Descendant

Chapter 9: Getting Closer

It was a Saturday morning. Guillen woke up early to go for a walk inside the park near the place where they were staying. The morning breeze was refreshing. Rays of the rising sun shining through the branches of the trees. Last night it was pouring, and so the smell of the wet grass from the rain was soothing.

Guillen was walking along the paths of the park where the blooming flame trees where beautifully standing on the sides. She was planning on bringing Chloe along but she slept late as usual so she didn't bother her.

The sight of trees and fresh air gave comfort to Guillen because it reminded her of home, where tall buildings and crowded places where not usual.

She sat in a shed and was drinking her coffee when he saw Zeal walking by. He was carrying groceries. Guillen was hesitant to greet him because she was shy, but then Zeal spotted her, she put her right hand up and smiled at her. Zeal smiled back, Guillen went to him to talk.

"Hi" Guillen said then smiled at Zeal

"Out for a walk?" Zeal asked.

"Yeah, I saw this park and the trees and thought I might walk here sometime and here I am." Guillen replied while retaining her smile.

"You a nature person?" Zeal asked.

"Yeah, I just find peace in nature, this crowded city stresses me out most of the time, I was planning to bring Chloe along but she always wakes up late." Guillen answered.

"Are you heading home?" She asked

"Yeah, I just finished buying ingredients for breakfast." Zeal answered.

"Oh, I'm not gonna keep you here longer then." Guillen said

"No, it's fine, it's actually nice to have someone to talk to once in a while, besides, we've met many times but we never really had a proper conversation." Zeal said.

Zeal was not saying it, but he enjoys talking to Guillen even in small talks, her smile gives him comfort and she was the only person other than Chloe that he spoke to.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" Zeal asked.

"Uhh.. no not yet I just had coffee earlier." Guillen answered.

"I was gonna cook breakfast back home would you maybe wanna come?"

"N-no I'm ok you go on home."

Guillen was shy and happy at the same time. Then her tummy growled. She was walking all morning and only had a cup of coffee as her breakfast so she was hungry.

"You're tummy says otherwise." Zeal smiled at her.

"Come on, I'm gonna make you breakfast."

Guillen accepted Zeal's offer to make her breakfast.

The two were walking, and Guillen couldn't help but look at Zeals huge scar on his neck, but she doesn't want to ask.

Zeal was noticing that she was looking at his scar.

"It's from when I was a kid, I was being stupid and something happened."

"Huh?" Guillen asked.

"My scar, you were looking at it."

"Oh.. I'm sorry."

Guillen suddenly felt bad and somehow understood why Zeal was always quiet and why his eyes looked so lonely.

Zeal finished cooking and. He prepared the table because it was the first time he had a guest other than, of course, the sarcastic Chloe.

"Tell me what you think."

Zeal said as he waited for guillen to taste the mushroom soup that he had cooked.

Guillen started eating and as she took the first sip of the soup, she was trying not to have any bad facial expressions. It was too salty.

"Bad right?" Zeal Laughed.

Zeal was always bad at cooking, but he had to endure his own cooking because he didn't have anyone to cook for him and he hated dishes at restaurants.

"Here let me take this." Guillen took the pot back to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Zeal asked.

"We're not gonna waste this wonderful soup of yours, we'll redeem it." Guillen smiled

"You sure look confident about this so I assume you're good at cooking."

"My mom taught me a thing or two about cooking."

"Alright! Let's do this!" Guillen said.

Guillen took off her jacket and had a white shirt underneath, got an apron, tied her hair in a messy bun, and started "redeeming" the soup.

Zeal watched her as she prepared the ingredients. She looked happy and confident with what she was doing.

Zeal smiled, and Guillen saw him smiling.

"You know you have a very kind looking smile."

Zeal suddenly stopped smiling.

"There you go again." Guillen said.

"What do you mean? Zeal asked.

"Sometimes I catch you smiling but then when someone notices it you just stop doing it." Guillen answered

"I was just not use to it." Zeal said

"Well, I'd be happy if you did."

Zeal was not a showy person, but he was actually happy to be spending that moment with Guillen. For a long time since the old man died and Chloe left, Zeal was there alone. He had no one to talk to and was always thinking of his duties as the last royal blood alive. But with Guillen there, at that moment,all of the worries in his head somehow disappeared. Even if it was for a short amount of time, he felt peaceful.

"And it's done!" Guillen said.

"Here let me know how it is."

Zeal took a taste and was amazed. It was delicious. Guillen managed to turn the salty soup into a delicious one.

"Wow.. I am impressed." Zeal said.

"Well thankyou." Guillen did a princess "thankyou" gesture

Zeal smiled at her.

The two sat there for a few hours. Each of them didn't notice the time and was just enjoying talking to each other. They we're slowly getting comfortable with each other. Guillen talked about her life and the fun things she and Chloe did in High School. She enjoyed telling real stories about her childhood. Zeal just sat there, listening to her and enjoying the moment.

