned towards the steps to see Kastav, the king immediate younger brother, the enemy present.

“Yes?’ I asked.

“The council would require your presence in their chambers, they are already there and they are waiting. I am sure that you know the place and even if you don’t, the man who stands so close behind you who doesn’t have that right to will know of the place and he can escort you there.” Kastav said raising his eyebrow.

“Come on, you cannot start acting like you are all righteous now, you were here when Arius and Faye started whatever they do and you never said anything then so I don’t see why you should mention anything about what is going on now.” I tell Kastav waiting to see what he would say instead he just nodded his head.

“I guess that I deserve those words. And it would be better this way, you would not be so hurt anymore.” He nodded.

“Hurt?” I asked confused. “Who said anything about me being hurt?”

“The council is waiting for you, they don’t like it when people keep them waiting.” Was all he replied with, continuing on his merry way like he did not leave without making a single sense except the council wanting to see me.

“What would that be about?” I asked Soren who shrugged.

“You are supposed to be one of the council members, currently the council is just eleven including the king but when the queen is around, the council becomes the council of twelve where some of the members are also kingmakers.”

“Okay so why would they asked to see me like I am in trouble or something. They cannot punish me for hitting Arius, he deserves it and they know it just like they know that they should not interfere in issues that concerns a husband and a wife.”

“You are sounding defensive. There is no reason for you to sound that way, you will be fine beside it could be that all they want to do is to welcome you to their fold and tell you which meeting days to attend and the likes, nothing else okay?” Sorens reassured me as I nodded. He was probably right, there was no reason why I should be worried.

I followed Sorens as he led me to the council chambers but I didn’t bother to pay attention or even pretend like it, Sorens knew that even after my words, I was still worried. If they were going to welcome me, I needed to leave a good impression. I wanted these people to like me and not make things difficult for me.

We got to the council hall to only to hear raised voices.

“She can’t be.” Arius yelled.

“Well she is your majesty, everybody knows. You did this and now you have to face the consequences, I hope Gwenn gets to flay you well with her new whip.” Isolde spat out angrily, I exchanged a confused look with Sorens.

“At least, King Arius look at it this way, it is a good news both for you and for your reign.”

I walked in with Sorens on my tails as the hall went silent suddenly, Faye and Kastav stood to the side while the whole council was facing Arius who was looking red in the face and when they turned to look at me, some didn’t meet my eyes while some were looking at me with glee. One of the people who couldn’t look at me was my husband who was staring on the floor.

“Is there nothing which you guys don’t know?” I asked Isolde, one of those who would not look at me.

“You have wrapped that whip around your waist for the longest time since you got it. Everybody knew.” She shrugged.

“Okay, since everybody knows about my whip of less than a day, who wants to fill me about what is going on now, I do not have the same nosy skills as all Northshorians do?” I asked just as Isolde turned her face away.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“Gwenn.” Arius licks his lips, “I am so sorry.”

My frown just went deeper.

“Faye is pregnant for his child.” Kastav said. “There, it is done and now we don’t need the breakable silence anymore.”

I felt the world shift on its axis as the carpet got pulled from under my feet.