Chapter 16
1221 Words
CHAPTER 16
Aragorn had one with left before he left the royal palace again. He wanted to visit his grandparents especially his grandmother that took care of him when he was young, a kid. He traveled early the day they left the royal palace and he didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to them.
He knocked on their royal room. A servant was the one who opened the door. King and Queen Dowager were both cared by a lot of servants. The King Dowager can still manage to go into the fight with his might, but he chooses to retire early to give the position to his son Argon. On the other hand, Queen Dowager Lilia has a difficulty getting to know people based on their faces and she needs someone to accompany her while walking.
“Greetings, Your Highness,” said the servant and she let Aragorn entered, who’s with Azrael. Aragorn knew Azrael wanted to tour the whole palace that’s he brought him with him. Earlier, Azrael was amazed by the golden things he’s seeing inside the palace.
“Who’s that?” Aragorn heard an old man’s voice.
“The crowned prince, Your Highness,” the servant answered.
Aragorn entered the room, behind him was Azrael roaming his eyes around. Aragorn bowed to his grandfather to pay respect to the legacy that he left. He wasn’t close to the King Dowager, but he never treated him badly.
“I’m glad that you visited us here,” said the King Dowager, smiling. He was sitting on the bed, beside the Queen Dowager. “Your grandmother. She’s getting weaker and weaker.
Aragorn moved beside her grandmother’s bed, caressed her neck and forehead. He planted a kiss on her cheeks and the Queen Dowager raised her eyebrows, sending signals to the person who kissed her.
“Who are you?” she asked in a weak voice, trying to open her eyes, to have peek of the person she’s talking to. But when she did, it was blurry. She knew it was a young man, handsome, attractive, looking kind and pure.
“This is Aragorn.”
A wide smile formed on the Queen Dowager’s lips. Aragorn, that explained why she felt a warm in her heart. Her favorite grandson, her only grandson that she took care of when he was younger. She missed him and she thought she won’t ever see his face and hear his voice again.
“Aragorn,” she repeated in a low voice. “I thought you wouldn’t come. I thought you’re in the Garden of Pleas. Can I reach for your face, my grandson?”
Aragorn let his face nearer to her grandmother’s hands. Her hands were trembling when trying to reach his grandson’s face. When a rough hand reached his cheek, Aragorn’s eyes became stingy and wet.
“Your skin’s soft and you’re truly handsome. You must be looking like your father with a mix of your mother’s bloodline. I miss you so much and I’m glad that you visited me before I die.”
“Don’t say that, Grandmother.”
Grin, that’s all she can show to Aragorn. “I’m already old. I’ve had too many kids. I’m done with the duties that I made in the palace. I’m happy that Amira is continuing some of the legacy that I started.”
“What about grandfather? He still needs you.”
“Your grandfather has concubines who can take care of him, who can replace me.”
“No! No one can replace you,” the King Dowager countered.
“Aragorn, I know that you’re going to be a great king, that you will leave a legacy that no one can do. I hope I’ll be able to witness it, but my life’s reaching the sunset and I might not be able to be.”
Aragorn can’t help but hugged his grandmother. He needed this to comfort himself and his grandmother. He wanted to feel it again, her love, her presence, her smell, her body. She’s one of his motivation. She’s one of the reasons why he chose to strive. She’s one of the few people who believes in him that he can be great.
Aragorn released the hug. He went to Azrael and pulled him outside.
“You and your grandmother have a great relationship. I can relate because me and grandmother were also very sweet even though she said that I’m a fool. I miss my grandmother and you’re lucky that you can visit yours anytime you want to.”
“You’re going to see your grandmother also when the time comes. You’ll spend good days with her, and she’ll be proud of you,” Aragorn said. “I have a favor to ask. Can you ask a servant to cook corn soup for the Queen Dowager? It is her favorite and I want her to taste it before I left.”
Azrael nodded. “Sure, I’ll come back sooner.”
Azrael dashed away from the prince. He went downstairs to find a servant. But he felt the need to pee and luckily, he saw Hideo walking around.
“Hideo!” he called the attention of Hideo. Hideo walked towards him.
“What is it?”
“Prince Aragorn said I should ask a servant to bring corn soup to the Queen Dowager, but I have to pee. Can you do it for me?”
He nodded once. “Sure.”
“Thank you.” Azrael left Hideo alone in the hallway.
Servants were mostly in the Queen’s dining, he thought, and he walked to the dining of Queen Amira. No one was there and he searched around every corner when the door opened. A young lady, who’s a servant, was the one who opened it. He remembered her, the one who cooked the extraordinary meat stew.
“Greetings, Young Lady.”
“Greetings, Master.”
“The prince asked a corn soup for the Queen Dowager. He said to bring it to the Queen Dowager.”
“I’ll do it, Master.
Hideo faced her back. “What’s your name again? I think the queen had said it, but I forgot to remember it.”
“Lolita, Master,” she answered right away.
“Lolita, a nice name for a woman like you. You cook great meat stew. One of the most extraordinary that I’ve tasted.”
“I appreciate your compliments, Master. But I have to leave now to prepare the prince’s order.”
Lolita left and Hideo suddenly felt sad. He wanted to wish for a meat stew, but he wasn’t her boss to do that. Soon, he’s going to taste it again. The extraordinary meat stew cooked by an extraordinary servant.”
- Writer
