Chapter 7: Reunion in Shadows

We made it.

We’ve arrived in the Zulu Kingdom’s capital.

They call it KwaNdlovu.

I don’t think I’ve seen so many people at once.

This place is even bigger than Rose.

I honestly didn’t think we’d make it.

It still doesn’t feel real that we’re here right now.

I feel exhausted but I cannot drop my guard just yet.

I still don’t know what’s going to happen to me and Alix much less Lucy.

I rode with the bakkie that carried Alix.

Seeing her in such a state...

She gained consciousness for a few seconds. I could only comfort her, tell her to rest, and not to worry anymore. That everything was going to be okay.

She’s healing very slowly.

The soldier in charge said that he will arrange for me to meet with the Queen while Alix gets taken away for treatment. I had to change vehicles. I don’t like leaving her alone, but I don’t have much choice right now.

We’re now heading straight toward the royal palace.

The city is incredibly large and densely populated. We must stop regularly because the streets are crowded.

There’s an awkward silence within the bakkie with Lucy’s pod in my lap. I’m wedged between two soldiers. They can’t help but look at her.

The one in charge is driving with another in the passenger seat. All of them are carrying rifles. Almost looks like the same type we use in Rose.

"You fought it?" the one in the driver's seat lets out.

I look up.

"What?"

The man keeps his eyes on the road.

"The beast."

I study him for a moment.

He looks to be about Gabriel's age. Tall. Broad shoulders. Confident.

Yet there is something calm about him.

He knows what I am.

He must.

And still, he doesn't seem afraid.

The other soldiers seem comfortable around him.

Not intimidated.

Respectful.

"Not by choice," I answer.

“I thought I’ve seen everything.” He pauses. “I didn’t believe what was told to me, but I guess I can’t deny it anymore.”

It isn't surprising that they know about the fallen angels.

What surprises me is that they still live like this.

The walls around Thabeng.

The walls around KwaNdlovu.

The soldiers.

The preparations.

Hundreds of years have passed since Henri warned humanity about the fallen angels.

Nothing happened.

At least, that's what I always believed.

At some point, shouldn't people have started questioning him?

Yet the kingdoms of Southern Africa continue preparing as if the threat never truly disappeared.

What do they know that I don't?

“I’m Nqoba by the way. I am commander of the Zulu kingdom’s border security.” The man in the driver seat says.

“Nice to meet you sir.” I reply. “You already know my name.”

“Yes. You’re Gabriel’s youngest brother.”

Of course, he knows Gabriel.

“You know my brother?” I ask.

“Yes, and I’ve met your father as well. The different kingdoms come together on occasion to discuss security matters.”

Makes sense.

Father dealt with rulers, military leaders, and officials from every kingdom.

Someone in Nqoba's position would have crossed paths with him eventually.

“Listen Lucian I am not here to interrogate you, but the protection of my people is important. I can see you are carrying a lot on your shoulders and that you’re hesitant to talk.”

He’s got a sharp eye.

“I only ask that you are honest with Queen Nomusa.”

He gives me a stern look through the rearview mirror.

“I will sir.” I let out anxiously.

“That child you are carrying and the beast I saw has me worried about the entirety of Southern Africa.”

I'm sorry.

I can't bring myself to say it out loud.

The guilt sits too heavy in my chest.

This is Thabeng all over again.

Everywhere we go, people get dragged into this.

What if Alexandre comes back?

What if next time he isn't alone?

The conversation dies there.

Nobody speaks.

The hum of the engine fills the silence.

I can see the palace coming into view.

It is large and looks to be surrounded by walls.

It is heavily guarded. More so than the Basotho Kingdom’s palace.

With its size I take it the Queen has one big family.

We approach the gates of the palace. A couple of guards are at the front gate.

When they see us, they immediately stand on attention.

The guards react immediately. Nqoba must hold a lot of authority around here.

One of them approaches the bakkie.

“Commander, how can I help you?” the guard says.

“We have a guest who wants an audience with the Queen.” Nqoba answers.

The guard nods and signals for the other to open the gate.

That was quick.

We head on through.

The palace looks to be at the far back.

There are other smaller houses all next to each other.

We eventually reach the place and the bakkie comes to a halt.

The soldier on my left gets out.

“This is where we part ways.” Nqoba says as he turns toward me.

“Thank you for bringing me here.” I say.

‘The Queen values honesty. She will decide you and your sister’s fate as well as the child.” As Nqoba’s eyes gives Lucy’s pod a quick glance.

“Before I forget. Do not worry about your sister. I’m sure we’ll be able to help her.”

“Thank you sir.” I reply.

