"Is that true, Zerath?" Nefarion cast a severe gaze, his jaw tight.
Zerath bowed. "Apologies, Father. I had no choice but to return to Nethermoor. I'd like to speak with you about it. Alone."
Xeraphine scorned. "No choice? I know why you went there, Zerath. It's because Astaroth is there, isn't he? It's not enough for you that he was banished to Nethermoor - that now you can't see him live there peacefully either. You keep visiting there to create problems for him. You don't want him to ever return to the palace. That's what you want!"
"That's not what I want, Aunt. I didn't even see cousin on this trip. I was there to investigate."
Nefarion's glare hardened and rose to confront him - a vase came flying to Zerath's side and struck him at his temple. It shattered mid-air and fell on the floor in pieces.
A sharp, stunned silence descended.
Zerath stayed rooted at his place, staring at a trembling Veloria before him. A cut had opened at his temple and blood trickled down the side of his left brow.
"Ze-Zerath…!"
Aghast, Nefarion had nearly lunged out towards him. But Veloria gripped his hand with an urgent request. He lowered his gaze and felt her trembling hand go cold.
"My lord!"
Lucian rushed first, followed by Doloros. Izrus and Moira were just as stupefied. Though visibly shaken, Xeraphine was satisfied with her sister's outburst.
"I knew it was a mistake to take you in…"
Resting her weight on her arms, Veloria pushed herself up, though she only managed halfway. Her frail body shook with indignation, her knife-like gaze cutting Zerath into pieces.
"You keep ignoring your father's commands…Who…who do you think you are..!" She clasped her chest as her breaths grew more chaotic. "We told you to drop that investigation ,- even so who do you think you are to ignore our command! Every single time…every single time you disobey us! If…"
Tears brimmed her eyes. "If it had been my son, he…he'd have never acted like you. He'd have been a good son, a good brother and a good prince. Why…Why did I lose him…Why did I lose my child aaahhhhhhh….!!!"
She clutched her chest and wailed. Her furious tears plopped upon her blanket. The sound of it reverberated deep into Zerath's bones, as he stood there unable to move.
"Sister…!' Xeraphine rushed to support her. "It's not good for you to get agitated like this. You must rest-"
"Rest? I don't want to rest! I don't want to eat any medicine! I don't want to see Zerath's face who keeps disobeying his parents! I want my child back..!!!"
Veloria grabbed the medicine bowl Doloros had prepared for her and hurled it to the floor with every last weight of her fury. The liquid splashed in all directions.
"Veloria!"
Nefarion's temper cut through the air like the tip of an arrow.
She went still at first. Then slowly turned to look at him. Resentment, grief, helplessness, fury - everything fogged his eyes like a giant, knotted clump.
"Enough is enough Veloria. Please stop talking about the child we lost!! Nothing will bring him back to us, so will you…" his fingers balled into his palms, "stop reminding us of the past...!?"
Veloria froze. For a long time, she was unable to process her husband's brutal words that struck the nerve in her heart where it hurt the most. Her eyes looked as if they had been hollowed out.
"How could you…s-say that Nefarion? How dare you say our child won't be back! He will be!" Her voice tore through her throat. "I know he'll come back to me! And then he'll throw Zerath out of his place and become the rightful king of Rudaheim!"
"NO, HE WON'T!! The dead don't come back, Veloria!"
"Y-You…are lying," her face lost its color rapidly, and her voice turned into a weak whisper. "I know he'll come back to me. I-It's just a matter of time…"
A strange, inexplicable glaze formed across her eyes, and she lost her balance.
"Your Majesty!" Moira rushed to her side and caught her before she fell.
Xeraphine grimaced at Nefarion. "How could you be so cruel to my sister, brother-in-law? You know how sensitive this subject is for her."
"And how long is she going to hold onto that?" Nefarion stared at her, not furious but exhausted. "Yes, it hurts that we lost our son, but…am I not allowed to move on? For how long must I keep mourning his death? I have a son standing right in front of me, so why can I not simply treat him as one!?
He drew a shaky breath. "Yes, he disobeyed an order, so what! At the very least, I know he has good intentions at heart, but what about your son, Xeraphine? Take a good look at your Astaroth's conduct first before pointing your finger at my Zerath! So the next time you raise your voice against my son, understand that the only consequence awaiting you would be prison! He's the royal prince and as such, even a shred of disrespect would constitute a crime against him!"
Xeraphine stumbled back, hand to her chest. In all the years she has known him, she had never once seen Nefarion's turn on his family like today.
"Brother-in-law…" she bit her lip, trying hard to hold back her frenzied emotions.
Veloria seethed in rage. "How dare you speak to my sister like that? For a stranger you picked up off the streets, you'd turn against your own family!?"
"Zerath IS my family!"
The light in her eyes dimmed down to something distant. Every word of his raised voice chipped her soul away in tiny fragments. Her condition deteriorated.
Doloros left Zerath's side to attend to her, but she pushed him away.
"Sire Izrus. Please read a passage for me…" She stared at the ceiling, her gaze vacant.
"Your Majesty, please allow Sir Doloros to examine you first," Izrus said gently.
Though he and Doloros clashed often, even Izrus understood when the situation called for him to take a step back.
"I want to hear a passage…" she repeated, as if she hadn't heard him. "I want to hear Sir Izrus's passage…"
Nefarion stared at his wife, his quivering shoulders hung low dispiritedly. He had seen this state of hers before - the moment she would build a wall around her, where it was impossible to reach her.
"Take care of her, Doloros. You too, Sire Izrus. If she wants you to stay, please stay."
Izrus bowed. "I'll do my best, Your Majesty. May God's mercy be with your family. I understand Her Majesty is upset, but please don't hold it against her. She is a lost soul. I believe God will guide her to the right place one day."
Nefarion gave a tired smile. "One day, huh…"
He turned to leave when Zerath pulled his arm. "Father. I will…Le-Let me come with you."
Zerath was afraid. This was the first time he had ever witnessed Nefarion expressing the raw emotions buried deep within his heart. His composure breaking apart. The bottled up feelings which unleashed like a torrent.
He didn't know what this would do to Nefarion - who was always used to putting up a strong front as the King.
Nefarion turned to him. His smile was tired in a way that reached the edges of his eyes.
"I want to be alone for now, Zerath. Please…" his voice faltered, just slightly, as he touched his forehead gently, "Get your wound seen to, alright?"