Back at Shadowmanor

*Rafe*

The ride home gives me a mix of elation and sorrow. Being by Ainslee’s side in the carriage with our son on her lap makes me feel complete, and Ainslee’s family was so happy to get to spend a few days with her and the baby before we left for home. We’re met along the way by my people celebrating our victory and sharing our joy, but among those are those who have lost so much.

We stop the carriage when we notice a young girl crying as she is comforted by a woman whom I learn is her aunt. She explains that the girl’s home is in the north and was destroyed in the carnage. Her parents were killed, leaving her with nothing.

“I think the gods that she was staying with us,” the woman tells me.

Ainslee speaks to her while I pull Zeke aside. “Ensure this family is taken care of.”

He nods with understanding. Anger churns inside me at this encounter and dozens more like it along the trip. It makes it that much easier to deal with the evil men responsible upon return.

The day after our return, King Maximus Lupus and King Dartmoth Croft kneel before me in chains.

I glare at both of them. “Thought you’d have yourselves a little war, did you?”

“I suppose this is where I’m supposed to beg for mercy. I won’t do it. You killed my woman,” Maximus scoffs.

Dartmoth looks at him with wide eyes, then presses his forehead to the floor. “I’m not above asking for mercy, Your Majesty.”

Maximus rolls his eyes and tsks.

“You do know that neither of you are going back to your kingdoms, don’t you?” I ask.

Dartmoth shudders while Maximus looks affronted. “You have no right to keep us here!” he shouts.

“Oh, after what you did to the northern part of my kingdom, Maximus, and for the crimes you’ve committed in your own kingdom? I’d say I have every right,” I hiss.

“You deserved it, you pompous ass! And how I run my kingdom is none of your damn business!” he yells back.

I shake my head. “Maximus, you will be beheaded at the earliest possible date. You are a remorseless, evil bastard, and your kingdom deserves a lot better than you. I am annexing Rallegrad to Shadowglade. It is my territory now.”

“WHAT?!!!” he screeches.

“That is all. Take him away,” I say to the guards.

Maximus is grabbed under the arms and dragged away, kicking and screaming. “You won’t get away with this! Damn you, Rafe Poe! Damn you to HELL!!!”

Ainslee puts a hand over mine. She understands that was a difficult decision for me. I am not always in favor of capital punishment, but if anyone has earned it, it’s certainly Maximus.

Dartmoth still has his forehead pressed to the floor.

“Is Percy here?” I ask Zeke.

“He’s on his way, Your Majesty,” he replies. “He was helping Jerim in the infirmary.”

I nod. “Then we will wait.”

The minutes tick by, and I can see sweat beading on the back of Dartmoth’s neck. Finally, Percival arrives, another half-fae man named Llewellyn Ashbow walking beside him.

“General Ashbow,” I say. “Thank you again for all you did.”

He bows. “It was my great honor, Your Majesty.”

“And Percy, there is no way I can possibly thank you enough,” I continue. “But maybe this will help.” I point at Dartmoth. “I haven’t passed sentence on him yet. Is there any sentence you would like me to consider?”

“King Dartmoth Croft,” Percival murmurs.

“He is no longer a king,” Zeke says.

Percival nods. “I suppose that’s true.”

“If you weren’t so needed in the north, I would have you take his place and oversee the new Tormentia territory of Shadowglade,” I apologize.

“No. I am happy to lead my people. But do consider Llewellyn,” he replies.

Llewellyn balks. “Me, Percy?”

“Of course. I can think of no one better,” he says.

“Then so it shall be. General Ashbow, I am appointing you mayor of the Tormentian territories. You may appoint further leadership there as you see fit,” I decide.

He gapes for a moment then bows low. “I will not let you down, Your Majesty.”

“Now, about Dartmoth.” I wrangle the conversation back to its original subject.

“I think I can find a place for him in New Hybridia,” Percival says. “We can use all the labor we can get to rebuild the north.”

“Labor?” Dartmoth squeaks.

“You’d rather be beheaded?” I ask.

He shakes his head emphatically. “No, Your Majesty. I am quite happy being assigned to labor in the north.”

“Excellent. Percy, you may go ahead and take him away. Also, I am making you mayor of the north territories of Shadowglade. We haven’t had proper leadership there for some time,” I say.

Percival raises his eyebrows, then bows. “It will be my great honor, Your Majesty. But who have you chosen for the Rallegrad territories?”

“Again, I would have chosen you, but you are desperately needed in Shadowglade’s northern territories,” I sigh. “I have someone in mind, though.”

