Why didn't I know: 11
Lucas entered the nursery of their palace, his shadow lurking around the glistening glass hangings of the walls while the workers bowed, respectfully, smiling up at their King with gratitude.
The glass hub nursery was gleaming with the water droplets due to the roaring sun in the sky while the beautiful greeny plants and flowers were freshly watered and maintained by gardeners.
" Your Majesty, very good noon, " An elderly woman, who looked past 60-70 years old, kindly smiled bowing to the King, who gently smiled back. She was seated on the ground with some mud flower pots around her in which she was stuffing some mud for the unplanted seeds.
" Lady Oh, you wanted to meet me? " Lucas asked, taking a seat beside the Lady, who chuckled shaking her head and seeing his stupidity.
" Get up from the floor, Your Majesty, it's dusty and yes, I wanted to meet you, " said Lady Ohla Cantis, former Governess and one of the Noble woman of Briston.
" No one's going to ask me why I'm seated on the floor, Lady Oh, so tell me what is it? "
" General Dawson said you were acting a bit strange, so, I just wanted to check. " Lady Oh smiled, putting aside the pots and standing up with the help of the King and muttered a small thank you.
" Did he really tell you that? Oh, God, " Lucas groaned rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"Nevermind him, what's up with you today, Your Majesty? You look cheerful, "
" Isn't that something worth being happy or sad, Lady Oh? "
" What kind of question is this? The entire kingdom would be in joy if you're happy, "
" Then, yeah, let's consider it as a responsible King of a country who keeps his people happy. "
Lady Oh chuckled at his answer.
" How is it going with Her Majesty? Is she doing fine? "
" She's doing fine. "
" I heard she's suffering from short-term memory loss, is that true, Your Majesty? "
" It is, Lady Oh. " Lucas had his hands folded into his coat pockets while Lady Oh walked beside him out of the nursery.
" So, you'll be leaving to the mount within an hour? " she asked out of the blue and smiled when Lucas rambled.
" Not within an hour, maybe after dusk. " Lucas looked around doing his best to not look nervous.
" After dusk? I hope it does not turn to after dawn, Majesty, " she chuckled.
" I...yeah, yeah, I'll think about it. Now I should go, Lady Oh, see you. "
The elder lady smiled at the path where the King ran into with a small smile as she could suddenly see some spark in the young King.
" No, abort the travel, Sir Grey. The King has his duties before the travel, yeah, over. " Aslan reported to one of their soldiers through the earpiece and let it loose as he saw the other soldiers walking around the corridor, straightening to bow to the King, who happened to walk in through the corridor with some couple of books.
" You guys can go for lunch, yeah, goodbye, " he waved off the soldiers and turned to Aslan with an awkward smile.
" Hello, General Dawson, I think Lady Oh was looking for you, can you go meet her now? "
" Lady Oh can wait, Your Majesty. Her Majesty just finished her...late breakfast and maids went after cleaning the chamber. "
" Oh, "
" Madam Acton was here a minute ago. She wanted to introduce the new Maid-in-Waiting and Woman-in-Waiting to the Queen, but as she was eating, I just sent them away. " Aslan said and got ready to hold his earpiece so that he could inform Madam Acton's soldier to let her know the Queen was available.
" A very good job— Yah, stop! " Lucas yelled when he saw Aslan calling for the other soldiers, " Don't inform Madam Acton now, I still have things to teach Ava, "
" Teach her? Doesn't she know about Royal things? "
" I don't think so. Just postpone the travel to after dusk, I'll meet you near the fountain, " With that said, the King sent him away and knocked on the door to which the door was immediately opened revealing the mortal Queen.
" Oh, hi! " Lucas smiled in surprise, he expected Ava to be somewhere in the huge chamber but she was actually sitting right beside the door to open it for him.
" Hello, " Ava was calm.
" Had your breakfast, did you? "
" Ah...yes— I had my breakfast. How about you, Your Majesty? "
" I just finished my lunch, Ava, " Lucas chuckled entering the chamber.
