Bellona (Part 1.5 of The Saskia Trilogy) by Aoife Marie Sheridan Page A

need to come now.” His hand grips my arm, making me stand and I pull away from him, he has no right to touch me.
     
    “What for?” I ask.
    He takes a step back. “The castle is under attack.” He nods before grabbing my arm again and I don’t stop him as he takes me quickly and quietly through the gardens. We move through the kitchens and the servant’s quarters until loud voices have us stopping. It sounds as if a battle is happening in the hall. I fear for Nierra and move around Taurus but he blocks my path. “My lady …”
    I cut him off. “I need to make sure Nierra is safe.” He doesn’t respond, but pulls me in the other direction. “How dare you?” But my protests fall on deaf ears. I can’t stop him or do one thing about it. He pushes me against a wall, clamping a hand over my mouth. We stand in the shadows as men move close by, all dressed in common clothes, their blades covered in blood. Fear pulses within me, fear for Nierra and for my own life. We stay still for a few moments before thirty of our own guards fill the halls, the men run and ours follow. The cries of dying men can be heard.
    A door down the hall opens roughly. “Of course they are rebelling, you are killing their families who have done nothing wrong.” It is Nierra and I fear I know who he speaks to so angrily.
     
    “You are a boy who knows nothing of what it takes to be a king,” my father’s words aren’t slurred, but he is angry. I move, wanting to protect Nierra, but Taurus keeps me in place shaking his head.
     
    “I will be King soon, and under my rule this will not happen.”
    I close my eyes in horror of what he is saying to my father.
    “You are not the king, Nierra, and you have just proven to me that you are not ready yet.” A door slams loudly, and silence follows, it is then that Taurus lets me go and I race into the hall to see Morrick whispering to Nierra they haven’t seen me yet but I catch some of Morricks fears. “He will kill you if you don’t kill him first,” Morrick says and Nierra’s face twists in disgust. “I am not a murderer.”
    I gasp with the horror of what he must see me as, his eyes snap to me and I can see it in his eyes. “Bellona,” he whispers my name, but I can’t stand there and have him look at me like that so I turn and flee to my chambers.
    It is a while later when a soft knock comes to the door before it opens and Nierra steps in. he looks around my room and I sit up in the bed. “Bellona,” my name is all he seems to be able to say, but he comes and sits down beside me. “I’m sorry.” His apology shocks me.
    “For what?” He is right after all, I am a murder.
    “For what you must think of the way I look at you.” I don’t answer. “I don’t see you as a murder. I see you as a tortured soul who didn’t know what else to do. Yet you admitted everything so for that you should be forgiven.” His eyes meet mine, and I don’t blink in fear, I will start to cry.
    I squeeze two words out. “Thank you.” Without crying.
    His hand reaches up and strokes my face before disappearing into my hair. “I miss touching you, smelling you. I miss your voice and laughter.” It is all too much I can’t fight the tears and I cry. Nierra pulls me into his embrace, soothing me. “I love you,” he whispers several times while kissing my hair. When my tears stop flowing he lays me down and lies down beside me while holding my hand. “I want to kill him for what he has done to you, for what he is doing to his people,” Nierra confesses.
    “It will bring you no joy,” I answer honestly and Nierra kisses my hand.
    “I know,” Nierra says before falling asleep with me in arms. I fall asleep too, shortly after.
     
    I wake up to find Nierra gone but in his place is a letter. I sit up and read it and a smile grows on my face. He wants me to meet him at noon in the gardens for a picnic. I clutch the letter to my chest, thanking God for sending Nierra to me. I get dressed,