Heart of Darkness

Skender looked at the boy sitting in front of him. He was surprised by the question. It was not the question he should be asking the man who killed his father.

"No. You can't." Especially not now when Lucrezia was messing with his mind and not when he had no one around he could trust.

The shades could be anywhere. They could be disguised as his guards or servants. And even if they weren't, the humans around him could be manipulated by the shades to reveal what they had seen or heard. The only ones he could trust for sure were the Lords, but none of them wanted to help, especially when it came to Angelica. Rayven was busy dying and the others didn't want to get involved after Lucrezia's warning. Even Acheron who was the helpful one refused to help him.

People thought he had power because he was king. The truth was he had no power at all. There were eyes on him wherever he went and he was judged for whatever he said or did.

William narrowed his eyes. "Why?" He asked.

"Because even I don't trust myself." He couldn't trust his body and his demon who betrayed him every night and now, he couldn't trust his mind.

"Have you not been sleeping, Your Majesty?" William frowned taking notice of his tiredness.

Skender sighed. I don't deserve sleep he thought.

"My sister is alright." He said as if knowing his worries.

How could she be alright? She was … he felt his stomach turn again when he thought about it. He would never forgive himself or Lucrezia for this.

"Your Majesty, I need your help."

"I can't help you." Skender hurried to say.

Every time he tried to help or do something right, things took a left turn.

"You should ask the man marrying your sister." He told him feeling a little suffocated.

"That man can barely help himself," William muttered.

Skender was taken aback. He had never seen such an attitude from William before. It seemed like something had happened between them.

"You are the one to help me, Your Majesty. I saw you in my dreams."

Dreams?

"King Alexander, defender of men. Your name was given to you with a purpose. It has a similar meaning to mine. I believe in the burden of names, Your Majesty. You will be the one to defend until they can defend themselves. Isn't that why you sent me to military camp?"

How did he...know?

Even though he would never put it that way, the thought was the same. He wanted to make something of William before anything went wrong. He wanted to give him the chance to grow his potential and stand on his own one day. Be the man, the protector he wished to be. Something that would be difficult if he only stayed with his sister.

"If I can grow strong to defend my sister, then she won't need anyone else. Building something strong from the root instead of repairing the branches. You have the right approach, Your Majesty. I don't know why you don't trust yourself but I can see you don't. You don't believe in yourself either."

What was happening? How did he know?

"You wonder how I know? I have a gift or curse, depends on what you like to call it." He said. "I am different like you."

"Like me?"

"I know what you are."

Skender nodded curiously. "What am I?"

"I just call you a monster," William said.

Skender burst out in laughter. A monster? If he only knew.

But… he did, by the way, he didn't laugh or even flinch. Did his father tell him what he saw? But most importantly, even if he did, why did he believe him?

"Who told you?" Skender asked.

"A bird. To be specific, a raven."

Oh. So it was Rayven. Hopefully, he didn't show him, because that would put this little boy in danger. If he wasn't different himself like he was saying.

"A monster is correct." He gave him the hint to never say the real word.

William smiled at him knowingly.

"And you are...not a monster." Skender fished for answers.

"Whatever you think I am, or come to think of, is right." He said also giving him a hint.

A gift. A curse. A dream and the ability to know people for who they were. He was a prophet. Skender wasn't even as surprised as he should be. He had suspected Angelica to be the prophetess but William had all the traits.

A male prophet. Ramona had told him that the fate of the prophets would change one day. Was this what she meant?

If William was the prophet could his sister still be a prophetess?

"Your sister…"

"She is not...like me." He said.

But she had to be something.

Skender nodded. This would still not put her out of danger, especially with Rayven's stupid plan. Hopefully, Lucrezia would do something about it.

He suspected that she already knew about William by now. There was no way she wouldn't know if he had this conversation with Rayven already.

"William. Don't trust anyone with this. Not even me." The fewer people who knew the better.

"He said the same thing." William frowned. "I can't keep it anymore and I was led to you."

To him? Why him?

"The dr… I saw you saving me." William said.

Skender shook his head. "My hands…"

"Your hands are tied and the people who should be your eyes, ears, and hands aren't. A king can't do anything alone. His power lies in the people around him. A wise king chooses the right people to stand by his side. I can untie your hands, Your Majesty. I need a place in court."

Skender blinked in awe. This boy was negotiating with him this easily. Well, he shouldn't be so surprised now when he knew that the boy was a prophet. An old soul in a young body.

