More a father than a king

As usual, I am not the artist but the commisionner, this piece depicting my characters has been drawn by the talented Sayara-S

Here you can see Aelys with Chomeï, the Drechenval king, is a particularly heart breaking scene. After years of fighting the sickness that was eating away at his lungs, the kind man that had taken her in, treated her as his daughter and showed her the real sense of love and care and family, is finally losing his battle against sickness. He leaves her and Sugeru to care for the heirs of the realm until they are old enough to rule, entrusting her with their well being and protection.
Isn't it so unfair that the ones we love so much betray us in such a way, by leaving us alone in this world with nothing but memories?

( Les adieux de Chomeï à Aelys, deux de mes personnages, un tournant marquandt dans l'histoire de la jeune femme qui perdra ce jour là le seul père qu'elle ai connu...)

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Then, at his request, he was taken down in the great courtyard, held in the arms of his comrades, the warriors that had fought at his side carrying his down as gently as they could. On the weathered cheeks of those soldiers, tears were tracing lines of silver, tears no one tried to wipe away or hide.
Chomeï sat on a low ledge and called first for his children. Mireï and Choreï were here at once and he motioned them together closer, bidding his last goodbyes in a low murmur. Mireï chest was heaving with the weight of silent sobs she was trying to fight, while her twin had clenched his hands in fists so tightly a small rivulet of blood was dripping from his palm, blood he didn't seem to notice as they both stepped back, face drawn in misery and despair.
He called several others persons, close friends, members of the council, and all the while as she stood at his side with Sugeru, Aelys could see him fade, see him weaken. She wanted nothing else than to scream at them to leave him alone, give him some peace and quiet but it had been his last wish and will to be there, be with them, for them, as he had always been.
The population around them was crying openly, in silence and she felt like crying too, when finally, he motionned for her and Sugeru to step forward.
They both kneeled, before rising at his bidding.

"You did good, both of you." He stopped to gather his breath. "You did great. You did more for this country that no one ever did but I have one last favour to ask from you."
The tears were rolling down her cheeks, burning and silent, blurring her sight. Try as she might, she couldn't stop that flow, and the need to scream and holler her pain like a wounded animal was beating at her temples, making her dizzy.
Again, she had failed, again, she could see her sworn king, the man she had made allegiance, dying in front of her. Anger, denial, rage, everything but the pain would have been better but she was slowly realising that it was time, that it was a goodbye and she was unable to stop it, unable to save him.

"I need you two to protect the realm, till my children are old enough to take my place."
Sugeru nodded, and so did she, rended mute by grief. On Sugeru's cheeks tears were rolling down as heavily as hers. "Guide them. Teach them. Protect them. Be there for them as I can't be anymore."


"Aelys. Come closer. I have one last thing to tell you."

She bend toward him, till she could feel his breath, see the last flickers of life in his eyes.
"My king.."
He smiled, the same expression, both benevolent and curious he always wore when they talked and she breathed this word she had meant to say to him for so long.
"Father..."
He raised his hand with difficulty and she grabbed it, kissing fervently his palm, eyes closed tightly.
"Look at me, daughter." His hand rose to cup her cheek and she followed his move, treading her fingers with his.
"Remember what I taught you."
It rose from him like a wave, like a blossoming flower, through that featherlike contact on her cheek, as gentle and as sovereign as the morning sun.
It was love, pure love, not for one person or for a group. It was love for life, for it's everyday miracle and it filled her, coalescent, intense, finally mending this terrible pain she had never been able to let go. She breathed it, leting it fill her, seeing through it.
She could feel all the heartbeats of the habitants, a whole country like one person, one soul, one mind, a sharing, a unity joined in their love for life, each person a star in the sky, each of them together as one and they felt her, welcoming her, making her part of it all.

One last sigh from Chomeï and he was gone. Gently, she bowed, kissing the old man brow. Carefully, she closed his eyes, letting her hand cup his weathered cheek, marveling at the peace on his face. Around her, the villagers were starting to weep openly, and even the guards looked thunderstruck.

Heart still filled with Chomeï's last gift, she rose to her feet. She sighed it, a whisper in the wind that nevrtheless got caught by others, Sugeru first, then the whole crowd around them.

One single word.

"Father."

Art by Sayara-S
Characters, concept, story @ me, spadiekitchenqueen

More art on Derkomai and Aelys' story:
spadiekitchenqueen.deviantart.…