" Er... Your Knight guy told me that my mother-in-law— I mean... Nythera's mother-in-law wanted to...meet me, do you—do you...perhaps know why? " Ava asked, fiddling with her hoodie paws that still seemed long to her. She had taken one of Lucas's belts to hold her pant tight.
" The Knight guy has a name and that is Aslan Dawson. Yeah, that's not a big issue I can hold her if you're uncomfortable. "
" You... You can do that? " she asked with awe.
" Of course. I run a country, Gorgeous, " he grinned and Ava's eyes widened as she didn't know how to react to such a nickname while her mind raced with thoughts of what she should do but she didn't notice the blush rising to her cheeks that didn't go unnoticed by the King as Lucas quickly grasped the situation and cleared his throat.
" So, Ava, I got you some books. These are the books about Briston's history and the magical settlement. " he shoved the books into her hands to which she gave him a look of disbelief, her flustered feeling suddenly went to another universe as a mild irritation took over her head.
" Seriously? You...got me some novels to prove the fairy tale? "
" In which way did it sound like a fairy tale to you, young lady? " Lucas asked, his eyes squinting.
" You tell me...in which way it didn't? Magical clan and a war species? Was it— Were they black and white lions with horns? " she mocked with a small glare while Lucas sighed.
" You don't understand, do you? "
" I do, all these are crap. " she hardly controlled her irritation as the King never seemed to stop with such stories as if what really happened and what he told her about it were all true like real fairy tales.
" You're talking to the King now, "
" And I'm practically your Queen now, you can't do anything to me. " she snapped folding her hands across her chest, turning around to not face him in frustration.
But Lucas wasn't annoyed like her. He suddenly looked somewhat funny with a tiny smile.
" You're my Queen...yeah... " he mumbled with a blank expression that didn't go unnoticed by Ava, who only then understood what she did.
" I— I...I'm sorry! I'm sorry I didn't...know what—what I was talking. Oh, no, no! I'm really sorry, Your Majesty, I'm— I'm so sorry! Please—please don't kill me! " It wasn't barely a minute, Ava's fear consumed her entire body and she was nearly on the verge of crying, her body trembled when she fell down on her knees. She couldn't be fighting a King though he have given her a place in his own chamber.
" Ava, it's okay, get up. " he asked and Ava immediately bounded not wanting to annoy him. Lucas sighed settling the books on a nearby table when his eyes brushed the Queen's crown that was over the table.
" Nythera has never set off the crown from her head ever before... "
" Do you— Do you...miss her? " Ava contemplated for a few minutes but chose to ask after settling down her sobs of fear.
" To be honest... I don't know how you'll feel about my answer but I don't think I'm missing her... "
" You— You don't? " Ava was surprised. Lucas just nodded.
" So...this is...awkward. " Ava mumbled looking around like a deer in redlight. Lucas chuckled averting his gaze from the crown as he walked back toward Ava with a smile.
" Majesty, you—you said you'd be...searching for answers about my...you know— Er...sudden appearance here, so how— How much have you been searching and—and what have you find out? " Ava suddenly asked looking straight at the King, who only hummed, focusing his gaze away from the woman.
" About that... I haven't done anything yet, but as per my studies about what you've said earlier, I found a few places that could be where you're from. The 79th or the 88th parallel universe, maybe, "
" You'd never let the parallel theory, would you? "
" I would never. " Lucas flashed a challenging smile to the worn-out Ava. " Coming back to the topic, you should be from the 79th or 88th parallel universe where there's no Briston. I'm not sure though, I've to figure out the real reason why you're here and find the way back to your home. "
" And Ava... Don't be bound inside the room. Go for a walk or just roam around the corridor and explore new things. " he suddenly reminded her while Ava started whining in a low voice.
" But I don't know anyone other than you. What if— What if someone approaches me all of a sudden? And—and I need company if I... If I should roam around the palace as I'd surely be lost without a human around me to guide, " she sadly mumbled the last part as she clearly remembered all through the past weeks, she only went out of Nythera's chamber with Nythera's mother-in-law and never left her side, afraid of getting lost and appearing somewhere else again.
Lucas looked at her with an amused chuckle and slightly nodded.
