Chapter 28
2423 Words
CHAPTER 28
Prince Aragorn rushed to the palace after he heard about the death of the queen dowager. Her grandmother was the one who took care of him when he was a child. Her death affected him significantly. It felt like glass was shattered inside his chest. The whole palace knew it coming but he was still shattered that it happened early.
“We send our condolence to you, Aragorn,” Leo said. “Your other companions were already in the break with their family. I told Zonia to stay in the royal palace while you are here. If you need someone to talk to, I’m in my hut or outside the palace.”
“Thank you for your concern, Leo. Grandmother’s death affected me a lot. I hope I will be okay after a week or so.”
“I will go now, Prince Aragorn. Take care.”
Leo bowed and he left the room. Again, Aragorn was left alone in his room. He didn’t want to stay outside and talk to anyone. What happened was stuck in his mind? It’s an ink that he cannot erase.
The song that his grandmother had sung when he was a little hummed through his brain. The poems she taught him remained written under his skin. Her face, her grace, everything about her made him feel more melancholic. Death is unstoppable. It naturally happens to any person especially the woman who died.
“Aragorn.”
He glanced at his door and he saw his cousin Veneer.
“Uncle said that you were affected so much by my grandmother’s death. I visit here to check on you or you might want someone to talk to.”
“Come in, Veneer.” Maybe letting him go inside would make him feel better. He rarely had a friend when he was young. Veneer was one of those few people he can talk to casually whenever they meet. Whenever he talks to him, he makes him feel that he’s always available.
“How are you doing, Royal Cousin? You’re much older and wiser than me but I can help if you’re feeling bad.”
“What happened to grandmother?” he asked. “When I left, she’s doing better, but now she’s already dead.”
“I don’t know either, Aragorn. She’s naturally sick and her death was expected. The two personal servants of your mother were the ones who saw grandmother not breathing while sleeping. Grandmother’s servant said that she was upset when grandfather chose to visit one of his concubines while she was on the verge of death.”
“Is it your biological grandmother the concubine you’re referring to?”
“No, my biological grandmother is old and she wasn’t grandfather’s taste after years.”
“I hate him!”
“Who? Grandfather? You can’t be mad at a former king. Don’t let anyone hear about this or they will punish you. But why?”
“Grandmother needs him to stay by her side but he still chose to satisfy his balls and went to his concubine. When a woman isn’t beautiful for his eyes, they became worthless. It happened to grandmother and your grandmother.”
“Grandfather’s just a human. He was so sorry that he left grandmother when she needs him. We must still understand him. Besides, all of the other former kings have concubines or consort to ensure that they will have someone to be the next king. Grandfather didn’t let anyone become his consort, he assured the public that the queen dowager is his one and only legal wife. Royal Uncle’s a much better version of grandfather. He didn’t have any concubines or consorts. His love for your mother was true.”
“I understand, Veneer and it’s my fault that I got mad at grandfather. This is just because of my grandmother’s death. I’ll be okay after days. Thank you for checking on me.”
“I have to go now, Aragorn. Take care of yourself because you’re still going to be the next king of the palace.”
Veneer left and Aragorn was alone again in his room. He thought of the words that his cousin had said. He did not know if it’s a scheme or not? If his Uncle Enzo was the one behind the conflicts that are happening in Caspian, Veneer would be the next king if he died. His uncle was doing great in maintaining peace and order in the Caspian. That makes sense but he still needed to be careful. The wrong accusation would ruin his image more in front of his grandfather and other citizens of Caspian.
Aragorn kicked the tree in front of him. It was his habit to pour his emotion into a tree whenever he’s upset. He punched the tree while he’s gritting his teeth. Why does his grandfather be like that to his grandmother? She could’ve died happy if he’s there beside her. But she died alone without the love of her life by her side.
If ever he’s going to marry someone, he won’t do that to his future wife. He’ll respect that woman that he’s going to marry and he will do what his father did. He won’t have a concubine or consort. He will only have one woman in the palace and that woman would feel his undying love.
The bitter scent of the afternoon matched the igniting hatred inside his heart. The sky’s dull and they thought it was because of the queen dowager’s death. The Queen Dowager had served the palace with her good deeds and now that she died, the sky’s also mourning for her death.
“Every time you’re upset, you’re hurting that tree.” Aragorn stopped with a familiar woman’s voice. He raised his head and saw Sphyra staring at him. “You lose weight, Aragorn and that was understandable since you were mourning for the queen dowager’s death. She is your grandmother and it’s normal for you to mourn her death. I hope you’re still taking care of yourself. This palace still needs your kindness and efforts.”
“How did you find me?”
“This place is one of my safe zones. I was walking Burn around the forest because there’s nothing I can do. I’m bored and the forest is very familiar to me after living here for twenty years. Then I saw you punching and kicking the same tree that you are hurt about a month ago. What’s the reason why you were upset, Aragorn?”
