Sweet Waters Throne

241 Chapter 24The only word he managed to say and without looking at them was, “I want you out of my city at this very moment. Do me a favor and don’t utter a single word to no one, this goes for all of you”

“We won’t my lord, our lips are sealed” replied one of the group leaders while looking at his fellows as if he was seeking their assurance on that matter.

Finally Leoric turned his attention from the egg he was holding to the spies. He had a wide smile on his face.

“Alright then, One escort our guests out of the city and make sure they find a ship at this very moment” said Leoric with his eyes fixed at One, they could communicate without talking.

One nodded with obedience and then led the spies out of the chambers. They all walked out of the council chamber while giggling like toddlers, they couldn’t believe they owned two million gold coins. To be precise each would get two hundred thousand gold coins, but that was enough to buy a comfortable manse and have servants too, take care of family and maybe open a small store and sell breads. The spies felt as if life had taken a turn and it was their time to be important people in the community.

Aryan couldn’t help but gawk at how Leoric trusted these spies. She asked, “You trust them?” with a questioning look on her face.

Leoric went back to look at the egg with a smile, “Only a fool will trust a spy. One will take care of them, he will bring me their heads soon enough” he said.

“He will? I didn’t hear you giving him orders”

“One and I understand each other, he can read my eyes. Nothing to worry you, Your Grace. Their heads will be on our table come supper, now... onto more important things” he said looking at Aryan.

.....

Aryan sighed softly, she was still holding the egg with both of her hands. No matter how much she thought perhaps Leoric was playing games on her about the dragon eggs, it was this time she knew the time has come and somehow things were going as they wanted.

“Should we wait for Aprophil to come back before you announce?” she asked. “After all, we are fighting for him, aren’t we?”

Leoric locked eyes with Aryan, he placed the egg inside a box. He took the other egg from Aryan and then he moved close to her in such away he made sure she could feel his breath against hers.

“Tell me something Your Grace, haven’t you ever thought about sitting on the Sweet Waters throne?” he whispered directly into her ears, his warm breath could be felt inside Aryan’s ears.

“No, have you?” asked Aryan.

“Everyday” replied Leoric then he quickly shrugged off and moved away from Aryan. He went on to stand close to the window and looked outside.

The weather was good today and the sun was out, the long Winter was finally drawing to a close. It had lasted for five months and every single day was cold, however this day was warm and that’s why many people were outside enjoying the sun.

Aryan was stunned by Leoric’s answer, she didn’t expect that. “I thought we were in this together my lord” she said to Leoric.

Leoric turned to Aryan “We are Your Grace, the question here is, are you with me?” he asked. “It’s either you are with me and I promise you that you will have your revenge, or you support Aprophil who won’t let you kill his half brother, he will deny you vengeance”

“No, he promised me that he will let me kill him. He wants the same thing as all of us, to get rid of Artemis”

“Exactly, he wants to get rid of Artemis, on the throne so he can have it for himself. But he won’t kill him...” Leoric moved close to Aryan. “Think about it, you are a smart woman. He doesn’t have what it takes to be king of Maldonia, he is weak. And weak men die Aryan, you know that better, and if evidence is not enough then think of your brother. He was weak and now he is mouldering in his grave. History remembers only the strongest, and you and I... we are strong” he finished while fixing Aryan’s shirt, then he paused for a moment and walked away with the box which contained the two dragon eggs.

Aryan remained in that exact position, she didn’t move, even when Leoric closed the door she still didn’t turn back to look. The Lord of the Mines had gotten on her head and she was now wondering whether Aprophil was strong enough to withstand a realm as big as Maldonia. Her twin brother made the same mistake, he took Prophis from Castellan because he wanted to, everything was a joke to Gandalf.

Gandalf couldn’t bear the responsibilities of being a King and Aryan had to do that for him. The kingdom was huge and he was weak, Leoric was right, only the strong ones survive and that’s why she was still alive while her twin brother was mouldering in his grave.

A former merchant in Whitebridge whose mother was a slave, as they said, although she never was, Jordy was a servant not a slave. This showed exactly what kind of background Aprophil came from, and he has never ruled anything in his entire life. He has never even fought a war, apart from leading Amabel to one but he was never that deep into a fight himself — like how Aryan was all her life.

That day changed the whole perspective of the war and how Aryan thought things would turn out to be. She made her choice right there, and she knew better what to choose — not only for her sake, but for her brother’s too. Gandalf would rest easy knowing Artemis got what he deserved, and that his soul would be at peace too.

Princess Aeryn extended her stay in Blackmount, but it’s not because of her brother or the love she beared for him. But it was because of a certain kingsguard who she was smitten with, none other than Sir Dante Lucan, the Lord Commander.

While Artemis spent most of his time thinking about how to end the riots and gain his people’s love once again, Aeryn spent time with Dante and they got to know each other better. And most of the time Artemis didn’t need his Lord Commander since all he did was calling meetings and meetings meant he just sat down, and he didn’t need his kingsguard during that time. Dante used this opportunity to spend time with the princess, he’s had feelings for Aeryn ever since the first time he saw her — and now seemed like the perfect time for him to act on those feelings.

The loneliness that overshadowed Aeryn’s heart and the heartbreak caused by being neglected suddenly felt easy, she could smile again and this smile was genuine. The feeling of being wanted and having someone who was there to listen to her silly jokes all day felt like a sunshine in the middle of a storm.

Leoric didn’t write not even a single letter to his wife ever since she left the Mines. He was occupied with heating up the dragon eggs and preparing himself to announce that he was actually going to take the throne from Artemis, and of course Lysene also took much of his time and she was there to please him in all ways.

Jeremiah fell into the hands of wet nurses and servants. There were times Aeryn missed her son, but her time with Sir Dante Lucan was precious to her and there was nothing to go back to in the Mines. “You can always go and take him” Dante told her one particular night when they were both naked underneath the sheets. Aryan’s head was on Dante’s chest.

Aeryn felt so safe in the hands of Dante, she could be naked, bare and not hide anything from him. Dante’s arms embraced her tight and she was like a little girl with her father, that’s how safe she felt.

“It’s not that easy...” replied Aeryn and sighed. “My husband is a difficult man, he’s full of himself and his ego is above the clouds. It’s either I go back and be with my son, or I don’t see him at all. He will never let me travel with Jeremiah all alone”

“You can have Artemis go and take him. He can use a dragon, he will be more fearful that way”

It’s obvious Dante said that as a joke, and they laughed.

“I see what you did there” Aeryn kissed Dante’s soft bare chest, then she pulled herself upwards and met his lips. These two emersed themselves in a deep and passionate kiss.

Suddenly they weren’t talking about Jeremiah anymore, but they were murmuring and moaning underneath each other’s lips. Aeryn climbed on top of Dante and stroked his hard phallus until it was hard like a rock, then she rode him as if she was riding a stallion. She moaned with pleasure, using Dante’s chest to hold on and Dante held her still, few minutes later, they both reached their sexual climax and Aeryn found herself uttering the words, “I love you” without thinking straight.