The Eternal Guardians: Book 1: The Missing Heir

Chapter 26

Seething, Roman stared at his father as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“What are you doing here, dad?” he asked, gruffly.

Immediately, Rocco stood from the chair he was sitting in and raised his hands up in defense.

“Roman, I have just come to talk to you. I did not bring any guards with me, and I am not here to drag you back to the kingdom,” his father explained in his defense, and Roman studied his father for a moment.

“What is it?”

Rocco looked at his son for a moment, and then he asked,

“Wasn’t that the girl from the dungeon?”

Roman scoffed and rolled his eyes at his father.

What’s it to him? he wondered.

“That doesn’t concern you,” he snarled, and Rocco smiled a gentle smile as he looked at the ground.

“Okay, son. You are right,” Rocco said, as he looked back up at Roman.

Chantelle stayed quiet, and listened.

“So, why is it that you have come here?”

Rocco’s smile faded and he straightened.

“Maya has granted you immunity and you may come home any time you wish,” he stated.

Fearfully, Chantelle looked at Roman. She was afraid that now he would leave and go back to Taitum, but her son surprised her as he laughed sarcastically.

“Why? So, you and that b***h can lock me in the dungeon for the rest of my life? Thanks, but no thanks,” he scoffed, and Chantelle couldn’t help but smile.

Rocco looked at Roman and shook his head.

“No. There will be no more punishment for you. For some unknown reason, Maya has turned a new page. She believes that you are our one and only true prince,” Rocco stated, and Roman looked at him in disbelief.

“You and your queen have lied to me so many times, and you both treated me like I was an animal. At least, my mother has shown me what true kindness and love is. What makes you think I would ever go back to that horrible place?” Roman snarled.

Abruptly, Chantelle got up from the table, and she backed away nervously. Rocco put his hands up defensively, and he shook his head as he held Roman’s gaze.

“No, son. This time you will be treated as a prince should be treated with women worshiping you at your feet. No more fight shows, no more dungeons, and no more punishment. That is what Maya has granted you, and she is waiting for you to come home, so she can officially apologize to you. Please, son. It is time for you to come home,” explained Rocco, and Roman still didn’t believe him.

Evidently, Maya and his father were known for their cruel tricks that they had played on him, and he was not about to return to that. This must have been their only option for them to use to try and get him to come back to that horrible place so they could lock him away. He wasn't going to let that happen.

“More tricks!” Roman growled, angrily.

“Roman, you have been granted more power than the queen. You are the one who she is going to bring all of the decisions to, and she wants your input on everything that happens in the kingdom,” Rocco added, cautiously, as he watched his son’s reaction.

Roman looked at his father and he half smiled at him.

“I will think about it. You can go home now,” he said, as he gestured to the door.

Rocco turned his head to Chantelle, and he nodded. She nodded back to him, and without another word, Rocco walked out of the door. Quickly, Roman shut the door behind him and turned his gaze on his mother as he sighed a heavy sigh.

“Why would you even let him into your house? He was cruel to you and me?” Roman blurted out, as he breathed heavily, and she looked at him firmly.

“Because he is still your father. I do hope that you stay with me, but if you decided to go back, I would understand,” she said, as her voice cracked and Roman looked at her with care.

“Mom, I just found you, and now I have made new friends here. I am not going to leave this behind, or you. He is probably lying about everything,” he said, as he gently hugged his mother.

“Thank you,” she whispered, as she sighed a relieved sigh.

“There is another festival tonight, if you would like to come with me,” she said, as she looked up at him, and Roman looked down at her and smiled.

“I would love to,” he said softly, and Chantelle smiled up at him.

**********************************

Ashta smiled as she walked down the staircase. Her gown was emerald green with a white, floral embroidery on the hem that reached the floor. Lashanna, Damian, Xavier, Liam, and Gale all waited at the bottom of the stairs for her. Lashanna was wearing a sleeveless flowery dress and her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and the men were all dressed in black tuxedos.

“Are you hungry?” Damian asked her, as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Politely, Ashta nodded and Damian gently took her hand and put it in the crook of his arm. Lashanna looked at Ashta, and instantly she could tell that her friend was irritated, but she could admit that Ashta hid it well. As they walked to the dining hall, Lashanna scooted closer to Ashta with a curious look on her face. Ashta looked at her and smiled.

“What happened to you today?” Lashanna asked, as she noticed a huge scratch down Ashta’s back.

“We will talk later,” Ashta whispered to her, and Lashanna nodded.

She couldn’t wait to hear the juicy details about her friend and the prince of Selvempts day away.

Evidently, they sat down at the table, and were amazed by the five-course meal that was being brought to them by the kitchen staff.

“So, Ashta, how do you like the Garden of Eternity?” Laim asked, as he looked down at his plate and then he looked back up at her.

“It’s wonderful and peaceful,” she said with a smile.