"You can't have a place in court right now."

"I know. I speak of the future, Your Majesty."

So was that all he wanted? A place in court? Yes, that would give him a power position and the ability to protect his sister. But still...

"Well, if you go through all the trails to get into court, I won't be there to stop you," Skender said.

William nodded.

"But that is not all you needed?" Skender asked.

"No. When I untie your hands, I need your protection from the other monsters. They will be coming for me."

The shades. They would find him eventually it seemed.

"And you think I can protect you?"

"Yes."

Skender frowned. The boy believed in him too much. "They call me incapable. Negligent. Every person I get to know and everything I touch," he shook his head. "It all turns bad."

"Some people believe too much in their abilities…" he looked at the door. "Others too little," he then looked back at him and smiled.

Skender felt even more burdened by this little boy. His heart ached even more. He didn't deserve this kindness.

"You don't resent me?" he blurted.

"No, and I never have."

"Why?"

"I can't resent the only person who tried to help me and my sister."

"I made things worse for both of you."

"I wasn't close to my father but I would never wish for him to be killed as if his life didn't matter. Even if he made things worse." He looked saddened for a moment.

"I understand your duties as a King or I wouldn't offer to untie your hands. I know you have to be ruthless sometimes as a king but I will always prefer mercy, Your Majesty."

Skender felt his eyes sting but tried not to cry in front of this brave boy.

William smiled at him."But mercy doesn't mean not having authority or not using your authority. You are the King. If you don't have people on your side, you have to use the ones on the other side. What do they call it?" He became thoughtful.

"Utilizing the opposing forces."

"Yes. That is what you have to do right now, Your Majesty."

Skender nodded with a smile. The boy had truly done his homework to join the court.

"What position in court do you exactly wish to have?" Skender asked curiously.

"I want to be your right-hand adviser."

Skender smiled. The boy was aiming for the highest position.

"Then I guess it is me who needs to trust you."

William nodded. "Do you trust me?"

"I do." Skender felt a strange feeling in his chest that he hadn't felt for a long time. A good feeling.

William stood up. "Thank you for lending me some of your time, Your Majesty. With your permission, I will be on my way now."

Skender stood up as well. "I will escort you out." He said and then followed him out of the room.

Rayven was nowhere to be seen but he sensed him in the main garden and led William that way. Rayven sat there looking troubled.

A few of the courtiers saw him and walked up to him as they arrived. "I heard you are getting married, Lord Rayven."

The demon wasn't good at hiding his distaste for people.

"Yes, he is." Skender interrupted as he neared.

They bowed when they saw him. "After his recovery Lord Rayven has been busy preparing his wedding and going back to his duties. Tomorrow, at the morning meeting, Lord Rayven will be there to report to us how he has been handling things in his town."

Rayven gave him a questioning and a confused look and Skender returned the look with a smile.

"We will see you at the meeting then, Lord Rayven. Congratulations on your wedding." They said thinking other things than what their tongues uttered.

When they left Rayven stood up and gave him a hard glare. "What was that? I said I wouldn't come back."

"Then you should step down as Lord of the manor. You can't have the privileges without doing the work. I'll see you tomorrow at the meeting to either report or step down." Skender said sternly then turned his back to him.

*****

Rayven watches Skender walk away. What had gotten into him these days? He was taking every chance to step on him.

Step down?

He scoffed.

And he had thought of defending him this morning.

"Is something wrong?" William asked him.

"No. Let's go." He said.

On their way back to the wolf's den, Rayven couldn't help but feel bothered by William's treatment. The boy had been the only one looking at him except for his sister and now he was only staring out the window.

Something must be wrong with him if he was actually bothered that someone wasn't looking at him.

"Are you still bothered by nightmares?"

"Where are you eavesdropping, My Lord?"

Why was he feeling like he was being scolded? This boy and his sister.

"No."

William nodded. "Yes, they bother me still."

"Well, I have a lot of books…" He bit his tongue. Literally.

Was he really trying to make this little boy like him?

"I saw your library. It needs cleaning." He said calmly.

Rayven swallowed the lump in his throat and remained quiet not knowing what to say.

After a while, at last, he said it. "You asked about your sister once. I told you, you wouldn't want her with a man like me."

Now he had the boy's attention. Strangely he smiled at him. "It seems you were right, My Lord."

Rayven felt a sting in his heart.

"I saw something in you and I have never been wrong about people. But I know there is always a first time.. Hopefully, you won't be the first to prove me wrong, My Lord."