Guard: Prince?
Aeras still faintly smiling, snapped back into reality. He suddenly remembered what his father did, and his once smiling face now had murderous expressions. He turned around looking down, unable to control his anger. He tried to control his anger by clenching his fists. Guards were both concerned and scared of the prince and as they could clearly see his anger, they also backed up a bit as They had never seen Aeras this angry before. Suddenly, they all could hear a horse running towards them. Concerned, all the guards stood in an attacking stance with spears in their hands ready to attack, if needed. Soon the horse came out of the bushes and stood in front of them, but the guards didn't attack as they realized that the rider was none other than General Hue.
General: Aeras! Oh, thank goodness you are fine!
Aeras: Uncle? What are you doing here?
General: I know what and how you feel right now...but please come back and listen to what your father has to say...
Aeras: There's nothing he could say to me that will calm me.
General: Your father owes you an explanation, don't you want to listen to it? and also he's worried sick about you Aeras.
Aeras: Hah, father? If he worried so much he would be here and wouldn't have done what he did in the first place, lying to me about my mother? What does he think I am? Does he really believe that I would forgive him?
General: Aeras, everyone has their own reasons to do what they do, your father had his own.
Aeras: Yeah but-.....wait a minute, Oh my god, uncle don't tell me you knew the truth all this time too!!
General: Well I-
Aeras: Of course you knew, Hah, how foolish of me. You are father's best friend, why wouldn't you know all this. You know uncle, out of all the people I didn't expect YOU to betray my trust.
General: Yes...yes I knew but you need to-
Aeras: Must have been fun, watching me get all happy over a few pieces of paper each year, pieces that meant nothing.
General got off his horse and walked towards Aeras. He kneeled to look at him, as Aeras was still looking down.
General: Aeras, please, stop it. Give your father a chance. Let him explain.
Aeras: What? Uncle, you expect me to believe him or even you, after all this? Give me one good reason why I should give him a chance and listen to him.
General: Because.....
Aeras: Yeah? I'm listening.
General: Because your father did all of this for you and your mother because he loves you and loved her too.
Aeras: What? No, he doesn't. If it were me I wouldn't do this to someone I loved.
General: He never intended to hurt you Aeras, he did it because he had to, it's not my place to tell you the reason, come with me, your father will tell you everything.
Aeras couldn't help but cry. He tried his best. To suppress his tears and hold them back but couldn't. General stood up and hugged him and patted his back, reassuring him that everything will be fine.
General: Just let him explain himself, ok? Just listen to him first, then decide whether or not you wanna believe him. If after listening to him, you still decide to stay angry, I won't try to persuade you otherwise.
Aeras: I'm sure I cannot forgive him, but he does owe me an explanation.....
General: And I'm sorry to kiddo, and no, it wasn't fun watching you get happy over those letters. Both your father and I felt guilty if nothing, but it did more good than harm so he kept it up, after all, we both love you Aeras. I'm sorry, nephew, I'm sorry.
Aeras: Let's go uncle, I guess I should listen to what he has to say too, let's go back.
General: Yes, let's get going.
General, Aeras and all the guards got on their horses and started making their way out of the forest. Someone came out from behind the bush as soon as they all left. That, someone, was none other than Athoos, who stood there this whole time listening to it all.
Athoos: Hmmm, why do I feel like I heard something I shouldn't have.....
Athoos thought that if she didn't hear it all then she wouldn't feel this guilty. She felt guilty because she shouldn't have talked to an already hurt Aeras the way she did. She couldn't help but replay how Aeras was nice to her and treated her better than she treated him, even though inside, he was hurting. While thinking about this quality of Aeras, she thought maybe she was wrong about Aeras. This thought surprised Athoos, as this had never happened before, she was never really wrong about anyone. She couldn't help but blush a bit, because she made a mistake. She too just stood there and smiled faintly.
Athoos: You are.....interesting .....Aeras.
Athos's smiled as she said that. She covered her face with her hands as she couldn't believe she actually called someone interesting. She suddenly remembered how late she was and started making her way back. She kept walking and walking and walking deeper into the forest until land full of dried trees came. Those trees covered a large patch of land, it was like entering the land of the dead. After walking a bit she stopped at a spot and spoke a spell.
Athoos : Πολλή αγάπη και ανιδιοτέλεια σου, τον έφερε στη ζωή σε ένα, δύο, τρία. (This line is in greek for anyone who would like to translate the text )
As soon as she said the spell, a doorway appeared out of thin air, right where she was standing. It was more like a crack than a doorway. Athoos passed through it and the crack-like doorway sealed behind her. On the inside was a whole city, it didn't have a moon or beautiful sceneries, just a black and grim sky, but as one looks down towards the land, they can see brightly lit streets with several shops and houses. People living there were happy and jolly, they were celebrating, eating, and having fun with each other. Athoos was greeted and welcomed back almost by everyone since everyone knew her. At the end of the city, stood a magnificent castle, which was all black, but still beautiful as there were star-like lights all around it, which were made of actual magic. That was where Athoos was going. She came to the stairs of the castle and started ascending. She could see the magical star-like lights around the castle, which illuminated the whole castle, and smiled looking at them, those lights never failed to amaze her and make her smile. She reached the top and opened the door that leads inside the castle. She Entered the castle and started making her way towards the kitchen. She kept smiling remembering everything that happened. Suddenly a deep feminine but monotonous and cold voice came from one of the steps that lead upstairs within the castle.