He gives me a nod of approval, and I get out of the bakkie.

So, this is it.

I look up at the palace taking everything in. It is slightly intimidating.

“Follow. I will take you to Her Majesty.” The soldier says that got out with me.

“Okay.”

I look down at Lucy’s pod adjusting it in my arms.

Let’s do this.

I can hear people talking in the palace.

When we enter all eyes are locked on me and Lucy.

I don’t know if I should greet or just keep my head down. The stares are making me nervous.

I can hear all their whispers with my hearing.

That is when I see her.

The Queen.

She’s standing at her throne with her back towards me.

She’s talking to a girl.

The girl looks to be around my age.

She’s beautiful.

Our eyes meet but I can’t help but look down.

Is she the daughter of the Queen?

“Someone’s here to see you, Mother.” she whispers to the Queen.

The soldier signals for me to stop.

He stands on attention.

“Your Majesty. Commander Nqoba brought a guest that has urgently requested an audience with you.” The soldier says.

The Queen turns to me and the girl she spoke with fades into the background.

She studies me.

“Introduce yourself.” The soldier tells me putting me on the spot.

“Your Majesty. I am Lucian Durand. Son of Apollinare Durand.”

The room goes silent. I can hear everyone whisper my father’s name.

“Yes. I can see the resemblance.” the Queen lets out.

“I never thought I’d see this day come.” she continues.

“Everyone please leave us. I need to speak privately to the child of Apollinare Durand.”

Everyone in the room sounds unhappy about it as they start moving out of the hall.

I look to my right and see that girl again the Queen spoke with.

We make eye contact again.

She’s the one who looks down this time.

The guards leave the room as well.

I prefer speaking with the Queen like this.

The hallway doors close and there’s a deafening silence.

“I am Queen Nomusa. Ruler of this kingdom.”

“It is an honour meet you, Your Majesty.” I let out.

“So, you’ve met my son Nqoba. I hope he treated you well.”

Her son?

Makes sense now why everyone acted the way they did around him.

“Yes, Your Majesty he was kind and respectful toward me.” I reply.

“Good. Now let us get to the matter at hand.”

Here it comes.

“I assume you are here because of who you are holding in your arms.” as the Queen’s gaze focuses on Lucy’s pod.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Me and my sister fled our home because we chose to protect this child. She’s a fallen angel.”

Her reaction is surprisingly timid compared to that of King Moshobane’s.

“And the mother?” she asks.

“She was badly injured and unable to move. I don’t know if she is still alive.”

“Why risk your life for them?” the Queen interrupts me abruptly.

Her stare is stern and serious.

I feel like I’m being tested on how I will answer.

I just need to be honest with her.

I take a deep breath.

Here goes.

“To be honest Your Majesty I haven’t been happy with my life. A lot has happened through the years from my mother and younger brother leaving us when we were little, to my father becoming distant, and me and my sister going through hellish training that nearly broke us. There were times I didn’t want to live anymore. I just wanted to break free from everything.”

I’m not trying to play on the Queen’s emotions, but I feel like if I’m going to let out how I feel then now is probably the best time.

I continue.

“Then I met the mother of this fallen angel child. She did something to me that probably has played a role in the choices I made.” as I lift my arm for her to see the brand.

“At the same time, I saw this as probably the only and last chance I would ever have to break free from the shadow of my family even if it meant betraying them and possibly even losing my life for it.”

Queen Nomusa hasn't reacted the way I expected.

If anything, her calmness is making me more nervous.

“So, you interacted with the mother? What did they go by?” Queen Nomusa asks finally breaking her silence.

“The mother’s name is Ella, and the child’s name is Lucy.” I reply.

“You said she was badly injured? Was it one of your kind who attacked her”

“No, Your Majesty it was…” Wait did she just say? My heart just skipped a beat.

I’m left speechless. I look at her not knowing what to say.

“I know what you and your family are Lucian Durand and have known for a while now.”

“What?’ I let out. It is all I can say at the moment.

“I’m saving us both time here. I can see you are a nervous wreck and understandably so.” Queen Nomusa says.

“I didn’t tell you outright from the beginning because I truly did want to hear what you have to say. I believe you are telling the truth and that you’re not working undercover for your family.”

Undercover? What does she mean by that?

“Your family wants the mother and child dead. She probably already is. My son sent a message before your arrival and how you were attacked by a beast unlike any other and how you and your sister fought back. I didn’t think one of your own would attack you much less in broad daylight. It seems that your family has decided it no longer needs to hide in the shadows anymore now that the fallen angels are here.”

The ground feels as if it has shifted beneath me.

“How?” is all I can ask.

“Because your mother told me everything.”

