Chapter 380: What Was, What Might Be
Hawk has tears streaming down his face as he watches Little Ro collapse into the soldiers’ arms. He remembers that moment. It was the most relieved, exhausted, nerve-wracking thing he had ever experienced in his entire life. Even now, at forty-three.
But he knows what’s coming next for Little Ro, and that breaks his heart. It didn’t break his heart nearly as much back then, when it actually happened. Knowing what’s coming now, forced to only watch, he can’t help but feel a deep, aching apology toward his younger self.
"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!" Hawk cries, but he can’t look away from Little Ro’s unconscious, peaceful face.
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Little Ro opens his eyes and sees the ceiling of a tent. He sits up abruptly, then instantly winces. His body is wrapped in bandages. Tears spring to his eyes from the sting of his wounds after moving too fast.
"I’m safe!" He smiles, tears sliding down his face.
He tries to hold himself together, but only manages a few seconds before giving up entirely and wailing.
The sound draws attention. His tent flap flips open and a young woman in her late twenties steps inside.
She smiles gently at the sight of him crying, crouches down, and pats his head.
"I’m glad you’re awake. You’re safe here. Don’t worry. Does anything hurt?" She asks.
Hawk remembers her. He doesn’t remember her name, but she was among the first in the Varnhol military to look out for him.
Once Little Ro’s crying quiets a little, he remembers the two children he carried. He sniffles and asks the woman about them.
Her face falls, then hardens.
She shakes her head and tells him gently that they were already gone by the time he reached the gate. The one on his back had died before the one he carried in front.
Both had been hit when the Strathmore soldiers opened fire.
Little Ro goes pale, his chest tightening.
"NOOOOO!"
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"Attention please. Passengers of Aurenvale Air, flight number ARV 998, with destination Highcrest, please board the aircraft through gate 18. Attention please. Passengers of Aurenvale Air..."
Linus closes his tablet. He gathers his things and stands.
A female flight attendant approaches him.
"Mr. Monfort, thank you for flying with Aurenvale Air. You may board the aircraft now. Allow me to guide you there." She says, with her most polished smile.
Linus glances briefly at her face, then at her name tag. Nadia. He nods curtly.
He wheels his suitcase and follows her.
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"Attention please. Passengers of Aurenvale Air, flight number ARV 998, with destination Highcrest, please board the aircraft through gate 18. Attention please. Passengers of Aurenvale Air, flight number ARV 998, with destination Highcrest, please board the aircraft through gate 18."
Elder Loujt lifts his head and listens.
"That’s us, Your Highness. Let’s go." He begins gathering his things and prompts Sonia to do the same.
Sonia moves with deliberate slowness.
From a distance, they can hear a flight attendant calling out. "Please form a line! ARV 998 to Highcrest is now boarding! Pregnant passengers, parents traveling with children, and wheelchair users, please board first! Have your tickets ready and board according to the queue!"
"Elder, it’s not our turn yet. None of us is pregnant, a child, or a wheelchair user. Let’s just sit and wait."
Elder Loujt, already standing and ready, sighs.
"Your Highness, delaying getting up won’t delay your time in Solarys. I know exactly what you’re doing. Please don’t. It’s not becoming of you."
Sonia glares at him. "If we’re in such a hurry to get back to Vaelin, why route through Highcrest instead of straight to Emerhold, or even Arborel?" There’s a clear glint of defiance in her eyes.
Elder Loujt sighs again. "Because Solarys-Highcrest-Arborel is the shortest route, therefore the fastest. If we went Solarys-Emerhold-Arborel instead, we’d have to wait until tomorrow. And there is no direct flight from Solarys to Arborel, Your Highness." His words are polite, his tone remains polite, but his eyes flash a clear warning.
Sonia swallows and backs down. She knows when to stop pushing, no matter how upset she is.
She gathers her things and stands.
Together, they walk toward gate 18, where a long line of passengers has already formed.
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"Is it okay to leave him like this, Thea?" Maeve asks, watching Hawk scream, worry etched across her face.
"It depends on his own mental strength now. We can’t help him. Not with trauma this deep." Theo replies, equally helpless as he watches.
If only I had my mana. He thinks.
