Chapter 47: Chapter 47
Crest fallen, Aranya walked back to the King’s chamber as she tried all she could not to break into instant tears. She waited until she was in the vicinity of her room, ignoring the maid that offered her dinner and slumped on the ground. His last words had stuck to her heart and she burst out into a fist of tears, clenching at her heart.
She knew the king had told her that she had to take care of herself, not to let any harm be it emotional or physical to touch her. But what she supposed to do? This was the man she loved even before she knew she would ever have this baby, and today, he had told her all he wanted. But where was the lie? He meant every word he had said and likewise, there was nothing in his words but the truth.
She was the cause of all his loss, only if he had waited and hear her words, he hadn’t lost everything entirely. His child still lives in her, with the help of the monster he called her father. But then her father indeed raided his clan, but what it the only clan he had raided? no. this was a man her mother hated and wanted to avenge on until she had lost her life. But he lost his brother to her and her mother, which was equally linked to her father because they did all that to gain enough power to fight King Bhaltair. Well, maybe he should’ve considered her feelings. There are other ways to tell her that he didn't deserve her not this.
Her whole shoulders convulsed as she cried her eyes out and she felt the pain constricting her lung, it was hard hearing all that from him. After she had pondered over what he had said she realized he didn’t deserve her but she loved him! He didn't’t want to see her ever again in his life, how could she live without Lorcán? That made her groan in tears and slowly, she heard the door creaked ajar.
She looked up with eyes that were filled with anger, who dared intrude on her moment of grief? And when she saw that it was the king himself, somehow she felt more tears trying to cascade down her cheeks and at the same time, she was trying to hide her tears away from him. He came forward and sat on the bed staring at how she was trying to clear her tears but more stubborn ones kept rolling down.
He stared at her for a moment before he tapped the space next to him, “Come here,” she looked at him and tried to roll her eyes but the look he had on his face was the softest she had ever been looked at. Why was this man doing things to her that even her mother had never tried to? She did as he said, still trying to clear away the tears on her cheeks but his gesture only made more gushed down.
He smiled outwardly and she looked up at him, “Are you going to mock me?” She said with a pained tone and her lips pursing into a pout.
He quickly shook his head, “I wouldn't dare, will I? We have to talk, father to daughter conversation. I guess you’ve never had any of this, unless your mother has been married to someone before she...” Then he stopped, not realizing what he would say. Why had it never occurred to him where Betla was? He only thought that she had sent her daughter here for revenge, why did he never ask where she was?
Aranya tried to smile but failed, “She’s dead, if that’s what you're contemplating on saying. And also, we’ve lived alone for all these days until the year I started to hunt for men of power.”
“What does that refers to? Men of power?” She wiped at her tears, maybe this distraction was all she needed.
“Yes, she had harbored your hatred in her life and had lived with the quest for revenge even before I was born. The fact that she chose to give birth to me and not easily abort me is something I would never comprehend. She had learnt all those magical powers that could make her win over you, kill you the instant she sees you and make you ever regret setting your feet in Zinambra...”
“She did all that?” Even though he was hurt beyond words at how bitter he had turned such a wonderful human being into, he couldn’t be more proud of how she had carried herself through all that and became stronger than he had never imagined. He was certain her brothers would’ve been so proud of how she turned out.
She smiled sadly and wiped at her tears, “She did, but sadly she wasn’t able to fulfill her only wish.” That sounded odd in her mouth. Because this was the man she was going to kill for her mother and right now, she didn't know what was right anymore. To avenge for her mother or what?
“And you’d have to do that for her, right?” She sadly nodded her head and he smiled before he softly pulled her to his side, lovingly hugging her.
She felt as more tears pooled down to her cheeks and this time, she didn't stop them. She was sure that there was more reason to her tears that Lorcán, she was crying because of the father she had never had and even after she did, she would have to kill him to fulfill her mother’s only wish. But could she actually do that? Maybe she would let Lorcán avenge on his parents as much as that would hurt her.
“He didn’t try to listen to you, right?” He asked out of the blue and she looked up at him with her eyes that had turned to bloodshot before she sadly nodded he head, blowing her nose.
“He told me to my face that he hated me and doesn’t want to see me for the rest of his life. I don’t deserve him because he has lost basically everything he has through me...” That thought made more tears got choked up in her chest but she tried as much as she could to lay them down, “Elfnour, do you know the kingdom?”
