Esmeralda Dolby
Age: 82
*°*
After the wonderful meeting I'd had with the prinarch, note my sarcasm, I got ready to leave the palace and visit Micah's house. I'd already gotten permission to leave from the royal family. I had planned on taking only one bodyguard with me to make things easier for Esmeralda, but since I was going to the Common Realm, I had no choice but to bring both of them.
Garrett drove us to the address I gave him and after an hour, we pulled up at their house. Sure enough, as Micah had said, there was a red sign on the lawn with a picture of a skull and crossbones that warned all royals and nobles to stay away. The sign probably confused most of the people in the neighborhood as it was rare for royals and nobles to come into the Common Realm, much less in that specific district.
They had no idea that Micah and Esmeralda were not human. Omegas were the closest rank to humans and they blended in quite nicely. The reason for the sign was most likely because of Micah's bullies who occasionally travelled from the Royal and Noble Realms and lay-waited him on his way to and from school or work. Micah had begged me not to get involved and promised that he'd tell me if it got too serious. Jun had noticed some bruises on Micah when they'd went skiing on Christmas and took care of the bully himself.
I put on my headscarf and sunglasses before exiting the car. Violet and Garrett, who I'd asked to wear casual clothes instead or their black work suits, followed close behind me. To anyone looking out their windows, we were just regular people visiting an elderly lady and her grandson. That was how Micah and Esmeralda had introduced themselves to the neighbors. Calling Micah her grandson was far easier than explaining how he'd come to be in her custody. Besides, she truly treated him like her grandson.
I rang the doorbell and my bodyguards shuffled beside me, no doubt not knowing what to expect from Esmeralda, the famed slingshot toting grandma who kept a watchful eye out for Betas like themselves. No projectiles had been launched at them so far, so I suppose Micah had told her that we would be coming.
In a moment, I heard bustling behind the door and the sound of the chain unlocking before it swept open. Micah was standing there and his eyes lit up when he saw me. "Elizabeth, you're here!" He invited us in and we stepped into the cozy living room.
"Look who finally decided to visit," a voice came from down the hall. There was the sound of footsteps and then Esmeralda appeared. "What breeze blew you here?"
"I felt like a visit was long overdue." I looked around at the place in awe. "It's beautiful in here. You have an eye for home décor."
They had completely transformed it into their home. Ashton had bought it fully furnished and had sent me a picture proudly, saying he thought they'd like it. Esmeralda had immediately ordered him to get rid of the furniture and wouldn't move in until it was stripped bare.
I ended up intervening via video call and begged her to reconsider accepting it as it was since we wanted them to be comfortable. She'd argued that accepting a house from a royal had already injured her pride enough. She didn't want the furniture too. In the end we reached a compromise. They could keep their furniture but replace whatever was broken or faulty with the new furniture.
Ashton had everything else sold and deposited the money into Micah's bank account. I don't think Micah touched the money, but he would have it whenever he needed it in case of an emergency.
"I did what I could," she murmured. "That boy would have stayed moping around forever if the place didn't look good so I had to turn this house into a home."
"Thank you, Esmeralda." I smiled and held out the bouquet I'd brought with me. "Here, I've brought you some flowers."
"Hm." She took them, eyeing my bodyguards warily. It was then that I noticed the slingshot in her hand. I stifled a laugh at that. She looked at the flowers and although she didn't show it, there was a happy glint in her eyes.
"I arranged them myself," I added proudly. "I hope you like them."
"I suppose they'll do," she grumbled.
"Those yellow ones are her favorite," Micah pointed out. "She loves them."
"You parrot!" She scolded him. "Since when did I ask you to translate for me?"
"You're welcome, Esmeralda," I giggled and she huffed.
"I'll put these in a vase and bring you something to drink. Look how pale you are. They must be freezing you half to death in that palace."
I sat down on the sofa beside Micah but Garrett and Violet remained standing by the door. Esmeralda came back a few minutes later with a tray and Micah went over to help her but she bumped him out of the way with her hip. "Sit down, child. Help me all you want after your wrist gets better."
Micah sighed and sat beside me. I turned to him in concern. "What happened to your wrist?"
"I'm fine really," he muttered. "Esmeralda is making a big deal out of nothing."
