"Back to Esteria?"
Talia snorted with a smirk and her eyes were filled with anger. She poured herself a glass of water and drank slowly to calm herself.
Why would I return there? What do I have left for me there?
Arthur leaned back on the couch, crossing his legs and looked at her. He needs to tell her.
"Your grandfather..."
"My grandfather?"
She placed the glass on the counter top forcefully and it cracked.
"When I was six, my grandfather wanted to send me to S-country and I refused. I had just lost my mother and my father was so depressed he became an alcoholic and I wanted to stay with my father. But there was an attack on my life almost killing Cyrus and gave me trypanophobia. Using that as an excuse, I was shipped to where my grandfather wanted me to be. I kind of got used to that place and when I was thirteen, my grandfather wanted me back. I refused and do you know what happened? Another attack on my life and I was dragged back to Esteria. And then after three years there, " Talia paused.
Cyrus actually died!
" I have nothing left for me there, Arthur and I'm not returning there. Go tell him. Even if there are death threats only your security know of or those "attacks" that always happen when I don't answer his summons, I'm not returning. I'd rather die than... "
" Your grandfather's the one dying this time, " Arthur interjected her. He hated how easily she could dismiss her own life. She seems to be speaking from her heart. She really didn't want to return.
And he remembered that first attack she mentioned that almost took Cyrus' life. It was the national news for sometime. He remembered that gory pictures taken outside a warehouse where she was kidnapped to. But Cyrus followed the kidnappers and got her out safe.
She mentioned that incident to him before. Apparently, Cyrus hugged her placing a thick metal sheet between her and him as he got her out and there were sounds of gunshots behind them. She said she didn't understand why he was carrying that heavy metal, but later she had realised it was to shield her from bullets that might pass through his body and could hurt her and that metal could stop the bullets that pass through his body.
That Cyrus! He was meticulous in protecting her.
The moment they got out, her grandfather had arrived with the cops and Cyrus fell on the floor with loss of blood. She didn't say much but said there was three bullets lodged in him and it was a miracle he didn't get hit in his vital organs and survived.
But Arthur was old enough to remember what the news said. He remembered because he listened to that news since it involved his 'blue'.
Apparently, once out of the warehouse, the girl was covered in blood but not a single drop was hers and it was all Cyrus'. She refused to let go of Cyrus' hand and was weeping pitifully and so her grandfather, not wanting to wait for the ambulance, got Cyrus in his new Rolls-Royce car with white leather interior, not worrying about anything else and even in the hospital, the little girl refused to let go of Cyrus' hand and in the end the doctors had no other way but to let her inside the OR.
The rumours circulating around that Cyrus and Talia were in love weren't spun out of nothing. They never refused the allegations and those two had a weirdly close relationship. But Arthur knew the truth.
Later her grandfather spoke to Arthur about that incident. Those thugs who kidnapped her for ransom, tried to drug her and poked her with needles to keep her unconscious since she was shouting and that's how she developed the fear of needles. But in the ER, she refused to let go of Cyrus and tired to stop the doctors from poking him but as they explained it is necessary to keep him alive, she allowed them. She just stood by the side quietly, refusing to let go of Cyrus' hands and when they prepped him for surgery, she cried and threw all kinds of tantrums and refused to let go of his hands. She had to be sedated using anaesthesia to pull her away from Cyrus when he was in surgery. Cyrus whose heart stopped in the OR twice, survived thankfully.
Arthur still remembered what her grandfather said eight years back. "That child would have died that day if Cyrus didn't survive. After her mother's wake, she never stayed alone with me and her father was so depressed, he forgot he had a daughter and it was Cyrus who took care of her and he was her everything and she followed him around like a duckling would follow its mother duck. But in the end, his heart stopped in her hands... "
That's all Arthur knew about the first incident and the second incident she mentioned, it happened in another country and she refused to tell him about it but he heard that a close friend and her family betrayed her and tried to sell her to some smugglers and Arthur only then could understand why she didn't have any friends in high school.
And both incidents were results of greed of other people and it weren't manipulation on her grandfather's behalf. Arthur couldn't understand if she actually believed it or she is just saying that to not return back, but he needed to convince her this time.
If she doesn't return now and God forbid something happens to her grandfather, she definitely will feel guilty and blame herself. He didn't want that.
Talia heard what Arthur said and her heart skipped a beat. Although she would say she hated her grandfather, he is the only relative left on her mother's side and her only close relative. She wouldn't wish anything bad on him.
'Grandpa is dying? But he is in his early seventies... How can he die? This should be a manipulating technique! But is it grandfather's plan or is it his?'
"Arthur, is this another one of his plans? You are saying this to bring me back, aren't you?" her ghastly expression turned menacing.
"Now what does grandpa want? A great-grandchild to hold before he closes his eyes? Why don't you give him one? Aren't there women out there standing in line for you?" her voice was uncaring and she walked to the swivel chair and turned on her laptop.
Arthur didn't answer even though he was angry. He will not fall for her provocation. He knew what she is going to do. She is going to check whether he spoke the truth or not. She won't believe him and would only believe seeing the hospital records. Let her see and believe.
There are women who'd climb his bed even if he waves his finger. But none of them are her.
But Arthur not answering only provoked Talia more and she turned to him,
" Ah, right! My grandfather might need his own blood to inherit his throne! He is a bit conservative. No wonder you are here, Arthur. Is that your mission? Making a baby? How does that feel, Arthur? You thought you had it all being the Victor of the war enjoying the spoils but now you are being forced to sell yourself out for the throne. You need a child to secure your position. Ha! Aren't you sitting under "The Sword of Damocles"? Poor baby... "
Talia shook her head pursing her lips and her eyes had a layer of mist in it as if she was hurt but she didn't see the man in front of her fisting his hands hard. He was so angry that she blamed him time and time again for trying to win against her family.
Yes, he is having a knife hanging above him like the Sword of Damocles. But in the table in front of him, there is only her. He didn't care for anything else and only wanted her. If he didn't want her, why would he be willingly sitting under the knife?
"Let me give you a deal, Arthur," she crossed her legs and supported her chin on her elbow as she looked at him she looked like nothing he had known her before. She looked ruthless.