" That is why I'm asking you to walk around, so, you could associate with people and get to know things. Don't worry, I'll introduce you to someone tomorrow, I'm sure you'll love her company but for now, I'll ask General Dawson to stay with you but... He'll not be around you tonight as I'll be travelling to the nearby mount and he should be accompanying me. So, what if I take you around the palace tomorrow? "
" That'd be...great, thank you, thanks a lot, Your Majesty, " she smiled quickly bowing again and again after hearing everything that he said.
" Then I'll take my leave, Ava, you have the phone and anything that you'd need in the chamber. If you need anything else, you can ask any of the soldiers, who'll be guarding the chamber tonight. I'll meet you tomorrow, "
" Um... Have a... Have a safe journey, Your Majesty, "
" Thanks, Ava, " Lucas mumbled and walked back to the door after giving her a last smile.
#
Within an hour, both Lucas and Aslan began their travel after nearly Aslan roaring at Lucas, who said he wanted to move right away. Nevertheless, they took their leave after informing the others.
" Where are we going now exactly? " asked Aslan, as he instructed his brown horse to walk beside the King's black one. They moved in sync while Lucas seemed to be in some deep thoughts.
" Majesty? My King? Hello! Sire, can you hear me? " Aslan shrieked, finally earning Lucas's attention as he looked startled for a second but held his tongue in with just a nod.
" Come to earth, can you? "
" Yeah, yeah, what were you saying? "
" I was asking when will you finally get a brain of yours, "
" Oh, I don't know...maybe after the dinner, " Lucas answered, still, not really focusing on his Knight.
" Seriously? My King, what happened to you? " Aslan roughly yanked the handler and stopped before the King's horse, finally, getting to see the confused King's handsome face.
" What? "
" What what? What's wrong with you? "
" What? I'm good, can't you see? " Lucas moved away from Aslan as his beautiful horse shrugged with a huff.
" My King, I'm talking to you, " Aslan yelled, following his King, who didn't look bothered by his yellings.
" Aslan, there's nothing wrong with me. I'm just thinking of a way to send back Ava to her home. She can't be here forever, "
" And get Her Majesty back? "
" You mean Nythera? "
Aslan nodded.
" I don't think I can get an answer to where she's or how I could get her back. Mother can only answer us about Nythera's situation, "
" Then how are you going to send Ava Wilson back home? " Lucas stopped and looked back at Aslan as if asking him the question back. After a minute Lucas turned back, muttering:
" No idea, "
#
Ava was going through the phone Lucas gave her. She saw some different applications and strange names for apps like Photos, Videos and Music. She clicked on the photos option after a long debate with herself if she could go through the King's phone though he gave her the permission to do.
The personal phone actually had nothing but only a document file. She clicked on it and found some folders with some pictures.
The very first folder had some pictures of a handsome black horse that had a strong golden harness over it with a very faint raven symbol; the same raven which was also on her collarbone as a tattoo. She swiped the pictures to right and left and noticed the same horse but merely as a baby, tucked inside a pair of warm hands.
The folder soon ended and she moved to the next one which had some of the familiar faces.
A grumpy Aslan and an awkward Elijah were standing on either side of the King, who brightly smiled at whoever that captured the moment, and they all looked young there.
The next picture was the complete opposite.
It was a selfie of happy-giggly Aslan with an eye-rolling Lucas in the background with a small cup of coffee. Aslan looked real and happy in the picture like Felix, who'd always smile at her whenever she entered the cafe though she never really talked with him like a normal human.
She swiped the picture to the next one where Lucas was forcing an elderly woman to pose for the picture while she was trying to comb his hair. Lucas looked too young in the picture as if he was a teenage boy.
" How long was he ruling this country? " thought Ava, gazing at nowhere. " But I've never heard of any country that is named Briston and a King in the name of Lucas Aston... What if I hadn't just heard them and they were all true? But it can't be... If whatever he told me was true, Xavier would've told me those already. And Xavier...someone here looks exactly like him... Who should I believe now? "
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the loud banging on her door startled the soul out of her.
To be continued