King

CHAPTER XX

Upon entering the castle, my eyes couldn’t help but look around. The castle was designed in a Spanita style and the arts were painting that portrayed how amazing the Spanitas are. There were no signs of Maharlika in the castle which made my blood boil.

“A fugitive, I see,” A dwarf said when we were standing in front of a huge golden door. I squint my eyes as I stare at him.

He looks familiar.

“Yes, Antonio,” The vomit guard said. The dwarf looked at me and it seems like he was examining who I was. It seems as if he was recalling who I was.

“Is the queen inside?” The other guard said and the dwarf, Antonio, nodded as an answer.

The dwarf guided us and we followed him. As I look around, the Maharlikan designs weren't visible. Seeing all of the Spanita designs made it feel like I was in Spania.

“You are allowed to enter.” The dwarf said after we stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall.

I could still remember this room. This room used to be my parent's room. I could feel myself breathing heavier as I watch the door creak open.

The nerve of them to use this room.

Once we were inside the room, I saw a woman standing at the veranda. She was humming while picking off the petals of a rose. I glared at her and waited for her to turn around. I want to see her face. I want to see who the f**k is brave enough to steal the kingdom from Maharlikans.

“Your highness, the guards are here,” Antonio announced.

The woman turned around and looked at me. “Oh, she doesn’t look like a Maharlikan,” The woman said upon seeing me.

She walked towards me and held my hair, “What’s your name, darling?” She asked but I didn’t answer.

Just having her touch a part of me felt disgusting.

So, instead of answering her question, I spat at her face which surprised the people that were around me. “Your highness, here’s a towel,” Antonio said and handed her a towel.

“Thank you, Antonio,” She said and wiped my saliva from her face.

“What a disrespectful woman,” She said pinched my cheeks between her thumb and her middle finger. “And what brought a woman like you in my castle?” She asked but I just scoffed.

“She attempted to provide us a false invitation for her to enter the capitol,” Vomit guard said but the queen glared at him.

“I wasn’t asking you so why are you answering?” She asked while glaring at the guard.

I don't know how high and mighty she thinks she is for her to act that way.

I could feel vomit guard’s hand tremble when the queen glared at her. I held his hand in an attempt to calm him down but it was no use.

“I told you that you have no right to talk unless I give you the permission to do so and yet here you are committing the same mistake.” She said and shifted her focus towards vomit guard.

“I apologize, your highness,” He said but the queen didn’t accept such apology.

“You know what happens to people that disobey me, right?” She asked and vomit guard nodded.

“Why aren’t you speaking? I was asking you a question but you wouldn’t answer. However, if I am not talking to you, you would answer. What kind of brain do you think you have?” She asked in anger. I could see the rage in her eyes as he looks down at him like he was nothing but a mere flee.

I saw how the vomit guard tremble in fear when she said, “I know what happens to people like me, your highness.” He answered.

“That’s good. At least you know that I can end your life here,” She said and released her familiar.

I quickly reacted and released my lances. My lances were able to pierce right through the queen’s familiar and it vanished.

I can't believe her familiar would vanish so easily.

“Why are you interfering?” The queen asked through greeted teeth while I just smirked at her.

She was glaring at me but I wasn’t scared. “Because I am a Maharlikan,” I answered with confidence.

I wasn’t ready to admit who I was because of the fear of what the Maharlikans might do to me. Now that I have my memories back, I was reminded of the reason why I was with Athaeas.

“You don’t look like one,” She said and released another familiar. “You disrespectful woman should learn who your master is.” She added.

A bear familiar appeared and attempted to attack me with its ax but I was able to dodge it. After that, I teleported to another part of the room and waited for the bear to lung at me with its ax, when it was near me, I released a burst of my powers which pushed it back.

I released swords and pierced through the bear familiar. I thought that was the end of it but I was surprised when another familiar appeared. It was a snake familiar. I could feel how strong it was just from being released.

“This is going to be a tough one,” I thought while looking at it.

“If you can beat this familiar then that’s confirms my theory,” She said while looking at me with a confident expression on her face.

She looked at me with eyes that seem to understand what was going to happen next. I was sure that she had a hunch of who I was.

I decided to use more than one fourth of my powers. The familiar’s powers felt strong but I don’t know how this will move and attack me so I did my best to preserve my powers.

It charged towards me and I immediately created a seal to repel his attacks. He continued to hit it so it meant that it was just a dummy. I turned around and saw nothing. I then looked in front and then to the side. I was thinking of where the actual body might be when I felt the ground shake.

I looked below me and saw that the ground had a bump. I jumped and formed a platform below me. I created fake cat familiar and made it charge towards the snake. I was watching them fight when I saw the queen preparing to attack me so I constrained her inside a magic barrier.

“So, I am right, you are Ellemiere,” She said while she was in a barrier.

“That’s right,” I said and looked at her. She didn’t seem like she was scared so I decided to provoke her.

“Hey, Antonio,” I called out and the dwarf walked towards me.

