A few moments later, amid the deafening symphonies of bagpipes, lutes, and flutes, Hayden faintly heard a timid voice over the musical chaos.
"Please, make it stop. It's much too scary."
He gradually extracted himself from Cassian, who was busy laughing and smiling widely at guests, and made a beeline for the far end of the large hall. Arriving at a passageway, he found the library entrance to the right wide open. He sneakily peered into the room, catching himself smiling at the sight before him.
In the middle of the room, surrounded by enormous shelves that bore armies of books and scrolls, a woman sat with a small group of children huddled around her feet. With a gentle gaze, she smiled at a little girl in the group, possibly the one who made the plea.
"Oh, my little girl," she crooned softly. "That's the way it is. There's nothing playful about a wendigo searching for its next victim to consume. Or a Skinwalker posing as your best friend after they'd brutally disposed of the original. Or a werewolf hunting you down for your soft, succulent flesh underneath the full moon."
The girl looked so pale that she would've possibly fainted if Hayden hadn't stepped in. "Aunt Niveria. I think these children have had enough for one night."
Their little heads all whipped back to stare at him. Surprisingly, he could've sworn he saw disappointment in their eyes.
"You heard the man," Niveria said with a charming smile. "Run along, now. Maybe I can get a better audience with the prince than you lot."
As the young ones scampered off, Hayden turned to his father's older sister. She beamed at him, folding her arms as she tilted her head to the side.
"You've finally decided to join us. I see Cassian did his job well."
Hayden shook his head in realization. "So he was sent to bring me inside. I should've known he wasn't really interested in my deepest thoughts. He only had the interests of the mission at heart."
"Which would make him a fine warrior if he put his mind to it," Niveria added with a wag of her finger. "Besides, you surely didn't expect your father to climb up there to reason with you."
"No. Which was why I climbed up there in the first place."
Niveria shook her head as she laughed. "Do you remember how much you enjoyed listening to my stories as a child? And how frightened you were afterward?"
Hayden took a deep breath as the memories began to roll in like an empty barrel. "I do, Aunt. Those were my favorite parts of the evenings. Even though I found it hard to sleep afterwards. Then I grew up and saw them for what they were: fairytales and fallacies."
Niveria smiled again. "You might not think of them as realistic, but every fairytale carries a grain of truth. In every myth and legend lie threads of reality, interwoven with superstition and fiction. It's left to you to decide what to believe in."
Hayden's eyes settled on his aunt as her words sank in. Like Cassian, her hair was as white as snow, although significantly longer. Her eyebrows were of the same color, adding to her ethereal appearance. Her crystal blue eyes were sharp and cunning when needed, then they could melt to the softest look ever bestowed upon a creature. The physical resemblance to Hayden's father was uncanny. Yet, in many ways, Niveria reminded him of his mother.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind, my dear."
Hayden hadn't realized she was already on her feet. He shook his head slightly and waved her observation off. "I'm fine, Aunt. I was just wondering if it's a good idea to spook the children with such stories, considering recent events."
She walked up to him, cupping his cheek gently as she stared up at him.
"I see a lot of my brother when I look at you," she began quietly. "You have his curly, dark hair, his reddish brown eyes, even his sculpted face. But the heart beating in your chest belongs to your mother."
Hayden frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Your father is a kind man. But your mother's compassion for people other than herself was nothing short of extraordinary. And I see that trait in you. That's why you're worried about the children. About the people of Wysteria. You wish to help, but you don't know how to go about it."
She took Hayden's hands and held them softly. "These are trying times for the entire kingdom, I know. But we will survive. You're not alone in your endeavors, Hayden. You need to remember that there's always help around us. All we need to do is ask."
Hayden clenched his jaw as he blinked back tears that threatened to break loose. "First Cassian, now you. Maybe you two are the real siblings."
"Oh, please," Niveria waved her hand, obviously flattered. "An elderly woman like me can never be mistaken for being that young."
"You look young enough to be my older sister, Aunt. I can swear you've looked the same since I was a child."
"Now that is a fairytale," Niveria joked as she laced her arm with Hayden's. "Let's join the celebrations, my dear. You're the guest of honor, you know. Everyone should be waiting for the new king of Wysteria."
It took a moment to decipher her words. But when it hit, Hayden was left with a throbbing ache in the chest. He suddenly understood what Cassian meant, why his presence at the party was necessary. It was because it wasn't just any party; it was a coronation.
His father had secretly planned to hand over the throne to him, in what he considered the worst circumstances possible.