Ileus: The Dark Prince

Ileus' chest felt as if a horse had run over it. He stayed frozen in his place, desperate just like his mother but remaining within the confines of palatial courtesies. 

"I have missed you, Mother," he said in a low voice. His gaze traveled to his father. "You too, Father." 

Anastasia could feel how much Adrianna wanted to hug her son, but she restrained. Adrianna looked at those who surrounded them and flicked her fingers. They all disappeared. 

Adrianna got up from her place and walked to her son carefully, taking in his features. No words passed between them. Her hands trembled as she reached for her son, "Ileus," she whimpered and tears fell out of her eyes. "Ileus." 

This time Ileus left Anastasia's side and took a step forward. He gathered his mother into his arms and lifted her off her feet. Adrianna laughed through her tears and he wanted to bury his face in her neck as he did when he was quite young, but he didn't, for he was scared that it would show his weakness. 

Dmitri eased closer and his eyes grew glossy too. "You have come," he said in a hoarse voice. He walked to them and stood there for his turn. When Adrianna left him, Dmitri gave him a bear hug. 

Anastasia felt a strange sense of relief when she watched Ileus' interactions with his parents. She had watched him killing people, killing demons, maiming them, bursting into shadows. Her husband was renowned in the Lore to be the Dark Prince, a Dark Wizard and yet right here in front of his parents, he was so vulnerable. 

"Father!" he said in a strained voice. "Would you leave me now? My lungs are getting squeezed. I might die of suffocation." 

Dmitri roared with laughter. "I was testing whether you are still as strong." 

Adrianna looked at his broad chest. "You have become all muscles!" She was seeing him after more than a year. "Where is all that chubbiness?" 

"From what I remember, this boy lost his chubbiness the moment he came out of his school Adri!" said Dmitri with a chuckle. "And that was a decade back." 

Adrianna laughed, tipping her head back. Ileus watched her lovely features and then turned to look at Anastasia. He took her hand in his. His fiery golden eyes on her, he said, "This is my wife, Anastasia Volkov." 

All at once everyone fell silent. 

Anastasia walked forward cautiously. Her throat went dry when she saw how his parents were staring at her. She bowed to them again. "Please accept my greetings, Your Majesty." When she straightened, she said softly. "I have been eager to meet you." 

Adrianna's gaze was like a bucket of cold water. Her eyes went to her wings that she was trying her best to tuck behind her tightly. Adrianna's discomfort was evident, but she didn't say anything. She gave her a tight nod. 

"Please come and have tea with us, Anastasia," came his father's voice. 

Understanding the unease between his wife and his mother, Ileus tugged her to sit on a couch opposite them. 

Awkward silence lingered in the air until Dmitri poured tea for her in the cup and extended it to her. She took it with a slight bow and sat back next to Ileus. Dmitri poured some for his son too and gave it to him. 

Adrianna's demeanor changed a lot. She cut to the chase and asked him a straight question, "Were you able to find Iona?" Her gaze flitted to Anastasia momentarily but settled back on Ileus. 

"No Mother," Ileus replied and Anastasia could feel his anger rising. "We tried our best to find her, but our efforts were in vain." 

"Haldir mentioned that you had gone to Tides of Bromval," she said in a gravelly voice. "Why?" There was a frown on her face. 

Ileus turned his eyes towards his wife and then said, "Anastasia had a clue that Iona could be in the village." He went on to narrate the whole thing to his parents. They listened to him with full concentration. When he finished speaking, Adrianna appeared dumbstruck. Blood drained from her face. Pain flickered in her eyes. 

"So that means that Iona was taken there," said Adrianna. "That bastard had the audacity to trick you!" Her fury manifested in a fire that crackled in her hands. "He needs a good answer for his insolence!" 

"Adri, calm down," Dmitri said in a gentle voice. 

Adrianna's golden eyes that were burning with fury flitted to her husband. moments later she retracted her magic. He gave her a glass of water, which she gulped down. Once she settled, she tilted her head and peered at Anastasia. Her gaze softened a little. Then she saw the rings in their fingers and she stiffened again. "I met your parents when you were in your mother's womb. How are they doing? And how is your cousin brother, Aed Ruad doing?" When she said Aed Ruad's name, Anastasia could feel her bitterness. And if she was enquiring about her parents, then she really didn't know what all happened over the past one year. However, one thing was clear—she was aware that she had married their son. Surprise made her skin pebble. 

Before she could speak, Ileus said, "Her parents are prisoners of Aed Ruad." 

Adrianna's jaw slackened. All these years she thought that… "Let her speak, Ileus." All these years she spent hating them. She hated the fact that her son married the child of the man and woman who were responsible for Iona's kidnapping. Was she even alive now? 

Anastasia braced herself. This was her chance to tell everything and ask for Adrianna's help. "My cousin brother had usurped the throne forcibly. He has put my parents in the celestial prison and proclaimed himself to be the crown prince. He planned on marrying me to become the king, but as luck would have it, I escaped with Ileus." She went on to narrate her story as briefly as possible. She really wanted Adrianna to accept her and not blame her for Iona. In the end she said, "I can't change what happened to Iona, but when Ileus came to Vilinski, he saved my life." She had not chosen to be in that situation. She was a victim of circumstances. On a basic level she knew that the meeting she had with her parents now was going to define her future dynamics with his parents and his people. Even though she wasn't on solid grounds, she had to try. While narrating the important events of her life, she realized that she escaped Vilinski not to be a puppet or a silent entity in Draoidh.

After listening to her, Adriana said, "what if he had traded you with Aed Ruad to get information about Iona?" 

Ileus' nostrils flared. He could easily understand the underlying accusation in his mother's voice. "Mother, this conversation is meaningless," he growled. 

"Meaningless? I lost my ten year old daughter," she retorted as a lump formed in her throat. "You could have known her whereabouts, but—" Her lips quivered. "What do you expect me to do, Ileus? I am a mother whose little daughter was kidnapped. I don't know in what condition she is. For god's sake that bastard might have mutilated her. Even if that is the case, I want to know where she is buried!"