"I'm sorry, Mina." Casper was back, and he brought bad news. Her father was dead, and Aurelius was missing.
"Thank you, Casper." She said gently. She turned, and both Egon and Evander were watching her closely. She wasn't going to break down. She knew her father was going to die. She was honestly surprised that the stubborn bastard had held on so long. She wasn't surprised to hear that Aurelius was missing. The oracle had said he was with the darkness.
"Of course, my queen." He said and dipped his head.
"Don't do that, Casper. We're friends," she insisted.
"We might be that, but you are still my queen," he retorted. He was smiling as he said it.
"I am your queen, and that's why I must insist that you don't bow to me in casual situations." She smiled back at him.
"Whatever you wish, my queen." He conceded.
"Good, now that we've gotten that settled, please stay for breakfast? You can tell us everything you've heard over food." She phrased it like it was a request, but in fact, it was a requirement, and Casper knew it.
"Aurelius went missing the day after you did. There were no witnesses that they could find. Even the stable boy he'd taken a liking to had no idea what happened to him. It's my understanding that you made Aurelius your advisor?" She nodded. "Well, he tried to take the throne after your disappearance, and your eldest brother lost his mind about it. At least, that's what one of the servants said."
"He would. He's been eying my throne since he visited Ferron a few years back. That's one of the things that makes him a suspect." She explained.
"It makes sense, then, that your other brother would go missing the day after taking the throne." Casper agreed.
"And my father?" She asked quietly. She wasn't really sure she even cared about him all that much.
"He died two weeks after your disappearance, quietly, in his sleep. He was interred with the rest of the royal family in the catacombs." She nodded at him.
"Thank you, Casper." She said again and focused on her food for a few minutes before speaking again. "If Aurelius truly disappeared after taking the throne, Eldon is at the top of my list, I think. I can't think of anyone else who would hate things so much that they would bring the darkness to our doorstep."
"That seems reasonable," Evander responded. He was the only one of the three who had met her brother.
"Plus, he put that reward out for me. If he were concerned for my safety, he wouldn't be doing things that encourage men like Barrett." She put her hand to her scar on her stomach as she mentioned it. Egon flinched. He'd killed Barrett. His childhood best friend, to save her from him and her brother. Obviously, that still hurt. She put her hand over his, and he squeezed her fingers in thanks.
"It's a big reward, too. They're keeping it as close to their chest as possible, but it doesn't take long for word like that to get out. Your biggest benefit is that not many people even know what you look like outside of the palace, so you're still unlikely to be recognized again. It was honestly bad luck that you were recognized in the first place. If it hadn't been for the envoys from Ferron, Barrett never would have set foot into the palace and seen your portrait." Casper revealed.
"The couple insists still that they knew nothing about his plans or a reward set out for you. The prince, so far, doesn't believe them, but has to let them go home eventually. It's already making things tense with Ferron." Egon informed them.
"I guess it's a good idea to go home soon, then. If they spread any rumors about me, I won't be safe here anyway." She watched their faces darken at her words. "I know we're not ready, Casper, but circumstances have changed."
"I understand about the Ferrons, but I still think you're in the safest place you can be." He insisted.
"Unfortunately, I didn't mean the Ferrons. I'm pregnant." She said matter-of-factly.
"So you want to run towards the danger?" He asked.
"I don't want to, I have to. I'm a part of this, pregnant or not." She was getting irritated that yet another man presumed to know what was best for her.
"Shouldn't you wait until you're not pregnant, then?" Casper reached for her hand.
"I can't wait. It's a girl, Casper. An oracle told me." His eyes became sad at her words.
"You can't really trust oracles. They often leave things out or speak in puzzles." Casper tried to assure her.
"No tricks, just straight answers. I'm pregnant, it's a girl, we might win if we leave soon, and if we do win, my daughter will live a long and happy life.
"I see. And neither of these men could convince you either?" He asked gravely.
"Neither. I'm set on us leaving within a fortnight. It gives us time for my sword to be ready and time to practice with it."
"Alright, we'll be ready for you." He promised. She looked at the two other men who had focused disappointed glares at Casper.
"That's enough, guys. He's just listening to his queen, like he's supposed to."
"We were just hoping he'd be clever enough to be busy for a while and make you stay here." Egon joked. She wasn't amused.
"Instead, he was clever enough not to lie to his queen." She flicked him on the side of the head as she stood, done with her meal. "Hurry up, you have boys to train."
"Come here," He grabbed her and planted a kiss on her lips. "Don't be mad at me."
"I'm not, I'm disappointed," she said and walked away. Casper sat in his seat with his eyebrows raised.
"A lot has happened since I was last here." She heard Casper say as she was leaving.
"Yes, a lot," Evander replied.
"You'll have to tell me all about it." Casper insisted.
"Maybe not all…"