Esmeralda handed me a cup of coffee and glared at Micah. "I am not!" She turned to me with a scowl. "Listen to me, human mate, I'm sure someone hurt him earlier. He was quite fine yesterday and he thinks I haven't noticed how he winces when he takes up anything heavy. These eyes of mine see everything," she reminded him.
She stalked over to my guards with two mugs. They politely refused but Esmeralda told them to either take the coffee or give her back her beans because she didn't waste things in her house and neither would they. She was only half their height, but she gave them a stern look and they smartly took the coffee and told her thank you. Esmeralda had successfully managed to overrule my bodyguards, not bad.
I turned my attention back to Micah and held out my hand. "Let me see."
"It's fi-"
"Show her your wrist, child!" Esmeralda shouted and he winced. "She says she's going to be a doctor so let her put herself to use. She'd better not be a quack," she mumbled.
I couldn't help but laugh at the last part and Micah hesitantly rested his hand in mine. I examined his wrist a bit. His wrist was tender and swollen and just a bit stiff. Just as I'd thought...
"Looks like a first degree sprain to me," I murmured.
"A sprain?!" Esmeralda's eyes widened in alarm and she fumbled to catch the tray she nearly dropped. "Human mate, are you sure?"
"Yes, but it's mild-"
"Mild my backside!" She raised her brows at Micah. "How did this happen?"
He frowned at the carpet, his eyes troubled. Then, he finally mumbled, "I fell after work. It happens sometimes when the ground's icy."
We stared at him, unconvinced.
"He's lying," Garrett spoke up from his spot. His amber eyes were glued to Micah. "I can tell. That wasn't from an accident. Who did this to you, kid?"
"I already told you that-"
"Not buying it." He held a hand up to stop Micah's protest. "I've been in my fair share of fights when I was younger. It's not hard for me to figure out when somebody's being bullied. You're an Origen for crying out loud. Please tell me you didn't let some humans manhandle you."
"It wasn't humans," Micah protested and then his eyes went wide as he realized that he just admitted to being bullied.
"There's that good old truth we love. Now fess up."
We all stared at him until he sighed and flopped back among the cushions. "It was a friend of the guy Jun put in the hospital. He wanted revenge so he came at me after my shift ended. Long story short, I ended up falling on ice and my wrist broke the fall."
My frown deepened at that and Esmeralda scowled at him. "Was that so hard to admit, boy?"
"I didn't want to make you worried," he mumbled. "I've worried you enough."
"You young idiot," she groused, pinching his cheek. "Do you think you can tell me whether to worry or not? I'll worry about you as much as I want to."
She stood up and looked around the living room. "Now, where did I leave my slingshot?"
"See?" Micah sighed. "This is why I didn't want you to know. If you upset them, they'll come after you one day when I'm not here."
"I can handle myself and I can handle them," she insisted. "You think I lived so long by running away from those damn high ranks? I'll kick their as-"
"No!" Micah yelled. "Just stay out of it! I can deal with this on my own. It's all Jun's fault. I told him not to do anything but he didn't listen to me."
"Calm down, granny," Garrett said. "The kid said he'll sort it out on his own. You gotta trust him. You won't be around to protect him forever."
"You've got a smart mouth for someone who doesn't know anything." Esmeralda glared at him. "Micah is too nice. He doesn't want to hurt others. He'd rather avoid a fight." She sank back down onto the sofa. "And they're many times stronger than he is. It's never a fair fight."
"I can handle-"
"Stop saying that!" She glared at Micah and her grey eyes were washed with concern. "If they take you away just like they took away Armani, my heart wouldn't be able to take it. I'd hunt them all down and make sure they got exactly what they did to you."
We all grew silent at that. It was the first time I heard Esmeralda speak her feelings so honestly.
"Esmeralda..." Micah trailed off and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm eighty-two now." She rested her cheek on his shoulder. "This hatred for Omegas has lasted for so long. It will never end. I'm worried to leave you alone in the world, Micah. I won't die for another hundred years if it means I can see you grow up."
*°*
"Don't tell Jun what happened," Micah mumbled again as we were about to leave. "He has dangerous missions, right? I don't want him to be distracted. I-I'll figure this out."
"I won't tell him," I folded my arms, "because if something like this happens again, I'm stepping in myself."
"Elizabeth... I don't want you to get in trouble because of me. You're going to be the empress."
