The Crown Prince looked at his mother.
The woman who had spent years trying to soften the suffering caused by her husband’s malice.
Then he looked at his sister.
The other angel in the room.
Lysandra had always been there when the weight became unbearable.
When Lexander returned from battle covered in the blood of men who had never done anything to him.
When nightmares kept him awake.
When guilt threatened to swallow him whole.
He took a slow breath.
Then he smiled.
This time, it was genuine.
“Let us go, then.”
Lisbeth’s expression tightened.
Lexander reached for her hand.
Then Lysandra’s.
“And know this.”
His voice carried all the feeling he could muster.
“If today is the day we meet the gods…”
Lysandra began to cry.
Lexander squeezed her hand.
“Know there are no other two I would rather walk unto the fields of Elysium with.”
Lisbeth could no longer hold back her tears.
“I love you, Mother.”
He looked toward his sister.
“I love you, Lyssy.”
For a moment, neither woman could speak.
Then they answered together.
“We love you as well.”
Lysandra smiled through her tears.
“And you are the one male this bloodline should be proud of.”
Lisbeth nodded.
“You would have made a king spoken about throughout history.”
Lexander laughed softly.
“Now you’re both just trying to make me cry.”
Lysandra wiped her face.
“You’ve already cried enough for all three of us.”
“Cruel.”
“I learned from you.”
The three embraced.
For one brief moment, the war outside the castle ceased to exist.
There was no dead king.
No enemy army.
No dynasty collapsing around them.
There was only a mother and her children.
Holding each other.
Perhaps for the last time.
The white clothing was uncomfortable.
Lexander hated it.
He had always preferred dark colors.
The white garments were reserved for political gatherings and occasions where one was expected to present themselves as clean of blood.
The irony was almost amusing.
The last three members of the royal household walked from the fortress wearing the matching white of diplomacy.
Behind them, the banners of House Leventus still flew.
Ahead of them waited the woman who had destroyed everything the dynasty had built.
Or perhaps, Lexander thought, everything his father had destroyed himself.
The tyrant’s body had not received a royal funeral.
There had been no procession.
No tomb.
No prayers.
No elaborate ceremony.
His corpse had been given to the birds and beasts as carrion.
Lexander had not objected.
Neither had Lisbeth.
Neither had Lysandra.
Outside the walls, the armies of Queen Io waited.
The sight of them made Lysandra grip her brother’s hand more tightly.
Lexander squeezed back.
“Breathe.”
“I’m breathing.”
“You’re crushing my fingers.”
“I am not.”
“Lyssy.”
“Fine.”
She loosened her grip.
A little.
Across the field, a woman stepped forward beneath a banner of white.
Queen Io.
Lexander had not seen her since they were children.
She had changed.
Of course she had.
But something in her eyes remained familiar.
She was beautiful, as the stories claimed.
Regal.
Poised.
Terrifyingly calm.
Behind her stood General Atreyu and several members of her royal retinue.
Io stopped several paces away.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then she smiled.
“Good to see you again, cousins.”
Her voice was as sweet as honey.
Lexander stared at her.
“Though I do wish it were under better circumstances.”
“No need for false niceties.”
Io’s smile disappeared.
Lexander stepped forward.
“The history of war dictates that the male bloodline of the losing kingdom be purged.”
Lisbeth grabbed his arm.
But he gently pulled away.
“I will not plead for my life.”
His unwavering gaze never left Io’s eyes.
“I will ask one grace from you.”
The Queen waited.
“My mother and sister have been nothing but victims throughout all of this.”
His voice lowered.
“I alone will bear the weight of my father’s transgressions.”
Lysandra whispered his name.
Lexander ignored her.
“I will not argue.”
His hands remained at his sides.
“I will not run.”
For the first time, something changed in Io’s expression.
Then his voice cracked.
“Just…”
He swallowed.
“Please.”
Lisbeth closed her eyes.
“Lysandra is only fourteen.”
Io looked toward the Princess.
“And my mother has been shackled to a tyrant since she was sixteen.”
Lexander took another breath.
“She has never had the chance to truly live.”
The silence that followed was almost unbearable.
Finally, Queen Io spoke.
“That your father brought an innumerable amount of suffering to peoples normally peaceful and humane is an axiom.”
Her eyes hardened.
“Why he did it…”
For the first time, uncertainty entered her voice.
“I’m not even sure he knew at the end.”
Io looked toward the distant castle.
“To continue regaling these tales is pointless.”
Her gaze returned to Lexander.
“Enough kin has been slain in the story surrounding your father.”
Lexander frowned.
“I have no interest in adding to it.”
Lysandra slowly looked up.
Lisbeth stared at her cousin.
Io continued.
“I do not wish to depose your mother as Queen.”
For several seconds, no one moved.
Lexander blinked.
“What?”
Io sighed.
“I wanted the senseless violence to stop.”
She gestured toward the city.
“As it stands, I have laid siege to this city and its walls for weeks.”
Her voice became practical.
“To ask the people to suddenly accept me as their ruler would be unwise.”
Lisbeth studied her carefully.
