I am Reborn through Revenge

The King, Our trouble

“How did you know that I was in trouble? Ah, mean, how did you know. . . that I was there? How long have you been awake?” I asked. I hadn’t really grabbed it and it bothered me a lot. If he had been awake all this time, why didn’t he request for my presence? Or does it mean he didn’t know that I was back? If he didn’t know, who then told him that I was about to be killed? I was so eager to hear this from him because it was incredibly gross for a father not to ask for the presence of a son he hadn’t seen for the past twelve years.

“My old-time friend and doctor, Norman. He came to me in my sick bed and told me that my presence in the palace is of utmost urgency. He told me that you were in trouble. He also made a tonic for me to drink which would be strong enough for my system today.”

I nodded my head. I didn’t utter a word. I had never expected that it was going to be Norman who would do that. But the question now is, how did Norman know that I was in trouble? Who told him that I was in trouble? Though It wasn’t much of a bother because he could have heard it through rumours, I thought.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will have to go now. I will catch you soon.” I bowed and turned to leave.

“Anon,” he called me. I turned again and looked at him. “Think about what I told you and reply with your answers. You know that I am an impatient man.”

I stood there for a while staring at him. Possibly thinking about what he said. Then I nodded and left.

***Veronica's POV***

The Queen returned to her room, angry. She began to scatter lots of things around her. She displaced things like goblets, stools, mirrors and even got herself wounded on her hand. The head maid Angie was watching with her head fixed on the floor somewhere in the corner of the room.

Veronica would sit down for a minute and the next minute, she would stand up. She was visibly restless. She couldn’t keep or maintain her cheeky or was it evil smile this time. She cursed through her breath learning that the king was alive. She thought he was so sick that there was nothing that would have made him come outside his room let alone rescuing the good for nothing Anon at the point of death. It was a rare opportunity they had never had for years. An opportunity that the King's presence ruined. If the King hadn’t appeared out of anywhere, then Anon would probably be dead. She thought she had the situation under control but she was wrong. She needed to talk to someone. She needed answers. She turned around hoping that she would see someone important but she saw the head maid, Angie, standing there like a statue. She squeezed her face realizing that she wasn’t who she wanted to see at the moment.

“What exactly are you doing here?” she asked, snarling.

Angie avoided her gaze, looking down to the floor. “Your Majesty, I. . .I” she said, trembling. Her jaw began to shake.

“You what?”

“My apologies, your Majesty,” she said. “I thought you would be needing anything and that’s why I am here.” She stuttered while explaining.

The Queen frowned. “Get out!” she ordered.

Angie quickly walked out of the room, gently closing the door as she left. Then, the door opened again. Without looking, Queen Veronica shouted saying, “I told you to leave.”

“Mother, it’s me.”

She heard a different voice. She turned and saw Nightwinder standing by the door, sad. “Son!” she said, surprised. She ran toward him and hugged him. “I am happy you are here.”

“What happened out there?” he asked. “I thought. . . I thought you. . .”

“Had his situation under control?” she finished it up for him.

“Exactly.”

She sighed. She went to one of the seats in the room and made herself comfortable. Was she really comfortable? Night stared at her for a while before he grabbed a seat and sat beside her, facing her.

“You are bleeding mother.”

She looked at her hand. She hadn't noticed it.

“That’s nothing.”

“Hmm?”

She nodded. “I wasn’t expecting to see him. Not now, not ever,” she explained.

“Same here. I thought he was sick. But he came on his own to rescue Anon. I couldn’t believe it with my own eyes,” Night said.

“That old fool has refused to die. I must confess, it was due to my careless attitude. If I had been meaner, this. . . thing wouldn’t have occurred.”

“What are you going to do, Mother?”

She began to nod her head repeatedly, thinking. Then suddenly the door opened and Young with Diane walked inside the room. They were both looking worried.

“Mother!” Young said.

“Mother, what happened over there?” Diane demanded.

They both grabbed a stool and sat down very close to the Queen.

“What just happened there was embarrassing to everyone. It was embarrassing especially to my brother. Why would that stupid man wake up now? Hmm?” Diane asked, cursing through her breath.

“Mother? You told us you had father's situation under control. How would you have allowed that to happen? Does it mean all these while you have been doing absolutely nothing to keep him in check?” Young complained. He stood up and began walking around aimlessly.

“I think everyone should calm down. Let us find solutions to this,” Night said, calmly.

“I don’t think that there is any need for further delay. Since we all know that he is alive, I think he should be killed straight away. Him staying alive is a very big distraction to us,” Diane said. “Don’t you all agree?”

Veronica snapped her an angry and disappointed gaze. “Are you crazy? Have you not been learning anything?” she asked, shouting at Diane. “Since everyone already knows that he is alive by now, killing him straight away should be the last thing we should think of doing. If you dare try it, you will be drawing attention to yourself. Remember that the king still has allies and friends who would be paying attention. Remember the citizens of Zahrin too who would be very furious about their King when they hear or learn from rumours that he has been killed by his own family. Any careless move could trigger unwanted insurrection which none of you might be able to handle. Think! Think! Don't be a fool, Diane.” Her voice was very loud. It was almost at the point of shouting.

“Calm down mother. Nothing has changed. The only thing that has changed is that we didn’t get to kill that son of a b***h when we had the chance. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do that later. He is still right in our pawns. I believe mother will figure out a way to handle father but for now, we all need to take it easy,” Night said calmly.

“You need to caution your sister, it seems like she has totally lost her senses. She doesn’t think rationally at all.”

Night closed his eyes for a while and opened it. “I understood everyone’s concern. I understood her concerns as well mother. But. . .” he paused and looked at Diane. “You need to apologize to mother. She deserves an apology. You don’t need to talk carelessly to her.”

Diane wanted to defend herself. “But I didn’t mean to. . .”

“Shut up and apologize.”

“I am sorry, mother.”

“Good.” Night nodded.

“So, what do we do?” Young asked, still standing.

“We wait,” Veronica said immediately.

“Wait for what?”

“We wait for time. We wait for an appropriate time to strike. For now, I am afraid that there is nothing we can do.”

Queen Veronica was aware that there was nothing much she could do if the king was alive. Her power even as a Queen or as a witch or anything she may be was limited so far the king was alive. That of the crown Prince was the tip of the iceberg. So, for her to do something about Anon, she would, first of all, kill the King and then find a way to get to Anon. Because if the King is not killed, then the same situation may repeat itself which she sure doesn’t want to see it happen.

But how would she do it now? When would she do it? When would be the appropriate time? These were the three fundamental questions that needed answers.

“I think I need to see him.”

“You need to see who?” Night asked.

“I need to see the King, your father. Since he is awake, I need to pretend that I am happy that he is. It will be quite suspicious if I stay here all day without getting to meet him and say some few words to him.”

Everyone nodded. “Then I will need to go with you, mother. Since I won’t be able to face him alone, I think going with you now will save me the pressure later.”

“No, you won’t, Young.”

“Why mother?” Young demanded. “You know how much father hates my drinking attitude and you know he wouldn’t want to see me around him.”

“Oh, you think he is the only one that hates it? I hate it too, Young. You are a disgrace to the royal family. Sometimes I regret giving birth to a son like you.”

Young grimaced.

“What?” Young snarled. He quickly and angrily walked out of the room and jammed the door very hard behind him.

Everyone traded glances for a while before Veronica broke the silence.

“I need to go now.”

“Now?” Nightwinder asked.

“Yes.”

“Okay, mother.”