CHAPTER 10. BACK IN A CELL
Darian tried to piece together the events that had led him back to the same cold, damp cell in the castle dungeon. The betrayal stung like a fresh wound, and now the queen knew the truth - he had murdered the king.
"I should have gotten rid of the dagger and cloak," he thought bitterly. "But I was so foolishly relieved at my victory that I never even considered the possibility of being found out."
Despair washed over him. "Who am I trying to fool? I am not fit to be a king," he whispered. "I am just a scared and spoiled child. How could I have ever hoped to marry the queen? If Inglud was still alive, he would know how to stop this madness and save the kingdom."
The dungeon doors creaked, revealing an old man with a flickering torch in his hand.
"Narim," Darian said slowly. There was no hatred or anger in his voice. It was as if Darian was once again greeting an old friend.
"Darian," the counselor muttered back, putting the torch into the wall.
They watched each other in silence for a while, but the silence was far more eloquent than any words. Narim spoke first. "The queen took the throne before your older brother came back."
"I trusted you. I trusted you with my life. We had a friendship that I cherished. And this is the price for my faith? You betrayed me. You wanted me to kill the king, didn't you? And you let me do this."
The man before him, once a trusted ally, now seemed like a stranger. "I never pushed you to do anything. I gave you a book because you asked; I gave you a key so you could run away and start a new life; I destroyed the letter because you needed a favor. And everything I've done was in pursuit of what I believe is necessary for the greater good."
"Why are you doing this? Gold? Power? Queen?"
"Justice."
"Justice?" Darian scoffed. "What justice could possibly justify your betrayal?"
"Justice for those who perished at the hands of the Serpent-Slayers. For many years, your bloodline disrupted the order of nature. The Serpent-Slayers must be eradicated," Narim replied firmly.
"Eradicated? My bloodline has made this kingdom prosperous and strong."
"The prosperity came at a high cost," Narim retorted "Your line's actions have left a trail of horror and death. You capture and kill, destroy and plunder. Your traditions are gruesome and twisted. And you, Darian, are burdened by a forbidden love for your own mother. Such desires are not worthy of those who claim the throne."
Darian gripped the bars of his cell and said, "We have always treated you as a friend, and now you try to play the role of a saint? You're just a pathetic traitor. And my love for my mother is as pure as it can be. That's something you won't understand."
The cold dungeon wind almost extinguished the torch. Narim smiled before continuing, "I don't think there's any love from the queen's side. It breaks her heart to think that her son could commit such a heinous act as ravaging her in her own bed. What son would do this to his own mother?"
"I didn't ravage her, you monster"
"It's all over. You won't escape this time. She knows you murdered the king. Who do you think she would believe more? A cocky young man, even though he is her son or an advisor who has spent a lifetime serving the kingdom?"
The torch flickered, casting eerie shadows across Darian's pale face. "Now I understand why you warned me against mating with the queen. You didn't want me to continue the Serpent-Slayers' lineage."
"My dear friend, did you truly intend to sire offspring with your own mother?" Narim chuckled, the cruel sound echoing through the dungeon. "The queen's bloodline shall continue, but without your involvement."
Darian's heart sank. "What fate awaits me and Tartuff?"
"Your little brother will live, but he will never know who he truly is. He will never be the Serpent-Slayer. Your trial will happen tomorrow, but you won't be in attendance. Knowing your temper, my friend, I don't want you to say anything provocative. In memory of our friendship, instead of execution, I will ensure that you are sent into slavery, where you will live out the rest of your days in servitude"
"If you think I will thank you for that, you are mistaken."
"I won't," Narim said as he turned to leave. "But I do hope that, perhaps not immediately, but someday in the years to come, you will grasp the motives behind my actions. And maybe, through the trials of the life you are destined to lead, you shall find it within yourself to forgive me..." He paused briefly before adding, "My friend. I am sorry, Darian. Truly, I am. However, sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good. The days of the Serpent-Slayers are numbered."
With those words, he left. Narim's footsteps faded, leaving Darian alone in the flickering darkness. There is no hope.
-
As the sun set and the darkness crept in, a shadowy figure emerged from the gloom. A little man shrouded in a dark hood approached the young prince and Darian immediately caught a garlic scent.
"Lokir!"
"Back in your cell, I see, Prince. I'm starting to think you like being here," Lokir said with a yellow teeth smile "But I did not come on my own. I came with a guest."
With a flourish, he unlocked the dungeon door, revealing a woman standing in the doorway. Darian's heart skipped a beat. It was his mother. Despite the less-than-ideal setting, she was every bit as regal as he remembered. Her hair flowed in gentle waves down her back; she wore a flowing gown of deep purple that hugged her curves in all the right places.
The queen had always been beautiful, but at that moment, she was positively radiant. Despite the situation, Darian couldn't help but be captivated by her. He knew that he shouldn't be feeling this way, but he couldn't help it. The queen was just too stunning to ignore even though she didn't even try to be.
"Mother," he whispered.
"I'll leave you two alone," Lokir slipped out the door with a sneer.
"I didn't come to just talk. Is it true, Darian?" she asked "Did you do it?"
"No, Mother," he chuckled. "I did not kill the king"
The Queen's gaze flickered over Darian's face, searching for any sign of deceit. But he met her eyes steadily.