ALORA EMBRY
"Alora we will take our leave now, get ready."
"Yes, Brother." I look at the lady he assists and even though he was not showing any reaction his eyes were shining. He still hasn't introduced her to me.
"I will now start to teleport everyone."
"Woah!"
The greet of people to us was left and right the moment we step into Dormer.
"Long live, Dormer!"
"Long live, Brave knights!"
Rose Petals that keep on showering on our heads, kids that were giving flowers to the knights.
"Thank you for bringing Victory to our Empire!"
The lively capital was now back as we marched towards the palace.
"Pretty lady a flower for you." I look at the kid that was being held by her mother, he was holding a red rose and was trying to give it to me. I smile at him and take it.
"Thank you."
"Thank you for protecting us."
"Yeah."
"My Lady take this flower!"
"Your so brave, My Lady." I take the flowers that they keep on giving to me that I can't stop myself from smiling.
"Thank you!"
"You sure have many flowers, My Lady." Hayes suddenly appeared beside me and was smiling as he stare at the flowers in my hand.
"You want some?"
"No, I'm fine. How are you feeling?" He asked.
"I'm good, there is nothing wrong."
"That's great." When we arrive at the palace we are welcomed by the Imperial Family. The Emperor and the Empress were smiling at us and the Crown Prince was also there and behind them were the Knights of the Crown Prince and the head of the three Duchy.
"We greet the Imperial Family and mostly the sun of Dormer Empire Your Majesty, we also greet the great Dukes of Dormer. May God bless you all."
"We are here in front of you to announce our Victory." It was my brother and followed by Leo.
"It was a great pleasure to fulfill our duty. I hope you are pleased, Your Majesty."
"Please rise, My dear brave knights. I can't properly express my happiness when I heard that you bring victory to our motherland and overall, a great honor to the throne. You all deserve an award for the braveness you showed."
"We are grateful, Thank You, Your Majesty."
"Our Empress was preparing for a banquet and it will be held for a week, I would like to invite the young Lords that led us to victory, and the rest you may rest. Prepare for the ceremony tomorrow."
"Yes, Your Majesty." We bowed our heads once again and when they left, my brother approach me.
"Alora you go to Father."
"I won't be attending the meeting?"
"No, you should follow father you still need to get checked."
"But, I'm already fine."
"Go to father, right now." His voice was cold that I nod immediately. He followed others while I watch the knights that were being assisted by the maids to go back to their quarters. I touch my chest when it suddenly throbs, I held my breath for one minute and take a deep breath.
This is different from a while ago, is it because I'm exhausted? Maybe, it was tiring to be on our horses on our way to the palace.
"Lady Alora..."
"I greet His Highness, I'm glad to see that you are fine now." I bow my head at him and held his sword.
"Thank you."
"I would like to give it back to you." He stared at the sword In my hand for a minute and get it.
"Haa, it's been a while. Thank you for taking care of my sword, I failed to deliver a message to Leticia but I was glad that she was able to understand what I mean to say."
"It was a great help, so thank you."
"If you permit, I would like to escort you to Duke Astley." I look straight into his eyes and nod. There is something in his eyes, it was like sadness. But why?
"That would be a great pleasure."
"Then please follow me." His personal knights were ten steps behind us and as we headed inside the palace I can see that they were all busy.
"Your Highness, I was just wondering why you want to escort me. Are you not going to listen at the meeting?"
"I would like to join them but I feel ashamed that I was caught by that mage and fell ill. It was my duty as a prince to protect the empire but I failed."
"You don't run away though why are you ashamed."
"Right, but I just feel it. That mage left a huge scar on us right?"
"Yes, he does not deserve to die in a peaceful way."
"Even though I'm already fine the pain is still here, I can't fall asleep sometimes because my body is aching and I knew you feel the same." I stop walking and look at him, he was now serious this time. "You are good at hiding your pain, My Lady so stop acting like it was nothing. I do find it annoying actually."
"This is my body Your Highness so I know it well the pain that you were talking about was already gone when my wound was healed."
"Your such a liar, Lady Alora." I frown when he said that and started to walk again. I sighed before following him, when we arrive at the sorcerer's room I saw my father there.
"Father, it was nice to see you again."
"Come here." I hesitate if I should go near him but when I saw the Crown Prince sit on a chair beside my father I also started to walk.
"Don't lie to me and tell me, how do you feel?" I opened my mouth and shake my head in the end. When we are still kids fathers always remind us of this.
'Do not let others know when you are weak. Put a strong façade so they won't look down on you.'
There are many things that we are not allowed to do.
My father was strict he rarely show his emotions to us so I can't help to ask this...
"Who are you?" Why did you change? You are not my father that I knew.
I want to ask that...
"Just tell me how you feel Alora."
Why did you hide the fact that Wren was ready to go to war with us?
"I don't know."
Why now?
"Does your chest hurt?" he asked that in a soft voice, it was calming that I can't control my emotions. Tears started to form in my eyes and I clutch my chest and in the end, I nod my head. I don't want them to show my crying face to them so I cover my face with my hands and started to sob.
"Stop crying now, we'll find a way to remove that."
"It's your fault you made me cry."
"I'm sorry." I gulp and my tears won't stop coming when my father hugged me.
"It was really painful." My voice trembled and I slightly calmed down when he gently pat my back.
"Mm, the Imperial sorcerer was already finding a way to cure this. And in no time you and His Highness will be fine again."
"Okay..." as he continues to pat me I suddenly feel drowsy. I don't know how long I was asleep but when I opened my eyes father was still there.
"Are you okay now?"
"A bit..."
"Hmm, let's go now."
"Okay."
This is the first time my Father act like this so I can't help but to be emotional. Maybe the reason why I like Damien was because he cared for me. And I am now being greedy... I wish for him to be like this forever.
I hope this continued.
-IAmRoseee