I couldn't keep my mouth from falling open as I heard it.
"A spirit's blessing...?" I repeated it, my face tensed up.
"Yes, we wanted to keep it from you for a little while longer..." He said, looking over at Katherine.
"...why?" My shaking eyes failed to meet their gazes.
"We were afraid..." He looked at his hands that lay in front of him.
"Afraid of how you would react."
"No..."
"WHY would you tell me now!?" I swung my hand at the couch I sat on.
"To make you understand how outmatched you are." Edward's voice was clear as he spoke, leaving no room for doubt in his voice.
"..."
I slowly brought my hands along with my gaze to my lap and said,
"...But what is it going to change... look—" I clenched my fist hard enough, for them to tremble.
"Look at what he is doing to me... Even now!"
I looked at my shaking hands—unable to look at anything else—as a hand appeared around mine.
It was Katherine's, who had now leaned forward, trying to meet my eyes,
"Tjer... please listen to us—we truly want the best for you."
"..."
"I know..."
With the calming of my hands, my eyes were still avoiding hers.
"...but Mim..."
"Tjer... You know it the best, don't you..." My eyes were finally caught by her gaze, waiting for the next words to come.
My eyes were met by Edward's who said,
"It's not your fault Tjer. It has always been something beyond yourself—thrown into a world outside of your own," He said.
"..."
"But... what should I do then..."
"How am I supposed to live with myself..." My eyes didn't wander, they were kept straight on theirs.
"It's something you should find yourself."
"But to start off, get stronger, pull your life into your own hands! And until you are able to do that—please rely on us..."His clear eyes looked straight into mine, it was clear to me.
He isn't lying...
"Okay..."
"I won't go after him... for now..." I said, looking down as a thought crept into the depths of my mind.
Why hasn't he killed me yet...
"I am glad to hear that, we will make sure you will become strong enough—it's for both of us."
"Both of us?"
"Yes, the both of us." He straightened his back,
"But the one most important now is Mim, so let me tell you what happened at the royal palace..." Leaning back with a straight back, looking at both Katherine and me he started.
After he sent Ryan off to the house, he continued full speed on his horse towards the already nearby royal palace.
I hope not to wait for too long before my audience with his majesty is granted. His grip tightened around the reins of his horse, unable to predict the king's reaction.
Worst case scenario is that this would be seen as an insult to his majesty...
He understood the stance as the knight's commander,
It was a stance of power—not of rule.
It should be enough to convince his majesty.
"Good morning commander." In front of the gates were the guards—who would surely recognize their commander. Opening the gates after hearing his greeting, and Edward continued inwards.
He passed by the densely packed forest, covering the distance between the outer gates and inner ones.
Unable to go full speed, galloping until he and his horse reached the courtyard.
He dismounted his horse as he arrived at the courtyard—that led to the inner gates and the palace entrance.
Once again the guards greeted him, letting him through, without needing additional identification.
He walked through the entrance hall, heavy steps were propelling him forward past the statues and paintings of past kings, reaching to the current king in the end.
Each of the statues were his height, each one holding a sword around their waist, with paintings between them that showed the best of these men—shining in their armor—seemingly bigger than their statues.
Until he reached the current king—the one who had neither a painting, nor any ostentation to his statue, but one big enough to make Edward look up.
Without wasting another glance he opened the door into the antechamber,
"I request an audience with the exalted—his majesty." Edward said, already knowing how this conversation would go.
The chamberlain didn't even grant him the respect of standing up, crossing his arms instead.
"Good morning, Edward." A man who sat behind his desk greeted him, a man shaped as a full moon, with the height that Tjer had almost reached.
"My apologies Sir Cross but his majesty is currently unavailable to see you." A grin showed as he spoke.
"When is his majesty available for an audience?" It was clear what this chamberlain wanted from him.
"You should inform me in advance for an audience to be possible." The grin he held was getting wider, nastier.
Edward stepped forward, his towering stature made it seem as if the desk itself didn't exist, Edward and the chamberlain were looking eye to eye.
"Did you forget who I am?!"
"Stop this insolence and tell his majesty that I want to speak to him now! And if he is unavailable—I will turn back with appreciation of his consideration and leave." The breath that escaped from his mouth was enough to make the chamberlain's remaining strands of hair flutter.
Edward's right hand had met his blade,
"But you are not the one allowed to tell me off, or has the power gone to your head—Paulie!" It seemed as if their foreheads were touching.
Edward heard the rambling of Paulie's chair, creaking as he stood up,
"P-Please wait for a moment, you can sit down there." He pointed at the chair in the corner of the room.
"I appreciate your gesture, but I am in no need for a seat—please hurry up." Edward kept playing with his sword handle, watching Paulie leave for the king's chamber.
The door opened silently, revealing the same man whose head was glistening, dread had settled in his eyes as he said,
"You can enter, the king is on his throne waiting for you."
"Thank you—Paulie." Edward's mantle waved in the air past Paulie's face as he turned to open the door.
The first steps echoed through the room, the scraping of steel clashing against one another could be heard with each step he took—it was unnecessary to take either his sword or armor off when meeting the king.