Bringer of Destruction (The Bringan saga 2)

Chapter 8

"All the more reason to put aside grudges of any kind, and join forces. I'm the first to have a past with Nathan Fannil, but I put aside my grudges and decided to negotiate, for the good of my people and the people of Mihdel. I can't say the same about the two of you, right now you're acting like two selfish little boys. You believe that the world is at your feet and that you can decide the fate of any kingdom as if you were a f*****g god, but you are nothing more than mere mortals, like me or the Fannils. If you really want to save Mihdel, then stop acting like two selfish kids and start acting like two rulers. Be truly worthy of the crown you love to wear on your head." With that, Athelstan turned and walked to the door, grabbing the brass handle, ready to leave the room.

"Are you really ready to give up any more men to protect your father?" asked Taryn.

Athelstan froze and then just turned his head, looking over their shoulders. "It's the same thing I'm asking of you," he said, then opened the door and left the room.

He strode down the hallway, heading for the wing where he had been placed. He wasn't his father's greatest admirer, but Athelstan would never allow anyone to insult a member of his family. No matter how detestable he might be, it was still blood of his own blood and would defend him against any outsider who tried to discredit him. Family matters would be resolved with loved ones, not strangers, even though it was the person he cared about most in the world.

Athelstan stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him and leaning back on one of the chairs around the table, tapping his finger on the wood.

What could they possibly have to make such accusations?

That woodworm didn't want to leave him, he couldn't think of anything else, because he hated knowing that others could hold them in their hands and blackmail them like that. He knew he had to take the crown, he knew that his father was not the right figure for that critical moment that it seemed all of Mihdel was going through. But for him to do it was one thing, for others to impose it was another story entirely.

He heard the door open behind him, but he didn't turn around. He remained motionless until he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

"I guess it didn't go well," his mother said, stroking his shoulder.

"Elhiás knows something about my father, something that even we don't know. The question is, what does he know? If we begin to have secrets discovered by our enemies, we become weak and vulnerable, we will be easy targets," the prince declared, looking at the landscape of Sierra that he could admire from the window of his rooms.

"All the more reason to take the crown, son," said his mother gently. "

"I know that taking the crown is a priority, but I can claim it because it is my right. I can't accept that someone else takes the liberty of dictating to us what to do and what not to do because we are blackmailable." The prince shook his head and took a deep breath.

"What do you want me to do?" his mother asked, standing beside him and looking into his eyes. Athelstan sighed, realizing that at this moment he had only one solution to all the surrounding chaos. There is only one way to stop being pawns in the hands of other people, especially those of Elhiás.

He looked into his mother's eyes, the same purple eyes that belonged to him. "I want you to keep my father away for a couple of days, and see to it that he does not go near the lords who have accompanied me. I need the right time to prepare for his abdication," Athelstan said, looking at his mother's face.

"So you've made up your mind? You're going to take the crown."

"I don't have much choice. I know Elhiás and if he wanted to, he could blackmail and manipulate my father like a stupid doll, doing his own thing and I can't allow that. I can't give all that power to Elhiás. I have to make sure that he only contracts with me and that he stays on my terms. It's time to make him understand that he can't always do as he pleases and that Locrand is not a part of Aeris, but that he belongs to me and I'm in charge," Athelstan said with conviction.

"And the girl? The queen of Elder?" asked her mother.

Athelstan felt a pang in his heart and then took a deep breath. "The same thing," he said after a moment. "We are not stupid puppets who are at the will of some other king. We are the blood of kings, our ancestors helped create Mihdel, and I will never let anyone tell me what to do."

His mother laid her hand on his cheek and looked at him full of love and maternal pride. "I'm very proud of you. You're going to be a very good king," she declared, then walked over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Athelstan closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth his mother gave him, letting himself be lulled by the one person he could really count on. Then his mother left the room and left him completely alone with a thousand thoughts crowding his head.

He was a Neyer, the blood of the world's saviors flowed through his veins, and no one would ever rule over his lands. He wouldn't let anyone treat his family like that, not even Elhiás.

They were grown up, they weren't kids anymore who thought about every living thing or fighting. They were grown men with responsibilities. Just as Elhiás thought of the good of his kingdom, so would Athelstan, and if it meant the loss of his old friend, then it would be right. A king's path was lonely and full of pitfalls, his father always told him, ever since he was a child, but only then did he really understand his words.

He stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the city, letting the autumn breeze ruffle his red hair. The sun was setting in the sky as the day drew to a close, bringing a sense of wholeness and contentment to Athelstan.

For the first time he was sure of his path and his possibilities, he was sure of what he was going to do and how he was going to behave.

He didn't want to feel helpless in front of anyone anymore, And he would make sure that it was so.