บท 69: Ghosts of the Past

Eldric clenched and unclenched his fist as he huffed a breath, a burst of laughter bubbling out of him. He stopped himself and tried to focus on the people around him. Yet, despite the chatter, the clinking of the glasses, the music playing around them, he could not take his mind off what happened earlier in the day. Lia's words played over and over inside his head, overpowering the outside noise.

That one time he decided to be honest, to live as himself, he was told that even then it was a lie. He was a liar. His life was a big fat lie. And the worst part? It was true. Lies, deception, dishonesty — these were all part of his daily routine now.

Except when he was with Lia.

He laughed bitterly. Maybe that was what it was, what he had become, his life was a lie in itself, that no matter what he did, he would never be able to climb back out.

All of a sudden, he was tired. Bone-deep tired.

He stepped away from the people surrounding him and went straight to the garden outside where the cool air embraced him. Not too long after that, he felt a presence behind him. As he did not detect any malice from the other person, he just let them be.

"There's something on your mind."

"There's always something on my mind." Eldric quipped back, a smile forming on his lips when he heard Richard's chuckle.

"Aye, that's true. Either politics, business, or women. But I can assume that it's not the latter tonight, seeing as you have been rejecting the advances of the daughter of the Minister of Finance."

Eldric shook his head, and a moment of comfortable silence passed. Trivial topics would arise every now and then, and they would exchange their opinions before going back to silence.

After a while, Eldric could no longer contain what was on his mind these past few days. "What happened to the previous Queen?"

"Dear fellow, that's what was eating you the entire night? Good heavens." Richard huffed. Despite the lack of illumination in the gardens, Eldric could tell the discomfort in his companion's face.

He went for a laid-back attitude. "Come on, just humor me. You know that I wasn't at the palace yet before His Majesty's reign."

"Right. You were enjoying your family's farm back then." Richard raised his eyebrow as he tipped his head and stared in the dark. Then, he turned to Eldric, "I'm sorry for what happened to your family."

Eldric returned a wry smile. Richard believed, like everybody else, that that was what happened back then. He did not bother correcting it.

"It's been a long time already," Eldric said. It felt like a lifetime had passed. His younger self would not be able to recognize him now.

Richard walked and Eldric followed suit. They did not speak again until they reached the lagoon. It was far enough from the party and from any eavesdroppers.

"I don't even remember it. One day, the King was happily married and so the people were celebrating their union, and then the next moment everyone was spouting vicious things about the former Queen and how she almost ruined the kingdom with the witchcraft she brought from her country."

"What about the former family?" Eldric asked, his tone quiet.

His friend turned to him full-body. "Now, that is a topic you don't really discuss in the open. Why are you asking about them? Are they– is this still related to the," he moved his hands around, his voice dropping to a whisper, "to whatever is happening?"

Eldric shook his head. A quick movement in the dark flashed by the corner of his eye, and then, it was gone again. His companion did not seem to notice it, but it spoke volumes to him. "Forget I said anything." He massaged his forehead and winced for good measure. "Apparently, I had too much to drink for a night. I should go home."

Richard clapped him on the shoulder. "Do that, my friend. You seem to be overworked and distracted lately. No, don't bother going to the hall again and go straight home. I'll explain to the others."

Eldric waited until Richard's figure was long gone before he blended in with the shadows, his voice hard, "Have you found them?"

"Yes, but not the mother."

"What?!"

"There were no traces of her."

"Go find her again!"

When Joaquin left, Eldric did not waste any minute and went back to the mansion. He headed straight to the room he was directed by his men, the makeshift infirmary. More than ever, he was ticked off that Jeremiah was called back to the palace. It was for His Majesty, but what was the use of all of those royal physicians if they could not even do their job.

There were two patients inside the room. He recognized them as Lia's family friends. "How are they?"

Jeremiah's apprentice, Quigly, replied. "There are deep wounds, but fortunately, they are stable now. I've also managed to stop any further bleeding."

Eldric left and turned to Tim who was waiting outside the room, "Have you told her?"

Tim sighed, exasperation all over his face. "Not yet. The lady blocked her room, she locked herself out the entire day, she even refused her lunch."

Eldric did not wait for any more things and marched towards her room. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Lia? It's me. Please open the door." Probably, not reassuring seeing how their earlier encounter went down. He continued knocking.

There was no answer. Eldric pressed his ears at the door. It was too quiet. He felt a foreboding sense. A few more knocks and calls, but the room remained the same. He shouldered his way in and broke the door. The sound was loud compared to the silence of the empty room that greeted him.