Kissing the Fae

Chapter 42

I was so confident when I faced my parents. It was just us in this huge hall. They were both smiling yet when I looked at my father, I know he’s torn between being happy or sad. Nevertheless, they are happy in this achievement of mind. I have proved myself to myself, to the Acresians and the counselors, and to my parents.

That’s what I engraved in my mind before I face them. I proved I deserved my position in the Acres Kingdom and no one shall take that right away from me. For I have spent my whole life leading and in the future, I will still lead.

I will not go down on anyone. I will not bow down. Only my parents and the Queen Mother deserves it.

“How was the journey?” the La Reine asked, still smiling.

She looked so happy. It just makes me say that everything was worth it. There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing my mother smiles at me with proudness in her eyes. It was priceless and if I have to go through something heavy again, I’d win it in a heartbeat so I would get to see the smile forming on her lips.

“It was... fine,” I can’t even grasp for a better word to describe it. “We went from city to city searching for a clue that would lead us to the Power of Glamour. From here to the Chalice, clues that just... make sense.”

“I’m sure you went to the Achlys,” she said.

I nodded. “Yes. We met the Empress... Even she has no clue.”

“The Pixies are living in the dark for decades now. They stopped bothering us when we won the war before but I’m sure they’d get back to us in the future. For now, they settled on fighting against those small kingdom to forced their people to side with them.”

I let out a small smile. There is a possibility...

“If ever, I am ready to face them,” I told my mother which made my father snorted in distaste.

Of course, he won’t like it. The deep frown on his forehead showed disapproval.

“You are not going to risk your life for that,” he uttered firmly. “They won’t even have the chance to touch you even the strands of your hair, Rani Letisha. I am not going to let you sacrifice yourself for the sake of others.”

“Pa...” I called.

He shook her head. “Losing Julianna was enough. Don’t put us into the same situation when we lost her, Rani Letisha. Just don’t...”

Mum looked at me apologetically. I lower my gaze to my untouched food, trying to understand where he’s coming. We were so lost when my sister died, we were so heartbroken... But between us, it was our dad who’s in too much pain. He was the one who found Julianna, he was the one who raised her into a beautiful girl... Only to lose her...

I understand but can he at least, see me as me? As Rani Letisha and not Julianna.

I tried to keep my mouth shut. He’s concern, yes. But fighting for our people is my responsibility, too. I know he knows it’s part of my obligation but then, my father is consumed of fear of losing me, too.

Biting my lower lip, I sighed deeply. Then, I raised my head to look at him calmly.

“It’s my responsibility,” I whispered so lowly. “To fight for our kingdom, father... It’s every leader’s obligation and we can’t just run and hide. I promised to protect our nation and the people, Pa... If ever there is war, I have to fight, too. I won’t stay in the corner and witness everyone die.”

My mum rubbed his arm. I felt my heart thump in nervousness when Papa straightly welcome my gaze. It was hard and intense, fearful, and strict. I look away and sighed again.

“Papa... You will not lose me. I will train hard and no one’s gonna hurt me,” I assured him to ease the tension.

“There will be no war,” his voice was dark. “Whoever attempt to attack our kingdom will die in my hands. No one will ruin the Acres Kingdom. No one.”

We all went silent. I’ve lost my appetite yet I still chose to eat with them. The La Reine tried to open another topic which I just rode onto.

“Few days from now, the missing portal will show up. I want you to assist whoever human it would take here,” she commanded.

I nodded. “Yes, Queen...”

“The other leaders already know what to do once the missing portal shows up. But I guess, you’d have to look after the human until it die.”

I blinked twice, trying to process the Queen’s words and command. Wait... what?

“The human will stay in my region?” I clarified.

No way! I don’t know how to deal with such being!

“Yes,” she smiled as if seeing my reaction entertain her. “I command you to let that human stay with you until the end, Rani Letisha. In the Enchanted Forest, the human shall live with you for a while.”

“Why not Terran and Deniz?” I suggested. “They so good in entertaining such being, La Reina. I am no good at it...”

“That’s why I am giving you this order,” she said calmly but firmly. “In the past two decades, the two has been the one who took care of the hopeless human who later died in our kingdom. This time, it will be you who’s in charge to look after the human the missing portal will bring here.”

