Page 24 of Of Snow and Sapphire

All he knew was that he needed some answers. His father seemed like the right man for the job.

He noted the figurine his father had been working on, a replica of the throne. At the sight of it, Zimyn threw it against the wall and watched as it broke apart.

“Did that make you feel better?” His father said from behind him.

Zimyn heaved a breath. “No.”

He itched to cause real damage. Perhaps he should have woken up one of his guards for a fight instead of coming here.

“You could use a drink, I’m sure. Unfortunately, I only have tea.”

He finally faced his father who limped towards the hearth. All those years in service had done his body harm, and Zimyn hated that.

“There’s no need to trouble yourself,” Zimyn waved him off. “I should be going back anyways.”

His father wasn’t having it. “You came here for a reason. So spit it out, son.”

“I—” He collected himself. He didn’t even know how to approach this discussion. “Ludelle’s grandmother was so much different from her parents.”

“Indeed. She was a compassionate leader. I have no idea how her own son became so cruel.”

“She was betrayed, though.” He didn’t say it as a question, and his father’s lack of response proved that he was right.

“Yes, her husband tried to ruin her. I was still young then, but I was told that he tried to make a secret deal with a powerful Lord—I never learned exactly who—while trying to make her fail her Undertaking. Her husband wanted to appear as the competent ruler while she was kept in the dark. Stupid man would have doomed us all.”

“But he didn’t,” Zimyn said cautiously.

“She stepped down right after she survived that year’s Undertaking. Ludelle’s father was crowned King immediately after. She had so much more to give to this court, but her time had to be cut short because of her husband’s selfishness.”

Looking back on that dream, Zimyn now understood it clearly. “She was scared that the same would happen to Ludelle.”

“I fear it might, once she marries one of those nobles.”

Zimyn shook his head, refusing to even consider that future for her. “She’s strong.”

“That she is.”

Ludelle prepared her entire life to guarantee that she would not be so easily smited by her power-hungry betrothed. She was cunning enough to choose a consort who cared more for the comfortable lifestyle in the castle, than one who had any thoughts about the runnings of the court. That’s why he knew Lord Cirrus would be the perfect match. Ludelle could control a man whose focus was more on the way he looked than on her.

Zimyn wiped his face, tiredness overtaking him all of a sudden. He needed to rest, the next few days would be stressful.

“I’m sorry for breaking your carving.”

His father gave him a comforting pat on his shoulder. “Goodnight, Zimyn.”

As he was leaving the cottage, he slammed headlong into someone, and gasped when he recognized the Queen. Zimyn steadied Ludelle before she could fall backwards, gripping her wrist while snapping out: “What are you doing here?”

She looked stunned, her white face glowing in the moonlight. “I don’t know. I was going to come find you to make sure you were okay after I heard about the fight with Lord Mitah, and then I saw you leaving the castle, so I followed.”

He released her and stormed past, mumbling under his breath about how foolish and dangerous it was for her to be out here at night.

She scoffed. “This is dangerous? How about the one who started a brawl with a noble with so much power that he could pay to have you thrown in the dungeons?”

“He started it.” Zimyn gritted through his teeth.

“Why are you so angry?” She asked, following swiftly behind him. “You knew this day would come. You are the one leaving, escaping this place!”

He deflated because she was right. He knew it for so long, and it wasn’t fair that he was now taking it out on her.

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