Sweet Waters Throne

127 Chapter 12Early in the morning, Lady Aryan and Olivia were having breakfast as usual in the grand dining hall. Few artifacts and decorations were added to the hall, and it caught both Aryan and Olivia by surprise. There were flowers from every corner of the hall, a lion’s head at the top but it wasn’t really a lion but rather a statue made from clay, it resembled Gandalf’s statue which stood in the gardens.

The chairs were different, at first the hall had brown wooden chairs but these new chairs were made of steel. But they were painted black and one could hardly tell if that’s steel, only the table remained wooden. These changes were made by Haniwa, now at her sixth month of her pregnancy, she grew so fund of decorating and moving stuffs.

Haniwa and Gandalf walked inside the grand dining hall holding hands, they were always happy and full of life. The old Gandalf seemed to disappear each day and Aryan hoped he never comes back because this new one was better and more pleasing than the previous one who was reckless and immature.

Aryan and Olivia stood up when the King and Queen walked inside, five kingsguards were posted at the door and they didn’t move.

“Good morrow sister” Gandalf kissed Aryan’s left cheek and then smiled.

“What’s with the smile?” asked Aryan.

“We have good news, it’s better you are here sister” replied Gandalf and then he sat down. Haniwa sat close to him and she seemed not so excited as was Gandalf, Aryan was quick to read their body language. She instantly knew whatever good news her brother was about to spill; it has nothing to do with them.

When everyone was seated, that’s when Gandalf spoke of what he agreed with his uncle Lord Benjen who he apparently freed last night when Aryan was asleep. Gandalf said he agreed with Lord Benjen that he was to travel to Old City and take it back from the old Lord Affrey Trill. “It’s our home and we’ll take it back. If Artemis dares to attack us, then we’ll defend it”

There was a silent moment and it’s never good when Aryan stays silent. The servants brought in food and hot tea, they came and go and still Aryan was silent, and it was then Gandalf knew he made a terrible mistake because his sister is never that quiet.

.....

The awkward moment kept on going, now it wasn’t between the two siblings but even between Haniwa and Olivia because they were at the center of these two lives. Haniwa was scared of what Aryan would say, she knew her good sister wasn’t someone to play with and whatever she says usually affects Gandalf’s way of thinking.

The decision to free Lord Benjen was something they talked about three days ago when they were inside their chambers, Gandalf proposed it and Haniwa thought it was a good idea. Then Gandalf asked if he must tell his sister first, but Haniwa thought a King needs to have his own voice. “She is always making decisions for you. It’s time you act on your own”

“You freed him?” Aryan asked with her stuttering tone.

Gandalf glanced at Haniwa, it was as if he wanted to shout to his sister that his wife agreed with him but he knew that will make him look even more stupid. “We agreed...” he tried to speak.

Aryan scoffed “We? What do you mean we?”

“Our uncle and I, he gave me his word”

“He is not an honorable man you knew that. He played you to get out of the dungeon because he knows you are the ignorant one. Do you know what he calls you...?” Aeryn paused and let her brother reply. When Gandalf was silent, Aryan said it for him “He calls you a cunt King. A Usurper and he says you will not last in the throne”

“We have all said bad things to one another, there has to be a time for peace and reconciliation”

Suddenly Aeryn stood up and screamed “You don’t reconcile with bastards and cutthroats” she was panting heavily. The anger she kept in check for the last two minutes suddenly came out like hot lava in a volcano. “If he takes Old City today, he will be dead by tomorrow and for what brother? Do you really want to start a war with Artemis? I have spent most of my afternoons trying to rule your kingdom, preventing it from wars and here you are – trying to burn it”

Gandalf refused to be scolded by his sister in front of his wife, hence he stood up for himself. It’s so rare to find twins who look exactly like one another getting into a fight, the irony of it all looks like one person in personal conflict. Gandalf screamed back at his sister and reminded her to stay in her place as the Hand of the King. “Let me remind you sister, I’m the King” Gandalf said this so close to Aryan’s face.

Without a care in the world, Aryan shoved him hard and Gandalf fell down. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Sir Tyriol suddenly withdrew his sword, he was ready to defend his King even if it means cutting off Aryan right there.

Aryan didn’t seem intimidated by neither her arrogant twin brother or his Kingsguards “You call yourself King in order to feel good, to have that utmost power. But believe me brother it won’t feel so good when your head is on a pike” she said bitterly and left the grand dining hall.

Aryan passed through the five Kingsguards as if she just didn’t shove the King to the floor, none of them dared to do anything. Haniwa reached out for her husband and helped him up, Olivia was conflicted whether to stay or leave – ultimately she chose to leave. But when she walked to her chambers where she thought Aryan would be there, it was all empty.

Lady Aryan had taken her horse and rode outside of the palace, she was so angry that she felt her body trembling. How could Gandalf do this to her? Did he forget he wouldn’t be King if it wasn’t for her? During the Battle of Stonedance, Gandalf depended heavily on his sister’s skills.

Everyone knew if it weren’t for Aryan, Gandalf would have been dead alongside his five lions but Aryan kept him close and protected him. It was Aryan who kept the Kingdom at peace and made all the important decisions, Gandalf’s task was to agree to those decisions for the good of the realm. Now he decided to make his first decision and it blew in his face.

Haniwa tried to make Gandalf’s anger disappear, but Gandalf refused any help from her. They were outside in the gardens and surrounded by servants. Gandalf wanted solitude hence he screamed at the servants and kingsguards to leave him alone, he claimed he wanted time to himself so he can think.

The servants and Kingsguards left the gardens, then Gandalf turned to Haniwa “You too, leave” he said, his face hard and cold. Haniwa had never seen Gandalf like that before in seven months of their marriage, he was always sweet and kind to her, this was a new man she was seeing for the first time.

“My love, I must stay” she insisted.

“You could have stopped me, I realize it now that I was an idiot for trusting my uncle who basically is laughing at me now and calling me a cunt King. I gave him my men, two thousand knights wearing yellow golden cloaks and carrying our family’s sigil. Do you know what that means Haniwa? Do you?”

Gandalf was asking questions and Haniwa started crying, she was still a young girl with no military experience and nor ruling experience. She just wanted to make her husband happy that’s all, and the reason why she told him not to tell Aryan was because she wanted him to feel like a man for the first time and step outside of his sister’s shadow.

However, this show of love and devotion costed her and now she was being questioned and blamed. “It means war Haniwa. A war I could have easily prevented if you had given me a good council. Isn’t that your job as Queen of Prophis? To counsel me?” Gandalf kept on blaming Haniwa.

Haniwa decided to leave when she had enough of the insults and blames, Gandalf was left all alone unaware of what to do. He could send more men to his uncle and stop him, but he was sure by then his uncle was halfway towards Old City ready to create chaos.

Aryan received an invitation to Rush’s brothel through a washerwoman who handed her a note, hence instead of roaming around the streets of Raven, she rode to the brothel. The last time it ended awkwardly between the two and she decided she was going to make it clear to Rush that very day, and that was to tell her she already had a girlfriend and she wouldn’t even dream of cheating on her.