Chapter 7: Chapter Six.
Fiora and Aiden said their goodbyes, only after agreeing to meet at the riverbank two hours later. They had no other option than to visit the territory of Ropert because sooner or later, they would run out of food to prepare for the people. She would also have to create a disguise and she thought about two alternatives already; either to pretend like an old widow or a young fine lad. Anytime she wasn't all covered up in her hood, she had other choices of disguises she could turn to.
"How about you just showed yourself the way you are?" Sif pointed out as they were walking back home. Fiora knew just how much trouble he would get into with Clement once they got home. Clement would never allow for two little girls to come live with them, but she wasn't going to be too gentle about it either way. These girls had been on their own long enough. Now, they found themselves in the right hands. She was going to protect them with all she can. Besides, they weren't save anymore with Donn's ego on the loose. He would never forgive her.
"Sorry?" She asked, refreshing her thoughts. "I didn't quite get you."
"I still don't understand why you hide during the day and show yourself at night?" He clarified. Asmi and Revna walked in front as Fiora and Sif, protected from behind, also guiding them through every turns they took.
"Well, its for protection obviously—girls, to the left—because you know, fewer people come out at night."
"What are you even saying?" Sif asked, then screamed; "Asmi, to the left!"
"Yes. For... Protection."
"How? Tell me." He asked, then stopped to replied his question before Fiora could reply. "Fiora, the moment you became available to these people, is the moment you became visible. Whether you like it or not now, whether you only come out at midnight or nightfall, these people already know you. You can't hide from it anymore." He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared directly into her eyes. "Your destiny. You can't run and hide anymore. It's time to take responsibilities for your people."
"Sif." Her voice croaked as she called out his name, trying to find her voice. She had never been more happy to hear that, especially as it came from Sif.
"You'll figure it all out. With time." He promised. She didn't know if she was to cry or laugh. It was a beautiful thing for her, having someone to believe in her. She jumped forward and squeeze him in a tight warm hug. She missed him so much. She'd missed her best friend.
****
It didn't take long before Donn had dragged himself to the presence of Helen. Before Donn could finish with his report, Helen laughed out loud mocking him for being hit by a woman.
"It was a mere girl, and you..." More laughed followed again, causing her to gently dab, with her finger, away a drop of tear that was already visible from her eyes.
Donn did not think Helen would mock him that much. If he'd known, he would had gently taken time to treat himself and just swallowed the embarrassing incident that had happened. "But, your majesty-"
"What else happened? She spanked you like a baby, didn't she?" She roared out yet another laugh after watching the numbness on Donn's face. It was really amusing to her. Some of her subjects were dumb but as long as they respected her and would obey to her instructions, she didn't mind.
"I'm sorry if I come to you with a disappointed report." He said with a frown on his face. "I shall take my leave now, your majesty." Poor Donn quietly rose up in shame. "I'll walk out gently."
"More like, crawl out." She muttered under her breath, giggling underneath, though it was loud enough to had upset Donn even more.
"I've got to stop the foolish maiden from visiting Ropert anyway. Have a lovely day your ma-"
"Ropert?" Helen barked out immediately she heard he call his name. "Same Ropert, minister for food?"
"Yes, your majesty. Can you see this girl is a bloody moron?" Said Donn, suddenly getting overjoyed that Helen was on the track to supporting him. "We need her out of the way as soon as possible. And I know just the befitting punishment for-"
"Don't do anything." She ordered, raising an alarming shock to Donn.
"Your majesty?" Puzzled Donn asked.
"Meanwhile, keep a close watch. Never let her out of your sight and," she warned, making her orders very specific. "I want this to be between you, and I. Do you understand me?"
Unsure of what to think, Donn carefully nodded to her command. "I do, your majesty."
"Dismiss." She said with a blank expression. Donn frowned, disappointed by his Queen's reaction, but rose up from his knee eventually. After she saw that he'd gone, she sent one of her guards to summon Clement at once.
Moments later, Clement was around.
"You called for me, your majesty?" He said, bowing in front of his Queen.
"There's a girl, uh... Fiona or so," Helen began to say, impatiently.
Clement rose up and rested him hands behind his back, head slightly lowered down. He listened attentively, knowing he would not had been summoned if it wasn't important.
"She is about to visit Ropert. I don't know why, but I've asked my men to keep a close eye on her. They may be dumb, which is why I've requested of you to help me talk to this girl."
"Talk to her?" He asked calmly.
"Well, I don't know, Clement."
"What business does she wants with Ropert? What do you think she wants to see him for?"
"Again, I don't know." Confessed Helen.
"And how do you know she isn't one of his allies, or Tobin's-"
"I don't bloody know, Clement! Which is why I have called you." She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "I don't know anything at all. I want you to help me find out." She said calmly, then her impulsive side took over again. "Meet her and find out what her mission is. Give her gold and many of it if necessary. Do what you must, Clement." She stopped and watched him stare in silence. "What is it? What have I said wrong this time?"
"No. Your majesty is right and I can never oppose to your words."
"Then?" She asked almost immediately, her brows ached up in confusion.
