***
"Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it," said Rion to all the villagers who went with Trish to look for him.
Since the news circulated that His Majesty the King Arion D-Panther was in Verde Village, other villagers gradually came to see the king in person.
The girls looked fascinated and greatly admired the king's handsome face.
"Your Majesty, please stay for a night here. We would be very happy if we could entertain Your Majesty for a moment longer," said an old man, who was the head of Verde Village.
Rion was grateful and appreciated the head of the village's offer but he had to leave because a lot of work was waiting for him, and again … he was worried that if his illness recurred, then he would do something embarrassing or hurt the villagers without him knowing.
The villagers could not help but finally, let go of the king's departure.
"Come on," Rion held out his hand to Odette, but she instead walked towards Trish, who had just got on Dan.
"Can I come with you?" asked Odette, which surprised Trish, Anwen, and Rion. Odette glanced at Anwen for a moment then back at Trish.
"Can't I?" Odette asked again when Trish didn't answer.
"N-not like that." Trish looked at Rion, who was expressionless. He was confused whether to refuse or not. Feeling bad, he nodded in agreement. He said, "Come on up."
Then he held out his hand out for Odette. After Odette managed to get on the horse, she looked at Anwen, who seemed to be standing still looking at her, then glanced at Rion as if telling Anwen to ride on Rion's horse.
Odette was trying to make the siblings reconcile. And what Odette had done did not go unnoticed by Trish.
"Miss Ody ..." Anwen was silent for a long time while looking at Odette then turned to look at Rion, she wanted to walk over to Rion but was hesitant, while Rion, he actually wanted to invite Anwen to get on his horse but he felt awkward.
'Anwen misses you so much.' Odette's words echoed in Rion's head. He turned to look at his sister.
"Don't you want to go home?" he asked after making up his mind. It immediately took Anwen by surprise.
Anwen looked at Rion with teary eyes. For the first time in six years, Rion spoke to her. All this time she had always done a lot of mischiefs so that Rion would talk to her, even if it was in the form of a scolding or expressing his anger, she really wanted to hear Rion speak to her, but he never did. Not once did he talk to her. Until today.
Anwen tried hard not to cry and started walking towards Rion. She had hesitated to take Rion's outstretched hand, but in the end, she plucked up the courage and grabbed his hand.
The situation between them was really awkward. Even though both of them were happy, but they didn't express it. Seeing this, Odette smiled. She hoped that after this trip, the relationship between the siblings would improve.
"Thank you," Trish said, which surprised Odette, and she looked at him.
"What for?" she asked Trish.
"For bringing His Majesty the King and the Princess together. They haven't spoken to each other in a long time," Trish said and Dan started to follow the dark horse in front of them.
"Now they have to talk to make their relationship better," said Odette and she smiled. Seeing the woman smile, Trish smiled too.
The waving of the villagers' hands accompanied them as the horses began to gallop quickly.
"May our king live long," said one of the residents who had joined in the search. "Wow, this horse is very strong."
His attention was turned to his comrades, who were stroking the brown horses that Knight Trish had given them as a thank you. Meanwhile, the healer looked at the beautiful gold and purple brooch that King Rion had given her as a thank you for saving Anwen.
If the brooch was sold, it would earn some gold coins.
***
Along the way, Trish and Odette exchanged stories a lot. Trish was quite surprised to learn that Odette was from the future and she went to Randle Forest to meet the grand wizard Aathreya so she could go home.
Odette looked closely at Rion's back, then remembered the conditions given by Aathreya.
"Trish, what… did you know that Rion has DID?" she asked, feeling Trish was trustworthy.
"What is DID?" Trish didn't understand.
"It's a mental disorder. It's like your body is taken over by someone else," Odette explained. She worded it as simply as possible for Trish to understand.
A slight surprise appeared on Trish's face when he heard that.
"Why do you ask that?" he asked, not answering Odette's previous question.
Odette told him the truth. She told Trish about the conditions that Aathreya gave her if she wants to return to the future.