“Zeke?” Percival asks.

“No. Stay a while and you’ll see. Though I did offer it to Zeke,” I say, glaring at my regent.

“I’m needed here.” Zeke repeats the same answer he’s given me for days.

“Now I am curious.” Percival takes up one of the many chairs along the walls of the throne room.

I nod to the guards and they drag Dartmoth over to Percival’s feet.

“Please bring forward prisoner Geoffrey Brodcraz,” I say to the guards.

In short order, the bedraggled-looking Geoffrey is brought before the throne.

“You may remove his restraints,” I continue.

The guards look at each other in surprise but do as they’re told.

He remains on his knees in a bowed position, even with the restraints gone.

“You, I will allow to stand before me, Geoffrey,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I am not worthy, Your Majesty.”

“I say you are. I would like to speak with you plainly, one man to another,” I reply. “Rise.”

With a hard swallow, Geoffrey gets to his feet. He keeps his eyes downcast, and I’m sure this is the best I’m going to get from him for now.

“I think we were both lied to, Geoffrey,” I say quietly. “And I think we both did things very out of character.”

He winces. “There is no excuse for what I allowed to happen to the northern territories of Shadowglade.”

“And, as I heard it from General Ashbow, not one of your army listened to a word you said, anyway,” I remind him.

“That just makes me a worse king,” he responds, his voice choked with tears.

“I think you’re a good man, Geoffrey,” I say. “A better man than most. General Ashbow agrees with me. You fought to have your wounded treated and not left to die on the battlefield. That is very noble, Geoffrey, given the fact that your army left you for dead.”

He shrugs. “Boris finally told me the truth. I was the idiot for not seeing it sooner.”

“Still and all, you are a good man.” I take a deep breath. “I want you to be mayor of the Rallegrad territories.”

That makes him lift his head, his eyes wide. “Me?!”

“I know you won’t fail me. And I also know you will make better conditions for the hybrids in your territories. Mayor Ashbow told me everything. I know you suffered terribly for being a hybrid in the north of Rallegrad. I also know I have you to thank for my son being alive. I am certain, if it hadn’t been for their need to keep you happy, Maximus and Riley would have killed Drake,” I say.

“But, Your Majesty, all I know about leading people is what King Maximus taught me! And I’m not sure if any of that is right. I can’t read or write properly. Surely there are better candidates,” he fretted.

“I’m sending Zeke with you to Rallegrad to help you learn. You have demonstrated to me the one quality in a leader that can’t be taught, and that is self-sacrifice. I know you would do anything for your people, even though they’ve mistreated you all of your life,” I tell him.

He chokes again, tears streaming down his cheeks. “But all those people in Shadowglade’s northern territories.”

“Make it up to me,” I interrupt him. “Be a good leader in Rallegrad.”

“I’m unworthy, Your Majesty.” He wipes his face with his sleeve.

“And yet, you are still going,” I say firmly.

He stares at me for a long time. Then he bows low. “I will make you proud, King Rafe.”

“I also realize that Rallegrad is much closer to Warfang, so you can spend some time with your sister.” I wink.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he replies, holding back more tears.

“Zeke will go with you now to start planning. You leave in the morning,” I say.

He nods, and I’m not sure he’s capable of speech at the moment as he tries coughing back sobs.

Zeke steps down from the dais and puts an arm around Geoffrey’s shoulders. “Come on, Geoff. You’ve got a lot to learn.”

Geoffrey goes with Zeke.

“He’s really a good person,” Llewellyn says. “I think he will make you proud.”

“I know he will,” I respond.

Ainslee smiles. “I’m so glad you found something worthy for Geoffrey to do.”

“He proved himself worthy when he insisted on getting his men healed up,” I reply.

“Still, you could have chosen to keep him imprisoned for life for what was done in the north,” she points out.

“That would have been a great waste of a good man.” I take her hand. “I think I’m ready for a walk in the gardens. Sending a man to his death, even an asshole like Maximus, is always hard.”

“I’ll just take this one back to the dungeon until we’re ready to leave for the north,” Percival says. “No sense in giving him ideas of escaping back to Tormentia.”

Dartmoth grumbles under his breath but otherwise doesn’t resist when Percival takes him by the arm and walks out with Llewellyn’s help.

Alone now, I kiss Ainslee. “Gardens?”

She looks down, and I see a growing wet spot on the floor between her feet.

“Jerim,” she replies with a smile.