There are times when the sheer pressure of words, and of the silence they cause, create a chasm of clashing reactions. Thus was the situation Violet found herself in with the queen hyperventilating in front of her and Kieren frozen stiff in the floor above them.
Anastasia had paled drastically, eyes wide open, a tremor in her hands and mouth. She looked furious, afraid, affronted. She was shaking more as the seconds dragged on and if she had to come clean she would be forced to admit that she didn't really know how she felt.
There were secrets she had buried down so deep for what she felt, (as she fought for the survival of her and her child) could keep them safe. Kieren couldn't have a child, how could she allow that? After fighting so hard for an opportunity to take that bloodied target off his back, a child? A child would cause the world to erupt.
Tears sprung in her eyes as she fought for control, for clarity, "Kieren's father…" it was but a whisper and it brought so much pain to her eyes. Violet watched curiously drinking in the emotions.
Anastasia swallowed thickly, her one lover, her husband. How many years had she forced herself to not think of him, to pretend his death hasn't destroyed her core. And why? Why did he even die? Was his bloodline really worth all the pain and betrayal they had experienced?
But… a sliver of a hope, a child, a grandchild. A prohibited dream, an impossibility that she knew she had all but ripped out of her sons hands from a very young age. She focused on Violet for the first time, was she being played?
Kieren, from his hiding spot above, surrounded by runes Violet had drawn in for "extra protection" felt his chest explode.
In the grand scheme of things the fact that Violet had just asked his mother who his real father was should take priority. Yes, who the hell he actually was mattered more, but had Violet just said she was pregnant?
Before he even realized it Kieren had started moving, away from the secluded spot he had promised Violet he would stay in, away from the safety of the runes. None of it mattered, he needed to ask her, he needed to know, his veins erupted into joyous panic, "Violet!"
A weird zing and he found himself back in the center of the runes, he tried again and was once more relocated to the center of the rune. He frowned and then forced himself to calm down, of course Violet had planned for this, of course she had known that he wouldn't be able to sit still.
He stared at the runes, the silence from his mother meant that despite him speaking, she hadn't heard him. He almost laughed, so his words stayed within the rune circle as well? He truly was in bed with the most clever of them all, had she known he would react this way? But how long has she know?
Kieren forced himself to sit back down, he willed himself to ignore the frantic beating of his heart and instead focus closely on the words that seemed to be tearing out of his mother's mouth, "Why do you ask about his father… no, what do you already know?"
Violet shrugged once more, "I have a theory, it was a far fetched one up until a few days ago, but suddenly it makes sense. I had only ever seen one picture of his father and even then I found myself thinking that while there was some resemblance it didn't quite fit. Not the power in his eyes."
"Anastasia, the man Kieren called his uncle, that's his real father? Was the whole thing a farce? Kieren has been the true successor this entire time has he not?"
Suddenly she was crying, holding her hands in front of her, the queen tried unsuccessfully to prevent the tears escaping one after the other. "What…" she gasped and then steadied herself, "what is the point of asking questions it seems you already know the answers too? Is this some sadistic kink of yours?"
The queen met Violet's gaze angrily, "All I have ever done is protect Kieren, I HAVE DEVOTED MY ENTIRE LIFE AND… AND…" she stood up and threw the table to the side, "I love him, and he loved me, Kieren never even realized that was his father, so give me one good reason why I have to recount the worst time of my life just to satisfy your curiosity?"
Violet didn't flinch, her gaze remained steady, she rose from the chair, she dragged it closer until her knees were all but touching Anastasia's, "Sure, if one is really all you need, I can kill Dolomine."
Anastasia paused, she wiped her eyes and then laughed, it was a humorless laugh, "The many people who have tried. I grow tired Violet, but what have I to loose, I tell you my story, you try to kill him, at least I will rid my son of the distraction you are. Do me one favor, don't tell him about the child."
Violet leaned forward, "Speak."
"I met Leon and Kaiden the same day, at a festival celebrating the Ruenen's splendor. Even though Leon was the eldest and Kaiden the youngest, they understood each other and quite frankly worked together to wreck havoc everywhere they went."
"The attraction to Leon was immediate and it wasn't long before we were meeting in secret, enjoying our youth and the thrill of our bodies. As time progressed and our relationship grew I also spent a lot of time with Kaiden, they were after all inseparable. It wasn't long before I realized that whilst they acted very carefree they were always standing at the edge of a precipice."
"I remember, very childishly, being upset that he wanted to keep our relationship secret." She scoffed, "I thought he was cheating on me and despite being madly in love with him, I was considering ending things. I could not picture myself as a mere plaything and as I approached my twenty-second birthday, my family was looking for an appropriate suitor. I was nothing short of royalty myself, so I knew the expectations of my name."