She was aware of how his expression had changed before he closed his eyes to gain his composure. “I raided the kingdom, and I assume he’s a prince from there. And he lost his brother through you and Betla, and now, he thinks he has lost his child because of me and you as well.” As much as she tried to stop herself from breaking into tears, she did. Because as he painted the words out clearly for her, she felt the words more painfully than she should.
He chuckled softly, “It’s a good thing that I've saved your baby even though I've lost...” He took a hold of what he was trying to say and shook his head with now a warm and loving smile, “Let him be for a while, I'll speak to him when I'm sure he’s not as furious as he is now.”
She shook her head, “Don’t, he hates you. I mean, I know he can’t harm you but, I wouldn’t want him to say all those painful things to your face.” She palmed her face exasperatedly when she realized what she was trying to say and King Bhaltair smiled before he hugged her lovingly.
“Hearing this from you is worth everything, Aranya. I'm thankful that you’ve come for me even if the reason is for you to avenge on behalf of your mother. Thank you for letting me see your face.” He fatherly kissed the top of her head and stood, “You should take care of yourself okay? And like I told you, you shouldn't let things bother you because it will affect your baby, and I guess you’d want this baby to live more than you want to fulfill your mother’s wish.”
She could only stare at him while he walked toward the door, and he was at the door when he began to cough uneasily that she had to rush toward him. Blood began to spurt out of his mouth and that was when Aranya felt so shocked and afraid of what would be of him. She firmly held his shoulders as he began to slump on her body, extremely sick. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?” She shook his body but he had already lost his consciousness and she immediately sat down with his body on her.
“Hey! Your highness, what’s wrong with you? You were just fine a few seconds ago, weren’t you?” She was shaking him roughly as she felt as her heart shook with fear and the agony she had never imagined she would feel if he turned out this way. His whole body had slackened and immediately, he image of Betla dissipating through the ear came back to her and Aranya didn’t know when she burst out into tears and screamed at the pitch of her voice, “Dad!”
•
It had been two days but he still hadn’t gain his consciousness and she had never been up the creek the way she was these days that she had even forgotten about Lorcán and that she had to go and beg him again. Or maybe, let him be until her bump began to show. She followed the physician out of the room and walked him to the main door while she cleared her voice.
“I want to know his condition. How is he feeling and when will he regain his consciousness?” She asked with worry evident on her tone.
He turned to look at her with a smile on his face, “I haven’t seen any of his imperial wives, what’s wrong?” Can this man go straight to the point?
“They all couldn’t visit him until he sends for an invite to you, that's why. I'm sure none of them knows he’s ill. Can you tell me what’s wrong with him and if he’s going to be well?”
The physician stopped by the door and turned to look at her, “I’m sure you’re not his wife, but who are you? His health is a confidential matter that I can’t disclose to anymore. I get that you’ve been the only one by his side recently, but I just can’t trust you.”
“My name is Aranya and I'm...”
His face lit up to a smile, “Oh, the daughter.” then he was silent and a small smile painted his lips. “His highness has had an underlying disease for a few years now but because he’s so strong and takes his medication seriously, none of its signs show and also, he lives as freely as every other healthy being. But what happens is when he rescues your baby, he gave the baby half of his entire power and to say that’s what’s keeping him on his ground is an absolute waste of time. I've told him not to do it when he asked me what to save your child, but he went ahead and did it. Had it been his heart is free of any worries, he could make it and regain back his powers and strength. But right now, his heart isn’t strong enough to do that, and I'm afraid...”
She was shaking her head when she cut off the doctor, “He can’t die, you know that right? He has to live, none of them could die.” The information was too much for her brittle heart to bear and she couldn’t even want to think about it because as it is, her heart is threatening to burst. Had that always been his character or he changed overnight because he wanted her to forgive him?
“Why can’t his heart make it? What can I do to help him regain back his power? He even gave me his blood too!” She lifted her head and palmed her forehead, the tears she was forcing rushing down to her cheeks unstoppable. How could he do something so selfish to her? Just how?
“He has been with this heart diseases for hundreds of years and it started when he came back from the war he had in Zinambra. Something about him being in love, I thought it was a joke because I've never thought he could feel that way, but it happened. He got better with time, and seeing you reminded him of his old wounds, I guess she was your mother, right?”