For the next two days, Zenia spent time with her mother and father staying in their room. Although Ovid wanted to kick her out, he couldn't. He could bear it for a while until the boys' arrival in Tissuria.
Zenia sent a message to her Big Brother Vaughn that she would like to spend some time with her mother and father, and she did not wish to go somewhere with him. She also sent a message to the Crown Prince thanking him for the shadow guards he sent to protect her mother and father.
Vaughn received both messages and instructed the shadow guards to keep an eye on his wife and her parents. Although he wanted to meet his mother-in-law, he knew that his wife wouldn't allow it. He should just wait patiently.
"What do you think of Tissuria?" Renaria asked her daughter excitedly.
She knew how dangerous the situation might get when someone learned that Zenia already arrived in Tissuria. The safest place to meet was inside their room.
"This place is amazing, mother," Zenia told Renaria about her journey and how she met the boy that she had been searching for all her life.
"So, does this Big Brother Vaughn work for the Crown Prince?"
"I think he's one of his most trusted men. He took care of me, mother. He was always there when I need him the most." Zenia gave her mother a dazzling smile, and her eyes sparkled like diamonds.
Zenia narrated her adventures together with Vaughn as well as the things they uncovered. Renaria could see that Zenia was fond of Vaughn. She suddenly felt nervous as she looked at her daughter whose eyes seemed to shine each time she mentioned the name Big Brother Vaughn.
A certain kind of fear crept in Renaria's heart. What if her daughter fell in love with this Big Brother Vaughn? What would happen to her marriage with the Crown Prince? Her daughter may commit a grave mistake in the future, but she would remain as the precious daughter of the Anisens. The Crown Prince may cast her away, but the doors of the Anisen Manor would remain open, waiting for her return. They would always welcome her back with open arms and without prejudice.
* * * * *
Gustof and his family finally arrived at Ishelon. It did not take long before they reached the Anisen Manor. Gustof could not believe his eyes when he saw the manor. It was as grand as King Tarendino's Palace, although it was comparatively smaller in size.
Even though he already learned the truth about Zenia's identity, he did not expect that she was indeed a young miss of a very wealthy family. She did not act like she was one. Somita and Jena could only gasp at the sight of the manor.
"Good day, sir. I am Gustof Zorba and these are my wife and daughter. Ms. Zenia Anisen sent me here to speak with her brother." Gustof took out the dagger that Zenia handed to him.
The one guarding the manor's gate recognized it at once, but still did not let them in. They did not receive any message from Zenia or her brothers. Beads of sweat began to form on Gustof's forehead.
He remembered the necklace that Ovid gave to him and showed it to the guard. The face of the guard only turned more suspicious. The last thing that Gustof presented was Renaria's hairpin. If they failed to convince the guard, they had no choice but to camp out for the night. Gustof sighed and looked at his daughter.
When the guard saw Renaria's hairpin, his eyes widened and immediately ordered, "Open the gates, and send a message to Young Master Zekiah and Commander Zander that important guests are in the manor."
Gustof and Somita looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. They had a feeling that the wife of Ovid Anisen was the most powerful figure in the Anisen household.
A maidservant led them to the receiving area near the garden. Jena was amazed at the beautiful flowers in the garden. She wanted to run to the garden, but her mother stopped her. It did not take long for Zekiah and Zander to arrive at the receiving area.
Gustof and his wife immediately stood up when they saw the Anisen brothers.
"Big Brother, it's you!" Jena ran toward Zekiah and gave him a hug.
Zekiah gave a confused look at Zander.
"I know you're the most handsome man on the planet." Jena gave Zekiah a beaming smile.
The brothers were taken aback when they saw the smiling face of the little girl. She was so much like Zenia when she was young.
"What is your name?" Zander bent his body a little when he asked the young girl.
"Hello, another handsome brother. My name is Jena, and those people are my mom and dad." Jena pointed at Gustof and Somita who were dumbstruck at the moment due to their daughter's action.
Zander walked to where Gustof and Somita were standing, while Zekiah carried Jena. The little girl kept looking at Zekiah as she poked his face. Surprisingly, Zekiah did not find it annoying.
Zander looked dignified and imposing in his military uniform, while Zekiah looked like a respectable young master in his garb. Gustof wandered how Zenia looked like. Renaria can be considered an ethereal beauty, and Ovid still looked fine despite his age. The brothers before him looked like they were carved out of a fine piece of jade.
"S-sir Zander, my name is Gustof Zorba. I met your sister in Lunaria and she told me to find you and give you this."Gustof took out the dagger, and Zander knew what Zenia wanted him to do.
"You must have met her dressed as a man and looked so ordinary that neither of us brothers resembles her," Zander spoke with utmost calmness that it sent shivers down Gustof's spine.
He could not believe how easy it was to convince the Great Commander Zander that his sister sent him. If it was him, he would not believe a random guy claiming that he met his sister. He was ready to take out the necklace that Ovid had handed over.
"Yes, sir. She became one of the assassins."
"Assassin! My Zenzen worked as an assassin?!" Zander roared and raging anger could be seen in his eyes.
Gustof was scared silly even though he was a burly man.
"But she was not able to participate in the actual assassination. That's where I met the Great Ovid Anisen." He showed the necklace that Ovid gave him.
"Any message from my father?"
"H-he told me to tell you to arrange a post for me so I can provide for my family."
"Hmm." Zander nodded his head and did not say anything else.
"If I'm not mistaken, Zenia must've recruited you. She will not do that unless you did something great for her." It was Zekiah who spoke.
"On the contrary sir, she saved my family when someone attempted to kill them."
"I am guessing you're one of the assassins, and you betrayed your master. You must've been the one who helped our mother and father when they were in danger. Father would never give his necklace away for no reason."
Gustof was amazed at Zekiah's way of thinking. Everyone in the Anisen family was astonishing.
"That's right, sir."
"Zenzen knew that you will put your family in danger, and she could not let the little girl suffer." Zekiah looked at Jena who was in her mother's arms at the time.
Gustof did not think that Zenia was worried about his daughter's welfare. He thought that she was only paying a debt of gratitude, which was really not necessary since he had decided to betray and leave his master.
Zander just listened to the conversation as he tried to assess Gustof's conduct and ability. Zenia really had a talent at spotting a good subordinate.
"I never thought it that way…" Gustof looked at his daughter and somehow felt grateful.
"Is there nothing else?"
Somita looked at Gustof and remembered Renaria's hairpin. She walked toward Zekiah and handed him the hairpin.
"Madam told me to give her hairpin to her youngest child to arrange for our temporary accommodation."
Zekiah snatched the hairpin away and shouted, "Tidy up the cottage in the garden and prepare some meals for our guests."
"S-sir, a simple room will do. Welcoming us in your home is already too much." Somita was almost teary-eyed when she uttered those words.
"Madam, that is our mother we are talking about. If she learned that we did not treat you the way she expects us to treat you, we can only look forward to dark days ahead."
The brothers nodded their heads simultaneously and left the Zorba family dumbfounded.
* * * * *
The day that Ovid and Renaria had to meet the King and Queen of Tissuria had finally arrived. Even though he was having second thoughts, Vaughn personally fetched Renaria and Ovid from the Royale Palace Inn to escort them to the palace.
"Greetings Madam and Great Ovid Anisen, we are here to escort you to the palace."