Richard sat on his bed as he opened the parchment that was inside the box and as he continued to go through it, his eyes kept on zeroing. The contents in it was a surprise which read;_
**** "It has been years since I... Thomas Whitlock took this throne from my father but with my deteriorating health, I don't think that my leadership can go on for long.
With that, I would love it for my daughter... Barbara Whitlock to be the one to take over the throne as the Queen of Eaghslia.
The ministers have approved it and it will give me peace to know that I will leave my subjects in good hands."****
There was a royal seal beneath those words and after a long contemplation, he folded it and placed it in one of the drawers in his room.
For a while, he lay on the bed while staring at the white ceiling with one of his legs folded while his hands supported the back of his head. Upon hearing a knock on the door, he lazily got up and opened it and the old lady appeared in view, but she was not alone. Henry was standing right behind her and after he dismissed her, Henry got into his room.
"I finished what you told me to do. I want to go back." He said while handing him a jar similar to the one he had given to Henry some hours ago. "You could have just apparated to the kitchen store and do the job yourself." He added as he watched Richard place the jar in a drawer that was on his bedside.
"They have surrounded the place with the witches ash. I couldn't get in." He replied. "Take me to my daughter!" The man ordered. Living away from his child didn't mean that his love and care for her ceased and all he wanted to do was to make sure that she was safe.
"He killed your sister. Don't you want to get even.
" As usual, his question was more of a statement and henry who had busy admiring the rooms furniture snapped to look at him. "And how would that happen. He is the king, remember!" Henry stated with an indifferent tone. It had been years since it happened to which after a long time, he decided to go on with his life.
"Don't tell me that you forgot so quickly. He ran his sword through her after torturing her such that death felt like a reward to her." Richard reminded him. He had come to the general council to demand for justice some years ago and unfortunately for him, he could not get what he wanted because Richard dismissed his case.
"Stop talking about her or else...._"
"Or else what Henry? Back then I didn't have much authority in the council and that's why I buried your case." Richard interrupted him. Moving to the cabinet that was next to his cardboards, he got a bottle of wine and two glasses whereby he poured a quarter full in each glass and handed one to him.
"My mother was his sister. He slowly poisoned her before kicking her out of the palace. The poison had already destroyed her beyond repair and I could do nothing but watch her take her last breath." It was as if whatever he said did not affect him because there was not even a sliver of emotion on his face. Gulping the wine in one go, he added more and leaned against the wall next to the window.
"And yet here you are acting as if you always had everything you ever wanted. You are just as helpless as me." Henry was not a man who could offer comfort to anyone and it was not like Richard was looking for one. "I have all it takes to acquire the throne, but not before I make his life a living hell and then I can kill him slowly with my own bare hands."
"Sleep on it and you can tell me what you have decided tomorrow." Henry who had not finished his drink tilted the glass while looking at the contents in it and after a sip, he nodded at Richard's advise.
Ringing a bell that was on his bedside, a young male servant came into the room and led Henry into one of the guestrooms.
It's not like revenge would bring his mother back, and he had long accepted that she would never return but what would bring him satisfaction was to have his blood on his hands.
The memories of when they were kicked out of the palace were still fresh on his mind. Every day was a struggle for him and his mother until she took her last breath and he had to fight his way up to the highest ladder in the general council. 'This king must really be stupid. His sister's son was right under his nose and his first name didn't ring a single alarm bell in his old mind.' Richard mused with a smile that did not last for even a quarter of a second before it disappeared.