Hand to Hold

Chapter 14

Unable to explain my dearest, I turned mum but I am glad you cared to catch incomprehensible whispers.

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Ashton Royale

His Highness Ashton Royale, the former ruler of Salovia or the first server of people to go through the public veto was born in the nineteenth century, during the times when Salovia was indulged in war with Quarster.

Throughout his life, he gave value to freedom of opinions, set up an advising council with prominent leaders of various groups with different ideologies on the country’s rulers. He was also the pioneer of public veto.

They say that he asked various institutions to turn in lists of all the eligible people for ministries even if they were from the farthest point of Salovia. The first public veto took more than a year but he was easily accepted by the people.

Similarly, selection of the Senate took more than three years, the whole while advising council played the Senate’s role. The Prime Minister or second ruler of Salovia was elected by Senate.

The roadblocks of the independent judiciary were also removed by him. The judiciary wasn’t only responsible for the justice system but also functioned as election commission by deciding who would be nominated for which ministry and candidates to become the prime minister.

Since the wars over the eighteenth-nineteenth century exhausted Salovia and Quarster, also cutting us off with world development, His Highness Ashton Royale proposed a marriage treaty between two countries.

The countries got time to wash away their bitterness for each other while helping with each other’s growth. Salovia and Quarster soon came to be considered as brothers who fought their way together to be one of the most influential countries.

His Highness Ashton Royale also gave his wife half of every authority he had. He married once and during the public Veto, gave equivalent support to both, his son (Ashton Royale II) and his daughter (Sophia Royale).

No matter how many writers analyzed his time period, or Salovians showed their gratefulness... it could never be enough. He suffered numerous assassinations attempts, even executed his father when judiciary found then former ruler to be guilty.

He was the architect of modern Salo- RING!

Halfway through the chapter, my concentration was broken by the ringing of a phone. Standing up I walked over to bedside table sleepily.

Ms Case.

The caller ID read her name and I was about to put the phone on silent mode when I remembered it wasn’t wise to do that last time, she called Aunt May and stated something along the lines that I wasn’t well and Aunt hurried to the school in a frantic state.

“Hello!” Greeting her politely I forced chirpiness in it.

“Hello to you too! It took you quite the time to answer my call.” She answered and I could image her smirking smile on the other side.

Sighing internally I cleared my throat, “I was studying for tomorrow’s exam my phone was on silent.”

“Of course why not, I believe you didn’t want to reject my call.”

She joked, and then laughed herself, “Well, this call is to talk about your medicines. So, May called me saying you were buzzed out at some party because of your night med.”

I hummed, “That’s true. I was quite dizzy even last night thanks to that medicine.”

“So...You went to a party?” She asks surprised pleasantly, completely ignoring my additional comment.

How come I didn’t notice it before but the ceiling was a yellowish sort of cream but it was beautiful for it got pretty well with the design of lights Aunt used.

“Belle, are you done ignoring me, so answer what I asked?”

Sigh.

“I wasn’t ignoring you.” I wasn’t, was I?

“Really?” Her single word sounded like the argument she used in our last therapy session, “Ms Verona, you may not like it when I pry in your life but that’s my job.”

Grunting I finally opened my mouth, “Apparently Aunt was able to convince me because a friend came over.”

“Mhmm, which friend was it?”

I sighed audibly, “Ruby, the warm brunette.”

The silence filled the surrounding and I couldn’t help but admire the dark purple curtains with silver borders over the window, the borders weren’t that simple rather it was detailed embroidery, and one might not spot at a glance.

Ms Case sighed, “Okay, I take it as you don’t want to talk about things. But if you don’t tell me other things about your life, let alone what traumatized you... I can’t save you. You will have to let me enter your mind.”

“Silent again I see. You can stop taking your night medicine. It was a strong dose to help you control your mood but if your body is unable to handle them. Then it won’t do any good.”

“Take care of yourself, and socialize.” She added before disconnecting the call but I wasn’t coherent for the phone in my right-hand remained near my right cheek for a while as a strange numbness and fear ceased my respiratory organs from functioning.

Why in the world everyone was so keen on making sure that I lived... Ash, Mom, Dad, Aunt May, Ms Case... I wasn’t a great soul like Ashton Royale whom I was reading about, for instance. The only thing I was great at was to bring their wrath.

My hand let go of the phone as my back hit the soft bed. Drained, I closed my eyes letting them rest. Then taking deep breathes rhythmically I got up with the intentions of finishing the revision before dinner time. I already ditched the lunch thanks to the studying, couldn’t do the same with dinner.

I began reading from the same point from where the phone disturbed me... He was the architect of modern Salovia- Only this time the sound of knocks stopped me from turning the page.

Sigh.

Making my way to the door, I opened it to find two toddlers and an adult in her twentieth year. The toddlers were none other than Blake and Sally who were still in school uniform. I turned to Mary, but she was too busy chewing her internal cheek with apologetic eyes to read the question written on my face.

“Sissy!” Blake called out to me and my expressions softened.

Satisfied with getting my attention his frown turned to a smile, “Sissy, Sally and I want to challenge you and Mary for a game of ‘Catching Rhythms’.”

“But Blake she is in the middle of Exams. So, we should not disturb her.” The nanny responded in a tender but strict manner.

Toddler turned about, “Then who will play with Sally and me?”

Mary smiled and knelt down as a chestnut strand came out of her loose bun, “I would. And you know, I can even beat two of your together... I am that great of a video game player.”

The young girl also turned about to support her friend, “No, you won’t be able to defeat Blake and my pair.”

“We will see it champions. Now go and set the level we need to finish the game before Sally’s Mom return from the supermarket.”

Blake and Sally nodded and ran towards the staircase as Mary yelled behind them, “DON’T RUN ON THE STAIRS!!”

As soon as the nanny stood up her sorry expression returned, “I am sorry that we disturbed you. You were probably studying.”

I nodded twitching my lips in something which I hoped was warm enough to resemble a smile, “It is fine. Blake can be quite a handful at times.”

The polite nanny excused herself with a smile and walked towards the staircase, closing the door I returned to the study table. It was easier to concentrate on the notes once again now that Blake managed to distract me from the haunting images of the past.