Chapter Six

  Part Two

  He was sitting in his mother’s carriage, her carriage was bigger than his. So various types of snacks and beverages were packaged neatly on the seat next to them. His mother was sitting next to him, currently pouring tea into two cups for them. With his mother this close, he could smell the floral scent of her perfume. It was her favourite.

  With long slender hands, she gave Vax’dian a cup and brought one to her own pink lips. People often remarked how similar they looked, but Vax’dian disagreed with those people. His mother was far more beautiful than he was, and unlike the other nobles in the city of Yor his mother did not wear much jewellery.

  “Vax’dian” her voice was soft yet determined “will you truly not marry”

  “mother, as I have said before. I am already betrothed”

  “I know you and Liliene were close when you were younger, but she has been missing for fifteen years. Do you not think it’s time to break the engagement?”

  “...I’m not ready”

  “why not?”

  “Because... she’s not ready”

  His mother sighed and looked at her son “Vax’dian, who’s not ready?”

  He smiled at her “it’s alright mother. Why don’t you ask Cassius to marry?”

  “I have been pushing him, but he seems quite firm in his stance too” she frowned “did you change the subject on purpose?”

  “I did”

  “Vax’dian...”

  “Mother”

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  “well what about that girl you keep talking about, you seem to like her”

  Vax’dian faltered. Did he really talk about Line that often?

  She smiled “is she pretty?”

  He thought of Line for a moment, and a small involuntary smile fluttered across his lips “she is”

  “then it’s decided”

  “what’s decided?”

  “I’ll have to meet her”

  “wait, mother. You don’t have to do that”

  “of course I do. It’s my job to embarrass you as much as possible. I may be a queen, but I am your mother first. So let me do motherly things”

  “...”

  “Come now Vax’dian, I promise I won’t scare her away”

  “Why are we talking about this now. Can we talk about something else. Anything else”

  “oh? Embarrassed already?”

  “Mother!”

  She laughed.

  “can’t you embarrass Cassius? I’m sure he needs it more than I do”

  “I’m sure we both know that your older brother doesn’t like me much. After all, I am only the kings second wife”

  “he doesn’t like me either”

  She sighed “you need to talk to him. Maybe have a little brotherly bonding time”

  “I think it’s too late for that”

  “you never know until you try”

  If only she knew what he knew about his older half-brother, maybe she would be less polite to him “maybe...”

  The carriage slowed to a stop, and someone knocked on the carriage door.

  “Yes?”

  The door opened showing Hyde on the other side. He bowed “your highness, my lord”

  “Hyde, what’s wrong?” Vax’dian asked.

  Hyde’s jaw clenched “there’s a body”

  “Mother wait here” he then stepped out the carriage into the darkened surroundings, they have been travelling for quite some time now so the once bright sky had turned dark. Only Hyde would have such good eyesight to see a body like this, so he followed Hyde to the side of the gravelled road where there was indeed a female body lying face up on the dirt “Hyde, have Mortimer send a letter”

  “who am I sending it too?”

  “Inspector Line”

  Hyde gave a nod, turned on his heel and walked back to the carriage past Vax’dian’s mother and the royal guards they had brought along.

  “Mother? I thought I told you to wait in the carriage?”

  “What’s going on?”

  Vax’dian took her arm “let’s wait here a while, I’m informing someone to come and look” all the while he led her back to the carriage.