"Shh," I hushed him. "I'll always stand up for those who need my help. I decided long ago that that was the kind of ruler I'd want to be. Let me handle the rest. You just take care of Esmeralda."
"Humph," she huffed. "I'm the one who does the taking care of. This boy has the appetite of a wild beast. I've got my hands full just feeding him. Why do you think he's gotten so tall?"
"Thanks, Esmeralda." He bent down to place a kiss on her cheek.
"Enough of the mushy stuff." She fanned him away, but a faint smile played on her lips. She turned to me. "You should go. That prince of yours must be missing you. Remember, if he ever hurts you I've got my slingshot ready." She patted the waistband of her skirt where her trusty slingshot was.
"Aw, thank you. But you don't have to worry about that. Ashton is a proper gentleman."
"The offer still stands." She grinned. "Now off you go."
I hugged Micah goodbye and waved at her as we left. Micah's bullying issue was still bothering me as the car drove off. I'd have to look into it more. If they dared to hurt him again, I would not let it slide.
"So you do have a heart in there somewhere," Violet commented with a slight smirk thrown in Garrett's direction. "You have a soft spot for kids?"
"Whatever, Iris," he scoffed.
"I'm convinced you insist on calling me anything but my name," she hissed. "How very rude of you."
"I'll get it right someday." He waved her off and she yelled at him to keep his hands on the steering wheel. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "That kid'll be okay, right?"
"Yeah," I answered. "I'll make sure of it."
"Why do you care so much?" Violet asked him. "I didn't peg you as a 'friend of the helpless' type of person."
"I might not look it, but once upon a time I used to get the stuffing beat out of me too."
"Oh, you look it alright," she teased and Garrett flashed her a tight smile back.
"Don't you care about what happens to him?" he asked her. "He's an Omega going against Betas. That's almost like an Alpha duking it out with a human."
"I do, but Elizabeth is my main priority. Everyone else is secondary."
"You have my permission to help Micah if you see him in trouble," I told them. "Micah's my priority too."
"I almost forgot that you're a proud soccer mom," Garrett teased.
"Soccer mom?" Violet asked, confusion written across her face.
"Inside joke," he told her. "Unfortunately, Primrose, you're outside."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes at him.
I chuckled as their banter continued all the way to the palace.
*°*
The sweet aroma of Creamy Dreams embraced my nose as I entered the familiar parlor. Callie had redecorated the place... again. It was modern but still somehow had that vintage feel to it that we were all used to.
"Lizzy!" She attacked me in a hug. "I'm glad you could make it. I changed the walls and flooring! Do you like it?"
"I do." I hugged her back. "But didn't you renovate a month ago?"
"I change things up every time I edit the menu and I just edited the menu again. You'll be the first one to try our new smoothie. I call it 'Tropical Winter'." She placed a cup in my hand and guided me over to our usual seats.
We were all alone here, since Callie had closed early so that we could meet up. We were both so busy it was hard to find times in our schedules that synced. Melissa had jetted off back to tropical paradise with Trey for the upcoming semester. We'd see them again in the summer when they came back.
Kevin was still in the Reedawn Kingdom, taking care of some urgent matters for Ashton. Callie was working on another movie and her schedule was always jam-packed.
"How do you feel about Triss?" She asked as she slid into the seat in front of me.
"Who?" I asked, sipping on my smoothie. I tasted mangoes and coconuts.
"Triss," she repeated. "I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it's been growing on me."
I stared at her in confusion and she sighed. "I'm brainstorming baby names."
"Oh." I laughed. "I almost forgot that you have baby fever. I think it's contagious."
"You too?" She gave me a knowing smile.
"Not me... Ash seems to have caught it."
Callie's smile widened even more and she sighed happily. "I can't wait to see the royal babies. Alpha babies," she teased. "My little nieces and nephews are going to be so adorable! The empire will love them!"
"I'll get Mel on the phone," I decided as Callie kept babbling about royal baby names. She was apparently compiling a list of names for me, Melissa and Kevin.
Melissa picked up on the second ring and she gave me and Callie a bright smile and happy waves. I could see the sunshine in her background. She much preferred the warm Caribbean over Crysauralia's snowy winter. We were opposites. Every winter I longed for snow while she longed for sunshine. Majority of the time, she got what she wanted which, in a way, made me happy because she hated the cold.
