Louisa Hendraki

Chapter Ten: Old Ties 2

"Well... what do we do?"

Louisa was surprised. He was actually seeking her opinion?

"What do you mean? He's your ally..."

"...and your father. Besides, he's OUR ally too" Nikolai added and Louisa rolled her eyeballs. "We're barely married for a month and he wants to go to war. With whom, if I may ask?"

"Blackthorne. Apparently, he needs our help. It is in your place to decide if we should. From what I've heard...you don't have a...happy history with him."

Louisa weighed the odds. If she refused, good men like Roman and Tristan and some good soldiers would lose a battle against Blackthorne.

She may not have been actively political, but Blackthorne was a dangerous Kingdom. She feared it even more than she always feared Nendes. Their soldiers were brutal and they never fought fair.

Fought fair? There was no fairness in fighting!

Blackthorne was known to be Ravencrest's rival kingdom. Their rivalry had started when Achan had captured their people and possessed the part of their Kingdom that was closer to Ravencrest. Though the people had been released, the petition to peacefully return the land had been refused so Blackthorne soldiers resorted to violence to get it back.

Meanwhile, Achan claimed the land had been theirs since his great great grandfather's reign and he would not return it without a fight.

Louisa sighed and closed her eyes.

Her decision wasn't for Achan. It was for the good men who couldn't help but fight beside him. Good men like Tristan and Roman.

"Let's help him. When will you both meet to discuss the strategy?" Nikolai smirked and pulled out a blank sheet. "That was quick. I thought it would take days for you to figure it out. I'll send a letter to him. He said he'd come over if we agreed."

Louisa didn't know why her heart stopped for a second. Her father was coming to Nendes. Why could she never get rid of that man?

She forced a smile at Nikolai and curtsied before leaving.

****

Nora threw the last pieces of meat and watched the dogs gobble them up. She knew she had behaved rather weirdly to Louisa and it wasn't fair.

But she couldn't shake the jealous feeling that overwhelmed her.

Yes! She was jealous because while she was busy loving Louisa, Louisa had been busy consummating her marriage.

But again? What did she want the poor girl to do? She was married to her brother and Nora wanted the last person to ever hurt her brother. She didn't even know how Louisa would react if she knew that she was in love with her.

She shook her head and sat on the grass, watching the dogs in their cage.

Someone sat beside her suddenly. She turned.

Louisa!

She wanted to leave and figure out a way to shake the stupid feeling off but she didn't want to hurt Louisa's feelings like she did this morning, especially as she had come to see her.

"I didn't know there are dogs in court" Louisa said. Nora smiled without looking at her. The girl always knew how to start a conversation.

"We have snakes too but I don't know where they are." Nora joked and they both laughed lightly. "Did I offend you? From what I said this morning or maybe something you remembered?"

Nora looked at her but she was looking at her hands. Nora resisted the urge to take her hands and rather said,"You didn't. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier." she apologized.

Louisa looked at her. They stared at each other for a while before Louisa said, "Does it have anything to do with what I told you this morning? About me and Nikolai..."

"...stop please, Louisa. I have to go now. There are things I should take care of..." Nora said, getting up. Louisa got up hurriedly and held her hand to prevent her from leaving.

"Nora... that's the excuse you gave this morning. Pick another" she said in a manner that told Nora 'I know you're lying'. Then she smiled at her and said, "I'll be here when you're ready to tell me what's wrong". Then she left just like that.

Nora was stunned.

****

Louisa got to her room with mixed feelings. She was happy she'd see Roman and Tristan again as they were the king's important men but she was sad about Nora's unnerving behaviour and the prospect of seeing her cruel father and... Nadia?

She has totally forgotten Nadia would have to be there too.

She walked past the ladies who were chattering happily and laid on her bed. She didn't feel so good. Then she called Zara.

"What is it, Louisa?" Zara asked concerned about her mood. Louisa managed a smile and said, "Ravencrest are about to have a war with Blackthorne."

Zara gasped and Louisa nodded before adding, "But on the bright side, they will come to Nendes to discuss war strategies and war stuffs."

Zara looked excited, "That means Tristan and Roman will come."

"Yes...and my dad with... Nadia" Louisa completed.

Zara smiled and rolled her eyes. "Come on Louisa, I thought we're over this hatred stuff for Nadia"

"No. Not when she is the reason I don't have any clue about my mother". Zara patted her back. Perhaps this wasn't the time to tell her about forgiveness.

****

It had been two weeks since the latter had been sent to Ravencrest and Achan had sent another later telling them he would arrive today.

Louisa stood in front of the mirror and watched as her ladies dressed her. She was dressed in a purple and gold dress. Her hair was split in the middle and tied in a bun at the back of her head.

A gold crown was placed on her head with golden jewels adorning her neck and wrists. She looked at herself for the last time after her ladies had finished dressing her up, before leaving the room.

They were to welcome the envoys from Ravencrest today.

Louisa sighed. She really didn't know how her father would treat her when they meet. Would he still sass her as he always did?

She found the king at the throne hall. He smiled at her before stretching his arm out. She took his arm and he led her outside.

"How do you feel today?" he asked and she chuckled. "I'm fine, your majesty." They walked past servants who bowed to them and reached the court yard where their horses were. There were many people waiting, including Lords and a few soldiers. Nora was there too.

Louisa noticed she didn't look at her once. She felt bad about it even though she didn't what caused it.

Louisa got on her horse and after sometime, they rode off. She felt a knot in her stomach just as on her wedding day. She really didn't want to see Achan again.

They approached a large body of water. Louisa recognized it. It was the sea where she had first met Nora and arrived at Nendes.

She saw a lot of people there.

Then she saw him.

Achan!

He was chatting with two men who were backing them. Then one of their soldiers shouted, "They're approaching!"

The two men Achan was talking to turned.

Louisa gasped.

Tristan and Roman!

Every Ravencrest bowed as Nikolai and Louisa got down from their horses and approached them. Achan and Nadia went to meet them.

Nadia!

Louisa frowned as she saw her. Then she looked over at her friends. Roman just smiled at her while Tristan waved. He looked amused.

Louisa smiled too.

She was happy to see them both.

****

They had all arrived at the palace where they were having a feast. Achan and Nikolai sat discussing business while Louisa just watched the crowd, bored of listening to their war talk.

She turned to Nikolai, "Majesty... if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go have a talk with some of my old friends." Achan glared at her in shock on how she interrupted him. Louisa stared back with a slight smirk.

She was queen now. She was no longer his scared daughter.