"So what do we do now?" Liam asks.
"Unfortunately, nothing. We watch him, make sure he doesn’t hurt himself, but beyond that, there’s nothing we can do." Theo says.
Silence.
"Well, if that’s the case, I don’t think all four of us need to be here at once." Alicia says. "Why don’t we take shifts. I’ll take the first one." She offers.
"If we’re doing shifts, Liam should take a later one. He can’t be paired with Alicia. We only have two people strong enough to restrain him if needed." Theo says.
"Okay. I’ll take this shift with Alicia." Maeve says. She still isn’t ready to walk away from Hawk.
Theo notices. He nods and turns to Liam instead.
"We should rest before our shift."
Liam nods.
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Little Ro kneels in front four jars in front of him. His eyes are dry. He just stares at those jars. One of them labelled "Haeiz." The other three, Little Ro feels guilty for not remembering their names.
Each of those jars holds the ashes of the children that ran with Little Ro: Haeiz, the teenage boy who died before they entered the forest, the little boy Haeiz was carrying, and the toddler that Little Ro carried.
Only one jar has a name, the other three don’t and that makes Little Ro’s heart hurt even more.
But no tears are coming from his eyes.
He stares at those jars.
And he exits the tent.
He goes asking around how he can join the military. He wants to kill those Strathmore’s soldiers.
At first they refused, he is too young.
But eventually, they accepts.
Since then, Little Ro starts to train in the military.
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The flight attendant guides Linus all the way to Solitaire Class, the highest class in commercial aviation in Altheon, offered exclusively by Aurenvale Air. Each of their flagship aircraft carries exactly one such suite.
It’s literally a private bedroom and study, complete with an ensuite bathroom.
It’s priced so far beyond reasonable that it rarely sees a passenger at all.
But on tonight’s flight, it’s been booked by Linus Monfort, and the news has sent a quiet shockwave through Aurenvale Air’s staff, from the ground crew all the way up to the cabin crew.
Even the pilot personally greets him and escorts him to the suite himself. Solitaire Class comes with its own dedicated butler, assigned to attend to every one of the passenger’s needs.
Linus steps inside and scans the space briefly. He doesn’t usually fly commercial, but tonight he has no choice. His most valued private plane is with Miranda in Arvion, another is undergoing routine maintenance, and the remaining two are currently traveling with his guests.
Lockley had taken the liberty of booking him into Solitaire Class, because in Lockley’s eyes, his boss deserves nothing less.
Linus sets his suitcase into the provided storage, along with his work bag.
"Is everything to your liking, Mr. Monfort?" The Captain asks from the doorway.
Linus glances at him and gives a faint nod.
The Captain looks visibly relieved. He steps aside and introduces the butler.
"Mr. Monfort, this is Louis, your butler for the flight. If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask him."
Louis steps forward. He’s not dressed in the standard flight attendant uniform, but in full butler attire, complete with a long tailcoat.
He offers a perfect bow. "Good evening, Mr. Monfort. My name is Louis. I’ll be your butler for the duration of the flight. I wish you a very pleasant journey." Another bow.
"May I offer you a refreshment, sir? Champagne, perhaps?"
Linus gives another faint nod. "Thank you."
Louis scurries off, the Captain trailing after him with a round of excessive bowing.
Linus settles into his seat, fastens his seatbelt, and pulls out his phone. A few unread messages from Lockley sit on the screen. He ignores them and sets the phone down with a sigh.
His mind drifts to his much older brother, Harrold. He’s deeply worried about him, and there’s nothing he can do about it from up here.
He closes his eyes and presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose.
So many Monfort firstborn sons have succumbed to madness. I hope it spares Liam.
A soft knock comes from the still-open door.
"Excuse me, Mr. Monfort. Your champagne." Louis steps in at Linus’s nod, sets the glass on the table, and bows again.
"I’ll return once we’re airborne and the seatbelt sign has been switched off." Another bow, and he closes the door behind him.
Linus reaches for the champagne, swirls the glass slowly, but doesn’t drink.
He can’t shake the worry gnawing at him for Liam. His oldest. A Monfort firstborn son. One who might, unknowingly, be carrying the same ancient curse of madness running through the family line.