Beneath the Scars - Book cover

Beneath the Scars

Natalie Le Roux

Chapter 3

Raylon

6 years ago

King’s palace

Five Kingdoms

I stood at my brother’s side proudly as he announced the birth of his first son to a cheering crowd below the queen’s balcony. A healthy, happy boy, named Azmurtas.

My heart filled with joy for my brother, and the prospect of a new heir to the throne. I was no longer second in the line of succession.

I would never again have to show my hideous side to the people, each one perfect in the way only our masters of form could achieve. Although nothing was ever real.

Not the hair, different every day, and artificial. Not the beauty on each face, molded to the desires of the customer.

Nor the sculptured physical forms of the men, too lazy to attain the ideal physique the hard way. The real way.

This was a kingdom of beauty. Of perfection. Of repetition, and indistinguishable features. Everyone wanted the perfect nose, the perfect eyes, the perfect everything.

The problem with perfection is there are only so many variations of it. Now, the population of the Five Kingdoms was filled with carbon copies of the same face.

Looking at the crowd below us, I found myself thankful for my mask. I was different. I stood out.

My father’s engineers had done wonderful work on my mask. It was a shining nanite metal that showed only my eyes, with every feature the engineers could think of.

It had its own air filters, its own communications. It was even strong enough to withstand weapons fire.

But despite my metal face, I was lonely. A man, unlike all the others, isolated in a sea of allure.

I watched my brother smile widely as he held up his newborn son. A joyous moment for the whole family.

A gentle hand touched my shoulder, and I turned to find the handmaiden of the queen gesturing toward the large bed where the queen lay. I left the balcony and went to her.

“Mystasar, is everything all right?”

Only in private would I dare call the queen by her name. She gave me a tired smile and patted the bed next to her.

The healers were by her side, working to give her strength and heal her from the burdens of childbirth.

“Raylon, when will you give us the gift of a niece or nephew? I have given you four, and you have given me none,” she smiled.

I dropped my head and looked away. My mask covered my face, but from this close, the queen would see my eyes.

“My queen, you know I would give you anything you desire. My life, if that is what you wish. But I fear what you ask of me now is not something I am able to give.”

“It is not within my reach.” My words sounded sadder than I wanted them to.

Mystasar lifted herself with great effort and touched my hand gently.

“Raylon, you will find love, if you let it in. Do not fear it. Do not push it away when it comes. The Universe is vast, and I believe there is someone for each of us, even you.”

Although she did not see it, her words brought a smile to my disfigured face. I wanted to believe her.

I wanted to have hope that out there, somewhere, there was a woman who would not look at me like all the others.

One that will see past my scars, past the facade I cloak myself in, and see the man I am beneath. One who will finally accept all the love I have inside me, desperate to be given.

I nodded to her and raised myself off the bed.

“Perhaps one day, my queen. For now, my duties are to protect the king and the heir, as well as my nieces, who I am sure cannot wait to return from the scholars and meet their brother.

“Rest now, Mystasar, and know that I am always at your side if you need anything.” I dipped my head and returned to my brother’s side.

As the crowd cheered and the music flowed from the celebrations below, Zasrus turned to me with a smile. “Would you like to hold him?”

I nodded eagerly and reached my hands out to the tiny infant. My brother placed him into my arms.

As I stared at the adorable sleeping face of my nephew, my mind flashed with the children from my youth, the ones who screamed and cried at the sight of me.

Will he fear me like that? His sisters did not, so maybe he won’t either.

I decided I wouldn’t test it. Not until he was older.

I took Azmurtas back inside and went to the bed. As I sat down, the boy opened his eyes and stared at me.

He looked into my eyes, below the mask, and at that moment I knew he held no fear for me.

I called for my mask to retract, and as the metal pieces contracted into each other, I smiled at the boy.

He twisted his face like all newborn children do and I knew, from when the princesses were the same age, that he wanted his mother.

I turned to give the queen her son and saw her smiling at me. I grinned back and stood. My brother called me over to him. He stood by the window, his arms crossed, watching me.

“What is it, brother?” I asked as I rubbed my neck.

“He likes you,” Zasrus said with a smile.

I smiled back. “I like him too.”

I saw his face turn serious as he pulled me aside. He looked over my shoulder at his queen, then spoke in a hushed voice. “I have some sad news,” he said.

“Mystasar’s mother was taken suddenly by the Original Death late last night. I have not told her yet.”

I lowered my eyes to the floor and shook my head. “Do you think she passed it on to Mystasar?”

My brother let out a long sigh and said, “I can only beg the universe that she didn’t. It took her late in life. If she did, then all I can hope is that it will take my love just as late.”

I met his eyes and saw the fear clearly in them. I nodded, at a loss for words that could comfort him.

“Do not say anything to her yet,” Zasrus said, gesturing to the queen. “Let her enjoy this moment for a little while longer. I will tell her in private tonight.”

“Of course. Please relay my deepest sadness for her loss.”

My brother nodded and went to his wife’s bedside. He sat down next to her, and as the two of them smiled and cooed at the child, I left the room.

My thoughts of the queen and the possibility of her falling ill took me to my balcony. The same one I had always relied on to clear my mind since I was a child.

I looked out at the endless gardens before me, the large flat surface of the landing platform, and the gates of the palace to the side.

Perhaps it is better to have had love and lose it, than to feel love at all.

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