Chapter 5
It took the whole convoy a week less to get back as it did to get to the cave. Mostly due to Edward pushing for longer travelling stints before setting up camp, but also because everyone was incredibly desperate to get home. After one of their longest crusades, of nearly 8 months, the men needed their wives, their families and their whores.
Arriving in the city to a hero's welcome, the envoy weaves around hoards of people and the winding streets until they reached the royal palace steps. Edward dismounted his horse and orders the box be readied. He turns as the King and the Queen appear from within the palace and make their way towards their sons. The Queen takes the last few steps quickly in order to embrace her children with joy and thankfulness. She whispers to Jasper and Emmett each for a few moments before making her way to Edward.
She throws herself at her most troubled child. She worries about him and rightly so. He half hugs her back and stands rigid. Having grown up under his father's instructions and being used as a fortune telling weapon, Edward finds displays of affection strange yet comforting but he doesn't know how to react so he stands completely still.
His mother sighed and whispered to him too. Thankful that he is OK, how much she missed him and her want to hear all about their journey. But Edward looks towards his approaching father. His mother let her arms fall and tried to hide her disappointment.
"Father," Edward greeted with a nod of the head.
The King doesn't stop to greet his sons, merely walking past them to wander around the wagon. His bright blue eyes drink in the sight of the large, ornate box. His inspection silent and eerily methodical. He snaps his fingers for the soldiers to continue there efforts in unloading the treasure and walks over to his eldest son. "Where did you find this?" He asked sternly.
Though he had never shown it from the outside, Edward was terrified of his father. He hesitated momentarily, garnering him a piercing look from his father. He had to get a hold of himself. He tightened his grip upon his sword as a way of gathering strength.
"Within the cave from my dream. It was on top of the alter," Edward gritted out mechanically. His father breathed in, staring slightly past Edward, lost in thought.
"But you did not see the chest in your dream?" The King asked almost mockingly. Edward clenched his teeth so hard that he felt pain in his collarbone.
"No," He spat. The King nodded slowly.
"Bring the box to my chambers." The king ordered as he rounded and began to ascend the marble steps once again.
Edward snapped his head around as the soldiers followed the orders of their king and hoisted the box behind the King's entourage.
He felt lost.
Alone.
His connection to that chest has taken on a life of its own since he found it all those months ago. It was his every waking thought. And now he was powerless to keep it by his side. His hands shook and he brushed away the supportive words and gestures of his brothers. They had seen his obsession develop since day one. They didn't pretend to understand it, but then they had never pretended to understand Edward's dreams. They just accepted him as their brother and no matter what, they loved him. So as Edward stormed off towards his own chamber, they once again embraced their mother and began to recall stories of the lands they passed through.