A Crown In Exile: Stories of Anoq

The blade was cold against my skin. Familiar green eyes stared deep into my pale blue ones. There were a lot of emotions in those eyes that pierced mine, so many emotions. Hatred, Disgust, betrayal, but certainly not the fake love that she always seemed to display in front of others. Now, that was completely gone, covered with the mix of emotions she always had hidden behind the mask. Although, sometimes the mask did slip. Astora had never liked me, not the day she met me, not at our wedding, and certainly not now after I embarrassed her in front of the whole country. My betrayal had been one that even my parents couldn’t condone.

“How could you embarrass your country, your parents, and me by doing this?” I looked into her cold eyes. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that particular question. It wasn’t as if I had planned for this to have happened. Never in a million years would I have chosen for this to have happened.

“I have already informed you that it was nonconsensual. I don’t know what else you could possibly want to hear from me. It seems you’ve already made up your mind about me and seemingly what you’re going to do with me,” I looked down to my slightly bulging belly. “You’ve made up your mind that I wanted to betray our sacred vows and that is not what I did. I did not want this.”

Astora scoffed and let out a loud laugh. “I don’t believe you. Your parents don’t believe you. Nasir, we all know that you and Enen are close. Far too close.” My face turned from straight lipped to a frown and I tilted my head up and looked to my parents who sat in their thrones. They weren’t going to save me and I knew it.

“Is that what you believe Rowen, Norveni? Do you believe I would choose to betray my wife?” They stared down at their youngest son with sour expressions.

“The evidence is clear, Nasir,” Rowen spoke out in disappointment.

“It doesn’t matter if what you have to say is true or not. Like your father said, there’s clear evidence of a betrayal of a sacred vow. You were vowed to Astora and it has most to do with how you will be viewed. How we all will be viewed. You clearly have been unfaithful, in one way or another,” my mothers cold tone was the same as it always was, cold, harsh, and straight to the point. She never had any emotions to show, unless they were on the cruel side. It was like she was reveling in this moment. Her eyes were piercing and I could do nothing but look away from them.

Enen was not here at this little meeting, but why would he be? I hadn’t seen him since that night. Since the night I had sought out the comfort of a long time friend. But comfort was the last word that I thought Enen had done for me. Enen had ruined my life. Had ruined my chances of becoming the Ruler of Oranoq after my parents stepped down.

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6 months ago

It had been an unusually quiet night. Tears pricked at the blue eyed boys eyes, messy hair was flung everywhere, and the chill air pricked at the pale skin through the light flowy blue nightgown. The nightgown was thin, almost seethrough, with gold lining the edges. Only the most wealthy could afford cloth such as these. He walked in a brisk manner, the messy curly auburn locks bouncing behind him. His hair was near his lower back in length. Nasir was on a mission to see a certain man who knew many of his secrets. His best friend.

Enen was seated in the garden watching the foreign fish swim in circles in the shallow pool. His gaze slowly made its way to the short figure that approached him. “Nasir, you’ve finally made it.”

Nasir laughed, a rich laugh and sat beside him on the bench, “You know I’ve had meetings and piles of paperwork to do today.” He motioned with his hands to show how large the stacks were. Enen just smiled. The look in his eyes betrayed the smile on his face but Nasir looked past that as something else. “Anyway, Enen, I’ve had a long day. Hell, a long week. I just needed to see you before you left to head back to Lejic.”

“You’re not the only one who’s had a long and tiring week Nasir, the trek back to Lejic won’t be all that easy either. The boat ride isn’t always very calm on our way. It certainly wasn’t to get here,” Enen let out a small laugh. “But the peace treaty is done, thanks to you.”

“You know full well Norveni and Rowen where going to say yes anyways without having to travel all the way here,” Nasir smiled large, showing all of his pearly white teeth. Enen looked to Nasir’s lips and that look came creeping back onto his expression. Nasir didn’t like that look. It wasn’t the first time he had received it before. Enen grabbed something out of his pocket and handed it to the shorter male. Nasir looked between the small vile and Enen, “What is this for?”

“To help you sleep. You’ve told me you haven’t been sleeping well.” Nasir’s eyebrows furrowed but soon his expression changed to one that was flattered. He took the vile and popped open the stopper. He swallowed it in one gulp and wiped his lips of the bitter substance.

“Thanks! I forgot I do tell you everything,” Nasir laughed but stopped shortly after. His stomach tightened and he started to get hot.

“Let’s get you back to your room, you don’t look so well” Enen didn’t have the soft expression on his face anymore, but Nasir couldn’t quite place what that look was. That’s when Nasir started losing his vision. Fear started to creep in. This couldn’t possibly be a mere sleeping potion. His legs gave out under him and he gripped Enen’s arms for support.

“I-i don’t feel that well Enen,” Enen hummed in a knowing manner and lifted the red head into his arms.

Nasir couldn’t remember much of the night when he awoke in the morning, but it was only him in the messy bed. He was still wearing the nightgown but something didn’t feel right. Bruises lined his body and realization bloomed in his mind. Slowly hot tears fell to the sheets leaving dark speckles.

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The knife didn’t really feel like anything anymore. The spot where it dug into my skin had gone numb by now. Now, I stared at Astora. Waiting for her to do something, just anything, to get out of this. For it to be over, whatever they had decided upon. “Can we just be done with this now?”

Astora grinned. Her fingers gripping tighter on the blade pressed against my throat. “If that’s what you truly want, my dear.” Without a second’s notice she sliced deeply into my neck. My eyes widened in disbelief. I had not envisioned that this is what they would do, not what Astora would do. I knew she hated me but this much?

I gasped for air but blood filled my throat. I gagged and gurgled on it, tightly gripping and clawing at my neck. I backed up in shock and lost my footing slipping and falling against the railing. My hands flew up but it was too late. I fell into the green murky water below.

“Well that certainly makes it easier to dispose of him,” Norveni commented.