"We argued and despite his continual insistence that he was doing it for my safety I broke things off. I went home and cried myself to sleep only to realize about a week later that was pregnant, with Kieren…"
"The moment I told him about our child, all the walls came down and I came to realize the horror of a situation that I had walked myself into. In the year and six months that we had been together he had fended off seven assassination attempts with a very close last call. He was trying to protect me, there was a dark faction within the Ruenen that wanted him dead. Leon, had inherited close to all of the original traits of the king, and they were afraid that his offspring would have soul command. It is too much power, the true strength of a king, they feared it more than anything."
"You see, everyone wanted him dead, his sisters, half the generals, the high lords, all of them. There was distrust and discord sown so deeply within the family that the mere announcement of my pregnancy would have been a death sentence. That was also when he told me about his bond, even if he loved me, when the right person came along, it was game over. But I was stubborn, and I wanted him for me so we formulated a plan. A horrible plan, but a plan."
"About a week after I told Leon that I was expecting Kaiden approached us freaking out, on a drunken whim he had knocked up one of the maids and she was threatening to come clean. She was a very selfish and vile woman, but once this came to light, we saw an opportunity. Kaiden and Leon knew runes, and so we sealed her mouth shut with the promise of riches and led her to believe she was being acknowledged by all."
"Two weeks before I was due, we switched it all, it was Leon who had impregnated the maid, and Kaiden and I who had been holding a steady relationship in secret. The news was received as well as you can expect, they married Kaiden and I two days before Kieren was born and the maid, very unfortunately did not make it past childbirth."
"All the maids who helped birth either Lev or Kieren were killed and in secret we forged a pact, one focused on keeping Kieren alive, no matter how we had to hide him. Even Kaiden understood and while we fought many times because of his son, he always helped protect Kieren. But… " suddenly Anastasia looked exhausted, so Violet supplied information.
"He was stronger than any of you had anticipated." It wasn't a question.
Anastasia sighed again, "yes, and Lev suffered for it, by the time they were finally killed, at six years old he had faced so many assassins that his growth and mental health were greatly affected. He had none of the power and Kieren was thriving in the shadows as the son of the least powerful and important children."
"But…" Violet promoted.
"But, some people began to question Kieran's abilities, and then… then.." her voice shrank.
Violet sighed, "He caused the accident that resulted in their deaths: in Leon, Kaiden, and Lev's?"
Anastasia wrung her hands together, "it was too much power and we kept asking him to hide it, all he ever heard was no. No Kieren you can't play with the other kids, no Kieren stay inside. NO NO NO!"
"That day, he had run into a girl, she was bleeding by the side of river while they were on vacation, he wanted to help her. Kept saying that he HAD to help her. They told him no, and he blew up at them, they managed to calm him down, but when they got to where he had seen the girl she was gone."
"He destroyed everything in his path, nothing they could do would stop him, he didn't kill then but they were injured and the ruckus he was causing drew in people with any semblance of power. When Kieren came too he realized he was the one hurting them and he fled, the destruction…"
Violet finished easily, "the faction that wanted them dead found Lev, Leon, and Kaiden heavily injured. They assumed that Lev's powers had finally awoken and they killed all three."
"Yes, Kieren made his way back to me out of sheer determination and before they could interrogate him I…"
Violet stood up, "You sealed half of his power with a rune that nearly killed him. You then hid the rune along his back. You proceeded to stunt him in every way possible but no matter what you tried he kept outgrowing your lines. He's everything they're afraid of and instead of teaching him to control it you've taught him to hide it."
"You have no idea what I've been…"
"I'm not judging you, we'll actually I am, but that doesn't matter, I wanted the facts, you've provided them, it's all I need."
Anastasia rose to her feet, "keep my son out of this, and if you really are pregnant…" she paused unsure of how to continue.
Violet shrugged as she walked to the stairs leading up, "that's his decision."
Violet opened the door to where Kieren was waiting, he was staring at her with hesitance etched on his face. She mouthed for silence crossed the rune, took his hand, and dragged them through a portal as Anastasia charged upstairs.
She found nothing but emptiness and silence.
Kieren felt himself being dragged out, they were now walking on leaves, a thick warm forest enveloped them, Violet was talking a hundred miles an hour as Kieren struggled to focus.
"Now, the first thing we need to do it remove the seal on your back, after that it becomes about controlling the immense amount of power you're going to have. Kieren, I know the information I made you listen to is a lot, but I'm going to need you to work through it at record speed."
Kieren stopped moving, holding Violet in place. "Are you pregnant."
Violet didn't meet his eyes, "we need to move, Dolomine-"
"I DONT CARE!" He spun Violet around holding her tight, looking straight into her eyes. He felt her fidget, "Violet." He whispered her name with longing. "Violet, are we having a baby? Am I going to be a father?"