Chapter 122: Clément – My Father
Queen Adelaide found her son in the armoury with the Captain of the Rock. Clément was wearing chainmail and guntlets. From his belt there hung the royal sword, which had been kept in a box since Clément’s father’s death. The king finished talking to the captain, who saluted him and left without looking at the queen. He would rather follow a weak king than a hidden queen.
Adelaide went to her son.
‘By the death of Nakamura, Clément, what are you doing?’
‘Acting.’
‘This is your chance to rule over Franária,’ said Adelaide. ‘But you have to be alive to be King.’
‘You think Henrique and Fulbert will kill each other, or that both will be killed by Farheim and Inlang, so I would be the only king remaining. Well, I had a dream, not many nights ago. In that dream there was a hero and I was no king. Vivianne was in the dream. She was there, with the hero.’
Adelaide had seen the same dream. For her, it was a nightmare.
‘Mother, I want to know what happened with my father.’
‘He died.’
The king walked up to Adelaide. She had never noticed how much he’d grown. Her son, her Clément: a man.
A half melted man, carrying a sword that must be rusty inside that sheath. The royal sword of Deran.
‘Your father was murdered,’ she said.
‘I know.’
‘You do? I expressly forbid anyone...’
‘Truth gathers in the corners, like dust,’ said Clément. ‘You sweep it, but it comes back. Hides under the furniture. But you sweep really well, mother, I must give you that. You’ve been keeping the Rock corners sparkling clean. The tapescries have forgotten what they witnessed, but they did witness something. I know they saw it. My father died here. In this castle. In this Rock where you intend to lock me.’
‘Son.’
‘Who killed him.’
‘It was a man.’
‘Was it you?’
‘He wanted to be King.’
‘Was it you?’ Clément took a step forward.
‘He wanted to be king,’ said Adelaide, ‘but I didn’t let him.’
‘Where is he buried?’
‘I don’t know. He might be still alive.’
‘You didn’t execute him? You didn’t kill my father’s murderer?’
‘I didn’t kill him, but I buried him,’ said Adelaide. ‘In the mines of Anuré.’