Heart Over Sword-Chapter 319: Shared Drinks

Meanwhile, in the palace, Axel and Ronan shared a drink with Loraven. It was the early hours of the morning, but they couldn’t sleep after the chaos of the palace and the discovery that the King was a Faceless monster. Loraven worried over her daughter and sipped at her wine whilst staring out the window of the parlour they were sitting inside. They were expecting the arrival of Evanna and Arawn, though the hours had extended since the Prince’s departure.

Ronan and Axel didn’t doubt Evanna was safe, but worry still gnawed at them. They’d run from their Princess in search of Loraven, which was the hardest part, especially after they didn’t hear any news about her whereabouts. This was Evanna, though; she was intelligent and powerful. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com

The doors to the parlour opened, the guards held it open and instead of the couple who would next take on the Flori throne, Ger, of all people, waltzed in, looking dishevelled, black inky blood splattered across his features and body, his one dragon eye glowing.

"Where have you been?" Ronan questioned with a furrowed brow.

Ger almost growled in response, his temper flaring until he saw Loraven. He forced himself to bow his head before removing his gloves and tossing them into the lit fireplace beside them. "Attacked. I didn’t even take to the skies... Something didn’t smell right in the Eastern wing."

Axel and Loraven’s head swivelled to look at him. "Smell?" Loraven asked, eying him.

Ger nodded. "I do not know all of my powers, and when they do appear, I follow what this new power is. There was a stench I could not overcome. It was like that of rotting bodies, though it was not as strong. I followed it and discovered some of the guards and women smelt odd. When one of the women tried to seduce me and then started using the same mind tricks as the Faceless, I fought back and well... The East Wing needs to be cleaned up."

Just as he said that, some screams erupted at the discovery of said bodies. Everybody should be in bed now, but it had been a chaotic night, and servants were sent to clean up blood. Those same servants discovered the pile of bodies Ger left behind. With his newfound powers and the beastly side of him, he’d brutally ripped some of them apart. The dragon was enraged with how the creatures managed to slither into his mind, and that made him lose it until Ger was breathing raggedly, staring at the destruction they’d caused.

Ger knew what he’d been doing and allowed his and the dragon’s rage to consume him. Why not? The creatures that could have continued to live in the palace and tried to climb their way up the ranks were now dead. He might not be looked upon as a hero, especially with the limbs that were scattered about the blood dripping from the ceiling; the servants would gossip about that more than what he’d done for them.

Ger did not care. He didn’t have great luck, and it only served as a means to get rid of his blood lust.

"Ger?" Ronan’s hand clamped down on his shoulder, startling the man out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?" He was too exhausted to speak.

Ronan searched his eyes before lowering his hand. "Just making sure you’re still with us," he replied with concern, careful not to raise his voice too much.

Ger nodded, removing his jacket, which was mostly ruined, and also threw it into the fire.

"The servants can get rid of them for you, dear," Loraven said softly. She’d been watching Ger and the darkening mood he almost spiralled into until Ronan snapped him out of it. His journey was only beginning, and she knew there was much for him to relearn about himself. The Lyvarian Princess could only hope and have faith in the child that she might call her adopted son.

"The servants will be disgusted. At least this will keep them off my back." Ger grabbed the bottle of wine and poured it into an empty glass before tossing it back.

"What happened here? Where is Evanna, Arawn? Is the King aware of these creatures in his palace?" At his words, Loraven took a long swig of her wine, memories of her friendship with Thalinal flashing across her eyes. She was glad to have at least seen him again and amended their long-lost friendship.

Loraven was deeply affected and saddened, but the only thing that made her heart less heavy was the idea that Thalinal was now with his one true love. If not for her daughter, Loraven would be jealous. It was not her time yet, though.

"How have you not heard what has happened?" Ronan shook his head, plopping down on the chair beside the fireplace, crossing his ankle over his knee.

"I’m sorry, Roach, I was too busy fighting a bunch of monsters," Ger snapped, his blue eyes shining brightly for a moment with his ire.

"Alright, lads," Axel interfered. "You know what will calm you, Ger..." The giant man pulled out a small pipe. It wasn’t Ger’s usual. That one was lost at the bottom of the lake. But it might settle Ger’s annoyance. Not that he ever relied on it, but Ger happily accepted it, sighing upon inhaling, and fell back into the armchair across from Ronan.

"What happened then?" Ger asked after a few more puffs, and his body started to relax.

"What didn’t happen, you mean?!" Ronan exclaimed dramatically. "The night became tense..."

Ger’s eyebrow arched at the way Ronan started his speech as though it was a story from long ago. Axel shook his head, almost telepathically telling him to: Let him have it. Ger was too tired to argue and took another puff so he could listen to his friend’s ramblings. It was not just ramblings, though. Ger’s eyes flicked to Loraven as the story grew more exciting.

"We were like, no! Evanna wouldn’t want you to leave your room!" Ronan exclaimed, his eyes alight as he told their tale.

As he continued, Ger could almost see the events from earlier playing out...

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