A lost light

CHAPTER 4

"I waited for my sister to meet me at the garden close to my chamber

I was so curious to know if what Niamh had told me was true, but someone else met with me sitting close to the bench that was next to me.

By the fragrance and feminine structure of the person, I knew who it was, I jumped to my feet and hugged her,

"Mother!

"How are you my dove? how have you been faring,

Queen Eliana said as she made me sit next to her and rest my head on her laps as she ran her fingers across my silver black hair.

"I've been well mother, it has been long since you visited"

"Am sorry my little dove" she apologized" i promise to visit more often. I smiled at her words and gently nodded,

Queen Eliana was a beautiful woman, an ethereal beauty that was undoubtedly dumbfounding, she had blonde hair that was more of golden, her eye was a metallic color, she was a woman who would cause every man to turn twice.

"Not that I don't like why you are here, but I know you have a reason " I said as I relaxed further in her warm body,

She stayed quiet for a while before clearing her throat then finally spoke up.

"It's about your marriage" she said " I wanted to talk about it, to know if you have any questions or doubts " I could hear the worries from her voice,

"Am fine, thou I don't know the person,I trust that you and father knows what is best for me"

" Vixen Dyrroth is a reckless man, and thou I wasn't in support at first, I did some research and found out that he has a good heart, he cares for people and had compassion on the poor" she heaved a sigh then continued "I just don't want you to think we are chasing you from your home, we all love you and .........." a tear drop fell on my face, was she crying?.

I stood from her laps and hugged her tight, Queen Eliana was too emotional at times, expecially when it comes to me, I loved her nature and her personality.

"Why the tears? have I ever complained that you weren't good to me, you loved me from the moment you stepped your feet in this palace, you have treated me as your own even before you got blessed with your own children. I love you mother and nothing can ever change that"

I used my palm to clear her face,

"When did my daughter grow up to be this wonderful woman" she held my head and kissed my forehead " remain blessed my child".

I laid down back enjoying the comfort she gave me, until something clicked on my head, how could I forget something I was so curious to know few minutes ago,

"Are my brothers coming back finally?

"Words really do spread in this castle"

I stood from her laps surprised,

" so it's true then?

" Of course it is" she responded ,

" When would that be?

" on the fourth day from this"

" Three days from now!

"A ceremony will be held on the day after their return, for their victory from the war"

I could hear the joy in her voice as we both talked about them and laughed all through.

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Vixen had gone out with his friends, he wore his commoner clothes and walked through the market, that has kind of been a tradition to him, seeing the common folks make ends meet, he helped few anonymously and watched them from a distance as they thanked him.

"You all know how I hate gathering, Orion said "I'll soon start hiding each time you people come to my house" he always complained each time they dragged him to the market to go walking with them,

vixen rolled my eyes at his words as Rowan hissed,

" For an introvert you nag a lot"Rowan told Orion

Orion glared at him and vixen couldn't help but suppress a laugh,

"Do you want to kill him Mr Grumpy"

Lyra mocked poking Orion with her finger,

This people was mearnt for a stand up comedy.

A loud scream and sounds of things shattering was heard in the deeper part of the market.

Without thinking the four ran towards the direction of the noise.

On reaching there, the scene they met was an old woman rolling on the floor she was crying bitterly as she made herself same color with the earth, vixen looked closer and saw a hefty man wearing a royal armor, he was a royal guard who was throwing and trashing the woman's shop.

Vixen immediately stepped in, dragging the man out of the shop and giving him a blow on the face before he asked what was happening,

The guard was about to retaliate by sending back the punch but froze half way when he recognized vixen as the prince, he immediately fell on his knees

"Your highness, I deserve to die for raising my fist at you, but temper justice with mercy" the guard said

"What is your name?

"Am Nadiel your highness"

" Well Nadiel, you deserve to be decapitated, but first what is happening here" Vixen asked he looked over his shoulder as he saw his friends already helping the old woman up from the ground.

" Your highness, she is owing taxes and as per instructed by the tax commissioner ,anyone who fails to pay their taxes must not open their shop, but this woman has opened her shop even when she knew she couldn't pay for the tax.

"And how much is she left to pay?

"Five copper coins "

" Just because of that, that was why you had trashed her store! you will go back into that store and arrange and organize everything you have trashed.

" yes your highness, am so sorry your highness" Nadiel stood from his kneeling position and went into the store.

Vixen was so angry so he cooled off before he went back to the old woman, his friends had already given her a cup of water and had dusted her up, vixen noticed her cloths were over worn out, he would fix that later.

"Ma'am, the money was just five copper coins, it's Soo cheap even for you" vixen said, his friends looked at him signalling him not to question her, but thou he also pitied her, he needed to be realistic.

The woman heaved a sigh before exhaling, " five copper is what remains for me to pay, we all pay 12 silver coins"

My eyes almost popped out, that was a gold coin if summed up, why would the tax be that high, expecially to common old folks, he knew this was not the doing of his father, it was either the tax commissioner or the guards doings.

"I'll pay for you, but take this and cather for your self for now" vixen said handing a bag of gold coins to her, her face lit up feeling the coins as she smiled to herself.

"I'll prepare a delicious and decent dinner for my grand children, thank you your highness, you have been helping us in this market and everywhere you go, May you always be blessed" The elder prayed for him,

Thou he was happy he had put a smile on her face, he was still bothered, something was not right about everything and he would find out about it soon.