“I just heard that grandmother died alone without grandfather by her side. Grandmother is with my grandfather through ups and downs, but in her death, he still chose to visit one of his concubines. I hate the world. I hate how these things happen. I hate how cruel people are.”
“I understand what you’re feeling.” Sphyra on the large root of the tree on the ground. Burn sat beside her. “But you’re not a magician. You can’t please everyone to be good. It’s a nature of a person. A lot of them have evil schemes and plans. Every person has a goal whether it can affect other people positively or negatively. What you can do is correct yourself, Aragorn.
“Just like me, I’ve been the villain for many citizens in Caspian. They look at me as the worst creature in the whole palace. They would kill me once they saw me. But I didn’t choose to be the villain. I chose to live by myself in what I think is the right way. If only there’s a magic pill for this curse, I would gulp trillions of it so I could encounter a normal life.”
“There will be a solution in that. You just have to believe Sphyra. Believing makes things happen.”
“If that’s the case, I don’t know what to believe anymore.” She threw a bitter smile to the prince. “Take care, Aragorn.”
“Are you the concubine of the man that the king is searching for?” Dina asked Zonia. She was an unfamiliar face and Lolita said that she was the prince’s servant at Leo’s hut. She also saw her when they visited and heard the news about who she really was.
“Yes, Dina.” Zonia nodded and she threw a plain smile at Dina.
“Is that your true personality or you’re just pretending and trying to scheme the prince?”
“Dina! Enough!” Lolita arrived at the dining. She placed the tray on the table. “She would be here for only one week. Don’t scare her.” She averted her gaze to Zonia. “Don’t be scared about her. She’s just worried and overreacting.”
“I am not. Thank you for your kindness, Lolita. I now understand why the queen chose you to become her servant. While I’m staying here, I will follow all of your orders.”
“The queen asked for water to drink. Bring her some.”
“Okay, Lolita.”
As Zonia disappeared, Dina crossed her arms and grunted. “Why are you defending that woman? Am I not your friend? Why are you siding on her?”
“How many times should I tell you not to misjudge a person? You did that to me and now you’re doing it to other people. Now I know why you don’t gain friends. You’re ill-mannered.”
“What? Am I really the ill-mannered one? How can you say that to me, Lolita? Are you still a friend after you said that to me?”
“A true friend will tell her true feelings. If I praise you and make you think to yourself that you’re right, then I’m a fake friend. You’re already aging yet your mind remains like a kid. Learn to accept criticism so anyone can be your friend.”
“That woman named Zonia just wants to seduce the prince so she can be his wife. My thoughts about her won’t change. I don’t like her, Lolita and you can’t please me to like her.”
“No one’s pleasing you to like her, but at least show respect to her as a human. If you don’t, you’re worse than an animal.”
“We should change our topic by now or this friendship might end. I don’t want to hear her name again.”
“The inspection to the queen dowager’s body was done and it is said that there’s a reason behind her death. It wasn’t just her sickness but someone’s…”
“Poisoning the food or her medicines. Who could be the one who’s doing this? Maybe the king dowager’s concubine,” Dina finished.
“The concubines won’t be affected even if the queen dowager was killed. Queen Amira is the one who’s always assigning us to bring food for the queen dowager.”
“Don’t tell me that you’re suspecting the queen?”
“I am not suspecting her and if I can’t suspect her because we are the one who’s preparing the food for the queen dowager. Someone wanted to frame the queen and point to everyone that she wanted to kill the queen dowager. There must be a reason for this. I’ve been in the palace since I was fifteen and I never heard any archenemy of the queen. The queen’s kind-hearted and I don’t know anyone who wants to harm her.”
They stopped and stayed silent. There must be someone. Think, think, think.
“There is one person that I know,” Dina said. She only thought of that person.
“Who?”
“I am the queen’s favorite servant back then and she tells me stories about broken friendship. She even trusted me to tell about her former friend, Dayanara. She was the daughter of one of the richest people in the palace. She’s still unmarried despite her age. She told me that Dayanara likes the king so much. The two of them always accidentally bumps into the king and Dayanara hoped that the king is liking her also. She got disappointed when the king proposed to Queen Amira. Since that happened, Dayanara stopped talking to the queen. She despises the queen so much.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Of course! It is the queen that told me this story. Dayanara has incredible beauty and is one of the most unique faces in the palace of Caspian despite her age. Once she comes back, they said that she can easily be the king’s consort even though he’s loyal to the current queen.”
“We can’t let that happen. If ever she’s going to show herself up to the king and wanted to be his second wife, it only means that she’s plotting something to harm the queen and Prince Aragorn.”
“Yes, we won’t let that happen.”
The door opened. It was Zonia.
“The king had instructed me to prepare food for the visitor. He said she is Queen Amira’s friend and the woman has incredible beauty.”
Lolita and Dina’s jaws both dropped. They were just talking about her and now she’s here in the palace.
- Writer
