"Are you here for the funeral?"

The soft voice of a woman spoke, followed by approaching steps. Archer quickly raised his head to look at the speaker, his heartbeat slowing down.

Sereia...

She was dressed in black clothes, and black lipstick adorned her lips.

But something was wrong. Although she was clad in mourning clothes, she did not seem like someone who had lost someone they loved dearly.

Archer did not want to be a hater, but he did not think that she would have moved on so quickly.

It was just a month since he died; why did she look... rather robust?

They had been married for six years, engaged for twelve, and she was the absolute love of his life, and he thought he was too, but right now, it did not seem like she loved him as much as he had thought.

"Yes, we are." Kylo replied.

"Oh, welcome... You must be the representatives from the Eres clan," she said with a toothy smile.

"No, we are the dorks." Kylo corrected. He knew why she must have mistaken them for the Eres clan; they had put on their best clothing tucked away for important events since they were coming to the palace. It was not proper to meet the king, looking raggy.

Sereia’s smile died almost instantly as her eyes looked at them from head to toe.

"Oh..." she said, and then smiled again, but this time it was forced.

Archer did not know that she was disgusted by the dorks. Well, maybe she had always been, but since he had never been on the receiving end, he did not notice.

With the way she looked at them, it showed she was not very pleased that they were invited. It did not seem that she knew that the king had invited them.

But what was she doing in the palace? A woman mourning was not to leave her home until her husband was buried. That was the tradition.

"You're welcome. The guard will show you the place prepared for you," she forced a smile and then walked off. But before she could take a few steps forward, a man dressed in royal regalia walked out of the inner court.

"Bow to the king!" The guard announced, taking a bow, as the king walked toward them.

Elena held Archer tightly as she bowed her head, Kylo following suit.

"Sire," they greeted in unison.

"You are here for the funeral, am I right?" The king asked, and they raised their heads, nodding. ''Yes, sire.''

King Edric Rymrs was in his mid twenties. He was fair-looking, and although he appeared kind, his voice commanded an authority that made one instantly move to obey.

Sereia turned when she heard the voice of the king.

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"My king..." she called as she turned around and walked to his side.

My... my king?! When did the king and his wife have such a relationship? Besides, was the king not married? Why was he friendly with his wife? When did they become friendly? He was not even been buried yet!

Archer screamed, but no words could come out of his mouth. He was just making incoherent sounds, but no one was paying attention to him. Well, only Elena, who was softly patting his back, thinking he was hungry.

"Sereia, are you leaving already?" King Edric asked as he stared at the woman who had walked to his side. She nodded, "Yes, I have to go make the final preparations to avoid any mistakes tomorrow."

Turning to Elena and Kylo, she added, "I heard you invited the dorks?" a distaste on her tongue.

"Oh yes. The Council agreed that a member of all clans would be invited... for inclusivity." The reply did not sound true, but Sereia did not press on.

Archer watched the look in their eyes as they stared at each other. It did not seem like the look a subject gives to her king; rather, it seemed rather like the look of affection, endearingness... love?

He had been to the palace with her on numerous occasions, but he had not noticed anything strange with the king. Why was he seeing this now, or did they get closer after his death? No, it was just a month, they would not have gotten this close within a month of his death. Did the king perhaps kill him to have his wife?

At the mere thought of that, Archer’s heart banged against his chest, but he did not want to believe it.

His precious wife, his Sereia had been seeing the king behind his back! No, it was not true. Where did he go wrong?

The more he looked at them, the more deathly his glare grew. How could she do that to him!

"I see, I would be on my way now. I have a few guests waiting for me."

The king nodded, and Sereia bowed and left.

King Edric turned back to the guests, his eyes staying on Kylo for an extended minute, then he pulled his eyes away;

"Show them to their quarters. I am sure it has been a long journey. Get some rest, the servants will prepare you something to eat."

"Thank you, sire," Kylo acknowledged, while Elena bowed slightly as the king nodded and walked away.

"Mm, maybe there's no hidden meaning to our coming here," Elena whispered to Kylo as they followed the guard leading them to the eastern court. It was the home for the maids and servants, but even then, it was better and more beautiful than all the houses in Renev, their little village.

After the guards left them, Elena placed Archer on the little queen's bed in the room and breathed out.

"I missed this," she quoted, her eyes looking around. The room was sparsely furnished, with the queen's bed sitting in the middle of the room, a low-hanging chandelier housing a few burnt-out candles, some old carvings on the walls, a big clay pot at the end of the room and a little center table.

Archer looked at his mother; Did she live in the palace before?

There was a little change in Kylo's expression. "Don't want what you cannot have, Elena. We are just here for the funeral, and then we will go back home."

Elena pursed her lips and looked down at Archer. "Don't you want the best for your son? Do you want him to grow up in that godforsaken village, with people who have been forsaken even by the heavens? I am sure you don't want that..."

"Elena!" Kylo barked, causing Archer's little body to shudder.

"I don't have this life anymore, Elena. I can never have this life. I know what you want from me, but I cannot give it to you. I cannot fight the forces that be. It is over me now. It is over. This is our life now. We are dorks, from Renev. I am but a farmer, and you, a meagre cloth maker. That is all, Elena. Please... any other thing will lead to our death."

There was total silence in the room. Archer, staring at his parents, wondering what they were talking about.

Elena opened her lips to speak, but before she could say a word, there was a loud knock on the door. Elena and Kylo stayed staring at each other, no one moving, as though waiting for the other to get the door. When the knock came again, Elena stood up.

"I'll get the door," she said, walking to the door.

But as she pulled open the door, a loud gust of wind blew in, carrying dust with it.

Elena shut her eyes as she waited for the wind to subside, but when she opened them, there was no one standing there.

She frowned and walked outside and looked around, yet she saw no one.

"There is nobody..." Elena opened her lips to speak as she walked back into the room, but she stopped almost immediately, all color draining from her face.

"Where is Archer?"