Everyone was already up early the next day. We had breakfast and this time, everyone ate in silence without speaking to anyone. We thanked Matilda for her hospitality and stood outside to wait for Uncle Garett, and while we were waiting, I look around, hoping I would see the viscount, but there was no sign of him. He had mentioned yesterday that he would be seeing people today. He must have woken up early and left.
Uncle Garett finally came and walking beside him is a man with grey hairs. Without giving it a thought, I knew he was Duke Whitlock. We all bow our heads immediately he came to us, showing our respects and that was when I heard him ask;
"Is she the one?"
I raise my head slightly and see the duke pointing at me. I give Uncle Garett a questionable look before I see the duke walking towards me.
"You look so young and beautiful. I now see the reason Garett had to leave my side and attend to you. You must have been more precious to him. Though, I will say I feel bad for you, but remember, you are the one who gets to decide how to live your life from now on."
Hearing the duke say those words to me, I wonder what he and Uncle Garett must have talked about through the night.
"By the way, I heard from my son that you've met each other before."
"Uh…yes," I replied him and almost immediately, I could hear the others whispering to each other.
"That's good. Both of you should try and get to know each other better. Also, I should introduce you to his woman. You can help her with picking her wedding dress together. Since you are Garett's niece, I see you as family too."
"It would be my honor to help out," I say with a bow.
"Hmm," the duke smiled and turned to look at Uncle Garett. "You should also come by sometime."
We left the duke's residence and continued our journey to Geovia. On the way, while I was thinking about what the duke said to me, Zeke rode his horse near me and slightly bumped into me. I look at him with a frown and demanded, "What is it?"
"You knew the Duke and his son all along and you never mentioned anything to us. Then, were you just pretending not to know the Viscount by not talking to him when he came to us? We even ate in his place and got to sleep in comfy rooms." He sighed as if frustrated and said, "I should have thanked him well, but then, it's all your fault."
"I didn't remember him until he told me himself," I say to him in an uninterested tone.
"He told you himself?" Zeke asked with raised eyes. "Then that must mean you met him after we all went to bed, right?"
"What are you driving at?" I ask him, not liking the way he was talking to me.
Zeke laughed and said, "It's just one day and you already forgot about Killian. Oh, poor Killian. You should have just stayed back with him."
"Just screw off!" I raise my voice at him with a glare. Why did he have to bring Killian into this?
"Is everything alright there?" Ravenna asked, looking at me as if I needed help.
"Let's keep going. We shouldn't keep the king waiting," Uncle Garett said without looking at us as he continued riding at the front.
Zeke looked at me and said, "I'm actually starting to get suspicious of you. Seeing as the Viscount knows you and the Duke referred only to you while every one of us were standing, you must be hiding something from all of us. You are also Uncle Garett's niece and now what? We are heading to Geovia to meet with the king himself. It must be about you again, isn't it?"
"Hey!"
I move my eyes from Zeke to look at Kira who was at our back and she looked at Zeke with a pissed expression.
"Are you a slow rider? For how long do I have to be behind you?"
Although she could have rode past him, but she didn't. Maybe because she already sensed I was not liking where the conversation was heading to and wanted to help me.
Zeke moved his eyes back to me with a slight glare and he said, "Who knows, you could also be someone important to the king."
A cold chill ran down my spine immediately as I now watch Zeke ride past me. I can feel my heart beating in an unusual way. Was I nervous? But why was it after Zeke said those words?
Actually, I had a thought about this last night. What would happen after we get to Geovia? Would the others still look at me the same way? What would they think of me? Out of all of us, I am the only one with a secret…a secret that may no longer be hidden any longer in a short while.
The ride to Geovia was filled with silence, but my mind was mostly disturbed. Distant memories about this place started to cross my mind as we rode past the houses and people. I don't seem to recognize anyone here, but I do remember the paths we rode by. I've once walked those paths with my mother.
We finally arrived at the king's fort that was guarded heavily by soldiers. A hand stopped us and we all halted. One of the soldiers stepped forward and asked;
"Whom do you seek?"
