Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Aranya wandered throughout the night, she had walked miles without knowing where she was going through the palace. She wanted to talk to someone, and that someone shouldn’t be Lorcán or even Betla. She wanted someone that had never known King Bhaltair, someone that didn’t hate him for a crime he committed. She wanted to ask, to converse her feelings. Her tears were even tired of cascading because she couldn’t believe all that the physician had told her but the worst part of it was, she knew he wouldn’t lie to her. It was the absolute truth he had told her and what would she do about it?

This was certainly a personality of the king no one had ever seen, heard of or would ever believe he had. Because how could a man known to be selfish and merciless be this soft and merciful? How could he give up on his life for a child he had just met and known of its existence? He did it for her happiness, surely, but how could he?

And Betla, so he had been in love with Betla all this while without knowing what to do that he had no choice but to give up because he though she was dead? If only they both have known, if only he had gone back to Zinambra a few years later, Betla might’ve forgiven him and they would have lived a normal life. A family filled with love. She might’ve get to taste his love from her early ages and Betla wouldn’t have lived with so much bitterness in her heart that stopped her from loving her the way a mother should.

Her tears threatened to come back but she quickly sucked up her emotions. She couldn’t cry anymore, she can’t stress her child anymore because whatever would happen she had to make sure that this child has lived. Her Father’s efforts would never go in vain. She felt all jelly within at the acknowledgement of him as her father and all the love he had shown her through such a short span.

She suddenly remembered Portia and how amazing she chirped. She knew it wasn’t possible for just anyone to leave Belrynna but she had to, she had to go to Elara even though going there would be the same as opening up her wounds because every place in Elara would remind her of Lorcán and their first days.

She immediately stood and walked ahead, she didn't know if it could take her to Elara but as she teleported she found herself in front of some guards, well, it happened that it was the last stop one could reach in Elara.

“What are you doing here?” They asked, and she turned around to get a hold of where she was before she answered them.

“My name is Aranya and I'm...” They instantly went to their knees and bowed their heads down.

“We’re sorry, Your highness.” How the hell did they know?! Was this how fast words spread around Belrynna?

She turned around, confused, “How? I mean, how did you know who I was?”

One of them smiled and pointed at the red scripture she had on her neck and right now, it was glowing effortlessly. Wait, she had noticed this mark since after the death of Betla and it didn’t become more prominent until she told the king that she was his daughter. “Oh,” she said, softly caressing the mark. “I want to go to Elara, but I'd be back tonight. How could I leave?”

One of them immediately rose and informed her, “I’ll call for the royal bird for you to take you there.” It took him only a few minutes before he came back with a magnificent bird and she hopped on its back.

She smiled down at them, “What’s it’s name?”

“Pariah. She’ll take you anywhere you want.”

“Hey, Pariah. My name is Aranya and I'm the king’s daughter. I'd love to go to Elara please.”

“Consider it done, your highness.”

•

They got to Elara in a swift that Aranya was amazed, the flight was amazing that it took her mind off things and she was just admiring the nature. She informed her of the inn and they stopped there. Aranya asked one of the women in the reception about Portia and she sent someone to call her while Aranya waited at the garden.

She heard her soft steps and when she turned, smiling sadly as she remembered that this was the first place she had an encounter with Jaromir, she saw Portia rushing toward her with a wide grin and she embraced her into a hug. “Oh, your highness!” She squealed and Aranya laughed before she hugged her back and felt as peace began to settle in her mind.

After they broke their hug she smiled, “I came here just to talk to you, I'll do that often, I'm certain. But first, can you please chirp for me?”

Excitedly, Portia nodded her head, “Sure, your highness!” And she immediately changed into a bird as she began to chirp while she circled around Aranya who was smiling lovingly as she turned her head to the melody.

The conversation she had with Portia was something she needed in her entire life. And she was certain that coming to Portia was the best decision she had ever made in her life. She would carry her together with her to Belrynna, maybe not today, but someday surely. When all this chaos had subsided.

She went back home with a calm expression and immediately, she went to the King’s room. She found him seated on the bed with his back resting on the bed head as one of his maids fed him some soup.

“You’re awake! Someone should’ve informed me!” She squealed and rushed toward him, the maid had to quickly back away to avoid spillage while Aranya fell onto his body, her eyes getting misty. She quickly lifted herself off, “I shouldn’t weigh you down, right? How are you feeling? Your heart, does it feel stronger now?” He could see as tears began to brew in her eyes while he smiled softly.

“A king is never weak, Aranya. I'm sorry for frightening you.” He wiped at her cheeks with his thumb and smiled. “I've told you not to stress yourself, didn’t I?” She nodded and cleared her tears before she smiled, thankful that he was finally back to life.