“So, when would be a good time for you to be presented? We must find you a suitor,” Gale asked.

Ashta looked at her uncle and she scoffed.

“We have been through this. I am not ready to get married to some stranger, and besides that, I am way too young to settle down,” Ashta stated, and Lashanna laughed.

“Yeah, the only ones who are getting hitched at our age are the ones who get knocked up!” Lashanna laughed, and Ashta laughed with her.

Everyone looked at them in question.

“You will understand eventually,” Ashta said, as she looked at her uncle Gale, and then she took a bite of her food.

Gale sighed a heavy sigh, and then they all finished their meal. After that, they ventured out of the castle and into the small kingdom of Nemiph. Damian gently put Ashta’s hand back in the crook of his elbow as they walked through the streets of the village. Ashta didn’t seem to notice because she was preoccupied with looking around for her handsome man-friend.

“You look beautiful tonight,” Damian said in a deep voice.

Ashta turned to him and smiled at him quickly.

“Thank you,” she said, as she went back to scanning the crowd.

“I hope that we may share a dance this evening.”

Ashta smiled politely at him, and said,

“Sure.”

He grinned at her and she turned back toward the crowd.

Amazingly, the village was full of shops, and people were walking around to each one. Finally, they made it to the tables and sat down. It was an ongoing festival from the night before.

“Damian, Xavier, will you please come with us? Ladies, if you will excuse us for a moment,” said Liam as he, Gale, Damian, and Xavier stood from the table, and Ashta nodded.

Lashanna looked at Ashta as the four men walked away, and Ashta turned her head toward her.

“Okay, they are finally gone, now spill!” Lashanna said excitedly, and Ashta looked at her thoughtfully and smiled.

“Okay, so, I wasn’t at the garden earlier. Roman and I went to a beautiful place, and...” Ashta trailed off and Lashanna searched her friend’s eyes.

“And?” Lashanna asked, as she bounced, and Ashta looked at her seriously.

“We have been training together.”

Lashanna looked at Ashta and then she rolled her eyes.

“Well, you already told me, you two were training together, but what else?” she asked hurriedly, and Ashta looked at her thoughtfully for a moment.

“There was a small connection, but we didn’t say anything to each other about it,” Ashta said, as she looked down.

“That’s it?” Lashanna exclaimed, as she looked at her friend in disbelief, and Ashta nodded.

“Come on! You and the mysterious handsome prince, alone together, and nothing happened between you two?” she exclaimed, and Ashta nodded.

“You should be ashamed of yourself. You, my dear, have no game,” she said frankly, and Ashta looked at her friend in shock.

Lashanna smirked and then they both began laughing.

“There is just something about him,” stated Ashta dreamingly, and Lashanna looked at her.

“Just something, or is it everything?”

Ashta gave her friend a goofy look, and then she scanned the crowd again.

“And you are looking for him?” Lashanna asked, as she tilted her head toward Ashta.

“Yeah. We didn’t end today on a good note. Believe it or not, his father was at his house when we got back,” she explained, as she scanned the crowd, again.

“His father? The king of that place we were locked in?”

Ashta nodded, as she turned her attention back to Lashanna.

“Well, I hope that everything is okay with them,” Lashanna stated.

“Yeah. Me too!” Ashta said with a heavy sigh.

Lashanna only nodded and then she looked bored.

“So, how long do we have to stay at this thing?” she asked, as she shrugged her shoulders.

Annoyed at the fact that she couldn’t find Roman anywhere in the crowd, she crossed her arms over her chest and sank back down in her chair.

His father probably took him back home, and locked him away in that dungeon for coming here, or even worse, because he was hanging out with me, she thought, dreadfully.

Suddenly, Ashta looked up at Lashanna with tears in her eyes.

“Ash, what’s wrong?” Lashanna asked in alarm.

“It’s my fault he’s gone. He is probably hurt somewhere and it is all my fault!” Ashta cried, and Lashanna threw her arms around her sobbing friend.

“Why would it be your fault?” Lashanna asked, as she rubbed Ashta’s back gently.

“Because his father saw us together, and my aunt hates me. They are punishing him because of me!” Ashta cried harder and her makeup began to run.

Suddenly, Ashta pulled back and stared wide-eyed at Lashanna.

“Oh, no! Chantelle!”

Abruptly, Ashta got up from the table and she ran from Lashanna and the festival.

“Ashta!”

She heard Lashanna call her name, but she didn't care as she ran as fast as she could to Chantelle’s cottage. Without missing a step, she ran up to the door and beat on it with her fist.

“Chantelle, I am so sorry,” she cried through the door, as she leaned her head against it.

Evidently, there was no answer. Ashta didn’t know that Roman and his mother had left and gone to the festival. Sadly, Ashta slid to the floor of the small porch and hugged her knees as she leaned against the door.

“I’m sorry,” she cried sadly.

