Happy Holidays! I had gone on vacation so was not able to edit the chapter.
Anyone from Namibia, your country is beautiful! Had so much fun there. The dunes, sea, desert... so wow.
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 61
Oren
The Grand Palace
"At the Borderlands, all I knew was that I was teaching you to grow up to be a magnificent, virtuous, and elegant lady. King Tobba never communicated to me specifically that he had intentions to send you to Furia as a spy. He lied to me by stating it was a marriage of alliance that was taking place between Huticah and Nevoria," Queen Elora explained. "But over a period of time did I realise I was being lied to, and by that time it was too late."
Oren knew Elora for a short period of time, so never had he seen his daughter's eyes filled with indignancy and anger.
"That does not excuse the fact that you failed to present yourself so I would get to know you."
"I did present myself to you."
"As my mistress, yes, but you did not want me to be aware that you were my mother."
"It was easier that way."
"How?" Elora's brows frowned as she was getting agitated. "Nothing was easy. You ruined my life. I was raised by a man who hated me, so I was basically the same as orphaned." Her next words were aggressively sneered. "Do you know how much Huticah hated me? They would call me names and I would get shamed at the first opportunity they got. You left me to leave a life of survival!"
Oren tensed, absolutely heartbroken that his child lived such a gruesome life. If only he had known of her existence, he would give up his life to ensure she grew up loved, safe and protected. He could not help but feel mistreated on behalf of Elora.
"You are entitled to feel that way. I would feel the same as well. However, only after you have sat on the throne and taken difficult decisions, felt the weight of the crown, would you understand why some things did I do them that way."
"I will never sit on that throne, so do not expect my forgiveness to ever come because I will never understand you and do I wish to understand."
Oren felt the atmosphere become chillier. Queen Elora was displeased.
"There is no one to become the next queen but you. It is duty, and you cannot refuse duty."
"Duty to a nation that did not raise me? If anything, Huticah is the only nation I would owe."
"Elora!" Queen Elora rebuked.
Elora's eyes flared at her mother daringly. "You thought you would not need me when you abandoned me, since you had another daughter. Isn't it? Now that the tables have turned, you are grappling for my forgiveness and selling the painting of a 'happy family' to me. I will not fall for it!"
Oren could not help smirking through the tense situation. Elora was indeed her mother's daughter. They were a match. No one would dare stand up to her like that.
Elora turned her cold stare to him, which had his spine straightening. "When did you find out you were my father?"
He cleared his throat. "When you were ill at the Blacksword Academy."
"Why did you not tell me, then?"
"We thought it would be wise to do it together, I and your mother."
Elora's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Were you not angry at her for keeping it from you?"
He was angry at Queen Elora for the most part they had known each other. Even if he was feeling it, he would not recognise it at this point. It was now a part of him.
"She did not know I was the father and as soon as she found out I was the father, she did not hide it from me."
Queen Elora squeezed his hands in quiet thanks for taking his side.
What else could he say? Fanning Elora's anger against her mother would not make matters better. He did not agree with the ways of Queen Elora. However, he was still a Furian and he would hate to see the throne empty if Queen Elora was to die. It would start war and unrest, and Nevoria would take it as an opportunity to utilize the mess for their own good.
"Grand Consort Shu arrives!"
Oren moved his attention from his daughter to see behind her, a wealthy-dressed woman with vulcanite black-tied hair that complemented her lilac lips and rounded eyes. She possessed an alluring shapely figure hugged by her pastel purple hanfu.
Oren was about to look away when he caught himself possessed by a wisp of familiarity. His insides tensed as recognition possessed him. He would never forget her appearance even if he tried. In the past, she had covered her face at times to prevent infection of his illness, yet there came a time he recovered, and she did spend time with her face bared to him.
"Greetings!" The court lady spoke on behalf of her mistress. "Per the tradition of Nevoria, a ceremony of surrender must be carried out should a court woman depart from the palace. Grand Consort Shu is the acting leader of the Inner Court, therefore the emperor has commissioned her to carry out the surrender of Wei LI Lian."
Elora's head jerked to look at Grand Consort Shu. "Surrender?"
"Furia came to an agreement concerning Her Royal Highness Yang Liu and you," Grand Consort Shu's honeyed voice confirmed Oren's suspicions.
It was her.
