AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, honey,” the queen’s voice was a bit shaky. She cleared her throat.
Aironell needed to think of anything, buthim. Each thought of him still brought her to such lowness. What if he can’t be trusted? The heat in her eyes trickled down, one quiet sob at a time.
“Mother,” her voice cracked as the tears cascaded down, like a rushing waterfall. “I thought…he cared…for me. Now…I—”
“Shhh,” Queen Evalyn rubbed her back with one hand and continued running her hand through Aironell’s hair. “Darling, I hate seeing you like this. Alzerion, well he is complicated.”
Silence. The only thing heard were Aironell’s sobs and sniffles.
“Aironell?” the queen broke the silence.
Aironell sniffled. “Yes, mother.”
“Your father and I want to help ease your pain. We could ask Alzerion to leave or we can use one of those spells from the book to erase him from your memory.”
Aironell used her nightgown hem to wipe near her nose. Then she pulled away and locked eyes with Queen Evalyn.
“No, please.” Aironell’s lips quivered. “Magic like that, well there would be a cost.”
Queen Evalyn leaned in. “It’s not one you’re willing to live with it.”
Aironell shook her head. “In time I will be fine. I wouldn’t want to forget him.”
“Maybe you are trying to find a way to forgive him?” Queen Evalyn waved at her cup and it slid closer. She grabbed it and took a sip. Her eyes never looked away from Aironell.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t like the game he was playing.” Aironell pressed her back into her chair. Her fingers clung to the wooden arm rests. One finger at a time, she trailed the etchings, trying to keep herself composed.
The queen shifted in her seat watching. “I promise you there was no game.” Aironell’s gaze shifted up to her mother. “Alzerion has his faults, but he isn’t that kind of person. He would never toy with your emotions, for fun.”
Aironell bit down on the inside of her cheek. There had to be some trick. She didn’t know much about these kinds of feelings, at least not from personal experience. All she had, were memories of watching Isabella and Quairken.
“It shouldn’t be like this,” Aironell spoke softly.
“Darling, I want to give you some wisdom, hard-earned, I’m afraid. May I?”
Aironell sat up and nodded.
Queen Evalyn set her cup back down on the table and continued. “People are complex. You won’t find two that are the same.” She paused. Aironell breathed out but kept listening. “We all are a product of our experiences-the good and the bad. Each encounter shapes us.”
“I know.”
“When it comes to relationships, whether friends or more,” she swallowed. “All that past impacts those choices we make. Alzerion, well, he is a good man.”
Aironell’s face was still as she blinked.
“Our conversation with him, just reinforced that opinion that I always had.” She paused and reached out a hand. Aironell grasped it and felt a light squeeze. “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it all came back toyou. Your safety. He was racked with such guilt, but—”
“Then why do it?” Aironell stood up and paced around the sitting area. “I hear it was for my safety but why keep it from everyone? Why-why let me feel for him?”
The queen shifted. Aironell kept pacing.
“Darling, trying to understand the matters of the heart, why that’s not always easy or possible.” She turned toward Aironell. “Sometimes it is all up to faith. So, the big question is, do you still believe in him?”
Aironell’s gaze lowered. She opened her mouth but then closed it again. Standing there she pressed her fingers into her forehead as she mumbled to herself.
“Well?”
Aironell gazed at the queen but she struggled to find the words. Aironell strolled over to the balcony and peered out at the town. With her eyes closed, she breathed. There was the shuffling of feet and then she felt the soft hand on her shoulder. Aironell opened her eyes and starred at her mother.
