GERDA ( Love Is The Only Thing Stronger Than Magic )

Thirty Seven : "This Is All My Fault."

The end might still be a bit far. Hahaha.😂😋😂. The end would be shocking. Trust me when I say shocking. Also this chapter is dedicated to zoubaf. Her comments are funny and brilliant. Please don't stop your good work.

Gerda and Argus were seated at the castle garden. Rebecca was browsing through the flowers in the bushes. Argus had told her to stop and come back but she had ignored him and told him to mind his business. Rebecca didn't crack any jokes again or say any puns, or glare at anybody. No. She was just plain. And Gerda had to admit, she missed the former Rebecca. Her darn mouth had done it again.

Frank stood before them. He had his hands behind him and his legs at ease.He didn't look into the face of Gerda or Argus, instead he looked through them like they were made of glass. That was how a guard was trained in Arigan. And Frank was no difference.

Gerda started the talk. She had been doing the talk ever since Rebecca had snapped at Argus. His eyes were trailing Rebecca everywhere she went. He was hurt, Gerda could see that. But why? It's not like— "So, Frank. You may have heard that Queen Elizabeth is an evil witch."

"Actually, I was at the funeral. I saw what happened."

"Okay. We think you might know something about Elizabeth. Before she was banished, did you notice something about her?" Gerda said crossing her legs.

Frank narrowed his eyes as he thought. "No. I don't think— wait, why are you even asking for all this? She's gone."

Gerda got angry. "Look! Just tell us what you know, alright? I am not in the mood for chit chat. Now talk!" She said, loudly.

Argus tore his eyes from Rebecca and looked at her. Rebecca stopped picking the flowers and looked at her too. Frank stepped back. The air almost froze. Gerda sighed deeply and touched her forehead, secretly trying to cover her face with her hand.

Frank blinked. "I'm sorry. It's not my business. And yes, I did notice something."

Gerda removed her hand and looked at Frank with hope. Rebecca went back to picking her rose. Argus glanced at Rebecca and turned back to Gerda and Frank.

"Go on, talk. Feel free." Gerda said, though she knew that he wouldn't feel so free again.

"Well, her maid was usually the one to notice these things. But she told me somethings."

"Well, go on."

Frank moved his weight to his right leg. "She said that Queen Elizabeth wrote a lot of letters. Only Fiona knew who she was writing to. But she did tell me one thing." Frank begun to bend slowly towards them, and Gerda and Argus bent forward too. "She told me," He whispered, "that the letters that Queen Elizabeth wrote were love letters. She said that she caught Queen Elizabeth cutting her hair and putting it in an envelope. She had an affair with some else. Whether it was a guard or a royal member, I do not know." He stood straight and looked ahead again.

   Argus whispered in Gerda's ear. "It has to be a guard becuase it would take someone strong to raise that sword and kill Lydia."

Someone strong? Gerda touched her cheek. She knew who was strong enough. Then she heard Argus curse. Following his eyes, she saw Rebecca laughing and talking to a guard. Argus stood up. "This nonsense has got to stop."

Gerda grabbed his hand. "Wait." She turned to Frank. "Can we have a moment?"

"A moment of silence or moment of love?" Frank asked. He was messing around.

"Would you like to be a guinea pig or a dog?" Argus snapped. His face was thunderous and red with anger.

Frank shook his head quickly, all sign of joke out of his face. "Neither, Your Grace." He bowed quickly and hurried away.

"What is it?" He snapped at Gerda as he sat down again. He glanced at Rebecca. "Be quick."

"Easy there, quick jack. Why are you so angry that Rebecca is talking to another man. All you ever do to her is snap, ignore and insult her."

"So? She's under me. She has to do as I say."

"Well, did you say she was not to talk to another man?"

Argus begun to look down. "No."

Gerda sighed. "Why are you so angry? Come on, Argus. Tell me."

Argus looked at Rebecca and sighed too. He didn't meet Gerda's eyes as he talked. "I'm in love with her."

Gerda stifled back a gasp. It was rare when  someone's crush liked them back. "But you always—"

"Snap at her?" He met Gerda's eyes this time. "There are so many evil things we have battled. Evil witches, creatures, and universes. What about if one of thing should escape and come back to hunt us? To take away what I love the most. I don't want them to know that my weakness is Rebecca. I don't want her to get hurt. But now look. She's gone."

Gerda touched her chest. It was so touching. Her heart was pounding with love. Yet it was her who had destroyed their relationship. Stupid Gerda strikes again. "This is all my fault."

"What do you mean?" Worry lines appeared on his forehead.

"I told Rebecca to forget her feelings for you. She had a crush on you. No, seriously. She HAD a crush on you BEFORE. Now she hates you. I'm so sorry." She waited for Argus to turn her to a Fighting Fork.

But he was smiling. "So you are telling me that Rebecca had feelings for me too? She liked me. And I was a fool not to notice it. All I was doing was protecting her without realizing she was trying to get to me. I have to tell her."

"Didn't hear what I just said? She doesn't have feelings for you anymore. She's moving on." She jerked herself up from the bench.

"Then we are going to stop her." Argus stood up too. He moved across the field in a hurry. The guard and Rebecca saw him coming. The guard saw the look on Argus's face and quickly walked away.

Rebecca folded her hands. "Why did you scare away that guard? We were having fun. You know, something that friendly noticeable people do. And why are you looking like a money screaming in terror at a snake climbing its tree?"

Argus was panting. "Rebecca..."

"What?" She snapped. "Here to shout at me the more? Well, I'm not in the mood so you are going to have to find—"

"Rebecca, I'm in love with you."

She froze. Argus stared at her. Her hands dropped to her side. Her eyes widened. She swallowed. And with so much force, she managed to say; "With me? That's, im, im, impossible. It's not true." She stuttered. She was trying her best not to believe him.

"But it is." He moved closer and kissed her. Her hands tied themselves around his neck.

And from a distance, Gerda watched. She smiled and sat on the bench. "And we were supposed to be doing an investigation."

END.

******************NEXT ON GERDA*************

Lafey woke up. Everyone was in trouble and she knew that.