Chapter 9: PLEASANT
Pitch black and quiet. A deafening atmosphere. Cold and frightening.
A frail body lay on the frozen floor. Long silvery hair messily scattered on the dirty pillow. The mat is crumbled and thin underneath. The blanket is all tattered as much as his clothes. Exposed in the cruel cold, his frail body shivered like it is going to break. His heart faintly beats synchronizing to his slow and deep breathing. The lights in his eyes diminishes with his strength. Those deep seated eyes can no longer stare at the grey wall in front of him. Slowly they shut him in total darkness.
"He is dying sire," an old man begged the current ruler of the land. "Please, I beg you let me tend to him. He no longer pose a threat to you. Didn't he already gave everything up and made you king?"
"Never," the king replied mercilessly. "The people stille revere him. Isn't that enough proof that he is still a threat to my throne?"
"Sire," one of his advisers approached him. "If the man dies in this state the more the people will never acknowledge you as their new King. Show kindness and you will win these people's hearts."
"I agree sire," anothet of his advisers come forth.
"Then what do you suggest should I do with him?" the King asked.
The advisers quieted themselves thinking for a moment. Glancing at each other their eyes talked quietly. Then a nod is seen as they agree on one thing.
"Send him to exile," the oldest of the advisers recommends. "If he die outside of these lands, my King you will be blameless. The people will not question you."
"We just simply need a solid proof for this," the second elder added. "Sending him to exile, banishing him from this lands need a solid proof that he had committed a crime. A serious crime."
The king thought for a moment. He glanced at the old man who had asked him to show mercy. But looking at the man his heart grew hard and did not listen. Instead, he took heed to his adviser's recommendation.
Removed from the throne and banished from the lands of his father and forefathers before him without a title he wandered on the continent where he was thrown. A dry land with no signs of life. His frail body crawled struggling to flee the deadly bird's sharp claws and beaks. Even the venomous creepers on the ground to fight for his life.
Death before his eyes. His body bleeding from the vultures bite. Yet he struggled and crawled on the ground searching for shelter to hide. Groaning in pain. His heart cried helpless.
Uwaak! The vultures cried as they flee desperately. Something bigger than they had arrived and shooed them away.
His visions dark. Pitch black. His ears had deafened from the loud cries of the vultures. His weak body lay flat unable to move. The warm blood dripping out from his flesh watered the dry ground.
"Ah," he thought. "What a gruesome end for me!"
His days he spent training and studying just to please his father and grandfather. To become the one they expect of him. A strong and just man to lead his people. However, the turn of events had been awfully bitter. His love ones murdered. Blood filled his home where his father died under the assassin's sharp sword. His grandfather poisoned. His fiance drowned while his sons stolen. His heart broke.
But just as when he was about to cry and go insane, his daughter comes out of hiding. Her pale frightened expression awoke him from that nightmare. More so, his adopted son comes out with a broken leg and a wounded arm. These two have escaped death giving him the last strength to battle the odds. Yet what option does he have? Surrender is his only choice to save both his living children and his people.
"Such a tragic end for that prince huh?" Mia, Antoine's fiance commented.
She had been standing behind him and was reading quietly on that storybook he is holding.
"Is that real or fiction?" Mia criticize.
Antoine took a deep breath to prevent himself from saying something that might offend her. He and she has been having bad times. The challenges of their relationship has not ended yet. It has only begun.
"Darling," Mia sweetly wrapped her arms around his neck. "Let's go out."
He heaves a sigh hearing it. These past few days she has become very obsessive. Or so he thought while counting back those scenarios way back before Seri disappeared. Mia's attitude is becoming problematic making him lose face on almost every aspect of his life.
"Where do you want to go this time?" Antoine asked feeling exhausted. "We have visited every corner of the continent last summer."
"But I want it to be just the two of us this time!" Mia exclaimed.
Antoine is reluctant to be alone with her. She had threatened him once and feared she might actually do it this time without warning.
"It won't be any fun if it is just you and me," Antoine reasoned. "Besides, we can be alone once we get married."
"Are you pushing me away?" Mia is at it again.
"No," Antoine shook his head looking into her hazel green eyes. "What I mean is we must enjoy the times while we are not yet bound by the vows of marriage."
"Or maybe you have someone else in your mind to spend those days with!" Mia is mad.
"You misunderstood!" Atoine shakily backs away from her. Looking at her he feared she cannot be talked out of this. This matter will not be settled easily.
"Antoine?" Ichiro frowned recognizing the lad whose face is all swollen.
Ichiro and Ryun are on the same class as Antoine. They are classmates in combat training.
"What happened to your face?" Ryun asked with concern.
