Heart of Darkness

Angelica wished the night was longer so she could sleep the pain away, but the morning had already arrived with the promise of the dreadful day ahead of her. 

The first thing she noticed when she awoke was that her brother was no longer in her bed. Sitting up, she rubbed her swollen eyes that she could barely open. Her eyelids felt heavy and her throat was dry. 

A light knock made her turn to the door. Eva walked inside with a tray in her hand. 

"Good morning, My Lady." She greeted and then came to place the tray on the bedstand next to her. 

Then she remained standing there. "My Lady," she looked down at her hands which she rubbed together. "I am truly sorry. I wish I had the courage to defy your father and come to release you."

"It's alright Eva. What happened has already happened and I don't blame you." Angelica said. 

"I wish to take care of you. Please allow me." 

Angelica nodded. 

"Thank you, My Lady. Shall I help you get dressed?" 

"Yes, please." 

Eva picked a dress for her and then helped her get dressed. After combing her hair she excused herself to prepare her breakfast downstairs. 

Angelica looked outside the window. The weather was beautiful. The sky was a clear blue, and the sun lit up the earth with its bright yellow rays. How could such a day feel so lonely? 

To get a closer look, she went to the window. For a brief moment, she thought she saw the King outside their house but he was suddenly gone. As if he turned into air and left with the wind. She frowned. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? Her gaze searched around the area outside her house but she couldn't find him. Was she imagining things now? 

"My Lady, breakfast is ready." Eva informed sticking her head inside the room. 

"I'll be there." She said. 

Angelica went downstairs and William was already sitting at the breakfast table. He was eating with a good appetite. 

"Good morning," she greeted as she went to sit across from him. 

"Good morning," he replied back while chewing on something. 

Usually her brother went to his training after having breakfast but Angelica didn't think it was a good idea to go to the castle after what happened. Avoiding the King at any cost would be better. 

What was she supposed to say if she ever saw him? Should she apologize? Thank him? Or hate him? 

'Thank you for killing my father without exposing him.'

'I apologize for my father's betrayal. I did not know about it and wasn't part of it.' 

And then there was 'you killed my father.' 

Angelica didn't know what the right thing to feel or do was. Should she feel thankful or resentful? 

Guilty? Angry? Sad? She didn't know. 

"Are you planning to go to your training today?" She asked. 

"Yes," he replied. 

She somehow expected it. Her brother wasn't the kind to be easily fazed. 

"Do you think it is a good idea?" 

He stopped eating and looked up at her. 

"Even if father had been exposed, I shouldn't be punished for his crimes. I have no reason to hide." He said. 

Angelica looked down at her plate, feeling conflicted. 

"What if I tell you not to go?" She said. 

"Then I won't." He replied. "But I hope you don't." 

This little boy knew how to make her feel guilty. 

Angelica gathered her courage and decided to not let fear stop her. She allowed her brother to go to his training. In those difficult moments, training might be his only comfort. 

While spending some time alone in her room, Thomas knocked on her door. 

"Come in." She told him as he kept standing at the entrance. 

"My Lady, I have a few letters for you." He handed her several envelopes. "It is from your father." He said and then bowed to leave. 

"Thomas." 

"Yes, My Lady." 

"Why are you still here?" she asked. 

The guilt in his eyes was visible. "My Lady. I want to serve you." 

"You served my father." She said. 

"And now I will serve you." He said. 

Angelica wanted to ask him to leave and never come back. Never show himself again but he was the only adult male left in this household. She had to be smart at this point and not push people away. 

"Do you regret what you did?" she asked. 

Tears filled his eyes. "I loved your father. I served him as long as I can remember. He treated me very well. I know he wasn't the ideal father, but he wasn't always like that. Your mother's death changed him. His death pains me but I believed him. He wasn't lying about the King, My Lady." 

Angelica frowned. "What do you know?" 

"Isn't it suspicious that both the previous King and his son died at the same time? And even though they say the current King is his nephew, he doesn't look like the other family members at all. And where had he been all this time when the previous King ruled? We had never heard of him before or seen him anywhere," Thomas said. 

At the beginning, Angelica also thought that the previous King's death was suspicious. Could Skender have killed the previous King and Prince?

"That does still not give father the right to put us in danger." She said. 

"He didn't want to put you in danger. He sought the most skilled fighters and trustworthy people to fight by his side and his camp was in a place none could find. The fact that he was still found only proves that his speculations about the King were right." He said. 

"And what were his speculations?" she asked. 

"Either the King has some magical powers or he works with those who have them." 

"And who are they?"

"Witches perhaps?" 

Angelica raised her eyebrows. Did Thomas believe in magic and witches? 

"Or the devil." 

Devil? Now he was being creative. 

"All those stories about people selling their soul to the devil in exchange for something must come from somewhere. The current King suddenly becoming King could be an outcome of such a thing." Thomas continued. 

"All of these are only speculations." She said. 

"I am sorry. I know this is not what you want to hear right now." 

She nodded. What the King was or did was the least of her concerns right now. She had her own life to handle. 

"I'll leave you alone." He said and left. 

Looking at the envelopes in her hand, Angelica opened them carefully. She hoped her father had written her some encouraging words, but these were only legal papers and him explaining the lands and wealth her brother would inherit. 

Angelica had enough knowledge to understand the legal papers herself. As a woman she could not inherit lands and wealth and if she already had her own wealth, she couldn't control it without a male trustee. A woman was dependent on her husband or sons to legally handle any kind of wealth. 

William couldn't do anything with his inheritance as well. The age in which a man could legally manage wealth was thirteen and so her brother had a few years left. Until then he would have to find a trustee as well if he had no parents. Trustees were only male. 

Angelica chuckled darkly. Who made this legal system? 

She became so mad she was close to tearing the papers into pieces. Who could they trust to manage William's inheritance? 

She opened the second envelope hoping her father would at least give her the rights to manage some wealth to take care of the household but there were no such papers. 

She laughed again. He did this on purpose. Even after his death, he was forcing her to get married. 

Where would she get the money from? Thomas couldn't help her either because he was a servant and could therefore not become a trustee. 

"My Lady," Eva stood at the entrance. "Sir Shaw is here to see you." 

Well, he was right on time. It was as if her father's ghost sent him. 

Locking the letters somewhere safe, Angelica went downstairs with heart pounding. This was her only solution. Sir Shaw was ready to marry her immediately if she only agreed and even if she couldn't trust him with her wealth, he had enough wealth to take care of her and her brother for the rest of their lives. 

Besides, she couldn't risk waiting. She was getting older by each day and there were many young, unwed ladies out there.

When she arrived at the parlor, Sir Shaw who was seated on the couch stood up and bowed. "Good afternoon, Lady Davies." 

"Good afternoon, Sir Shaw." She went to sit on a couch on the opposite side of the table and he sat down as well. 

"I was out of town. As soon as I heard about your father I came here. I am truly sad to hear the news. My deepest sympathies to you and William." He said 

"Thank you." 

"I know things didn't go well between us, but I want you to know that I am here if you need anything." 

"Thank you." She said again. 

"I promise to find your father's killer and bring him to justice. I have already sent my men to investigate."

"I am grateful but you don't have to do that." 

"Yes, I do. I cared about your father and I care about you and William." 

Angelica was becoming uncomfortable. How was she going to endure life next to this man? 

"How is William?" He asked. 

"He is managing." She replied. "He is at the castle for his training."

"He is a strong boy." He smiled. 

Angelica nodded. Why couldn't she bring herself to say something else. 

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" She asked. 

His eyes lit up and his eyebrows lifted in surprise. "I would love to." He said.