I bit the inside of my cheeks. Yes, I wanted to see how the other world looks like. How it works, and the humans... But this, I don’t have the patience to babysit a human!

This is ridiculous! I wanted to protest but the firmness in her eyes told me I don’t have a choice but say yes, and follow whatever it is.

I sighed deeply. “Okay...”

“Humans can be so exhausting, princess. Remember the last one the missing portal brought here? He was just a kid who can’t be stopped from whining,” it was Terran.

I sighed deeply. We are in the Enchanted Forest. I didn’t invite them, they went to disturb my peace. Now after learning it was me the Queen Mother assigned to entertain the human, they began to spout their experiences with that being.

I know... I should really make their last days memorable because being here means death to them. I should just follow so I won’t feel guilty for not giving those humans a memorable last day of their lives. But of all people, why me?

Whoever that human is, he or she won’t probably die with smile on their lips.

“You know what... Why don’t you ask the La Reina to take my place instead?” I said sarcastically.

Of course, Terran won’t. Even Deniz, I know how much they hated the work of babysitting.

If that’s the case then, I hope it won’t be a kid. Alright, we felt guilty for the past since it was all kids that the missing portal targeted. It was so heartbreaking to see them die here. The only thing that console me is the fact they don’t have parents that waited for them to come back.

Yes... Those kids were abandoned in the human world. The rule of the missing portal is not to get those people who has a family. That’s the only thing that console me which isn’t enough.

They could have live better. They could have grown so much now into a young fine lady and a man. We wanted to stop the curse of the missing portal but as I’ve said, it is missing. We can’t find it... It has its own world.

I felt guilty. My heart still breaks thinking of it.

“The only thing I hate about it is you get to witness them die slowly,” said Terran. “Those kids, poor souls... I don’t want to look after a kid anymore if they’d end up dying in my arms, Rani Letisha. I won’t mind but what if it’s again, a child? You’d witness him or her die in your arms and that haunts me until now.”

“But what if it’s a grown up human?” Deniz uttered. “Even me, I hate to babysit but we had no choice but follow the orders. As for you, Rani Letisha... We all know you wanted to see what it looks like to live in the other world. I’ve learned a thing or two from the previous human, now it’s your turn, I guess?”

“But I wanted to see it myself,” I countered. “It’s just feel different if you yourself — directly witness the difference between our world and theirs, right?”

“Yeah, right,” Deniz rolled his eyes. “As if we can go there and enjoy life outside Godlic. If only, I wouldn’t come back here anymore and live life in the human world and pretend I belong to them, too.”

I chuckled because of his lies. No one will ever dare to turn his back away from the life we were supposed to live by.

“You won’t probably last there for days,” I said sarcastically. “You will most likely feel going back here even how hard you try to turn your back away from the Acres Kingdom.”

His lips pouted. I grinned while Terran laughed beside me. I looked at the surroundings. We are all sitting at the large branch of the tree, all greens and it’s kind refreshing to look at.

Green... The wind was so fresh and calming.

I have always liked my home. My home in the Faye region for it was far from chaos outside my leadership. It was mine... It’s mine and there’s no way that I’d let anyone ruin this humble abode of mine. I have built this with blood and sweats and I won’t just let it be ruined no matter what.

If there is one who plan to, he won’t probably make it out, alive.

“So, you will soon undergo heavy training for your new acquired power, the Glamour. You would spend your days and nights again training and I hope you know how to rest at those times,” Terran mentioned.

I sighed deeply. It’s not yet clear but that’s how it should work. I’ll be trained, I need to talk to the Queen Mother to see how this works. I literally don’t have an idea about the Power of Glamour, I wouldn’t be interested in having it if not because of the challenge.

Now it is the challenge. To train hard, to figure it out, and lastly, to grow my wings to fully validate my leadership. I am just so tired of it and I badly wanted these things to end soon.

“Yes,” I said lazily. “Again... I will have to go through training again.”

“Are you going to completely own the Power of Glamour?” Terran asked curiously.

I closed my mouth. I actually didn’t think of that. All I thought before was to get the power of illusion but it never occurred to me to fully take an ownership on it. Because I thought, I was just gonna borrow it, right? I will just have to have it and then, after, I’d return it.

But that was too dumb. The way I think was too dumb and I can’t stressed it enough.

“I don’t know...” I answered.