“So long as you don’t mind a few concessions…”
Io’s lips curved upward.
“Not much will change.”
Lisbeth did not hesitate.
She stepped forward.
“Speak your will, Cousin.”
Io nodded.
“So long as my children are safe and my people are not enslaved, I doubt there are any concessions we will not abide.”
Queen Io raised one finger.
“First and foremost.”
Her voice carried across the field.
“The Leventus dynasty is no more.”
Lysandra flinched.
“It dies with that horrific man.”
Io looked at Lisbeth.
“You are welcome to resume using your maiden name.”
Then toward the children.
“The two of you may make your own choice.”
Lexander looked toward his sister.
Lysandra stared at the ground.
Io raised a second finger.
“Second.”
Her eyes returned to Lisbeth.
“You will swear fealty to me.”
Lisbeth nodded slowly.
“Of course.”
“You will maintain full right of governance.”
Io continued.
“This is more for trade and peace moving forward.”
“A reasonable demand,” Lisbeth said.
Io raised a third finger.
“Third.”
The Queen turned toward Lexander.
He immediately stiffened.
“Lexander will become my personal knight.”
Lisbeth’s face fell.
Lexander’s eyes narrowed.
Io continued.
“And my personal guard will be comprised of half of the Black Sheep’s best…”
She gestured toward her own retinue.
“And half of my current retinue.”
The Black Sheep.
Even now, Lexander felt something stir inside him at the name.
His personal royal guard.
Men and women who had followed him since before he had ever been named Crown Prince.
They were the finest warriors in the kingdom.
But more importantly—
They were his family.
Lisbeth stepped forward.
“Why must you take my baby boy from me?”
Lexander nearly protested.
Baby boy?
Queen Io held up a hand.
“Let me finish, dear cousin.”
Lisbeth fell silent.
Io’s gaze softened slightly.
“He will only attend to me when I move about away from home.”
Lexander’s brow furrowed.
“Otherwise, he will remain here.”
Lisbeth stared.
“What?”
Io continued.
“Your kingdom still needs its future.”
She looked directly at Lexander.
“And whether you accept the crown or not, that future is you.”
The field became silent.
Lexander’s heartbeat quickened.
Queen Io stepped closer.
Close enough that only the two of them could hear each other.
“You offered your life for theirs.”
Her voice was quiet now.
“Do not make me regret saving it.”
Lexander met her eyes.
For the first time since walking out of the castle, he did not know what to say.
Io stepped back.
Then she spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“There is one final condition.”
General Atreyu’s eyes narrowed.
Lisbeth immediately grew cautious.
Io smiled.
And Lexander suddenly had a very bad feeling.
“The young man will undergo a formal trial.”
Lysandra gasped.
Lexander’s hand instinctively moved toward where his sword would normally hang.
Io noticed.
“Relax, cousin.”
“I’ve been imprisoned recently. I have trust issues.”
Lysandra almost laughed.
Io continued.
“Not for your father’s crimes.”
Lexander stared at her.
“Then for what?”
Queen Io’s smile became almost mischievous.
“For yours.”
The smile disappeared from Lexander’s face.
“What crimes?”
Io’s eyes gleamed.
“Theft.”
He blinked.
“What?”
“Destruction of royal property.”
“I have never—”
“Assault.”
Lexander looked toward his mother.
Lisbeth looked just as confused.
“Breaking and entering.”
“Queen Io.”
“Public indecency.”
Lysandra choked.
“WHAT?”
General Atreyu covered his face with one hand.
The Queen ignored them all.
“And most importantly…”
She looked directly at Lexander.
“Stealing my favorite horse when we were eleven.”
Lexander stared at her.
Then slowly turned toward Lysandra.
“She’s joking.”
Io’s expression remained perfectly serious.
Lysandra looked toward the Queen.
“Are you joking?”
“No.”
Lexander’s mouth fell open.
“That was fifteen years ago!”
“It was a magnificent horse.”
“You named it Buttercup.”
“I was nine.”
“You cried for three days!”
“Because you stole my horse!”
“You chased me with a wooden sword!”
“You deserved it!”
For the first time in weeks—
Lysandra laughed.
Not a polite laugh.
Not a quiet one.
A genuine, uncontrollable laugh that caused even Lisbeth to cover her mouth.
Lexander stared at all of them in disbelief.
Then, against his will—
He began to laugh too.
The war had ended.
His father was dead.
His kingdom was broken.
His family remained alive.
And apparently, Queen Io had spent fifteen years waiting to prosecute him for stealing a horse.
Perhaps the gods had a cruel sense of humor.
Or perhaps—
Lexander looked toward the woman standing before him.
Perhaps this was not the end of his story.
Perhaps it was only the beginning.
Far beyond the field, hidden beneath the shadow of the mountains, something ancient stirred.
Something that had slept for centuries.
Something that had watched kings rise.
And watched them fall.
The death of one tyrant had changed nothing.
Not truly.
Because somewhere beyond the borders of Dinar—
Old powers had begun to awaken.
And they had been waiting for humanity to become interesting again.
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