yay! haha
Ulrik had managed to stay for an extra day but Oliza knew that he would have to go back and that their time together had been fleeting. Yet she was determined to keep him close to her this time and not let the years take her that right. Her argument with Avaram had not continued but it had distanced them even more. She knew that he would never truly believe that she and Nicias had never had an affair. It was something that had built over the years that would always bother him. What pained her most was that he had been a devoted man and a good friend to her. His patience at whatever she chose to do influenced her decision to choose him as her mate out of all the suitors she had to pick from. But his patience, all of his repressed desires would one day burst and she understood completely from where his anger rose. As for Loeiza, it was natural that she would prefer her father. It was natural for Loeiza to seek the company of her father, especially after Bastian was born. Oliza had been pretty much the same. The bond with her father, Zane, had been very much like the one Loeiza shared with Avaram. It was until she had grown older that the company of her mother had come to be very important. Except that had father and mother were truly in love with each other and Oliza could not say the same for Avaram. They were bonded for life and would somehow have to make things work out between them. She only hoped that Avaram would understand her someday and that he too would search for someone to treat him as he deserved.
Oliza and Ulrik walked together in the private gardens, unworried about prying eyes. No matter how much she esteemed Avaram, she could not bear to leave Ulrik. The only love stronger than her love for Ulrik would be her complete devotion and love to her children.
They kept at a distance until they hid under an archway that led to a canopy of flowers. After that, he held her in his arms and both stood like that as they said their farewells.
"When will I see you again?" she asked him softly.
"In a fortnight, after I return from my visit to the other tribes." He bent down to kiss her and smiled. "I shall wait for you at the cave as long as I can. Until then, I shall think of you always."
Oliza beamed at him but her happiness soon faded when she heard the rustle of leaves. Instinctively, she broke away from Ulrik and stood alert.
"It's just the wind." She felt Ulrik say behind her. His arms went around her waist as he held her from behind. Yet, her heart was still racing and all that she could do was lean back and close her eyes. Namidia had been watching the doorway to make sure no one entered but anything could happen and Oliza knew the risks in that. Just as he heart began to slow down a distant cry for help brought them both to a jolt. Oliza's heart raced even faster as she noticed the cry had come from a child and realized fully well to whom it belonged. Loeiza.
In a panic, she ran with Ulrik behind her and made her way out of the gardens. As soon as Oliza saw Namidia she began to question her, frantically asking about her daughter and for Bastian. Namidia only attempted to calm her and soon enough a flurry of heavily armed guards came from all directions and covered Oliza. Behind them came Nicias with a very shaken and pale Loeiza in his arms. Happy to see her daughter alive and well but still worried for her son, she ran to Loeiza who clung to Nicias. He put Loeiza down but instead of running towards her mother, Loeiza ran in the farthest corner she could and hid there. Something terrible had happened for Loeiza looked pale and she flinched at her mother's attempt to touch her.
"Where is Bastian? What has happened?" Oliza exclaimed. Nicias led Oliza away from Loeiza and gave Oliza his free hand to hold. Somehow it brought her a sense of comfort. No doubt it may have been his falcon magic at work but then again he did not need magic to give her a sense of peace
Though he managed to keep his expression calm his eyes showed that what he was about to tell her was not good.
"Bastian and Tara are being guarded well. Same goes for Hai and Salem." He took a deep breath as he spoke his next words, "There was an assassin here. We don't know much yet but Avaram was wounded while Loeiza watched. I'm afraid that we can't do much for Avaram anymore… the wound was a mortal one."
She cringed as she heard him speak and waited for the finality in his words them to reach her. Everything that came to happen later appeared to be occurring so fast and in a blur. Desperately, she sought to bring Loeiza back to her and away from the daze that overcame her. It frightened her to see her daughter in such a state and she knew that she was too young to understand what had happened. Instead, Loeiza ran from her mother and clung to Nicias. It was a terrible thing for a child to go through and seeing her in such a state only wrenched at Oliza's heart. How she wanted to change everything for her daughter and make it right. And then there was the underlying sense of guilt. The last few days with Avaram had been painful ones. After all that he had done for her, his utter love for her, and his anger at her lack of love for him had made him miserable. In truth, she had loved him. It was not the love she had felt for Ulrik but it had been something that was meaningful in its own way. And now both her son and daughter had no father, and her kingdom no king.