She turned to the maid, “Can you please give me that? I'll feed him myself.”

The maid handed her the bowl and she turned to leave when she stopped, “Can I say something please, your highness?” Aranya nodded her head with a faint smile as she scooped the first spoon into his mouth.

“Thank you for coming into his life, your highness. I've never seen him smile or this relaxed. I know that I’m in no position to say this but I'm glad that he’s finally happy.” Aranya turned to her with the brightest smile on her face.

“Thank you for your kind words. You can have the day off.”

He turned to look at her after she had left, “That’s the only maid I've let close to me since the war in Zinambra, she surely knows me a lot.” He smiled sadly.

Aranya waited until he was full before she kept the bowl aside, “Should I call the physician now?”

“No, he left barely an hour ago.” He stopped to breath some more, “Where did you went to?”

“What?” She asked, confused. “Oh, I'm used to Betla knowing everything about me.” She chuckled lovingly, and for the first time, Betla’s protectiveness over her wasn't annoying. “I went to Elara, to visit a...” She let her words trailed off, “She’s a friend I guess.”

“Okay. I want to speak to you about something...” She softly cut him off.

“I want to speak to you too...”

“I'm sure mine is more important.”

She rolled her eyes and he smiled, this is the daughter he had always been dreaming. He had never imagined that a day would come like this. “Tomorrow, I'll present you to the whole kingdom of Belrynna. I'm going to crown you as the princess.”

Her mouth nearly reached the ground as she stared at him with nothing but shock in her eyes. “I thought you didn’t want anybody to see me? And how could you do that tomorrow when you’ve been unconscious for a few days?” She didn’t want where this was going.

“I'll be strong enough to do that by tomorrow. And after that, I'll speak to Lorcán myself. I have to make sure that nothing is in hassle with your life before I could peacefully leave. And I'm glad that Betla had given you enough power to fight whoever comes your way and make you unapproachable.”

“What do you mean by to leave? Can we stop talking about this?”

He chuckled at the painful expression he saw on her face and her eyes that were already getting misty, “What’s with the expression, you highness? I thought you came here to kill me, I'd spare you the stress. Of course I'd die, didn’t the doctor told you?”

Her tears rolled down her cheeks and she stared at him with nothing but love in her eyes. How she managed to love him was something she had never imagined to do. “You shouldn’t have saved my child at the expense of your life, Dad.” She broke into tears. He wouldn't die, she kept repeating in her brain. There would be a way to save him, she was certain. Even Betla would’ve been saved if there was a chance.

When she looked up at him, he was staring at her with a warm expression and tears had already glistened his eyes, “Can you say that again?” Isn’t it sad how both her parents would die without them getting fed up with her referring to them Mom and Dad? That made her burst into tears.

“I said you shouldn’t have saved my child at the expense of your life, Dad!” She screamed and broke into even more painful tears.

King Bhaltair chuckled and his tears rolled down his cheeks. The last time he had cried was the day he came back from Zinambra until today. “Hearing this from you is worth everything, dearest daughter.” Isn’t it sad that he would have to leave her even though all he wanted is for him to live forever so he could stay with her?

•

She softly closed the door to his room after making sure he had taken his medicine and fell asleep. She looked at one of the maids and spoke with a sombre voice, “Take me to the physician’s house.”

“But’s it’s late at night, Your highness.”

Aranya turned with a heated expression, fire dripping from her eyes as she roared, “Will you take me there or you rather this floor gets misty with your blood?!” There should be a way to save him, she knew there would be a way. And on their way to the physician’s house, she kept praying that Betla will help her decide. To avenge or save him? Even though she knew without going back, that she would save him over and over again.

•

She heard a soft knock on the door and softly groaned. “Good morning, Your highness. Your crowning is today, we’re ordered to make you look beautiful before it’s time.” She immediately jerked upright and stared at the streaks of light that stole their way to her room.

No, she thought the King wouldn’t do as he said. “Come in.” She slurred and slumped back onto the bed as she remembered their conversation with the physician yesterday came back to her mind and she had to fight her tears back.

The maids lined into her room, each one had what she specialized on and even though Aranya was against the whole thing, she got scrubbed, bathed, made up and dressed in the most magnificent attire she had ever dreamt of. And while she got dressed, all she thought about was Lorcán, how he would feel when he saw her. Would he smile? Would she still look beautiful in his eyes?

She got out of the room after everything was set and she saw The king staring at her with nothing but pure admiration in his eyes. “There, exactly like your mother!” He clapped his hands as he chuckled. She could say he was proud and sad not to have the woman he craved for standing by his side.

She went ahead and hugged him, “Thank you, Dad.”