Chapter 14
Overtaken
Saihrena was able to stand on her own now, though she couldn't take more than a step or two without falling. One week had passed, then two, the time slowly rolled by as she taught herself to walk again. She made sure she was outside everyday, it didn't matter where, she just wanted to be outside.
"My lady," Juliana said as she entered her room. "You called?"
"Yes Juliana, I want to go outside," she said, pulling herself into a standing position.
"No you don't," Juliana said with a smirk. Saihrena stared at her for a moment.
"What do you mean?" She asked in a breathless whisper.
"Your children are waiting for you in the study, and that's where you want to be. Charles." Charles entered with a hesitant smile.
"Yes Juliana?" He asked, bowing to Saihrena.
"Would you carry the Queen to the study," she asked with a wink.
"Of course," he said walking to her and effortlessly lifting Rena in his arms. He carried her out of the room and down the stairs.
"When?" Rena whispered as he carried her, she knew he knew something.
"An hour or so," he whispered back as they reached the study.
There were her children, dressed up in their finest and sitting down in chairs speaking with one another.
"Who are you and what have you done with my children?" She asked as Charles set her on a chair.
"Very funny mother, Uncle said he'd have our hide if we got these clothes dirty," Dem said. He was wearing black pants a white shirt and a black over coat. Her daughter looked miserable in a pink dress with frilly white lace around the collar, sleeves and hem, she looked adorable.
"Why did we have to get dressed up mother?" Alan asked.
"I'm not sure darling," she answered, not knowing herself why her brother would have made them get dressed up. The answer presented itself a moment later in the form of her brother, Morgead, and a man she was sure she knew, though from where she couldn't say. His skin was tanned a deep, dark brown. His hair, while short, was dyed blond from the sun, though it was darker at the roots. He was clean shaven and wore clothing the likes of which she had never seen, they were red silk, and from the looks of them very expensive. The cut of them was odd, exotic even. It wasn't until she looked into his eyes that she knew who he was, he had changed quite a bit in the three or four years since she'd seen him. It was Bandit.
"This is Mr. Jack Burrow," Raul said after indicating that the children should stand.
"Captain, your majesty," Jack said in a thick Indian accent.
"Of course, Captain Jack Burrow," her brother amended.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Captain," Rena said. Her children bowed and curtsied as Raul indicated and she saw Jack's eyes look to each of them and then back to her. A look crossed his eyes as he saw them, and she knew he thought they had grown so quickly, the last time he had seen them they were barely toddlers, now they were children.
"The pleasure is all mine your majesty, and of course to meet the little prince and princess as well," Jack said with a smile and a bow in their direction.
"What is this about Raul?" She noticed then that Morgead had yet to speak, he was holding himself still, she could see he was trying to hide some emotion. She wondered if he knew who Jack really was.
"I wanted to speak to you about something important. You see I have decided after long evenings of thought that I want to make Demetrius my heir to the throne. It is up to you three to decide if he will or not, but I want you to know that Captain Burrow has agreed to take you and your daughter to the Black Pearl once the decision has been made, if you decide to of course. If Demetrius decides not to be my heir I will of course honor his decision and send him back to the Pearl with you both," Raul finished, leaving everyone in the room speachless.
Rena got her voice back first. "Could you leave us brother?" She asked. He nodded and the three men left the room.
"Mother what is going on?" Alan asked.
"Something I hadn't thought of, he is trying to buy Dem's loyalties with the throne and the safe return of mother and sister," she mused in thought.
"But is it true, could I be King?" Dem asked.
"You could it's what he's wanted all along, the problem is you have to give up everything to achieve it, me, your father, your sister and the Pearl," Rena said.
"I-I want it," Dem whispered, leaving his mother speachless. His sister had no such problems.
"How could you want it? To live here forever without us? Without the ocean?" She cried.
"I love you all, and the Pearl, but I want to stay. I want to be King Alan, I'll write you all the time and I'll always think of you, but please mother," Dem said switching strategies and flinging himself at his mother's knees. She couldn't let him stay, she couldn't. But what could she do? If she told him no she would turn into the bad one while Raul was still the adoring Uncle, if she said yes she lost her son. Tears sprang to her eyes at her sons words.
"Mother?" Alan asked.
"Don't cry," Dem said, whiping her tears. "I love you mother, but I want more than the Pearl."
"I thought you were only five," she whispered.
"Almost six," he responded automatically.
"Go to your rooms, I will decide this by tonight," she commanded. They both turned and left the room to allow her time to think.
If she told him no he may very well stay to spite her, there would be nothing she could do about it, if she told him yes Raul would surely poison him against his parents and she would loose him anyway. He loved them now, but in five years, in ten? He would no longer think of them with anything but enmity. Could Jack get them out if she said no? Could the three of them escape Raul again?
Her thoughts ran in circles like this for hours until, after what seemed like minutes not half a day, the door opened and her brother stepped into the study. She looked up, tears that she hadn't known she shed left unheeded upon her cheeks.
"You have damned me," she whispered.
"If I can't have you I'll have your son. It's not like he will lose out on the deal, he will be King one day," Raul said reasonably.
"But I'll lose no matter what," she said.
"What have you decided Saihrean?" She stood up and looked at him long and hard before answering.
"He will stay," she whispered. Raul nodded once and left. Saihrena collapsed back on her couch and sobbed. Raul had finally won.
