you would be so it has been canceled.”
“I understand, your majesty. I’m fully to blame.”
“This is still your home, Troy. You will still be allowed to stay here unless that is not what you wish. I’ll give you time to think about it.”
“No. In thinking of what’s best for Jaylyn and her needs right now, I think it would be best to stay.”
“A very wise choice indeed. You are free to go. Take a nice long shower and think about what needs to be done to change these circumstances. Perhaps we can come to some kind of agreement.”
“Yes, your majesty.” I stood up and bowed my head. I paused there before leaving and then unhooked my sword from my waist, gently setting it on the table where I sat.
“Well done, my son. I could not have wanted to ask for that either.”
“Your majesty.” I bowed my head again and walked out of the conference room. I took the long slow walk of shame back upstairs and started down the hall towards my room.
Zayden came out of his at the corner and jogged to reach me before I went inside. “Hey, Troy. I’ve got Adele ready for you so you can get your dignity back.”
I didn’t know how to tell him but I tried. “Thanks but I’m not going to get it back.”
“Why? It’s all you talked about.”
“The King has stripped me of that title. I am no longer a Great Seni Fighter.”
“What?!” I understood his displeasure for it but it was pointless to express.
“It’s all right.”
“No, it isn’t. I’ll talk to him.”
“Zayden, don’t.” I took his arm to stop him from going any farther down the hall. “This was my fault. He was right in his choice.”
“Well, what will you do? Does this mean you’re leaving now?”
“No. He said this was still my home and is allowing me to stay here. I want to so Jaylyn has everything she needs till the baby’s born but after that, I don’t know.”
“You’ll come back with us. That’s still your home too. We can fix this.”
“No. You don’t have to do anything. I have to fix this. I just haven’t figured out how. I also need to shower because it’s been—a long time. Can I—”
“You never have to ask. Of course you can.”
“Okay. I’m just going to check on Jaylyn for a minute then I’ll be in.”
“I’ll make sure it’s ready for you.”
I walked inside my room and closed the door without saying anything more to Zayden and saw Jaylyn lying in our bed asleep. I smiled for the first time in a while and just started backing towards the door. I didn’t want to disturb her. She needed the rest.
“Sleep, my beautiful Princess.” I went out the door and walked towards Zayden’s room. It opened and Adele was standing with a sad face. I knew why but didn’t think it was necessary to talk about. “Please don’t.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“It’s ready for you.” Zayden said.
“Thanks.”
I walked passed him and went inside the bathhouse. I stood in front of the sink and saw myself in the mirror for the first time. I really did look horrible. I haven’t shaved in days and was still covered in dirt. I was with the bandits so long, I was beginning to look like one and had to turn from it.
I stripped out of my filthy clothes and got right into the hot running shower. The dirt started to flow towards the drain and I just stood there, letting it happen. So many things were going through my mind and I didn’t know how I would fix what I’ve done. It was harder when I couldn’t prove myself without a battle and since there was no war, it was unlikely that would happen.
I looked down at my chest as I rinsed the soap off and looked at the spots of ink still left under my skin. It caused me to sigh heavily and shut the water off. I grabbed a towel as I got out and just put it around my waist, not bothering to dry off.
I went right over to the sinks and tried not thinking about it while I prepared my face to be shaved but my eyes couldn’t help
“I understand, your majesty. I’m fully to blame.”
“This is still your home, Troy. You will still be allowed to stay here unless that is not what you wish. I’ll give you time to think about it.”
“No. In thinking of what’s best for Jaylyn and her needs right now, I think it would be best to stay.”
“A very wise choice indeed. You are free to go. Take a nice long shower and think about what needs to be done to change these circumstances. Perhaps we can come to some kind of agreement.”
“Yes, your majesty.” I stood up and bowed my head. I paused there before leaving and then unhooked my sword from my waist, gently setting it on the table where I sat.
“Well done, my son. I could not have wanted to ask for that either.”
“Your majesty.” I bowed my head again and walked out of the conference room. I took the long slow walk of shame back upstairs and started down the hall towards my room.
Zayden came out of his at the corner and jogged to reach me before I went inside. “Hey, Troy. I’ve got Adele ready for you so you can get your dignity back.”
I didn’t know how to tell him but I tried. “Thanks but I’m not going to get it back.”
“Why? It’s all you talked about.”
“The King has stripped me of that title. I am no longer a Great Seni Fighter.”
“What?!” I understood his displeasure for it but it was pointless to express.
“It’s all right.”
“No, it isn’t. I’ll talk to him.”
“Zayden, don’t.” I took his arm to stop him from going any farther down the hall. “This was my fault. He was right in his choice.”
“Well, what will you do? Does this mean you’re leaving now?”
“No. He said this was still my home and is allowing me to stay here. I want to so Jaylyn has everything she needs till the baby’s born but after that, I don’t know.”
“You’ll come back with us. That’s still your home too. We can fix this.”
“No. You don’t have to do anything. I have to fix this. I just haven’t figured out how. I also need to shower because it’s been—a long time. Can I—”
“You never have to ask. Of course you can.”
“Okay. I’m just going to check on Jaylyn for a minute then I’ll be in.”
“I’ll make sure it’s ready for you.”
I walked inside my room and closed the door without saying anything more to Zayden and saw Jaylyn lying in our bed asleep. I smiled for the first time in a while and just started backing towards the door. I didn’t want to disturb her. She needed the rest.
“Sleep, my beautiful Princess.” I went out the door and walked towards Zayden’s room. It opened and Adele was standing with a sad face. I knew why but didn’t think it was necessary to talk about. “Please don’t.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“It’s ready for you.” Zayden said.
“Thanks.”
I walked passed him and went inside the bathhouse. I stood in front of the sink and saw myself in the mirror for the first time. I really did look horrible. I haven’t shaved in days and was still covered in dirt. I was with the bandits so long, I was beginning to look like one and had to turn from it.
I stripped out of my filthy clothes and got right into the hot running shower. The dirt started to flow towards the drain and I just stood there, letting it happen. So many things were going through my mind and I didn’t know how I would fix what I’ve done. It was harder when I couldn’t prove myself without a battle and since there was no war, it was unlikely that would happen.
I looked down at my chest as I rinsed the soap off and looked at the spots of ink still left under my skin. It caused me to sigh heavily and shut the water off. I grabbed a towel as I got out and just put it around my waist, not bothering to dry off.
I went right over to the sinks and tried not thinking about it while I prepared my face to be shaved but my eyes couldn’t help
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