King

CHAPTER XXIII

I tried my best to avoid the memory of the time when my parents were banished but it always ends up that way. I would always end up in that same memory and it’s as if I am stuck in a memory loop.

“s**t, not this again,” I whispered when I woke up beside my parents.

I was starting to feel frustrated because I was stuck in this specific memory. I tried to move my trying to remember other memories but I would always fall on this one.

“Is there something wrong, iha?” My mother asked when she saw me sitting up with my eyebrows furrowed.

“Nothing’s wrong, mom,” I said and she nodded.

If I can’t get out of this by trying to change it that means I have to overcome my fear and go through that event.

The days went by fast and the day the elders decided to banish us finally came. I thought that if I was able to surpass that part then I would be able to jump to another memory or leave even but when the day came when father was summoned by the king a familiar feeling of dread came over me.

We went to my father’s kingdom, Northumbria, we stayed there and we were welcomed by the king and queen. My dad’s the head of the ministry of defense and he’s also the king’s right hand. That’s why when he found out that my dad had me and my mom they allowed us to stay in the castle.

“Mama, pigilan mo naman si papa, (mom stop dad),” I said but she just smiled at me.

“Your dad’s going to be fine,” Mom said instead and smiled at me.

Days passed by and the day when my father stopped sending letters came. I could see the fear in my mother’s mom but she was trying her best to hide it from me.

“Mom, I want to play outside,” I said because this memory is so vivid.

This was the day they declared my father’s death. I asked my mother to go out and play with me because the moment the first snowflake drops that’s when they would bring in my father’s corpse.

“Anak (Daughter), what made you want to play outside in this cold weather?” She asked while we play in the garden.

Whenever I would see the sadness in her eyes she would always come here. I don’t know what memory she has with father here but she always seems so happy when she comes here.

“Lady Maria,” The head maid called and I knew why.

They guided us to the great hall where the ministry of defense would plan their battles.

I did my best to forget what my father’s corpse looks like but seeing it firsthand made me want to cry.

My mother saw the tears in my eyes so he hugged me to cover me from seeing my father.

“Lady,” The head maid said and my mother responded by saying, “I appreciate that you called me here but can you please leave me and my daughter for a while,”

“Understood, my lady, my heart grieves as well at the sight of your deceased husband. May you heal in time,” She said and I heard the door creak open and close.

I stopped crying and looked up at my mother. This must be twice harder for her.

“Mom, it’s okay to cry,” I said when I saw her fighting her tears.

The moment she heard me say it’s okay she burst into tears. I hugged her tight as she fell on her knees and cried on my shoulder. I could feel her trembling and it made me regret not doing this when she was alive.

“I’m sorry you have to see mama like this,” She apologized while hugging me.

“It’s okay, mama,” I said and wiped her tears.

“Remember that you should be strong no matter what happens,” She said and kissed my cheeks.

I looked at my father’s corpse once again and that’s when I heard someone whisper, “Seek revenge,” I looked around after hearing that but there was no one else but me and my mother.

“Is there something wrong?” She asked in concern when she saw the fear in my face.

“No, nothing’s wrong, mama,” I said and she nodded even though I know that she wasn’t convinced.

“Okay, let’s go to bed,” She said and we did.

I went to sleep but when I was in deep slumber I felt something heavy on top of me. I opened my eyes and all I saw was a dark figure. It was pressing down on me and it had its hands around my neck choking me.

“If only you stopped your father from going then he wouldn’t be dead,” It said while choking me.

I tried my best to free myself from the choking. My eyes were already starting to blur and that’s when I remembered that this is what Josefina was talking about.

“It’s not my fault,” I said but deep down I was still feeling guilty that I didn’t do anything to keep my dad from leaving.

“You knew that he’s about to die but you didn’t stop him. Now, your mother is devastated. She’ll die next,” It said which triggered me.

I was so pissed at what he said that I released my magic. It was blown away and that’s when I woke up.

“Mom,” I said when I didn’t feel her beside me.

I ran out of the room in a panic. My heart was beating erratically as I ran to where my father’s corpse is.

“Please, wake up, love,” I heard my mother say as she tried to revive my father.

I could feel the comforting healing powers my mother was releasing. The room was full of white light and the warmth was everywhere but I knew that my father wouldn’t wake up.

I walked up to my mom and saw the tears falling down her cheeks. She was too focused on trying to revive my father that she didn’t notice me.

“Isabel,” She said when I hugged her.

“Mama, please stop hurting yourself,” I said while crying.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” She said and wiped my tears.

That’s when my memories changed. I was dragged to a different memory.

Shit! Why did it have to be this one?