"Girls these days," they heard him mutter and sat down across their seats.
"Did your fiance beat you again?" they heard Antoine's friend asked shockingly.
"Why do you have to put up yourself with a girl like that?" another friend said with worry.
"No offense but," another friend approached him. "She's really too much for you. Have you ever considered that?"
"Do you have to ask?" Antoine replied. "If you have anything to say that can help me free myself from this rope then the time is now."
His friends went quiet.
"Your cousin Seri is the only one who can make your fiance become well behaved," a friend said from behind.
"Too bad miss Seri has left," another sighed. "What coud be the reason she had to leave? You and her are very close."
His friends go silent again as they reasoned among themselves behind Seri's reasons for leaving.
"I doubt if it has anything to do with Antoine's relationship," Ichiro told Ryun.
"Possible," Ryun felt sorry for Antoine.
"And going back to our mysterious chef," Ichiro changes the subject.
"I have one way to confirm this," Ryun replied.
"Oh?" Ichiro is surprised.
At the mansion, Rose busily prepared the gentlemen's meals. Hearing that they have a guest she had prepared a special lunch for them.
The car door opens and three handsome looking gentlemen comes out. Her heart beat fast being familiar with a blonde wavy locks. Her eyes almost popped out.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
"What is it now?" Sai is annoyed.
"I really need a substitute right now," she replied.
"I told you," Sai is being difficult. "You get in you get out."
"Antoine is here!" she cried.
"Good!" Sai is more than happy. This will make her contract end quickly. He and Lucas were against it having her to work as a maid.
"Please," she begged.
"You know I can't change myself to become you," Sai reasoned.
"Liar," she felt helpless.
Knocks on her door. Ao is calling her out to serve the gentlemen.
"Why are you in your room at this time?" Ao reprimands her. "You are here to work and not to laze around."
"Sorry," she replied apologetically.
At the dining, the gentlemen are quietly waiting for their meals. They were chatting when she come in. Antoine stopped talking and turned to her direction. His eyes moving up and down he evaluates her appearance.
With him looking at her she becomes nervous. Her heart beating fast. Uneasy. Still she maintained focus and calmness. While serving their meals, she noticed Antoine's face and feel pity. She wanted to speak but no.
"This is Rose Silvers," Ryun introduced.
"Nice to meet you sir," Rose said softly.
Antoine's ears almost popped off. Her voice sounded familiar to him but looking at her he sees a different person. He assesses her again. Gentle face. Cheerful smile. Yet umber hair and hazel green eyes. Quietly he stared deeply hoping to see something else.
"Is something wrong?" Ryun asked.
"I just remembered someone," Antoine smiled. "Her voice really sound familiar. Sorry."
Antoine shook his head forgetting the thought.
"That's what I thought so at first," Ryun told him.
"Is that why you chose her?" Antoine curiously asked.
Ryun fet the tables had been turned. He was hoping to have him confirm something about Rose but instead Antoine confirms his heart.
"What do you mean by that?" Ryun smiled taking it as a joke.
"You seem to like Seri very much," Antoine hit the spot.
Rose froze on her legs. Standing next to Ao behind them, she can clearly hear them talking about Seri who is also her.
"That," Ryun is defenseless. "We're just friends."
"Is that so?" Antoine begins to scrutinize him.
"This hot pot taste really good!" Ichiro chnges the subject. He sensed there is fire burning between them. "Come on Antoine, try it! Rose's cooking is really good!"
Rose who had been listening was thinking. 'Friends?' she thought. 'We only met once! It was more like acquaintance?'
Meanwhile, Antoine tried the hot pot. His tongue isn't wrong. He knows this taste well and he turned towards Rose where his suspicion grows.
"What's wrong?" Ichiro and Ryun are becoming curious...
"Did she cook this?" Antoine asked.
"Yes," Ryun replied. "She's the only cook here."
"Cook?" Antoine asked waiting for Ryun to spill beans.
"She's a pastry chef at Sky Cafe," Ryun explained. "But she's a talented one. She can cook other things and make concoctions."
Antoine's ears itched. He turned to Rose again. The girl is standing quietly next to Ao. Calm expression.
'So young to be a chef,' Antoine thought. 'Too perfect to be just a maid.'
Rose's eyes lock onto Antoine's scritinizing expression. Her heart beat nervously and wanted to cry. Her body begins to shiver like being splashed with a pail of cold water. Struggling to maintain composure, she manages to give Antoine a smile. Such sweet smile.
His heart leaped. The way she smiled he sees a familiar face. Similar to that person. Yet her umber hair and hazel green eyes makes him hesitate. Inside him he wonders if he is right or wrong. But what facts does he have?
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