Two weeks had passed since the imperial banquets ended, and the Arden estate had settled into a quiet, tentative rhythm.
In the sunlit glass conservatory, Tristan sat across from Lucien, listening attentively as his father re-taught him the foundational political structures of the empire. His recovery had progressed remarkably—the physical wounds had healed, and though his past memories remained locked away, his soft, earnest nature had bloomed without the weight of his mother's bitter influence.
Cassian stood near the arched doorway, holding a tray of honeyed tea. He smiled warmly as he watched Tristan laugh at a rare dry joke from Lucien.
Yet, as Cassian looked out past the conservatory toward the darkened windows of the palace, the smile faded from his lips.
For seven days, Aurelian had not left his room. He missed every meal, declined every visitor, and stayed hidden behind locked doors even long after Sora's formal grounding orders had ended. The guards had reported that the young elven noble barely touched the food trays left outside his door.
Cassian handed the tea tray to a passing maid and walked away from the warmth of the glasshouse, heading down the long, quiet stone corridors toward the West Wing.
Outside Aurelian's chamber, two guards stood at attention. They bowed deeply as Cassian approached.
"His Highness has barred the door from the inside, My Lord," the guard warned softly. "He has refused all entry."
"Leave us," Cassian said gently.
The guards bowed again and retreated down the hallway.
Cassian turned to the heavy oak door, looking at the silent wood. He knocked softly—three steady, unhurried taps.
"Go away,"
But a muffled, hollow voice called from within.
"I told the servants I don't want anything."
"It's not a servant, Aurelian," Cassian replied, his voice calm and tender. "It's me. Your father."
A long, suffocating silence followed. Inside, Cassian heard the rustle of sheets and the slow, hesitant drag of footsteps across the floor. The heavy brass latch clicked, and the door opened a mere fraction.
Aurelian stood in the gap, half-hidden by the shadows of his unlit room.
The change in him was heartbreaking. His hair was disheveled, the vibrant color drained from his skin, and deep, dark hollows bruised the space beneath his eyes. He wore a simple, unbuttoned linen tunic, his tall frame looking thin and frail in the dim light.
When Aurelian saw Cassian standing there—looking at him not with anger, but with profound sorrow—he instinctively shrank back, gripping the edge of the door.
"You shouldn't be here,"
Aurelian whispered, his voice dry and raspy.
"Father said–... I shouldn't be near anyone."
"Sora's punishment ended three days ago, Aurelian," Cassian said softly. "You are locking yourself in the dark now."
"I deserve to be in the dark!" Aurelian's voice broke into a sharp, desperate crack. He tried to pull the door shut, but Cassian stepped forward, placing a firm, gentle hand against the wood to stop it.
"Let me in, Aurelian. Please."
Aurelian stared at Cassian's hand on the door, his chest heaving with rapid, shallow breaths. Finally, his strength seemed to give out entirely and he stepped back, letting the door swing open as he turned his back, walking aimlessly toward the center of the dark room.
Cassian stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The air in the chamber was cold and stagnant, heavy with the scent of unlit candles and lingering grief. Heavy velvet drapes blocked out the sun, drowning the lavishly furnished room in twilight.
Without a word, Cassian walked over to the tall balcony windows and pulled back the heavy drapes. Bright, golden sunlight flooded into the room, illuminating the dusty floorboards and unmade bed.
Aurelian recoiled from the light, shielding his eyes with a trembling arm. "Don't... please, close it..."
Cassian turned to face his son. He walked over slowly, stopping right in front of the boy who had spent weeks drowning in his own guilt.
"Look at me, Aurelian."
Aurelian shook his head violently, as he pressed his arm tighter against his face. "No... I can't. I look at you and I see what I did. I almost killed Tristan. I ruined everything. I ruined his life, I broke my father's heart, and I disappointed you and uncle Lucien–... I proved to you that I'm just a monster and now uncle Lucien probably hates me for harming Tristan and said those horrible things to him."
Cassian reached out, grasping Aurelian's wrists and gently, firmly pulling his hands down from his face.
"You are not a monster,"
Cassian said, his voice ringing with absolute concern.
"You made a horrific, reckless mistake driven by jealousy, fear, and pride. But you are not a monster, and I will not let you destroy yourself in this room over something that can be fixed."
"He doesn't even remember who he is!.... All because of me!!"
Aurelian sobbed out, the dam finally breaking as tears spilled freely down his pale cheeks.
"He doesn't remember growing up with me! He looks at me through the window like I'm a complete stranger! I did that to him, Cassian! I stole his whole life!"
"Yet he is alive!" Cassian shouted softly, gripping Aurelian's shoulders tightly.
"He is alive, Aurelian!, his mind is healing, and he is safe. If you had seen him now, he is happier than he has ever been. The mistake was terrible, but the consequence was not final. You have to stop punishing yourself as if you buried him!"
Aurelian trembled violently under Cassian's hands, his mouth open in a soundless, weeping gasp.
"I failed you," Cassian whispered, his own eyes frowniny as he stepped closer, pulling the tall nineteen-year-old into a fierce, tight embrace.
"I am the one who led you to that point. I should have paid more attention to you despite you needing some space, I should have tried harder to show you that you are my son just like Tristan is and not make you feel like you were being replaced. I am so sorry, Aurelian... I am so, so sorry."
Aurelian froze for a single beat. The warmth of Cassian's arms, the soft scent of rain and cedar, and the overwhelming weight of unconditional forgiveness crashed over him all at once.
With a choked, agonizing wail, Aurelian collapsed into his father's chest. He wrapped his long arms around Cassian's shoulders, burying his face into the crook of Cassian's neck, sobbing like the frightened child he had forced himself not to be for nineteen years.
Cassian held him firmly, supporting his son's trembling weight, rubbing gentle circles into the boy's back as the cold, suffocating walls of isolation finally crumbled to dust.
"I am so sorry father... I promise I will do better from now on."
"Me too son... Me too."
*****