The Naturalistic

CHAPTER 21

All he gets is silence and weird stares after he completes revealing his true identity. Akonia should also be named as the land of surprises. From the day I had stepped into this world, all I ever got were surprises. God knows what more is yet to come. 

"If you are the lord," My mother starts, "Why didn't you revealed yourself earlier to us?"

"As I said before," Theo answers. "When my House, my family, my father have no respect in the council, I don't think it's the right place for me to be here. I have seen the deaths, sufferings of the innocents and commoners. And I don't wish to be the part of such a selfish council."

"Theo-" Sam tries to stop him but fails.

"When my father went insane and vanished god knows where, you guys didn't even care to search him and now you are telling me to join those people who have no hearts, all your greed for is business, politics and power. You don't even look at the powerless, it was my bad to think you would care for anyone or anything else."

All of their heads go down once he completes, in shame or guilt, I can't name it. 

"So why join us now?" My uncle asks. 

"To end the Dark Age." He answers. "Once Ezuka is finished, there's still hope for Akonia's freedom with the Free army."

"You guys believe you can take down the crown?" My mother asks folding her arms. 

"Yes, we do," Kate replies mimicking my mother. 

"Stop it." I interrupt. "Could we just not do this right now?" I feel the tension lessening between them. Sighing I continue, "Let's plan out the next move, shall we now?" 

"It's too late right now." My mother says. "And perhaps everyone needs some time to process the various new information. We'll talk about it tomorrow."  She completes and everyone agrees with her. 

"All right then, tomorrow morning it is," I say and leave the library.  

I don't go to my bed chambers, instead, I head toward the rooftop. Letting the cold air ease my tension I relax a bit closing my eyes. 

"Seems this place is occupied." I don't have to open my eyes to know who's here. 

"Yes, it is," I reply to Sam. 

"Of course." She says. "What else place would anyone choose to ease themselves?"

"Indeed." I smile. "But I won't mind some company, care to join me?" 

"Would love to." She smiles back. 

As she comes and stands next to me, I ask, "So how are things with Theo now?"

She shakes her head in response and I frown. "Nah, don't want to talk about him or work or anyone else." She turns towards me and her tone softens. "Tell me about you. Are you doing all right? What's going on inside you right now?" 

"Well. . . " I start, "It feels like there's a storm building inside me. A battle being fought, to decide what's wrong, what's right." I shift my gaze upward to the stars. "I never asked for this," I whisper. 

"No one did." She answers. "And yet here you are, with the crown on your head, power in your hand and command inside you. I don't know how exactly this works, but I do know that if you didn't have the strength to fight back all of the things that you went through, you wouldn't be here and look at you now, how far have you come. Don't lose hope, at least hope is better than nothing."

My vision blurs and I wipe the tears before they roll down. "Thank you," I mumble. "Thank you for everything." 

"Don't." She replies. "I understand. . . Sometimes a person who guides others needs guidance for herself too and I'm glad to help."