********************************

“Where is Ashta?” asked Damian, as he and Xavier approached Lashanna.

“Um, I am not sure,” she said, as she bit her lip nervously.

“Did she say where she was going?” Xavier asked, as he looked around.

“Hey guys. Where is Ashta?” asked a familiar voice, and Lashanna looked up and stared at Roman.

“What?” he asked, as he looked down at his jeans and white t-shirt.

“Do I have a stain?” he asked, as he looked back up at her, confused.

“Oh, wow! You are here and she...” Lashanna trailed off, as the three men stared at her.

“I’ll be right back!” Lashanna said quickly, and then she ran away from them.

Damian turned to Roman and looked at him seriously.

“Why are you asking for the princess by name?” he asked, as he straightened.

Roman looked Damian over and then he scoffed.

“I believe my business is with Ashta, not you,” he said deeply, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, we are her guards. Any business of hers is our business,” stated Xavier.

A smirk appeared across Roman’s lips and then he laughed.

“You must not know her that well,” he chuckled, and Damian scowled at him.

“Well enough,” he growled a soft growl, and Roman laughed again.

“You are infatuated with her, aren’t you?” Roman teased, and Damian growled again.

“Well, little man, you are a guard and I am a prince. I don’t think the odds will ever be in your favor.”

Suddenly, a look of familiarity came across Damian’s face, and Roman thought he could kick himself.

“That is where I have seen you before! You are not a commoner of Nemiph, you are the prince of Selvempts!” Snarled Damian as he faced Roman, combatively.

Roman sneered as Xavier took his place next to Damian.

“Come on, guys. Is this really necessary?” he asked as he put his hands up, defensively.

“Stay away from the princess! I will report to her what you are!” Snarled Damian, and Roman looked at him thoughtfully.

“Oh, well. What if she already knows?” Roman asked, as he put his thumb and forefinger to his chin.

At that moment, Lashanna ran back up to them.

“Guys! I can’t find her anywhere!” She exclaimed, hysterically, and Damian angrily turned to Roman.

“How convenient! You show up and suddenly the princess goes missing!” snarled Xavier, and Roman held out his arms.

“No, dumbass! I have been here arguing with you two numbnuts this whole time!” he snarled, and Lashanna stared at the three men in disbelief.

“Guys! Stop it! My best friend is missing!” Lashanna screamed, and Roman, Damian, and Xavier looked at her in shock.

“Okay, let’s all split up and look for her,” Damian suggested, and they all nodded.

Cleverly, Roman waited until Damian and Xavier were out of sight and then he gently grabbed Lashanna’s arm.

“What happened?” he asked, as he turned her toward him.

Lashanna sighed heavily and then she explained to him about what Ashta had said and then she ran off. Roman and she decided to look at the garden. Maybe she had gone there to calm down.

*****************************

Chantelle and Roman shopped for a little while, and then when they were done, Chantelle told her son that she was going to run the bags home while he went to go find Ashta. She quickly walked to her cottage and stopped when she saw the sobbing girl on her doorstep.

“Ashta?” Called Chantelle, as she walked up her walkway.

Immediately, Ashta looked up at her and scrambled to her feet.

“I am so sorry,” she cried, as Chantelle walked up to the door and she unlocked it.

“Sorry about what? Please, dry your eyes and come inside. Tell me what happened,” the woman said, as she opened the door.

Ashta could admit, she had the same comforting tone as Roman when she spoke softly. Ashta nodded and followed her inside the little house. Ashta explained that she didn’t mean to get Roman in trouble, and that this was all of her fault.

“He’s probably getting beaten, or whipped as we speak,” Ashta said, sadly, as she looked at the floor.

Gently, Chantelle placed her hand under Ashta’s chin and made her look at her. Her eyes were full of care as she looked into the sad girl's eyes.

“No, honey. Roman didn’t leave with his father. We have been shopping together, and I told him I was going to bring our stuff home, while he went to go find you,” the woman explained, as she walked over to her bags she had set on the table.

“What? Really?” Ashta asked, as she sniffed.

The pain seemed to fade away, and hope began to replace the sadness. Chantelle smiled and then handed her a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

“Get comfortable, clean that makeup off of your face while I make some tea, and I will tell you all about it,” she said, happily.

Gratefully, Ashta took the clothes and nodded. She found the bathroom, cleaned her face off and changed. Then she took the pins out of her hair and let it fall loosely down her back. Chantelle smiled at her, as Ashta took a seat at the table, and Roman’s mom served them each a steaming glass of hot tea. She explained everything that had happened after she had left, and Ashta felt more at ease.

A little while later, Ashta had taken a seat on the sofa, and when she leaned back as she listened to Chantelle, she had fallen asleep. Gently, Chantelle covered her with a blanket, and she hoped that her son would be home soon. She wanted Ashta to see that he was still there, and he was safe from his father’s abuse.