Heart of Darkness

People spoke about him wherever he went. The traitor’s son had entered the court at such a young age. He was the youngest to have become a courtier at the age of fifteen and now one year later the other courtiers still tried to prove that he wasn’t worthy of his position. They thought the King had a thing for him and allowed him into court for other reasons. They also thought that he was the reason the King wasn’t getting married.

William watched Skender as the maid helped him slip into his Royal robe and then he dismissed her. “What is bothering you today?” He asked.

“Your Majesty, does it not bother you what people say about us?”

Skender turned around, with that empty look in his eyes that he’d had for the last few years. “I can hear what people think. Imagine if I took offense to everything. You should also learn to ignore it.”

William remembered that it was much worse for the King who had to hear it all straight from the source.

“Focus on the ones who speak good about you. I know there are plenty.” He added.

William knew there were many people who spoke good of him as well. He had done the impossible. He had gone from being a traitor’s son to entering court. One of the highest positions in the kingdom where he could influence many people’s lives. Those people also praised the King for not condemning a man for his father’s deeds.

Once the King was ready, they went to the early morning meeting. The one with the Lords that ruled the different estates in the Kingdom. William had learned which ones were friends, which ones hated each other, and then there were the quiet ones. William gazed at Mazzon and then Vitale. The white-haired Lord didn’t show him much importance since he came of age. He had learned that Vitale had lost a young son which William guessed to be the reason for his curiosity at first. Now he only spoke to him about Royal affairs.

“How is court life, William? You seem to be losing weight?” Acheron asked after the meeting.

“Now that you live alone, you should get yourself a cook and a maid,” Lazarus told him.

William had moved back into the house where he grew up. At the moment, he often ate outside or skipped meals but looking at these men with their physique, he needed to take better care of himself.

“My Lord, you could recommend me good ones.”

“I’ll send them your way,” Lazarus said who solved everything so easily.

“Thank you, My Lord.”

“I am still waiting for you to call me Zarus,” He said.

“Maybe when I get a little older.”

Lazarus chuckled. “Always polite. I like that about you. I wonder how Rayven hasn’t learned anything from you yet.” He teased nodding toward Rayven who came out of the meeting room.

“Is he talking behind my back again?” Rayven came to join them. “Willaim, are you coming home today? Your sister has been asking about you.”

“I will come by later, My Lord,” William replied.

“Alright then,” They all said their goodbyes having duties to attend. Rayven went his own way and the twins left together. These two were inseparable. William couldn’t count how many times they had fought and still remained friends.

Turning around he went his own way again to prepare for the next meeting. He needed to get some documents from the King’s study. When he entered the room he was greeted by the sight of the woman he didn’t wish to see. She sat comfortably in a chair with legs crossed on the table.

“Good morning, William.” With a wave of her hand, she shut the door behind him.

Ignoring her, he went to look for the papers on the table. “You are still angry.” She noted.

He pretended as if she wasn’t there.

She sighed and pushed her legs down. “Whatever happened to your sister was going to happen anyway. I just sped up the process and because of that she got less hurt and now she leads the life that she has.”

He stopped his search and turned to her, regretting immediately looking into those green eyes. It was as if the more he grew up the faster he reacted to her. “I can never know when you tell the truth and when you lie.” He said.

She shrugged. “I don’t expect you to trust me. I am used to being seen as the enemy, but remember your payment.”

“Just tell me what you want right now,” he said.

“It is not a payment I can take any time. You just tell me if you see anything about him. I will also need you by his side when I awaken the destroyer.”

William had been torn about the decision but seeing Skender fade away, pained him. He wanted to help.

“Are you sure that is the best solution?”

“Nothing is ever sure, William. All of this is a gamble.”

“What can I do? The destroyer doesn’t like me.”

“When the destroyer wakes up, Skender will also come back. He cares about you.” She explained standing up from her seat.

“When will you awaken him?”

“I am waiting for a sign.”

“From who?” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​

“I don’t know. We will see. Just be ready.” She said and vanished.

William stared at the empty place where she had been standing just a moment ago. What a difficult woman and probably why he felt drawn to her. But in her eyes, he was still a little boy.

Again, he was offended when he shouldn’t care at all.

Gathering the papers he needed he left the room in a rush feeling a bit frustrated when he bumped into a maid. She dropped the tray in her hand and the tea and cups fell crashing onto the ground.

A gasp left her lips. “My Lord. I apologize.” She said fearfully.

“It is alright. It was my fault.” William said.

“Not at all,” She hurried to pick up the pieces.

“Careful. You might cut yourself.” He said and hurried to help her.

“You don’t have to do that,” She told him.

He ignored her and placed as much as she could on the tray before picking it up. He handed it over. She smiled at him. “Thank you. I will come back to clean the rest.”

He nodded.

She was young. Somewhere around his age. Maybe a bit younger. She excused herself and hurried away. William watched her leave until she disappeared from his sight.

“Do you like what you see?” Suddenly Skender’s voice spoke from behind him.

“Your Majesty!” William turned around, his eyes wide as if he had been caught doing something bad. “I was… just… looking.”

Skender put his hand behind his back, raising a brow. “You have grown now. It is perfectly fine to desire women.”

Heat crept to his face. “I don’t desire any woman.”

Skender squinted his eyes.

William dropped his shoulders. It was true that he had begun noticing women and being curious about the opposite gender. Some had even approached him and given him hints. He didn’t know what to do about the attention or these new thoughts and feelings.

“Come,” he said putting one arm around his shoulder. He made them walk down the hall. “Being curious about women is normal. Having certain thoughts is also normal. Don’t be hard on yourself.”

How did he know?

“If you like a certain girl, maybe you could try having a conversation. Who knows? She might like you as well.”

“What about you, Your Majesty?” William asked. “Won’t you give love a second chance?”

It saddened William deeply to see him like this. He knew Skender wanted a family. Children. He had seen the glint in his eyes when he spoke about being a father and William had no doubt he would be a good one. If he only allowed himself.

Removing his arm from his shoulder, Skender came to a halt. His sorrowful eyes gazed at him. “I have not been good to you. I have been distant. Absent.” He shook his head with a smile. “How am I supposed to be good to anyone else?”

William knew that Skender was lost somewhere inside. The man on the surface was the last of him holding on. “You have been nothing but good to me, Your Majesty. Don’t be hard on yourself.”

“William,” He put his hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly. His eyes gleamed with tears. “You are keeping me sane in this madness. The only reason I want to keep breathing is to see you happy. I have already lived my life.”

“You can keep living,” William said knowing that he sounded selfish. He even felt worse knowing Lucrezia had intended to use him as a tool to keep him alive. That he would choose this suffering to keep him safe. He wanted to release him from all this pain but he didn’t want to lose him either.

If only there was one thing he could do, anything to make him have some joy in life, but the only way was to bring back the destroyer. The missing piece of him. William decided that he was willing to take that risk. He couldn’t let him live on like this.

“Your Majesty. Do you want the destroyer back? And please, answer this question only by thinking about yourself. Not me or anyone else.”

Skender’s eyes darted with confusion and uncertainty. He opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to find the words.

“No. I am alright.” He said at last.

“You didn’t think only about yourself.”

“I can’t do that,” Skender said.

“Alright. What if I told you I want you to have the destroyer back?”

“Why would you?”

“Because it is part of you. It makes you whole.” William said.. “I don’t want you to just keep breathing anymore.”