At first, I don’t register what she is saying.

Then it hits me.

“My mother?” I let out softly.

“She’s alive Lucian. Benoit as well.” the Queen says.

I’m overcome with a wave of emotions.

Sadness. Relief. Happiness. Anger. And anger most of all.

Anger that she left us.

We’re in this mess now because of her.

If she just took us with her that night…

Tears start to build up in my eyes while I’m clenching my fists.

I look down at the floor, not wanting the Queen to see me like this.

“I can understand how you feel child. There’s a part of you that resents her for what she did.”

How could I not? We could’ve been in a better place right now. I could’ve had a better life.

Then my mind shifts to Ella and Lucy. I wouldn’t have met them.

Would they have been killed by now?

I wouldn’t have even known about it.

I think of the vision I saw of that futuristic city and that beautiful sunset.

And the girl from the vision.

Lucy.

It calms my mind.

I take a deep breath.

I look up to the Queen.

“So, she fled here with Benoit. What then?” I ask calmly.

“We were stunned when she showed up here in the middle of the night with a small child. She told us who she was and why she came here. She wanted asylum. To escape from your father. At first, we didn’t want to entertain it. We didn’t want conflict with Rose. I was ready to send her on her way.”

I think I know what comes next.

“She pleaded to speak to me in private. There was a seriousness in her eyes that I couldn’t ignore, so I agreed to it. She then revealed it all. Your family carries a curse. A curse put upon your bloodline by the fallen angels. I was very sceptical, but then she showed me herself. Eyes like a beast. Teeth and claws like one. That was all the evidence I needed. It changed everything. Because if your mother was telling the truth, then Henri’s warning had been true all along.”

“So, you took them in?” I ask.

“It was a difficult decision to make but yes, we took them in. They were taken to a remote farm. They had to be hidden away. We could not let your father learn that we were protecting them. What your mother revealed made me realise who I was really dealing with. Your father was already a formidable force and known throughout the kingdoms.”

“What do you mean by that?”

There’s silence.

She hesitates, choosing her next words carefully.

“I’m going to tell you of something that happened in the past. It was around the time your father became the new ruler of Rose. It was when he took over from his father.”

I never knew him. He died before I was born. Father didn’t talk much about him.

“My own father was still King. We didn’t pay too much attention to it. All the kingdoms respected each other’s privacy. Nonetheless, we congratulated him.”

She pauses again.

“You’ve probably wondered how the kingdoms have stayed committed to your ancestor’s warning of the fallen angels?”

I nod.

“Well, there came a time when people across the kingdoms started asking the same questions. Why are we still living behind walls? Why can’t we settle where we want to? Why is there compulsory military training for a war that hasn’t come to pass in hundreds of years?”

Makes sense. It is only Rose that truly knew of the fallen angels’ existence. Yet I still had my own doubts. There was a time I believed Henri made everything up and that we were the only monsters.

“There had been unrest within the kingdoms before, but it was always quickly suppressed. This time around, things were different. This wasn’t just about speaking out. It was about demanding answers—and getting them, even if it meant resorting to violence.”

I’ve never heard of this before.

“Then one day, everything just imploded. My father received a message from yours saying fighting had broken out within Rose. It was an attempted coup. There were a group of people who didn’t want your father to rule Rose. He warned us that the same fighting would erupt within the other kingdoms. He wasn’t wrong. Shortly afterwards, we were all faced with uprisings within our own kingdoms. People demanded their freedom, and the only way to achieve it was to overthrow the current leaders.”

Why haven’t we been told about this?

“Your father said the group opposing him had orchestrated this kingdom-wide uprising. It had been planned for a considerable time. They infiltrated the different kingdoms and built alliances. We were out of our depth and struggled to contain it. People were killed, and it only grew worse because of it. The Zulu Kingdom probably suffered the most. Fighting spread throughout the city. My father sent an urgent message to Apollinare requesting aid. Your father was more than willing to help and came personally with a military force. It sounded like he managed to contain the violence within Rose before arriving. He even sent soldiers to reinforce the other kingdoms.”

This is a lot to take in. I wonder why father—or anyone else within Rose—never told us about this.

“When your father arrived in the Zulu Kingdom, he and his soldiers acted immediately. Together with our own forces, they managed to push the insurrectionists out of the city. But the fighting didn’t end there. The group opposing your father had already made their way here as well. My father joined yours on the battlefield. It was brutal and bloody. I was there too. I was a skilled archer, believe it or not. I wanted to support my father and fight at his side.”

Sounds like this group who opposed my father never used their lycan forms.

