Chapter 151
RYKER’S P.O.V
It was our last day at the vacation house and I could clearly see that what started out as something fun had now turned into a source of stress for Camilla: She walked around with her head in the clouds and a million different things on her mind. I wished it was possible to take all her troubles from her but it wasn’t. She liked to act strong especially when she wasn’t and this was one of those cases. She was more comfortable pretending like nothing was wrong when in reality, she was hurting.
I had originally planned the best paddle ride across the lake for us but I wasn’t sure if that was going to be possible. Just being near the lake meant being right next to that tree and I knew she would start a downward spiral so I had another thought. I woke up around five a.m. and made my way over to the fields. I knw Briggs took a walk there every morning, I had seen him a couple times. I was curious as to why but I also knew that it was none of my business so I never asked.
“Your majesty,” he bowed once he sighted me. “How nice of you to join me, is there any way that I can be of help?”
“I was thinking of going out for a ride with the girls later today. Can you set things up at the stables? I want it to be a surprise, Camilla doesn’t know anything about it.”
“Of course, that won’t be a problem. Everyone wakes by seven and we can have everything arranged before nine if that works for you. I guarantee that you will love the horses that we have here. They have been carefully bred and selected.”
“Thank you,” he nodded and I started walking away when I heard him speak.
“I know it is not my place but I have seen the Queen looking out of it sometimes. Am I wrong to presume that it is because of me?”
I didn’t understand what he was implying at first until I remembered the incident we had with him by the tree when he touched her. We had never addressed it again and it did seem like the most likely reason and as much as I wanted to lie and say that was it, I didn’t want him to worry so I shook my head.
“That is long forgotten, fear not,” I assured him. “She has a lot on her mind but I assure you that she holds no grudges in regards to you.”
“Is it about the box then?” his voice was soft and almost careful as if he didn’t want to come across as probing. “I just haven’t seen her around the tree anymore. I thought it would be safe to assume that she found a way to open it.”
I turned to him and crossed my arms over my chest. Briggs had been on these grounds since her father was alive. He was a friend to him and privy to a lot of things that others were not. He saw the box and there was no way he wouldn’t know where it was kept. I found it hard to believe that a box. was buried at the base of the tree and he never realized it for twenty years.
“What do you know about the box?” I asked and he opened his mouth to defend himself but I cut him off. “I want the truth.”
For the first time, he hesitated almost as if there was something he wasn’t supposed to be saying. I watched him carefully with raised brows as he weighed his options in his head. Finally, he exhaled deeply and gestured for me to walk with him. There was no one else outside but us but I chose to oblige him after all he knew the entire place better than I ever would. He led me towards a small bench under a tree. It was facing the stables and I could hear the horses.
“This is where I was sitting when he brought the box to me,” Briggs began slowly. “I didn’t know what was inside because he had already locked it. He had come here for a week and at the end, he handed me the box and said he wasn’t sure if he was ever going to come back. I would like to think that he knew he was dying and wanted to make things right.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Eight years ago, the king died not too long ago, honestly. He lived to her majesty’s sixteenth birthday but I guess he couldn’t take the heartbreak. Before he died, he stopped ruling, Queen Leanor did everything on her own. That was part of the reason it was easy for the people to accept her as their ruler, they were already used to her.”
“He gave you the box and then what?”
“He handed me the key as well and told me it was for his daughter. He had hopes that she would return someday and he wanted her to have it. I tried to remind him that she might never be found but he was a stubborn old man and wouldn’t listen to me. I had clear instructions. If she never came here, I was to take it to her although it would have defeated the entire purpose of the hunt.”
He smiled at that last sentence and shook his head as if thinking up a fun memory.
“He loved the hunts and it was simple. I was to bury the box for her to find and hide the key as well. I know if he were alive he would have made it a little harder but I was never as good as him at hiding. Truth be told, I wanted her to find it quickly, there is so much obvious in regards to her father. There is so much hatred and I know he wasn’t the best good friend to me. I suppose that makes me just as bad as him bate know him the way I do.” –
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When he was done speaking, I was quiet. I wasn’t sure what to do or say in response to this. I wasn’t sure how Camilla would react to this news, she was unpredictable when it came to things regarding her father. She might have seen it as lying but to Briggs, he was honoring his dead friend’s final wish. I ran my hands through my hair as I exhaled deeply.
“Do not speak a word of this to her,” I warned and he immediately nodded. “She doesn’t need to know the mechanics behind how the box got there. All she needs to know is that it is from her father.”
“Of course,” he bowed before turning his attention back to the sun that was beginning to rise. “He always loved the sunrise. In the last years of his life, it was the only thing that would bring him calm. He said it reminded him of his powers, it reminded him of the truth and beauty behind the fire.”
“He gained perspective,” I deduced and Briggs nodded. He opened his mouth to speak but I heard grass crunching beneath feet and I looked up to see Camilla making her way over.
She was still dressed in her nightgown but had a large coat over it. Briggs gave me a small smile once he saw her approaching and stood to his feet. “I’ll have the stables set up for you.”
He walked off making sure to bow to her as he did. Her eyes tracked his movements as she finally came to stand in front of me. “What was that? Is everything okay?”
I hummed as I reached out for her and pulled her into my lap. “I was just planning today’s schedule. What are you doing out here?”
Her cheeks flushed a light pink as she spoke. “You weren’t in bed so I came looking for you. Are you watching the sunrise, Ryker?”
“Do you want to watch it with me?” I didn’t give her the chance to respond before I pulled her closer to my chest so that she was pressed up against me. She buried her head in the crook of my neck and wrapped her arms around me.
“We have to go back in so the kids don’t wake up scared.”
I knew she was right but I didn’t want to move. “Five more minutes.”
We didn’t end up leaving until half an hour later and thankfully, the girls hadn’t woken up yet. I was able to get breakfast done while Camilla handled the kids. It was the last day and I wanted us to act like a normal family for five seconds. I wanted to have breakfast without maids running around, wanted to sit down with my kids without feeling like there are multiple people watching us. There
wasn’t something we could
I
was something intimate about it and I knew they all loved it as well, watching us. There
have at the palace but here, we were just us.
After breakfast, Audrey and I decided to take a small walk around the grounds while Camilla got dressed. I had asked Briggs to watch Aurora while we went on the horses. She was too young and I didn’t want any accidents involving her. I hadn’t told Camilla what we were doing but that didn’t stop her from asking me questions every other second.
I was lifting Audrey to pick a pear from the tree when Camilla spoke. “Please tell me that you are at least going to wash that before eating
Audrey giggled with the pear close to her lips and shot her mother a bashful smile. Camilla walked over to us and took the fruit from her hands before handing it over to a passing maid.
“We can get a washed one for you later,” she made sure to emphasize the word ‘washed’ before turning to me. “What is the plan for today other than trying to feed your daughter with a dirty fruit?”
Her tone was teasing and she had a small smile on her face that led me to realize that she was just joking. I reached out for her and she took my free hand.
“So,” she asked again. “What are we doing? You’ve kept it a secret since. You might as well just tell me now.”
I gestured to Audrey who was clutching my other hand. “We are going to teach our girl to ride.”
