Heart Over Sword-Chapter 240: Your word (2)

Loraven raced to Selvin’s side at the small table he had been eating breakfast. "Selvin!" She screeched after Selvin continued to cough and cough, clutching his chest, eyes wide as he looked at his wife.

Sir Hugh burst through the doors, followed by a tall man. Loraven saw him as a threat immediately and picked up her sword, aiming at his throat.

"I never thought you the fool, sister." Osian’s voice was stronger, cutting through the bloodied fog that confused her mind for a moment. He’d grown taller, wider, broader and more muscular.

Osian looked so healthy compared to her Selvin right now. Loraven dropped her sword and went back to Selvin, whose shirt had been pulled open now. The king was sweating so much, and he seemed to be struggling to breathe outside of his bloodied coughing fits. He beckoned Loraven and Osian over, clasping each of their hands.

"Is this poison?" Loraven asked, her whisper turning into a sob, vision growing blurry from the tears. She forced the tears away so she could clearly see her husband.

Loraven frowned when Selvin did not respond, his face growing paler and grey. She looked to Osian for confirmation, but his expression told her everything she needed to know.

"Who? Who did this?" Loraven snapped, her tone icy, but when her eyes landed on her sweet husband, her king, her lips wobbled, and a sob escaped them.

"Hugh, guard this room. No one is allowed in. If anyone seems suspicious-"

"Yes, your highness." Sir Hugh bowed his head, eyes saddening as they landed on Selvin before he spun around, duty hardening his features.

By now, Loraven’s head was in Selvin’s lap, watching him and pleading with him and the gods that this was not real, that he was fine. But it wasn’t. She could tell from the erosion of his fingertips that the poison was too far in his system to be saved. So did he.

Selvin squeezed her fingers and looked at Osian. "I need you to take care of my wife, Osh."

Osian almost fell back, his eyes wide. "I can’t.. Lady Eleanor-"

"Take care of my wife, Osh! Take care of our unborn baby. I plead with you. These are my final wishes.. Do what needs to be.." Selvin coughed some more, blood trickling down the side of his lips and the white in his eyes growing red. "Give me." He coughed again. "Your word!"

"You have my word!"

Selvin’s features relaxed at that, even through the pain.

"Selvin.." Loraven kissed his hand, a sob leaving her lips and racking her body as she watched him from his lap, wiping her tears away.

Selvin looked at her, his lips opening and closing. "Osh will.. take care of you.. and.." His lips struggled to move some more before he shook violently, hand clutching at his chest and throat as he drowned in his own blood. Selvin’s body slumped forward but before his head could hit the table aggressively, Osian caught him and let him rest his head carefully.

The room became silent as Loraven and Osian stared in shock at Selvin. The king of Dunhurst had been poisoned, leaving the seat to the throne empty and Loraven a widow and her baby fatherless. Loraven couldn’t cry like before. She could only stare as her heart was continuously shattering. She started to rock herself, her hands clutching at Selvin’s hand, which was growing colder by the second.

Loraven lost track of time when Osian pulled her into his chest, the silence and tension of the room too loud for him to bear. He rocked her and consoled her with soft-spoken words she did not hear. At one point, Osian led her away from the room, away from her husband’s body.

Any strength she had to try and fight him and anyone else had left her. She wanted to stay with Selvin, be buried with him. The warmth on the left side of her body had grown cold, making her more depressed. The evening of their vow exchange and bond creation revealed light markings, similar to inked tribal markings on Selvin and Loravens body’s, the markings connecting and creating one tattoo when they were next to each other.

Feeling it now cold made her want to join him. How could she surely go on? So many regrets rushed forwards to the forefront of her mind. Why did she let him go in the first place? Nine years were wasted when she could have dealt with her feelings, confessed to Selvin and spent much longer together.

"You are with child?"

Loraven’s gaze snapped up from the slight cut in the wooden floor she’d been staring at. She met Osian’s gaze and swallowed. Her cold hand went to her stomach, awareness returning to her as she remembered another life was growing inside of her.

"Yes," she croaked.

"You need to be strong for your child. You hear me, Loraven?" Osian’s hands were on either side of her shoulders, fingers digging into her slightly, causing some discomfort almost to get his words rooted into her skin.

Loraven nodded, her eyes dull, but she was determined, for her baby, for Selvin’s baby, she would keep on living.

Osian flicked his eyes over her features and down to her stomach before looking at her again. "I will protect you both. You have my word."

⚜⚜⚜

Throughout Loraven’s pregnancy, Osian returned at weekends to the small palace he’d provided her. There were servants that tended to all her needs, and it was highly protected. The newly crowned king of Dunhurst kept Loraven company.

Loraven’s child and the memories she shared with Selvin were what had kept her going. Osian, who she had once found annoying, had become quite the companion. If it was not for the occasional bickering, light-hearted conversations or idle chatter, then he would frequently tell her of the power struggles and politics. Loraven advised him wisely, and he followed through with that advice, even with some of the crueller punishments.

Osian was becoming a strong leader, and Loraven had been rumoured to be his mistress. Nobody knew of her name until the night Evanna was born. The queen found out, and soon after visiting the ’mistress’s palace’, Loraven faced her first assassination attempt in the kingdom of Dunhurst.

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