The Prophecy Revealed Chapter 4.3

Cowan searched through the bookshelves of scrolls. Scrolls that contained every recorded crime since Isaac became King. There was a whole section on the unsolved cases; the section he was currently searching through. Finally! He held a scroll triumphantly and undid the seal with his knife. It was an old document but he still remembered the case like it was yesterday:

Crime: Brutal murder, body mutilated and unrecognizable

Witnesses: none

Officer on the scene: Ulrich - Captain of the Guard

Man of guilt: unknown

Victim: Xavier, son of Kane and Sarah, brother of Cowan

Age: 11

It had been four years since his younger brother had been murdered. Now, all these years later, his killer was around again. It was all the same style and situation. He loved and cherished his brother as everyone did. As with Rachel, no valuables were stolen and it appeared as though everyone loved him. Yet they had been murdered. The only thing different about this case was that Cowan was going to catch this sick monster. He wasn't going to give this case up even if it took him years to figure it out. He didn't care.

There was nothing in the scroll that he didn't already know but he checked it again, just in case. He didn't have a lead and it irked him that someone this horrible could still be on the loose. There must be evidence somewhere. No one could murder Rachel like that without having tools or...magic? Could that be it? Could this be the magic-user that was rumored to be around? Is he trying to send a message to back off and leave him be? Well, if he thinks I'll be intimidated to stop searching, he's wrong. This is my duty. I won't stop until he is swinging by the neck.

Cowan spent another two hours searching the scrolls, trying to find more information about it. He found two others murdered the same way which remained unsolved in the last twenty-five years. That would make Rachel the fourth in such a short amount of time. The first female victim. Why change it now? The murders started when he was only a year old and two of them have crossed his path so far. He was determined to find this killer if it was the last thing he'd do.

A hard knock at the door took him away from his desk. Thord, a guard, stood there, "Sir, the King has requested your presence."

"Thank you. Do you know what he wants?" It couldn't be good to hear from him this soon. It had never been good in the past. Under the circumstances, he was sure it wouldn’t be a happy visit.

"No, sir. Only that he seeks your presence.” Thord saluted him as a gesture to his authority. Cowan, although not in the mood of such formalities, saluted him in return. He waited until the sound of Thord’s footsteps became silent before starting on his way to the throne room.

Once there, he strode in and bowed to King Isaac, who was pacing in front of his desk. His expression grim.

As he saw Cowan, he stopped pacing and gestured toward the chair beside his own, "Sit down, lieutenant. I know this girl's death is going to be quite hard on you...especially because of your brother. You surely are wanting me to get to the point. Well, the real reason I called you here is because I don't want you getting too caught up in her case. I have seen what your behavior has caused Evrial to think and she is a special one. Don’t let her slip away from you.”

Cowan could feel his expression turn to guilt. They were found out. By the King no less! All of their sneaking around…their late nights and early mornings. It was too much! Yet, Isaac didn’t seem to be angry. It puzzled him, how Isaac seemed to be a hard, stern King and then switched to this forgiving nature.

He felt his guilt turn to anger as he realized that only Viera knew of their relationship. It was the only explanation. He had trusted Viera and she betrayed that trust. How could she? She knew him since he was so young.

"Your majesty, I assure you that I am quite capable of handling my professional and personal duties. I mean not to be rude but my personal life is my own and not to be meddled with by any.” The words escaped his lips before he could think of who he was speaking to, "Forgive me, I am a little out of sorts at this sudden reappearance of Xavier's killer."

"I understand...but the fact that you think you are capable of handling this on your own tells me that you are not. Being in a relationship is about more than your feelings. It is about change. You both will have to change some things about yourselves that you may not want to but in order to stay a team, you must. I suggest you stop letting your emotions cloud your love for her. Let her back into your heart and tell her about your brother. I assure you that if you do, she will tell you things you would never have guessed about her. She is very unique and you don't deserve her, yet she still loves you. Do not ruin your relationship over something of the past that is, for the time being, in the present."

Cowan bowed his head, “My father said as much when I was young. You’re right, I know, but I have a duty to fulfill to my brother. He was murdered the same way as this girl and as his brother, I owe it to him.”

“Yes, you do have a duty towards Xavier but you also have a duty to be with Evrial as well. She is just as important and you really should find more ways to be with her.”

“If I may say, it hasn’t exactly been easy to keep our relationship healthy while ducking around corners to be with each other.” He realized that his tone was getting dangerously close to being disrespectful. Relax. He told himself.

“I realize that but you know why we have those rules in place. If it helps any, I give you my permission to continue your courtship. Now that you don’t have that as an excuse, go to her now and fix the mess you have made.”

Cowan bowed his head again and took his dismissal. What did the King mean, saying that he didn’t deserve her? He knew that she was special but what made her noticeable to the King?

Soon enough, he was standing in front of Evrial’s door. He knocked lightly, almost hoping she wouldn’t hear it. Against his hope, her face appeared in the doorway, although she looked different. He noticed she wasn’t happy and cheerful like she usually was. Rachel's death has taken its toll on her. I didn’t help the case either. I should have hugged her, not thrown her against the wall. He mentally kicked himself but forced a smile on his lips.

"What do you want?" To his surprise, she didn’t sound angry. Just deeply in thought. He cleared his throat before letting himself in, despite the fact that her slender arm was blocking the way.

Once inside and the door was safely shut, he turned around, "I owe you an apology. I imagine this can't be easy for you. You worked with her side by side in the kitchen and knew her more than I. The way that I treated you this morning was unfair. I'm sorry.”

Her gaze was not on him but rather behind him. She was silent and he could see the tears start to form in her eyes even though she tried to hide them. He walked to her gently and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his heart. She wept quietly on his shoulder and he tried to comfort her. He stroked her hair and let her cry, knowing that she felt alone.

He didn't try to pull away to talk about the real reason he had gone there but rather just stood there with her in his arms. This is what she needed. She did not need to be bothered with more worries just yet. Only yesterday he holding her just for the sake of holding her. Today was so different than the happiness they had felt the morning before. Today death had occurred. Today a little piece of everyone was torn away from them, never to return.

Between her sobs, she quietly whispered, "I'm sorry too. It was not my place.” He squeezed his arms around her tightly, acknowledging her apology. She stayed in his arms a moment longer before she pulled away from him. Her eyes were red and wet.

She chuckled and sniffled as she wiped at his shoulder with her sleeve, "You're all wet now.”

He glanced down at his own sleeve and smiled. He didn't mind.

"Evrial, now may not be a good time but I want to explain the reason I acted the way I did this morning.” He sat down on the edge of her bed and pulled her close to him before he continued, "My brother...my younger brother was murdered four years ago in the exact same way. I guess I just became so caught up in catching the killer that I forgot about everything else in my life. It was my duty to protect him and I failed. I thought that, maybe by catching him, I could avenge my own brother at the same time. I should have realized that you were alone to mourn and had no one to turn to."

She sat there for a moment, motionless. He was nervous even though he knew that she would understand. He did what King Isaac had suggested but what she was hiding from him was what lingered in his mind. She seemed so ordinary. Cowan could understand that she was unique but what made the King think so? What did Isaac know that he did not?