He immediately removed Queen Elora's hands from his and shifted a little from her. Never would he like the woman he admired to see him in a position that suggested romance with his previous lover.
"An agreement about me where I was not consulted?" Elora protested.
"What position do you hold that you would have the right to sit on the table and decide the direction of nations?" Queen Elora firmly reproved Elora.
Oren nudged Queen Elora to silence her. She was not even in Elora's good books, yet she spoke carelessly as if she was speaking to a servant.
"Ridiculous! Do you think you can discard and claim possession of me as you see fit?" Elora did not hold back.
Oren was quick to intercept the situation before it could come to a boiling point. "That is why we are seated and speaking with you, so we can understand your situation and discuss the way forward that would be beneficial for you, likewise the nation."
"The only decision that will be beneficial for me is I staying here."
"A princess does not take into account her feelings only, but foremost the wellbeing of the nation. Duty is important over minimal wants," Queen Elora admonished.
"Tell that to the one who is the princess."
"Hold your tone!" Queen Elora's eyes enlarged with fury.
"No, Queen Elora should let me be! No intentions do I hold towards being a princess or living in Furia. A life do I possess in Nevoria and I do not wish to abandon it!" She loudly spoke with her jaw clenched.
Oren was pleased to see Grand Consort Shu pat Elora's shoulder in consolation, and appreciating the gesture, absent-mindedly, Elora covered the hand with hers.
"Why are you comforting her for?" Queen Elora snapped at Grand Consort Shu. "It's because of the likes of you that she is a stubborn mule that does not know to submit to duty."
Grand Consort Shu snatched her hand back from Elora.
"What nice thanks to someone who at least tried to raise your cub when you refused to," Oren instantly defended Grand Consort Shu.
Elora marvelled at the sight of her father speaking against her mother because her eyes brightened in delight.
"Let matters behind closed doors not affect counsel of national affairs," Queen Elora retorted and grabbed his hand back into hers, as if she wanted to prove something.
Chills crawled up Oren's body. Did Queen Elora know of him and Grand Consort Shu?
Queen Elora glared at Grand Consort Shu to get a reaction but she was a blank canvas. It was good that she was not letting on anything but bad because it confirmed her lack of feelings towards him since she was not jealous at all.
Queen Elora turned back to her daughter. She was a vicious dog and she would not let loose as easily, so she said, "There is no life for you in Nevoria. You are charged with the murder of a palace woman. Do you think that will just go away?"
"I will serve my sentence if need be."
Queen Elora's wings flared robustly. She was reaching the tipping point of her patience with Elora. She was a queen who was accustomed to giving orders and hearing ears would obey. Even Eleanor was docile when it came to her mother since she feared her.
"May this lady excuse herself to allow time for discussion among you?" Grand Consort Shu bowed.
"No need to excuse yourself, proceed with the ceremony."
Oren didn't like the tone Queen Elora used against Grand Consort Shu. It was demeaning and degrading, to say the least.
"We have been apart for a long time, and now will be the time we will reconcile as a family," she continued.
There was a pause that continued to crackle among them, as Queen Elora unabashedly stared down Grand Consort Shu in animus.
Oren tried to take his hands from her, but she did not relent. She solidly held on to him.
"Bring forth the decree," Grand Consort Shu announced to the ministers by the stairs.
"None of you shall go up the stairs." Elora objectively stood in protest. "I am the wife of Emperor Huizhong. No intentions do I have to part with my husband!"
"What you have is forbidden marriage that should never have existed." It was a wonder how Queen Elora could say words with a controlled voice, yet they were biting and stern.
"Where is Yuwen Hong?" Elora ignored her as she turned to Grand Consort Shu for an answer.
Grand Consort Shu's eyes guiltily looked at everything but Elora.
This did not go unnoticed by Elora because suddenly a devastating loud blast broke from the sky. The wind started to whirl and the sky darkened. Elora was shaking as tears simmered in her eyes.
Queen Elora went on her feet, circled the table and pulled Elora to turn and face her. "Breathe in and calm your emotions."
However, Elora shook her head and wailed in abandonment. Alongside her deepening sorrow, the sky growled intensely, and lightning shattered the sky.
Oren was in awe. Never had he seen such intense strength from a Furian. Surely, she was the respectable queen destined to reign over Furia.
S.V