Chapter 524: A Lost Bond Rekindled in Tears
Athillia’s gaze fell on the Marquess of Roland.
"Given your name is Matthew... that must have been your childhood name, wasn’t it?"
The word struck Matthew like a blow.
His eyes widened, and his lips trembled. For a heartbeat, he could not breathe. The nickname — one only his father ever used to call him — broke open years of silence, years of waiting, and years of loss.
His vision blurred as hot tears spilt freely. His hands clutched the locket as though it were his father’s hand at last.
"All this time... I thought he died in the war. I thought he was brutally murdered!"
He bowed his head, shoulders shaking, the proud Marquess undone before them all.
The hall, hushed and unmoving, bore witness to a son who had carried a flame of longing all his life — only to learn that the man he loved had lived and died far from him.
"He passed away much later, when my mother was still a young girl," Athillia said quietly. "The prophecy you heard... those were his last words on his deathbed."
"I remember..." Matthew recalled, his voice raw. "He mumbled about dreams in the days before he left. But he never understood them."
"It would not have made sense back then since it hadn’t happened," said King Kyren. He had shrewdly unravelled the prophecy upon hearing it. "The ’most honourable men in Ro’an’ refers to the Raychards. That name came into being only after my grandfather was crowned King of Cassian following the war. Not long after, Empress Regina departed from the continent and never returned."
"That ’honourable man’ mentioned is me," Kyren added. "I saved Anna at the border and brought her here. It was destined to happen."
Callis smiled. King Kyden truly lived up to his reputation as a clever ruler, being able to interpret the prophecy in a quick manner.
"I see..." murmured the Marquess, lowering his eyes. "I never realised it was a prophecy. I thought it was nothing more than his rambling. Father told me not to speak of it, so I kept it buried all these years."
His tears fell again, but they were softer now.
His heart ached, yet for the first time in decades, there was also light — the truth of his father’s fate and the bond that still lived through Athillia.
"Grandfather always longed to return... but he couldn’t, not with his condition," Athillia said, her voice hollow with sorrow. "He missed the spring in Cassian. He said it was the most beautiful sight in all the world."
A single tear slipped from the Marquess of Roland’s lashes.
"Father always loved the blooms," he murmured. "...especially Irises. To him, they were the symbol of hope and faith."
"Oh, my!" Athillia gasped suddenly.
"What is it, Athillia?" asked Callis, startled by the change in her tone.
"That... that’s my mother’s name!" she cried.
"Your mother..." Matthew staggered on the words, his chest tightening. "My sister..."
It was heartbreaking. He had lived his entire life never knowing he had a sibling, and now, his sister’s daughter stood before him.
"Where is she? Why didn’t she come with you?" he pressed, hope trembling in his voice.
Athillia’s expression darkened, grief tightening her features.
"She was arrested and thrown into the dungeons for defying the king’s order. My father... he... he meant to wed me in a ritual for his dark magic. So, mother urged me to escape..."
"Heaven’s Lord!" Gabriel gasped, his hand flying to his mouth.
"No!" Matthew cried out. "We must save her!"
"It’s too late..." Athillia’s words broke, heavy with despair. "The chances of her still being alive by now are..." She couldn’t bring herself to finish.
The Bargesian Princess’s voice faltered, her shoulders trembling as hot tears slid down her cheeks. It felt as though her very heart was being ripped apart, and her soul broke under the weight of helplessness.
"Mother wanted to meet you so badly," she wept. "You are her only family after King Emir killed the rest of her relatives and took her by force. But she couldn’t... she couldn’t make it. So, she prayed that you would accept me in her place. I know you disliked me from the first moment we met, but I swear, it was a misunderstanding! Lord Kyren and I share no such romantic feelings. I just... I... I’m alone... and I... want to find you..."
Her words stumbled into a desperate jumble, her sincerity trapped in the broken cadence of her sobs.
Matthew’s heart broke. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, drew her into his arms, and held her tightly. His tears mingled with hers as he pressed her close, one hand rubbing her back with trembling tenderness.
"You are not alone," he whispered hoarsely. "Not anymore. I’m so sorry for what I did! You must have been struggling to come here!"
Athillia trembled beneath her uncle’s embrace, her sobs muffled against him. The hall was hushed, caught in the moment. Even the sternest faces softened; compassion glimmered in their eyes.
