Betrayed By The Hero, Loved By The Lord-Chapter 187: Meeting with friends (3)

"So, how is married life treating you? The impossible happened for Xavier Blackthorn," Henry said as he handed Xavier a glass of wine. "I thought you would be the last one to get married and that’s only because I heard you planned to go to sleep."

"It is going well," Xavier replied, keeping his matters to himself.

Henry laughed it off instead of being offended. "You’re still the same which is why so many fail to get close to you. It took me five years to get you to speak to me. I remember you telling me that you didn’t like me."

"Did I?" Xavier replied, not remembering this.

"It hurts me a little that you forgot about it. It was when we were children and we all had to go to the palace to play. I personally always thought you mistook me for Darius’s friend so you didn’t want to get close to me. Was it that?" Henry inquired.

"What are you doing? Trying to find answers for your childhood? If I ever told you that I didn’t like you then I didn’t like you. Whatever it was, you grew out of it since we’ve done business together and here I am standing in your home when I want to be at home with my wife," Xavier replied.

Xavier took a sip of the wine Henry offered him to check that it was good before he drank more.

"I am asking now because I never knew what changed. I spend a little time in the palace so I get to see some of what goes on there. It turns out that with my wife close to your wife the king is on me. He’s been around me so much that I am not going to enter the palace anymore," Henry informed Xavier.

"Now that I am blaming you for it," Henry clarified before Xavier misunderstood. "If you have anyone inside you might have gathering news about the king then you should prepare for them to be watched. I’m sure he’s been paying very good attention to those loyal to you. Like with Isaac."

"He can watch as much as he likes but he doesn’t know all of them. Some are people he would least expect. I should kill him," Xavier said, causing Henry to choke on his mouthful of blood.

Henry wiped his mouth to get rid of any traces of blood. "Why do you need to tell me about your plans? My wife thinks it’s time for us to have a child and I agree so I can’t be caught up in some war. Not right now. I’m all for you killing him but I can’t join."

"I said I should kill him. Where in that did I say you should do it? Are you drunk or is it the talk about getting a child that’s making you like this?" Xavier wondered.

"It could be both. Francesca and I were enjoying ourselves a little before you showed up. There’s a lot on our minds right now so excuse me if I say something foolish," Henry apologised in advance. "You think about having a baby and suddenly you realise how dangerous the town is. Moving has crossed my mind but Francesca likes it here."

"No matter where you go it’s not going to be peaceful until we get the attacks over with and replace the king. Again, if I want to have a peaceful future then I will need him gone," said Xavier.

"Unfortunately, I don’t think the future will ever be peaceful for you. You’re Xavier Blackthorn. Each time I entered the palace I heard your name and a few times, I heard Selene’s name. It’s either about your surprise wedding, you not picking the princess, or you have killed someone. Peace isn’t something you can have with that last name," said Henry.

"Perhaps I should get rid of it. It is either that or kill everyone," Xavier added after Henry laughed.

Henry ceased laughing. "I’d hate for everyone to die. Only take out the king and the followers in his court. If these attacks get more out of hand, I will take Francesca out of town until it gets better. There are lands across the kingdom where humans will not venture."

Henry never thought there would come a day he would run away from humans yet here he was planning it. There was too much to lose getting into a fight. He couldn’t leave Francesca alone especially when she was sometimes concerned about the king.

"I want him dead just as much as you do. There was a time when Darius wanted Francesca and he was unaware we were together. Had we not been seeing each other in secret and I hadn’t stepped up to protect her, he would have dragged her to the palace. I thought of killing him then," Henry shared then drowned the last of his blood.

Henry continued, "If you seek out every man whose wife or partner Darius tried to sleep with, you might have a big enough army to kill him."

Xavier set the glass of wine down. "I don’t need them."

"Right. You have the power to do it alone. I’m surprised it has taken you this long to think about killing him. You two never got along from the first time I saw you. I know Selene makes it worse but Darius has always done terrible things to get your attention. I was expecting you to want to kill him years ago," said Henry.

Henry could make a long list of reasons why Xavier had the right to kill Darius and none of what would go on that list had anything to do with Selene.

The Blackthorn name was what made Xavier’s life noisy but it also protected him from Darius wanting to kill him. Not that Henry thought that Darius would succeed.

Henry lost count of how many times someone tried to kill Xavier. Xavier wasn’t involved in palace matters most of the time, but when he did show up, Xavier called everyone out on what they did.

"You already have the answer. He crossed a line long ago but Selene is where I will have to kill him," Xavier replied.

It wasn’t too serious yet but Xavier did think of what it would be like to have a family with Selene in the future. When that time came, Xavier didn’t need Darius poking at Selene when she would be carrying their child or after.

Xavier saw peace in his life as not having to bother with Darius. He could ignore everyone but Darius used his position as king to go too far. "I’ve spared him long enough."

"And what of the queen? I normally don’t pay attention to the queen but from what my wife says, you will need to keep an eye on Vivienne. I am not happy with the queen since she also placed the blame for Darius looking at my wife on Francesca. She takes her anger out on the wrong person," Henry said, relieved Francesca was no longer seeking to please the queen.

Henry never wanted Francesca to meet with the queen but Francesca would smile and say it was fine. It was never fine since Vivienne either liked to use or take jabs at Francesca but Henry respected what Francesca wanted to do. He remained by the side, waiting to step in if the queen ever took it too far.

"If she joins him in bothering Selene, she can die as well," Xavier answered. "Anyone can die if they don’t leave Selene alone."