Chapter 76

The first thing Matt did the next morning was to check on her. She was already up, and was making her hair in the best style she can.
Desse paused, looking at him as he stood by the door. 'Good morning, My Lord." She greeted with a smile.
' Good morning, My Lady." He replied. 'How was your night? 'He asked back.
' Great. What about yours? '
He shrugged. 'Great too."
'Are you sure? Or, you just wanna make me feel happy with that? '
He leans on the wall. 'First, I was bothered about you. I know what it feels to be threatened on your happiest day. Watching you off to bed without a smile, it really did hurt me. ' He shrugged again.
She let her hair fall back as she stood up, walking close to him. 'I'm sorry for causing you pains. I wanted the thoughts out of my head." She stopped before him, taking hold of his hands. 'I'm alright now, you don't have to worry about me." She gave him an assuring smile.
He looked away from her gaze.
She frown a bit. 'What's wrong?" She asked.
'Even if I can stop worrying, I can't stop regretting what I did to you. I feel guilty for hurting your family. I never knew a time like this would come when I will become an enemy to my wife. ' He said, regretfully.
' Hey, look at me." He hesitated. But she held his chin, turning his face to her side, ' What happened then is the past and right now, we are in the present. I know I did hated you but, I think it's time we left things slide away and focus on what's ahead of us.
They are all dead and there's nothing we can do to bring them back." A tear dropped out of her eye. ' Sometimes, things happens for a reason. I believe what happened has a reason for happening. '
He dried out the tear, pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight to himself. 'For so many reasons you keep proving to me why I shouldn't regret ever meeting you. I will give you a half of my kingdom as promised, you deserve it. '
'I do not want a half of His Majesty's kingdom, all I want is his love and trust. For I have vowed to stand by your side, wherever you go, I will go. What ever you say, I will stand by your words. And where you rule, there I shall rule with you till my last breath. '
***********
He dwelt in a small house beside a lake not quite far away from home.
It was his favourite place since he was little. His father made the home for him, and they'd go there sometimes to spend time together.
No one except them knew about this place. So, Riel kept it a secret from his mother and elder brother.
As he laid on his bed, one hand rested under his head and the other across his belly.
'I鈥� I'm sorry I鈥� I doubted you. I never wanted such fate but鈥� you made me chose the wrong choice. I trusted you, I hoped for you more than anyone but, you turned my trust!!
I thought you were what history said of, maybe I was wrong. Even though I had chosen the wrong choice, I still believed in you. I always have you in my dreams, watching as you take the throne all to yourself.
I don't care if you walk out from nowhere to have me dead or whatever, and I ain't telling you this to spare my life, I'm not scared of dying anymore. Thanks for coming for us. Good night."
Those were the words of Desse that kept ringing in his mind over and over again. Then, those of the Moon Goddess reflected too.
'Do not let your anger on the innocent ones."
But Desse wasn't his problem at the moment, Matt was. Even if he was to have a second thought on his revenge, he wouldn't let his heart change towards him.
Then he remembered the lady who was standing beside Matt. That face, it looked familiar but where did he see the face?
And the way she was staring at him did mean they must have met somewhere鈥� sometime.
But when?
But why did she look so scared of him? It was obviously written on her face that she was indeed afraid of him.
Not as if they had officially met before, but that was really weird to him.
Or is it because of what history had told everyone about him?
No. Her fears were totally different from that. She did look more scared than the rest of the congregations in the hall.
He stepped out of the bed, heading to his drawing room. He took a canvas and a plain white paper. Then a pencil with different colours beside him.
He took a deep sigh, placing the tip of the pencil on the canvas. He took another deep breath.
He made the first sketch, then continued with her image in his head, attaching a dark dot between her eyebrows like that of an Indian lady.
He kept staring at the picture like he was staring at the real her. Now he remembers her. The girl鈥� Yes, the very girl in the cave.
'Theo鈥� Jane." He called.
***********
She was discussing with Matt when the voice echoed in her ear. 'Theo鈥� Jane."
She looked around, it sounded much like the voice was just beside her.
Matt noticed it. ' What is it?" He asked.
'Nothing. I mean, I thought I heard someone call me." She said, her eyes still looking for the direction the voice had called.
'I didn't hear anyone call your name."
'I did hear my name. There's someone in here with us."
' I don't think so." He looked around. 'You don't have to worry, it's just the two of us."
'Nevermind, we should continue our discussion." But that didn't stop troubling her. She had thought the voice was completely off her mind.
How possible was it for him to invade again?
'So have you made up your mind on the tax payment? Will the poor also have to pay the same amount?" She asked.
'No. I have decided to reduce theirs by five percent, what do you think?"he asked for her opinion.
' It's okay. I'm pretty sure they will be happy to hear this great news."
He smiled. He flipped through the next page, staring lost at the writings.
'What is that?" She asked.
'Uhm鈥� I'm just checking on the resources left."
' So?"