"Well," Clement had to think for a while, not sure of the right words to use. How would he tell his Queen that she was a lunatic? That she was certainly not in her right senses anymore. She was so obsessed with the throne that she cared so little to help the villagers. All she wanted was only to brag before Tobin and show it to his face that she'd won. She didn't care what that would cost her, even if it took all of her properties. As long as she would still live to sit on that throne.
"Clement, go on. I need your guidance here and I won't judge your words. Speak to me." Her voice croaked as she spoke, disrupting all of her calming nerves.
He sighed before he continued. "Your majesty, you are very distance from your people."
As soon as she heard those words, anger raged from within her guts. Distance from the people? How dare he? Just one day on the throne and she was sure he wouldn't last half the day before he gave up already. Meeting the people defines her weakness. Moreover, she had nothing to do with the scarcity of food. It would only make her a liar when she gathers them all and apologize. Why didn't he see it like that? She would rather die than to give Tobin the pleasure of watching her reveal her weak side.
"This people are counting on you to save them," he continued, knowing already his Queen was enraged by his comment. "Once the people feel a sort of transparency from you, then you can tackle the problem from underneath. Tobin would never expect it from you, and once Rupert sees how strong of a queen you are, he won't hesitate before he sides with you. Even if you don't like the idea of that, you could keep a close watch on him, and get enough proof he's been guilty, then charge him for treason."
"It is alright then. I'll handle this one myself." She said, her face clothed with disappointment.
He let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry to have disappointed you, your majesty."
"I think he mentioned her name to be Fiora. Yes, with an 'R'." She continued, ignoring Clement's apology. "And it was noted that she had always been in the shadows not until few days ago."
He didn't think it would be his Fiora, but he was certain that that name was a rare one. The name Fiora was a carefully chosen one that not just any peasant would bare. And Fiora had started acting strange back home. If she was the same Fiora, then he was in trouble. Big one at that.
****
By the time Clement got home, Fiora was not around. He didn't know whether to start crying at the close arrival of his doom, or to become furious. Helen was no merciful woman. If she found out about the link between Fiora and him, it was over. Who's to say she hadn't even found out already. By the gods name, when Fiora gets back, Clement was going to give her the befitting punishment she deserved. She just wasn't meant for the Central City. He decided on his punishment would be and couldn't think of anything else. Gregoria was asleep, and Sif wasn't home. He was about to head out when he saw two little girls chittering and chattering, on their way inside. He was close to the door and they, inside already. When the girls saw him, they froze in terror. Moment of brief silence was instantly summoned.
"Who are you?" Asked Clement, finally breaking the silence.
"Oh, uh, well we... We-"
"This is not you doing this again." Asmi rolled her eyes at her sister.
"Shh! We don't know this man." Revna whispered, shushing her sister up.
"Exactly." Asmi replied, also in a muffled voice. "Which is why we shouldn't let our guard down."
"What? What are you saying?" Screeched Revna, still trying to maintain her hush tone. "He might be the father to Sif."
"So?" Her sister asked, then took a moment to ponder over the quick discovery and yelped out a little; "oh." Both faces returned their gazes back to Clement who already displayed a perplexed stare on his face.
"Hello kind sir," Asmi began to say. "We are not bad people." She continued and her sister's head nodded repeatedly, not caring they could fall off anytime soon. "We are, good people."
"Yes." Revna said in reply. "Yes."
"Well, we-"
"Who else knows you're here?" Clement asked, frowning at the girls.
"Sif! Sif knows we're here." Asmi replied a little too loud than she's planned and her sister gave a big nod in reply.
"How does he know you two?"
"Uh, well, long story. We..." Then they both began to give their tales, ranting from the time they were just babies and spewing stories that weren't necessary at all. They both started talking together, making their tales come out in a nonsense version.
"Go inside. Both of you." Said Clement, hushing them. He knew his son would never bring in people to his house unless it was for an important reason—even if he couldn't make do of it just yet—so he let them in and went on his own journey. His disoriented head did not even stop to consider if those children were spies.
He hasten his footstep and soon enough, he arrived at his destination. He didn't take his time before his manly knuckles were banging hard on the door. It was a small hut with almost nothing around its surrounding making it stand a bit eerie all along in the middle of nothingness. Finally, a tall gentleman opened up and gestured for Clement to come in.
The room was small with only a tiny bed at the corner, a chair and table beside it with scattered papers and ink. "You said you would not come unless it was time." The tall man said.
With both men standing few inches apart and no affectionate greetings whatsoever, it dawned on Clement that his brother must had really disowned him as family. But it was not time for sentimental feelings. "Yes. I fear it is time." Replied Clement.
"It hasn't even been long. Are you really sure?"
Clement thought for a while before replying. "I am." Clement said, backing his reply with repeated gentle nodding. "It is what's best for her. I assure you of that."
"Very well then. We leave by sundown."
—AUTHOR'S NOTE—
Hello everyone, I don't think I've dropped a note before, so please, don't skip already and hear me out. I'm focusing on this work now and I can assure you all daily updates. Probably, with a lot of dedication I'll be putting on my writing, I hope to end this novel this month(or early next month). I'm aiming for about 80k word counts. So, I'll need your support because, you know, it's not easy writing.
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