“When the insurrectionists were on their last legs, the leader of the rebel group from Rose fled. Your father chased after him. My father followed not long after. He told me to stay behind and help our people. But something about your father and that rebel leader unsettled me. I decided to follow them.”

She pauses, her expression growing distant.

“When I was running after them, a sudden wave of fear crashed over me. It stopped me in my tracks. I had never been so terrified in my life. The aura I felt... it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Something was waiting ahead, and it felt unnatural. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back. Instead, I kept going. I was terrified for my father.”

She takes a slow breath.

“It took me a while to finally catch up, but it was already too late.”

Her voice softens.

“I arrived at a horrifying scene.”

The Queen is getting emotional. She’s hiding it well, but I can hear her heartbeat quicken.

“I found my father lying on the ground. Your father and the rebel leader were nowhere to be seen. I dropped to my knees beside him. He was bleeding profusely from his abdomen. It looked as though he had been stabbed by something. He was still breathing. He grabbed my arm, looked me in the eyes, and told me I should not oppose Apollinare Durand.”

She lowers her eyes.

“He passed away moments later.”

I’ve felt that same fear before.

The same fear that froze me in place.

I think of the vision I saw of Ella and that black, shadowy figure standing before her.

Could it be?

No...

It can’t be.

It’s impossible.

“Not long afterwards, your father emerged from the trees. His expression was unreadable. He told me he was sorry he couldn’t save my father, but that he had avenged him. I was devastated. My entire world had collapsed. I never suspected your father. I believed my father’s final words meant Apollinare was someone he trusted. Someone who had fought beside him until the very end.”

She looks away for a moment.

“Your father stood beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. He tried to console me. I could see grief in his face... or at least, I believed I did.”

I'm saddened for the Queen as well. I can't even imagine what she must've felt in that moment. I didn't see Mother die, but when she left us, it left a hole inside of me. I cried so much for the rest of that year. I still thought about her and Benoit to this day, wondering if they were still alive.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Your father sounded like an incredible man," I say, finally breaking the silence.

"Yes, he was. We took his body back to the capital. It was a dark day for the Zulu Kingdom. Many mourned his loss. The rebellion was finally quelled with the help of your father and his soldiers. Peace was restored once again throughout the kingdoms. Many lost their lives, and a great deal of damage was done, but we survived.

"A meeting was called. All the rulers gathered in the Zulu Kingdom to assess the situation and decide the future of the region. Though your father helped every kingdom, many were angry at him. He openly admitted that Rose was responsible for what had happened. The different rulers looked to the Zulu Kingdom for guidance. Some wanted to break the treaty your ancestor had created. They feared Rose and looked to us for an answer. If we decided the treaty should be broken, they would all side with us.

"I was made Queen of the Zulu Kingdom, and I needed to make a decision. Your father was present at the meeting as well. My father's final message kept repeating in my mind. I saw Rose—and especially your father—as an ally. So, I did not oppose him, and because of that, neither did the other kingdoms."

It's crazy knowing things could've changed in an instant and that everything would be different now.

How would Father have reacted if they had decided to break the treaty? Would he have abandoned them to fend for themselves while Rose carried on as though nothing had changed?

There's still so much he never told us.

Do Gabriel, Sophie, and Alexandre know about this?

"I believe your father will not ignore you coming here with that child. Your arrival has made us a potential target. I don't think he would immediately declare war on us, but we cannot be naïve enough to believe nothing will happen. He already sent one of them after you. Who's to say he won't do it again?"

"Since you already know almost everything, I might as well confirm that it was my brother, Alexandre, whom we fought. He pursued us relentlessly. He even attacked the Basotho Kingdom. Fortunately, the King is unharmed, so I believe my brother still has some restraint," I confess.

"All the more reason we should be concerned and prepare for whatever may come. If that day comes, I expect you and your sister to stand with us."

"Yes, we will. I know you're taking a great risk by protecting us. My brother already made that decision easier when he attacked us. I also can't let them kill Lucy. I don't know whether her mother is still alive, but I made a promise that I'd protect this child. It's something I want to do, and I believe she could become an ally."

"I will trust your judgement. You defied your own family to protect this girl, and I know you wouldn't have done so if you truly believed she was a threat. I'm sure you have your reasons. We can discuss them in time, but for now, I don't believe we need to fear the child turning against us."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your trust in me means a great deal, and I won't take it for granted."

The Queen rises from her chair.

"Now, I believe there's someone you've been waiting a long time to meet."

She offers me a gentle smile.

"Come. I'll take you to your mother and younger brother."

My heart skips a beat.

After all these years... I never thought this moment would come.

For years, I'd imagined seeing her again.

Now that it's finally here...

I don't know if I'm ready.