Trish was again taken aback. He looked sadly at Rion.
"I… don't know," he lied, but Odette knew it.
Odette really didn't know what to do. In this world, she had no one. In her previous world, she also had no family, but she had her co-workers and her patients.
Besides, the thing that made it difficult for Odette to accept this place was that it was where she couldn't visit her mother's grave.
***
Meanwhile, in Archadia royal palace.
A sprinkling of stars decorated the night sky. The palace of the Archaean Empire looked extremely radiant as it bathed in shimmering golden light. People gathered in the palace courtyard holding a lantern that had been lit and ready to be flown.
These were lanterns of the festival held by Emperor Dario Archadale to commemorate the death of his beloved daughter, Rose Archadale, who died of being beheaded by her own husband.
At this moment, the emperor's anger towards Rion had not been extinguished. He swore that he would not let the younger king live in peace.
The door of the majestic room opened. A beautiful black-haired woman was seen lying weakly on a bed.
"Your Majesty." She turned her head and looked at a handsome man with brownish-black hair and amber eyes, who was standing in the doorway, staring sadly at her.
The man was the Emperor of Archadia and the woman who lay weakly was Queen Isabella, the mother of Rose. Rose's death devastated the queen deeply, and over time her health continued to deteriorate.
The emperor stepped in and sat down beside his wife.
"Your Majesty." Queen Isabella wept. Her heart ached as she recalled the end of her daughter's very sad life. Dario held his wife's hand tightly and kissed her.
"Don't cry, you have to take care of your health. I've lost Rose and I don't want to lose you too," he said while wiping his queen's tears. After that, he helped the queen to get up.
"Are you sure you can do it?" he asked worriedly and the queen answered him with a nod.
Dario kissed his queen's forehead then carried the woman out of the room to one of the palace towers. There, the two of them would fly the lanterns together followed by everyone below.
By the window of the tower, a large lantern that shone very brightly had been prepared.
The attention of everyone below was now focused on Emperor Dario and Queen Isabella, who had been standing by the tower window, preparing to fly the first lantern.
"The queen looks very pale. May her health improve soon," said a maid, who saw the queen from below, and another maid nodded with pitying looks.
Meanwhile, from the top of the tower Dario looked very worried as Isabela's face was paler than usual. He repeatedly asked her how she was and she always said that she was fine.
She asked the emperor not to worry too much about her and let her fly the lantern.
Because Queen Isabella insisted, the emperor complied, but they would do it quickly. After that he would immediately take the queen back to her room to rest.
"Rose, how are you, honey? I hope you are well. I miss you very much." Isabela's tears fell. "I miss you so much, dear. I hope you rest in peace. I love you very much."
The first lantern was released. Everyone below let go of the lanterns that were in their hands and instantly the night sky above the palace was filled with hundreds of lanterns forming a very beautiful sight.
Queen Isabella wept bitterly in her husband's arms, but after a while, she struggled to breathe and then she fell.
"Isabel!" Dario panicked and immediately picked up and rushed Isabella to her room. While in the corridor, he shouted ordering the servants to immediately call the doctor.
"Isabel, hang in there, I beg you," Dario panicked as he laid Isabella on the bed. A few seconds later a doctor entered the room with two maids and was followed by two beautiful women who were the concubines of the emperor.
"Isabel, hang on, I beg you." Dario broke out in cold sweat, his heart was beating very fast. He gripped his wife's hand very tightly.
"Your Majesty, promise me that you won't let Rion live in peace. Promise me, Your Majesty ..." Isabela said with a shaky breath. A moment later, she breathed her last.
THUMP.
Dario froze, he felt like his heart had just been crushed. He lost his wife on the anniversary of his daughter's death.
He hugged his wife's lifeless body while sobbing, his hatred for Rion D-Panther grew bigger and bigger.
.
.
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From the author:
Rose's parents must be suffering so much because their daughter died in such a manner.