*****CHAPTER 45

DRAVEN’S POV
 
All this realization was eating me up. I was thinking about everything that happened that night in the village, and I didn't know what to do or where to get the answers that my heart sought so desperately.
 
That night, I sat in the castle garden, wallowing in my head. The thought of it all made my head hurt, and I hated the fact that it was diverting me from the main goal that I came here to achieve.
 
The scars. Luna Genevieve's eyes resemble mine. The dream Alcot had that night in my presence and how he muttered the name Archie, even though the assumptions I had in my head didn't make any sense the more I thought about it, made me determined to find out everything and know the truth. Although deep down, I was a little afraid to face the truth, whatever it was.
 
Lost in my head, a familiar voice brought me back.
 
"What are you doing here, all isolated and alone by yourself?" Her tone sounded teasing as footsteps sounded from behind me.
 
Turning my head, I was met by the pretty face of Pearl. The sneer on her face and her pursed lips caused a small smile to break from my lips, and for that moment, I totally forgot all that was going on in my head.
 
"Laying low is better than mingling with folks," I replied, watching her advance closer. I wondered what she was doing in the garden at this odd time of night.
 
"No one even notices I am not in my chambers." "Trust me," I added.
 
"Yes, because you get on everyone's nerves," she said teasingly again, the sneer on her face still intact.
 
Getting on people's nerves is a hobby of mine, not because I like to see people get mad but because seeing them startle to speak makes me laugh.
 
"I don't get on anyone's nerves; I can't help that everyone is on edge, can I?" I replied with a teasing tone as well.
 
She smiled as she stood in front of me, arms crossed subtly over her small bossom, and I smiled correspondingly, trying my best to keep my eyes off her boobs lest she think I was a pervert.
 
"So what were you thinking of, mister?" "And don't tell me anything."
 
I smiled to myself to myself again. She sounded so much like Kendall right now, with that bossy, commanding attitude that always felt cute to me.
 
"Life is not what it seems," I replied, not taking my eyes off her for a moment. At the same time, I wasn't sure what I meant when I said those words. Her eyes locked on mine too, searching for more details about what I meant.
 
"I mean, life is complicated," I added, still not explaining further.
 
"Life has always been complicated, mister."
 
That’s not new, and I’m sure that’s not what got you by yourself in the garden deep in your thoughts, so if you may say more, it'll help. Just try to be straightforward with what you're talking about. Will you?" She sneered and answered, rather imperiously. But in a way, I could sense the care in her tone.
 
Pretentious liar.
 
Pearl was not going to dismiss my assumption, I was sure about that, but I didn't have enough to make sure I wasn't just making things up in my head. But sharing my thoughts would ease my mind a little. I suggested talking to Kendall earlier, but I knew that might spike up unnecessary alerts, so I wasn't going to tell her about it. Telling Pearl wouldn't call anything unnecessary, would it?
 
I could just share my assumption anonymously with her. I was about to indirectly mention what I thought of Pearl, but my mind went against it. Fighting the thought, I ended up talking about my life at the castle and the situation attached to it.
 
"Families are complicated, Pearl," I eventually said with a deep sigh.
 
"What made you say that everything was well?" She asked with a visible tone of concern this time.
 
"Oh yeah, everything is well and good." I answered back, trying to dissuade her from thinking I viewed my statement about family as directed at my family when, in fact, I did.
 
"When I visited the village, I heard about a person whose mother loathes him so much for no reason known to him. I shared stories with a villager who was welcoming and told me about the lad." I briefed her.
 
My story to Pearl was made up, as I was speaking of my trouble, but she wouldn't know.
 
"Well, not all parents show desirable affection toward their offspring." She chipped clunkily.
 
"Yes, but that doesn't make sense," I replied, not understanding why a parent would choose to be hateful towards their child.
 
"The villager described the circumstances of the lad, and it was so pitiful," I added.
 
It hurt me, as I remember all that my mother did to me. How she made me regard her as Luna and less as my mother. I got used to referring to her as Marilyn because the only time I had to address her as Mother was when she came up in my and Kendall's discussions or when Father was there.
 
I could never forget how she treated me so badly, like I wasn't her child.
 
"I understand the situation," Pearl said, cutting me off from my thoughts.
 
It felt as though she understood me as she said those words.
 
………
 
 
 
PEARL’S POV
 
Listening to Draven talk about the ill-treatment of some families only reminded me of my father. My drunken woman-beater father—I despised him so much because of his way of life and how he acted toward me. I hated what he did to Mother, and I hated what he did to Mae. I hated how he treated us. Snow was sort of on his good side, so she always left her out of the brutal ways he showed us.
 
I looked at Draven, who was lost in his thoughts again. I wished I could tear into his mind sometimes because, behind all the playfulness he showed, I could see the disturbed side he sometimes hides.
 
"I know of a father that lays his hands on both his wife and his children," I sighed deeply and said. "He is more useless than a market rat, as all he does is drink and gamble away the little penny he has. He doesn't even care to cater but expects that sustenance should be provided for his drunken ass." I said with a yearning that I hadn't spoken of much.
 
He just stared at me with his sterling gray eyes, looking lighter in the garden.
 
I wasn't sure he was going to reply, so I went further to spit out something about my family in an indirect way, hoping he wouldn't think I was referring to my family, which I am.
 
"It's so sad when a lad has to grow up in a not-so-favorable condition because of the poor choices the parents make. I don't understand why one despises a child you brought to the world".
 
As he looked at me in full agreement, I felt I was understood by Draven, and it made me feel better talking to someone about it all and not getting cut off. I loved it when a person listened more to me and did not make any comments.
 
A listening ear goes a long way over someone who cuts you off short. That's why I will always tell my thoughts to Mae, who neither judges nor questions me.
 
I was glad Draven was understanding as we just stared into space, both lost in our respective thoughts.
 
Deep inside, I felt he had lied about the boy in the village. He was the lad he spoke about.