"The king of Geovia," came Uncle Garett's response. "He sent for me and he must have informed you about my coming."
"What name do you bear?" the soldier asked further, as if in doubt.
"Garett Tarren."
The soldier looked at his second and with a nod, he looked back at Uncle Garett and said, "No horse is allowed beyond this point."
"What?" Ravenna raised her eyes a bit and asked, "Then what will happen to them?"
"You will get them back," the soldier answered her. "Come down from the horse and you'll be escorted inside."
So proud, I thought as I look at the soldier. I still remember the day I was here with my mother. We weren't allowed in and what upset me the most was when one of the soldiers pushed my mother, telling her off.
"You people haven't changed one bit," I said in disgust before I realized.
"Are you talking to me?" the soldier asked and I stare back at him, standing my ground.
"Let it go, Alex," the other soldier said, but Alex's eyes are still on me.
I'm not looking away from him either. I hate his eyes that I feel the urge to pluck them out.
"Do you want to be punished instead?" the other soldier asked and Alex finally looked away from me and walked back.
I look at the soldier who had a scar that cut through his left brow and he said, "You don't have to get down here. You can come inside with the horse and get them whenever you have need of them. Being the king's guests means you are important people."
"Thank you for your kindness. I will like to apologize for the rudeness," Uncle Garett said to him.
"I also apologize for my comrade's attitude towards your people. Please, come with me now. I will take you to the king," the soldier with the scar said and his eyes fell briefly on me before he turned to the gate. But before that, I could swear I saw a smirk across his face.
The gates were opened and the soldier mounted his horse before moving. We also started to move my eyes to see Alex looking at me. I move my eyes back to the front, unbothered, but I dislike the fact that Uncle Garett apologized on my behalf. These people don't deserve the respect they are being given.
As we rode further inside, a wide building stood out in front of us with a garden of flowers at either side, giving it a more pleasant look. I see the others take in the sight, but nothing really catches my eye here. I guess it's because I've been here before. I wonder how they will behave when they get to see the inside.
"The commander told me about your coming. He should have been the one to bring you in but he is out for some business," the soldier said to Uncle Garett.
"Oh, so you are not the commander."
"No, I am the deputy commander. I take care of things in his absence. My name is Zeus," he said and looked at me with a smile.
We stopped at the entrance and got down from our horses before being led in by the number two in command. As soon as the door to the king's court was opened, the others marveled at how magnificent and beautiful the place was, as expected, but I was only reminded of the pain and ill treatment I received. To not be loved or looked at by one's own father…to not accept the one who gave you a daughter…to be sent far off only to struggle to live, and now to be called back. For what reason? I wonder.
"This way," Zeus said and we walked down a passage.
Each step towards the door that now stood visible in front of us makes my heart beat loudly in my chest and my fist clench hard. All I could think of as I picture the king's image in my mind is that I was abandoned, by him. And the Queen had disgraced my mother in front of other people while she was still alive. And my other siblings whom I never got to know may never come to like me. So why all this? I wonder again.
The two soldiers by the door gave a bow to Zeus and pulled the door open at once. As I step inside the large dining room, I froze instantly when my eyes fell at the people at the table. The Queen was there and others whom I really don't know, but before I look at everyone seated, my eyes move to the one that sat at the head of the table…my father.
The anger I felt while I was coming suddenly melted away and my eyes started to itch. I don't know for what reason, but now that I got to see him after so long, I felt an urge to run to him and give him a hug. I wanted to tell him that I forgive him for abandoning me…that I missed him, but what shattered me instantly was when I saw him looking at Kira. He must have mistaken her for me, because she is the youngest in our midst.
He doesn't even recognize me, his own daughter.
I move my eyes away from him and lower them, but my eyes caught the image of someone familiar and I look up again to see him sitting at the left side of the table, staring at me. It was then I remembered the words he said to me last night clearly. He said he was meeting some people, not his people, not where he is a Viscount over them. He was meeting with us. We are some people.
But why is he here?