????: Athoos, what took you so long?
Athoos's smile fades away, she turned around and answered.
Athoos: Oh, good evening, My Queen, I just wasn't able to find fresh tomatoes so...I got a bit late.
????: Oh, Is that really all? Are you sure you are not doing something dirty while outside? Well given it is you, I won't be surprised. Know your place, be on time next time and don't give me excuses, you know what I do to people who give me excuses, don't you?
Athoos: Y-yes My Queen, I know.
????: Be quick next time, you know we have to be careful not to reveal who we are to the outside world, by how careless you are, I'm sure you'll bring doom to us all.
Athoos: Yes, My Queen. I'll be quicker next time.
????: Now go and make something to eat now? Go on, don't just stare at me. And get the food to my resting chamber when you're done and be quick.
Athoos: Yes, My Queen.
The queen left for her resting chambers upstairs and Athoos made her way towards the kitchen. She started making her specialty, Tomato soup and noodles to go along with it, she knew it was what Queen liked the most. Even though every day in Athoos's life was almost the same, she was happy to serve her Queen with all her heart. While the soup and warm water with noodles were boiling, she couldn't help but think of Aeras. She remembered the warmth and kindness with which Aeras treated her out of nowhere. This was the first time she felt someone's kindness.
Athoos: I'm glad, you happened to me too.....Aeras.
****At the castle, Erlia****
Everyone returned to the castle safe and sound. As soon as they arrived, General and Aeras made their way to where Aileen was. Aeras reached to open the door but paused.
General: Everything will be alright kiddo, just talk to him.
Aeras opened the door and inside was Aileen, in tears. Aeras, understandably so, was horrified and what he was seeing, his father was on his knees, bent down, and crying. As soon as Aileen noticed Aeras, he crawled on his knees towards Aeras and looked towards him while holding his thighs, begging for forgiveness.
Aileen: Forgive me, son, forgive me. I did not intend to hurt you or harm your feeling in any way, I just...I had to do it. I've lost your mother, I cannot lose you too.
Aeras didn't know what to do and how to respond, he had never seen his father cry. The father he knew was brave, chivalrous, strong, stood up higher than the sky never bending in front of others and his pride makes him seem taller than he was. To see such a man in such a state, he was dumbfounded.
Aeras: Father, I'm not going anywhere, but I need to listen to your explanation to decide for myself. I....cannot guarantee I'll forgive you, but I need to know your side of the story too, to be sure of my judgment. Father, please.
Aileen cried for a while but somehow managed to control his emotions and gain back his composure. He tidied himself up a bit, fixed his robe, hair and wiped the tears off of his face. He finally sat down to have a serious conversation.
Aeras: Are you ready to answer my questions now father? So were those letters really not from my mother or am I misunderstanding the whole thing?
Aileen: Yes son, it is true that your mother didn't write those letters.....
Aeras was visibly disappointed
Aileen: .....But, she wanted to leave you letters. She knew she was dying, but all she could think of was you, even at that moment. She told me how she wanted to write those letters and leave them for you so that even after she's gone, you can remember her. Unfortunately, her physical health wasn't good enough that she could even sit up, she was so weak that she could barely sit up on her own, let alone write even a single letter. That same night she asked me for a favor, the last wish, that if something were to happen to her, I write the letters in her stead for you, each year.
Aeras: Then, why didn't you write all the letters in advance? How come you got caught?
Aileen: It was my own carelessness, I had written all the previous 19 letters to you in advance, long before I gave them to you. I thought I told you that your mother left you 19 letters, but then when you asked me for the 20th and last one, I panicked as I remembered I promised you 20 letters but had not written the 20th one. I'm an old man now, I forget things and make mistakes
Aeras: Well.....I have decided...
Both Aileen and Hue looked at Aeras with eager expressions. They both waited patiently for Aeras to say something.
Aeras: Decided to...forgive you both. I'm still hurt...but I can see where you are coming from, you did all this for not only me.....but my mother as well. Sorry, I put you in such a tough spot, without listening to your side and explanation. I still need some time to fully forgive you, but I have decided to forgive you, so the process of me fully forgiving you shouldn't take that long.
Aeras took the initiative of hugging Aileen and both looked content. Just then Hue pounced and hugged them both
General: Oh how I like group hugs.
Both Aeras and Aileen looked at Hue with weird expressions.
General: What?
Aeras: Way to ruin a moment uncle.
Aileen: Yeah truly, did you know that when he was still a general candidate he used to be the same.
Aeras: Really? Must have been hard haha.
Aileen: Yeah, very.
General: I'm still here you know, and I can hear you.
Both Aeras and Aileen burst into laughter. Hue started laughing too. Three of them had a long group hug. With everything solved, a new chapter was going to unfold in their lives.
****End Chapter 3****