We chatted for a while and used the time to catch up on what everyone was doing. Melissa and Trey had a date later in the evening and her sister Venus had just had her first child yesterday- a bouncing baby boy.
Callie was planning on expanding Creamy Dreams to other cities and countries. She had the resources to do it and her menu was diverse. I knew she'd do great.
After two hours of chatting and laughing, Melissa left for her date with Trey. I was happy that they were happy. It felt so good being with the girls again. The palace was so stuffy and suffocating sometimes. Being outside it was like a much needed breath of fresh air.
Callie and I talked about Ashton's birthday that was coming up near the end of January. I wanted to do something special for him. It wasn't just an important day for him, but for us. It was the anniversary of us finding out that we were soulmates. I had scheduled in a day to go gift shopping without him knowing. I couldn't wait to surprise him!
My happy mood was almost dimmed as I remembered the conversation Prinarch Cole and I had this morning. If I was going to find my biological father, I'd probably have to make the first move. But I needed to do so without arising suspicion or alerting the Prinarch or emperor.
"Cals, remember how I was telling you about Luke?"
Luke was the code name I'd given my biological father when I had to speak about him in public. She immediately nodded, realizing who I was talking about. "Yeah. Did you manage to find out anything else about him?"
I shook my head with a sigh. "He's quite the enigma. I want to look into him more, but I can't risk the imperial family finding out. I have no idea how to find him and I can't ask my aunt for help because it's far too dangerous." I paused and removed my bracelet from my bag. The jewels glistened beautifully under the ceiling lights. "Do you think he'd recognize this?"
She held her hand out and I dropped it into her palm. Her eyes trailed over the intricate jewelry and then she nodded. "It's certainly unique. If he saw your mom with it before, then he'd probably recognize it right away."
"I thought so." I pursed my lips and stared at the bracelet. "I've been thinking... I need to make the bracelet seen. I have to make it so that he sees it."
Her lips twisted up into a smile and she leaned forward with an excited gleam in her eyes. "Want me to model for you?"
I smiled back and nodded. "The cameras are always on you. If you can make this go viral, then there's a chance he'll recognize it and try to find me."
"Your wish is my command, my empress to be," she giggled. "There's a fashion show happening two weeks from now. I'll wear it there. Everyone's bound to notice it."
"Thanks, Cals! What would I do without you?"
"Bonjour! (Hello!) Oh, Elizabeth!" A familiar, airy voice greeted.
Callie and I both turned around to see her mom strutting up to us. Her eyes were fixated on me and she wore a wide smile that grew wider still. She stopped by our table and her gaze flitted to Callie who looked confused.
"Mom, I didn't know you were coming here today."
"I was passing by and I decided to check in to see how my daughter was doing. It seems I've stopped by at the perfect moment." She extended her hand to me and I shook it. "You remember me, don't you?"
"Of course, Mrs. Hemswood. How could I forget Callie's mom?"
"Perfect!" She clapped before sitting next to Callie. "I haven't aged a day so I was sure you'd recognize me still. The secret to never aging is... well, that's a secret." She chuckled. "You're so beautiful, Elizabeth. You know I've always wanted to see you again. I've always loved the way you looked out for Callie since kindergarten."
"We met in freshman year at high school," Callie corrected her.
"Of course, how could I forget?" She laughed.
Callie rolled her eyes, obviously irritated. Her parents hadn't been very involved in her life and she'd always longed for them. It was a heartbreaking fact, but her mother barely knew her own daughter.
"Did you need something, mom?" Callie asked, putting on a polite smile. "Elizabeth was here to discuss some private matters. That's why we closed early today."
Her mom looked around, seeming to just realize that the room was empty except for us. "Oh. I thought the place was always like this. I can't imagine why people would willingly consume such unhealthy food."
"It is not unhealthy," Callie replied calmly. "We only use natural flavors and-"
"I see." She cut her off. "Elizabeth dear, I might be blunt but I have a favor to ask of you."
"A favor?" I echoed. "What would that be?"
"Mom, please don't bother Elizabeth. She's here to discuss-"
"Hush, Callie." She patted her daughter's shoulder and smiled at me. "We're all very busy people so I'll get straight to the point. I want you to introduce Callie to Prince CaVaughn."
The table grew silent at that as Callie and I stared at her in surprise. Introduce Callie to CaVaughn? I didn't have a problem with that as long as they both agreed and could somehow find time in their schedules to meet, but why?