'We don't have much left. The remainings will only last for a month or two. And we are lacking enough income due to the low tax payment." He sighed. ' We might die starving if we don't do something about this."
' You have to exercise a little patient with them, I believe they will all pay it before the month runs out."
He nods in agreement. ' Yeah."
*
While they returned to their room, Matt was distracted by his royal guard who came to inform him about his visitor.
Seeing he was gone, she changed her direction, heading to Riel's chamber.
Just as usual, she touched the door with her eyes shut close. The room still looked the same, no change. Nothing.
'Why did you call me?" She questioned. 'Why did you call my name?" Waiting for a response.
And when she didn't get a reply, she rubbed her forehead, shoving her hair to the back frustratedly.
'Am I going insane?" She asked herself. 'What's wrong with me? How is it possible that I can hear your voice? Why are you in my head?" There came no reply. 'Fu*king answer me! Why are you in my head?!" She shivered tearfully. 'Why?" She said, sounding calmed.
She returned back to her room.
Riel could hear her voice, but he decided not to say a word to her questions.
He kept watching the sketched image as if he'd forget what she looked like if he has to take his eyes off it.
A soft smirk played on his lips, then a chuckle which actually turned to laughter.
'I can't believe I had used you all those while." He scoffs, chuckling. He moves his head at both sides, 'Humans are always pathetic." He scoffs again.
*
BACK IN THE FORTRESS***
( That Night鈥�)
*
' My Lady, it's time for dinner." Holland informed.
'I'm coming. Give me a second." She yelled from the inside.
'I'll just wait out here until you're done. '
Not quite long, she walked out. 'Lead the way. '
Holland walked ahead while she followed behind, holding the sides of her gown a bit high.
'My Lady." He called, as soon as he sighted her. 'Please, come have a sit with me."
She headed towards the chair beside his. 'Thank you." She said as she sat on it.
'I ordered the cook to prepare your favourite dish. Have a taste of it. 'He urged her to eat.
Desse took a spoon of the French fries, dropping it into her mouth. She chewed it slowly, humming. 'Mmmm."
'You like it?" He asked, staring at her.
She moved her first finger at both sides, 'I love it."
He was happy at her response. 'I'm happy you love it. '
'Thank you so much for ordering my favourite meal. You just made my night with this. 'She took another full spoon of the french fries into her mouth, humming again.
They continued eating. Desse went ahead ordering for another plate which was brought in no time.
Matt also poured her his own share, she ate them all not leaving any behind.
'Wow, I can't believe I ate more than I can handle. But well, I don't regret it. ' She took a glass of her wine, raising it up. 'To us." She cheered.
He rose his glass up too. 'To us." He repeated.
After the dinner, they walked slowly back to their room. They reached a staircase, after they had made it to the fifth step, Desse groaned, her hand on her stomach.
Matt held her from falling. 'What's wrong?" He asked, worried.
'I鈥� I think I'm having running stomach. But don't worry, I guess it's because I ate too much. 'She forced herself to stand properly.
She walked two more steps ahead, holding her stomach again. 'Aahh!" She moaned, painfully.
'My Lady, talk to me, what's going on with you? 'He asked, sounding much worried.
'I don't think I can continue anymore. It's really hurting me. 'She swallowed hard. She held his right hand tight. 'Do something, I'm gonna pass out now." She said, almost like a whisper.
'What?" He shouted. 'No. No. No. Hold o鈥�" Before he could complete his statement, she fell in his arms. ' Guards!! ' He cried. 'Guards!!!"
Immediately, two guards appeared. 'Your Majesty."
'Take her to the doctor." He commanded.
Filled with burning anger, he headed to the kitchen. All the cooks were surprised to see him. He has never visited the kitchen since his rise, so him showing up means only one thing鈥�
Trouble.
'Who the fu*k served dinner tonight?" He asked, hints of anger in his voice.
The room was quiet. ' Am I talking to some dead bodies? I asked a goddamn question and I need a fu*king goddamn answer!!!" He stormed.
They shivered, staring at each other.
' Don't worry about the reply, I guess you all will say it in hell." He turns to leave when the chief cook spoke.
' Sire, it was I who cooked the meals."
'So, who dished it out?" He turns to her.
'We did." Five maids answered.
'So, who among the five of you poisoned my wife's meal? 'They eyes flew open in terror and fear.
' Sire, we did not tampered with Her majesty's meal." They confessed.
' Oh, so who did? '
They were silent.
' Answer the goddamn question, who did?!!" He yanked.
' We don't know, sire. '
' Okay. I think it's time I stop playing the good guy here since it's all giving some people or, most people the opportunity to do whatever they want!! So, I'll start from the five of you. See you in hell. '
He left.
'Who plotted against Her majesty? 'Asked the chief cook.
' We swear ma'am, we didn't do that. We would never dare to do that. Even if we did desperately wanted Her majesty dead, we could have done that even before the coronation. Someone else must have done this to implicate us. Some one who hates Her majesty so much. ' One of them said.
But the question is鈥� Who???