“Tell everyone that Ellemiere Isabel is still alive and she will be having a battle between the current queens. Whoever wins becomes the queen.” I said and he nodded.

“Why are you listening to her Antonio?” She asked.

“This can be a chance to improve your reputation, your highness. If you show that you have defeated Ellesmiere then the hopes of the people of having a different queen will die.” He answered which made me ball my hands into fists.

I was about to say something when Antonio gave me a meaningful look. I don’t know why he looked at me in a certain way but there was something in the way he looked at me.

“I think it would be best if you give her trials to prove that she truly is Ellesmiere,” Antonio suggested which made the queen furrow her eyebrows.

“Why?” She asked which made me face palm internally.

I can’t believe that a person like her is ruling Maharlika.

“The people already don’t trust you. They won’t easily believe you if you announce that you’re going to have a duel with Ellesmiere.” Antonio explained and her attention turned towards me.

She raised her eyebrow at me and sized me with the way she looks at me. “How can you prove that you’re of royal blood?” She asked while looking at me.

“I don’t know, you tell me,” I said annoying her.

She rolled her eyes at me and whispered, “How stupid,”

I scoffed because between the two of us she’s the stupid one.

“Hey, Antonio, I’m sure you know something,” She said and stared at Antonio.

“Since we’re aiming for the trust of people from both inside and out of the capitol, I think it’s best if ask you Alisa to create a Phantom Castle,” Antonio said which made my heart race.

After hearing what she said I was reminded of my cousin, Josefina. Back when I still lived here I used to play with her. We would play in her illusionary castle and whenever she gets sad monsters would be created. I used to have a difficult time battling those monsters. If this queen has an illusionist I’m sure that I would have a difficult time and she’ll enjoy it.

“That’s a fantastic idea, Antonio,” She exclaimed and looked at me with an excited look on her face.

“Wait, what if she dies in the Phantom Castle? Then I won’t be able to gather the trust of the people.” She said.

“I’m sure that not being able to earn the people’s trust is nothing to you. You’re just up for this because you want to put on a show. You just want to flaunt the fact that you have powerful people wrapped around your fingers and your true aim isn’t the gain the trust of the people. Your real aim is to instill fear into the hearts of the people.” He said without any hesitation.

I saw how the queen grinned upon hearing Antonio’s answer. “You’re such a smart dwarf, Antonio. I like that about you but remember your place. Your life is in my hand and if you don’t keep your intelligence in check I don’t know what might happen to you.” The queen threatened but I didn’t see the slightest fear in his eyes.

“Of course, your highness,” He said without any emotion.

“Now, go on and make the announcement after that feed this girl. I want you to dress her properly before sending her to the Phantom Castle.” She ordered.

The dwarf gestured me to follow and so I did. “Aren’t you going to provide us with guards that would escort us?” Antonio asked.

The queen shook her head, “I trust you Antonio,” She answered.

I could feel the tension between the two of them. There must be something benefiting both of them for them to still work together despite the hatred they have for each other.

“Antonio,” I called out.

“I’m sure you have questions for me,” He said and looked at me. “Go on with it. We don’t have forever,”

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

“That’s a general question. Make your answers more specific.” He said which made me sigh.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked.

“What made you think that I’m helping you?” He asked and raised an eyebrow at me.

“I don’t know. I just have a gut feeling that you are. I mean, the way you looked at me seemed like you were,” I answered which made him smile.

“I guess you don’t remember me, Isabel,” He said which made me furrow my eyebrows.

I stared at him as we walked and tried to remember who he was. I was so focused on remembering who he was that I didn’t notice that we were in veranda that had an overview of the capitol.

He stood in the middle and released his magic. He created doves that flew all over the kingdom. Once he was done with what he was doing I finally remembered who he is.

“Danilo, is that you?” I asked and he nodded.

“You finally remembered,” He said and smiled at me. “I can’t believe you didn’t recognize me,” He said and chuckled.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t believe that you’re already this old,” I said honestly.

He frowned at me but he said, “It had been a thousand years old, my dear. Of course, I would age,”

“That is true,” I said. It seems like he doesn’t know what happened to me.

“By the way, can you tell me what’s happening?” I asked hoping to achieve a little clarity about what’s happening in my kingdom.

“It’s a long story. All you need to know now is the fact that people are waiting for you to come back,” He said and stopped to look at me.

“Why? They banished my whole family from the kingdom,” I said and he sighed before smiling at me sadly.

“That was years ago, my dear. The people have changed. After everything that this kingdom went through they changed. The generation we have now believes in you. They want you back,” He said.

“Okay,” I said because I didn’t know what else to say.

Though the kingdom banished me and my family from the kingdom, I didn’t hold a grudge. This is probably something that I got from my mother.

“Now, I have a lot of questions to ask you but right now you need to prepare yourself for what you are about to see,” He said and we proceeded to talk.

I don’t know why I didn’t want to ask him what I was about to see but I could feel my heart beating erratically.