"Um..." I tried to choose my words carefully.
"Why are you asking her that?" Callie frowned.
"The prince is still unmarried and from what I heard, he hasn't been betrothed either. I get my information from very reliable sources. He's single and yours for the taking if yo-"
"Stop, stop, stop." Callie held a hand up. "Did you forget that I'm seeing Daniel? We're still very much in a relationship together."
"Oh Callie," Mrs. Hemswood sighed. "An Alpha prince is a much better option than a Gamma noble. You should aim high instead of settling for Daniel who simply wants to teach at the Royal Academy. Prince CaVaughn is to become king of Gregoria."
Hurt flashed across Callie's face and she stared at her mom with an expression that grew more incredulous by the second. Mrs. Hemswood nodded encouragingly, prompting Callie to consider her offer.
"How can you say that?" Callie gasped, still in disbelief at her mom's words. "When I reintroduced you to Daniel, you and dad were so happy! You were overjoyed that the man I'm dating is a noble! And now you simply want me to kick him to the curb for someone with a higher title?"
"Precisely." Her mother nodded. "Social status is important. It's the most important thing. Why be a lady when you can be a queen?" Her eyes turned dreamy. "Queen Callie DeLorentes of the Kingdom of Gregoria.... Oh! I can see it already." Her eyes were lost in her daydream.
Callie looked away from her mom and I could see her trying to blink back her tears. I reached over to squeeze her hand and she gave me a small, sad smile. "Mom, I think you should leave."
"In a moment," Mrs. Hemswood insisted. "There's one other thing. Could you introduce Liam or Lucas to Princess Brooke? Either one of them is fine. It's so fortunate that there are two available royals and my childrens' ages match perfectly with theirs."
When did I become a royal matchmaker?
"I can't believe you, Callie," her mother sighed. "You went to school with Prince Ashton, the current crown prince and heir to the empire, and you wasted your opportunity to nab him for yourself. You let him slip through your fingers!" She turned to me, her eyes probing. "How on Earth did you manage to catch the prince's attention? You have no status whatsoever."
I couldn't tell if she was just being blunt or rude. The entire empire knew I was seeing Ashton, including her, but she was right here in front of me lamenting that her daughter didn't get him first? That was just disrespectful to all of us.
My expression control classes paid off and I placed my eyes elsewhere, kept my expression neutral and refused to answer her question. She might be Callie's mother, but that did not give her the right to disrespect my best friend.
"Thank you, Liz," Callie said. "At least I have you on my side because my mother clearly isn't."
"I'm trying to help you!" Mrs. Hemswood protested. "I only want the best for you! Can't you see that?"
"I don't need your help," she stated. "You've never helped me before... not even when I needed you. It's a little too late for you to play matchmaker. I love Daniel and that's never going to change. You can leave if you're going to talk about him like that."
"Ha!" Mrs. Hemswood laughed, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You act so independent but everything you have was given to you. You wouldn't be where you are today without us."
"I earned a role in Mila O'Kaine's movie on my own. I made a name for myself, earned my own money and bought this business. I'm grateful for everything you and dad gave me, but don't mistake this as one of them. I worked hard for what I achieved."
"Humph." Her mother took up her purse and stood up. "When you've finished acting like a child, then we can talk." She slid a business card over to me. "Princess Brooke is nine years old and my twins are ten. They can start off as friends and then she can choose whichever one of them she'd like to marry. Once Callie comes to her senses, a meeting with Prince CaVaughn would be much appreciated. Au revoir (Goodbye)."
She turned on her heels and stalked out, obviously upset. Callie stared after her, visibly heartbroken. I went around the table and pulled her into a hug.
"I really hope she'll come around one day," she murmured.
"I hope so too, Cals. You're amazing and your business is amazing. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."
"Thanks, Liz." She smiled. "I'll always remember that. Now what do you say we go get some more smoothies?"
"Sounds like a plan." I grinned.
*°*
Hey lovelies! Thanks for reading!
Esmeralda's here! Thoughts on her character and her relationship with Micah?
Will Garrett ever get Violet's name right?
Is Callie's mom looking out for her in her own way, or is she being selfish?
Leave a comment and a vote ☆ if you'd like and I'll see you in the next chapter ❤