Standing quietly, Aaron felt empathy in his chest. He had long known Matthew’s emptiness—the solitude of a boy who grew up without a father or sibling to share his burdens.
To see the Marquess now, clutching the last fragment of his father’s bloodline as though afraid she might vanish, was like watching a wound finally find its balm.
After a moment of embracing the union, the uncle and niece finally calm down. Already releasing his hug, Matthew apologised to the king and the others for being emotional, while Athillia sniffled, holding back the cries.
"It’s all right," King Kyden said kindly. "No man should ever be ashamed of tears shed for family. Such bonds are the very heart of who we are. I hope this brought a proper closure to your longing for your father. Though he couldn’t return, his ’little angel’ is here to fill in. It won’t be the same, but perhaps it is fate’s way of giving back what was once taken."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I feel the same with all my heart. And for that reason, I wish to assume guardianship of my niece," Matthew declared with conviction.
"I allow it," King Kyden replied. "As her only family here, the responsibility naturally falls to you."
"Then... the matter of asylum recognition..." Matthew pressed cautiously.
"Rest assured," the king answered. "She is a descendant of a Northern warrior. Though Emir’s blood also runs in her veins, I will not reject her. From this day onward, she shall be counted as one of Cassian’s own. Tomorrow, before the sentencing of the Knights of Abinair, a formal proclamation of her identity will be made."
The king’s swift and decisive words eased Matthew’s worries—a judgment welcomed by all present.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" the Marquess exclaimed, his voice brimming with gratitude. Turning to his niece, he smiled. "I will take you home to the March of Roland. Once spring comes, its beauty will leave you breathless."
Athillia’s heart, so recently lifted with joy, was cast into sudden turmoil. Going to the March of Roland meant leaving the Gerhard mansion, leaving the faces she had only begun to grow fond of—and most of all... leaving him.
Perhaps this was for the best. After all, young Sir Elijah Henderson would soon marry into the Galician royal house. A knight of Gerhard would never disobey his king.
’This is only a fleeting fancy, Athillia. Cast it away,’
her heart reminded her.Yes... just a fleeting fancy.
But then Kyren’s voice rang out, shattering her fragile self-denial.
"We still have one more matter to resolve. The last matter," he said.
The Bargesian princess stiffened. This was not just another point of discussion. This was the most important, for it concerned a figure who was far more than an acquaintance to her. From the first day she met Kyren, he had been there—steadfast, loyal.
A friend she cherished dearly.
"Go on," King Kyden prompted.
"It concerns the James family, and those arrested for slander, false accusations, and the attempt to harm my wife," the Grand Duke declared. "Anna has made her own decision, as this matter touched her directly. It comes with a decree under her title."
The king rose from his throne upon the dais and gracefully descended the steps. Before the Grand Duke, he bent his knees and lowered himself, offering complete obeisance to the decree that bore imperial weight.
At once, the hall followed suit, bowing low in unison. Kyren straightened, this time speaking with formality.
"In the name of the Great Khasif, the Empress of Ro’an, Admiral Adam James is to be released, absolved of punishment, and reinstated as admiral. He is declared innocent, for he bore no accomplice nor guilt in this matter."
"Cassian shall obey," King Kyden responded swiftly.
"Lord James and his supporters shall be stripped of their cabinet and royal court roles. Though their sins are grave, Her Imperial Majesty acknowledges their long service to Cassian. Therefore, they are granted pardon, but with a warning. Should they repeat, Ramios himself will ’greet’ them."
The king, poised and dignified, replied again, "Cassian shall obey."
"All members of the James family shall go free without further punishment," Kyren continued, "except for Lady Sarah James."
The king lifted his head.
"What would be Her Imperial Majesty’s intention for her?"
Kyren turned, his eyes finding Callis. The two momentarily held each other’s gaze, a silent weight passing between them.
"She wishes for her and the former ladies-in-waiting to..." the grand duke’s voice carried on steadily as he delivered the last decree, each word weighty with finality as he announced it.
The decision was absolute, and he relayed it without hesitation, as if it were carved in stone.
"...and so, Mrs Callis Naver-Amares is hereby to perform her task as part of fulfilling this demand."
Kyren ended the decree.
King Kyden inclined his head deeply.
"Cassian shall obey."