it.”
“Still,”
she answered. “I cannot give you what I do not have. I cannot love you when my
heart resides with another. I’m sorry, Mathew. I cannot be your Queen.
“Cannot?”
This time she spoke more in anger than pain. “Don’t you think I want to say
yes?” She drew a sharp breath. “What a pretty picture you paint. A Court where
we are free to rule as we see fit. A way to protect the men without the
isolation, the pain that comes with being a member of this guard? To be happy?
Believe me, Mathew, if I could give you what you ask, I would. But…you ask for
what I cannot give.
“You
by my side? Helping me to protect the people from the wrath of a Queen you
despise?”
“But
that is not what you are asking for.”
“Yes,
it is.”
“No.
You are asking for my heart, Mathew. You will be satisfied with nothing less;
nor should you be. And I have no heart to give.” She drew another deep. “If it
is any consolation, I would love you, if I could.”
“Mara,
please.”
She
offered a thin smile. “Goodbye, your Majesty.” She offered a slight bow. “May
you lead your people with the grace of the Gods and the same honor with which
you have served this guard for so long.”
That
had been the last time he had stood alone in a room with Mara. He had left the
Black Rose only days later with Regald by his side, ready to take his place as
the Captain of the Arum Court Guard after the coronation. Now, five hundred
years later, Mathew again stood at odds with the Black Rose Captain over the
same issue that had ruined his plans all those years ago. With Mara, it always
came back to Edward. The love that consumed her—which she could neither embrace
nor escape, accept nor deny. He had watched it consume her for centuries, a
flame burning through her with agonizing ferocity.
Yet,
after what happened the night the Muir Court fell and the six hundred years of
self-inflicted separation, Mathew had hoped that Mara might, at long-last, have
banished the Ciar Captain from her heart. Mathew gave a deep sigh as he reached
the door of Jayden, one of the Sub-Captains of the Arum Guard. He knocked only
once before entering to find Jayden sitting before a large desk. His bronzed
skin was far darker than the King’s. His short hair was cropped close to his
skull.
As
Mathew entered, Jayden gazed up from his paperwork and immediately stood to bow
before his sovereign. “Arise,” the King instructed, motioning for Jayden to
return to his seat before moving closer to the desk. “It’s time,” the King
stated.
Jayden
looked up uneasily at the King. “Forgive me, my King, but I would be remiss in
my duty if I did not ask…are you absolutely certain that this is the best
course of action?”
Mathew
studied the Sub-Captain and considered reprimanding him for the question, but
instead decided to offer a decisive answer. “I am absolutely certain,” he
stated, meeting Jayden’s brown eyes. “There is no other way.”
Jayden
did not question the King further, but instead gave a single nod. “As you
command, your Majesty.”
Mathew
nodded. “Let it begin.”
Chapter XVII
No
sooner had Captain Regald entered the gates of the Ciar Court Guard, then he
found the silver tip of a broadsword at the edge of his throat. “Well, look
what we have here,” Jake said to the Arum Captain.
“Jake,”
Regald said, standing as still as he could with Jake’s sword pressing lightly
against the thin skin of his throat.
“You
think you can torture the Captain of this guard, and then waltz in here like
nothing is amiss?”
“Jake,”
Regald tried again. “Listen to me. That wasn’t my doing. You know it wasn’t.
The King gave those orders himself. I didn’t even know about it until he was
being tied to the table.”
“And
yet, you stood by and did nothing. I can’t believe Mara didn’t have your head.”
“She
almost did,” he replied. “And might still yet.
“Still,”
she answered. “I cannot give you what I do not have. I cannot love you when my
heart resides with another. I’m sorry, Mathew. I cannot be your Queen.
“Cannot?”
This time she spoke more in anger than pain. “Don’t you think I want to say
yes?” She drew a sharp breath. “What a pretty picture you paint. A Court where
we are free to rule as we see fit. A way to protect the men without the
isolation, the pain that comes with being a member of this guard? To be happy?
Believe me, Mathew, if I could give you what you ask, I would. But…you ask for
what I cannot give.
“You
by my side? Helping me to protect the people from the wrath of a Queen you
despise?”
“But
that is not what you are asking for.”
“Yes,
it is.”
“No.
You are asking for my heart, Mathew. You will be satisfied with nothing less;
nor should you be. And I have no heart to give.” She drew another deep. “If it
is any consolation, I would love you, if I could.”
“Mara,
please.”
She
offered a thin smile. “Goodbye, your Majesty.” She offered a slight bow. “May
you lead your people with the grace of the Gods and the same honor with which
you have served this guard for so long.”
That
had been the last time he had stood alone in a room with Mara. He had left the
Black Rose only days later with Regald by his side, ready to take his place as
the Captain of the Arum Court Guard after the coronation. Now, five hundred
years later, Mathew again stood at odds with the Black Rose Captain over the
same issue that had ruined his plans all those years ago. With Mara, it always
came back to Edward. The love that consumed her—which she could neither embrace
nor escape, accept nor deny. He had watched it consume her for centuries, a
flame burning through her with agonizing ferocity.
Yet,
after what happened the night the Muir Court fell and the six hundred years of
self-inflicted separation, Mathew had hoped that Mara might, at long-last, have
banished the Ciar Captain from her heart. Mathew gave a deep sigh as he reached
the door of Jayden, one of the Sub-Captains of the Arum Guard. He knocked only
once before entering to find Jayden sitting before a large desk. His bronzed
skin was far darker than the King’s. His short hair was cropped close to his
skull.
As
Mathew entered, Jayden gazed up from his paperwork and immediately stood to bow
before his sovereign. “Arise,” the King instructed, motioning for Jayden to
return to his seat before moving closer to the desk. “It’s time,” the King
stated.
Jayden
looked up uneasily at the King. “Forgive me, my King, but I would be remiss in
my duty if I did not ask…are you absolutely certain that this is the best
course of action?”
Mathew
studied the Sub-Captain and considered reprimanding him for the question, but
instead decided to offer a decisive answer. “I am absolutely certain,” he
stated, meeting Jayden’s brown eyes. “There is no other way.”
Jayden
did not question the King further, but instead gave a single nod. “As you
command, your Majesty.”
Mathew
nodded. “Let it begin.”
Chapter XVII
No
sooner had Captain Regald entered the gates of the Ciar Court Guard, then he
found the silver tip of a broadsword at the edge of his throat. “Well, look
what we have here,” Jake said to the Arum Captain.
“Jake,”
Regald said, standing as still as he could with Jake’s sword pressing lightly
against the thin skin of his throat.
“You
think you can torture the Captain of this guard, and then waltz in here like
nothing is amiss?”
“Jake,”
Regald tried again. “Listen to me. That wasn’t my doing. You know it wasn’t.
The King gave those orders himself. I didn’t even know about it until he was
being tied to the table.”
“And
yet, you stood by and did nothing. I can’t believe Mara didn’t have your head.”
“She
almost did,” he replied. “And might still yet.
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