"Sorry, I feel like I'm talking too much" Guillen said.

"No you're fine, I actually love the stories you're telling." Zeal answered.

"I don't know why but I feel comfortable talking to you and I feel like I've known you from somewhere before." Guillen said.

Zeal though, that it was probably because being a royal blood means having a glimpse of their past relative's past relationships, friends, families and other people close to their ancestors. Guillen, being chosen by the Deity Ribung Linti to be the descendant of Datu Vidas' abilities means she will have the same feeling. No matter the Era a royal blood will always attract another royal blood.

Suddenly Guillen's phone rang.

"Oh, it's Chloe. Will you excuse me? I'm gonna take this, just a second." Guillen said.

"Of course of course take your time." Zeal said.

Guillen picked up Chloe's call.

"Where are you? I woke up and went t o you room to ask you for breakfast but your not here." Chloe said.

"Oh.. the thing is.. I went for a walk to a park near our place and I came across Zeal. He offered to cook breakfast so I went with him."

"Ohhhh I see." Chloe said in a different tone.

"No. I know that tone it's not what you're thinking." Guillen answered.

"Hey, I didn't say anything. Anyway you just take your time don't worry. See you later!"

"Ok, see you!"

Chloe then texted Zeal.

"Go for it tiger."

Zeal taps his forehead and signs.

Guillen went back and sat with Zeal. She saw the painting of Zeals parents hanging on the wall. They stood up and went to see the painting.

"Hey I know that couple!" Guillen said.

"How do you know them?" Zeal asked.

"My grandma told me a lot of stories back when I was a kid. She once mentioned a myth about a King and a Queen who lived a hundred years ago. She told me that the king went missing after a terrible conflict between their territories and the King never went back to his kingdom." Guillen said.

"He was a brave king and a wonderful Queen and a mother to his son, sadly he watched her die in front of him and watch all of her friends die."

Zeal said as he slowly remembered how he felt when all of it happened.

"Yeah the story didn't have a happy ending, so it's an unfinished story" Guillen said.

"How so?" Zeal asked.

"I've always believed that if it's not yet happy then it's not the end." Guillen answered.

Zeal tapped Guillen's head.

"Yeah, you're right it's not yet finished." Zeal smiled.

Guillen looked at Zeal and saw his eyes that showed signs of emotion, and she smiled back.

Because of what Guillen said, Zeal's hope in finding his Father pumped up. He was almost running out of hope because of many years trying to find out what had happened, many years of fighting, and years of being alone. But because of Guillen, the hope he had when he was just starting his Journey came back.

The time came when Guillen needed to go home.

"Let me walk you home." Zeal offered

"No.. no.. you've already done enough. You go on do your thing." Guillen said.

"Guillen, I'm gonna walk you home." Zeal insisted.

Guillen felt something she could not explain. Her stomach was as if butterflies were flying around.

"Ok." She smiled

The two walked to Guillen's apartment, which was near Zeal's mansion. Guillen continued her stories while they were walking. They laughed together at Guillen's funny stories.

They arrived at Guillen's apartment and there was Chloe eating breakfast.

"Well hello Zeal, it's nice to see you again you look like you two had a good time, well as for me I had good breakfast." Chloe said.

"Can you believe it? Zeal lives in that big mansion that we always walk pass to school" Guillen said.

"Huh.. must have been nice. Hey Zeal, you could've mentioned your rich earlier. I would have been your friend faster than light itself " Chloe said.

"Don't pay any attention to her." Guillen said.

"No, it's fine, I'm gonna get going now." Zeal said.

"You be good ok?" Zeal said as he tapped Guillen's head.

Chloe said in the background giving Zeal an "ok" sign with her hand.

Zeal looked at her fiercely, then went home. Guillen told Chloe about the things they did at the mansion and Guillen looked so happy telling it. Chloe was happy for her and for Zeal because she too, noticed how Zeal's eyes looked alive with Guillen.

The evening arrived and Guillen was asleep. Chloe sneaked out to visit Zeal.

She arrived at the mansion and saw Zeal in the Kitchen reheating the soup for dinner.

"So.. how many times do you plan to re heat that?" Chloe asked.

"What brings you here witch?" Zeal asked.

"I have your clothes here.".

"You can put it there and be on you way."

"Whose grandpa are you? geez so grumpy. Anyway Guillen never stopped talking about you and I'm happy you both had a good time." Chloe said.

"Yeah, she was nice to be with." Zeal said.

It was the first time that Zeal had told that about anyone in all of the years that Chloe knew him, so she felt happy that he was accepting someone other than her to be in his life.

"Well then grandpa go enjoy your redeemed soup that you've probably re heated 4 times today. I'll be on my way!" Chloe said.

Chloe left, and Zeal sat at the table and ate Guillen's improved soup for dinner.