The royalty stayed in New York for only a month, but Afef felt like they've stayed there for years.
After all the troubles and controversies that occurred, he sorely missed home. However, he couldn't tell if his masters share the same sentiment.
Prince Lamook went back to Harmin first in order to settle the issues behind Princess Sora's arrest, and knowing the prince's temperament, he might also drop some decisions that will challenge the kingdom's delicate image, and the butler couldn't blame him. He was shackled by traditions enough to blind him from his priorities, leading his wife to commit crimes.
He examined all the luggages in the plane's cabin for the last time, then descended to see Princess Petun and Kyrios talking with Eve at the tarmac.
He saw peace in the Princess' expression, and even though he cringed on the idea of her relationship with Kyrios, he was happy for her. Besides, he could vouch for the man's capabilities to protect her.
It just saddens him that both siblings have to address the trials that might strip them fron their royalty statuses, and none of them cares about it.
As for his employment, he was informed by the King that his term will be extended, but under a different household.
The butler eyed Eve when she got flustered with Petun's bow. The Lieutenant was already glowing when he first saw her in the Skyline's lobby, and more after she realized the life forming inside her. She might've not remembered it, but they knew each other before, in their previous life.
If only their encounters happened before her childhood got corrupted...
"You should've joined them." an Irish voice said from behind.
"I don't want to spoil their moment." he sneered. "Since this might be the royal Highness' last opportunity the be with the Lieutenant. She's her inspiration, her idol and considered her as a motivator on these ordeals."
Roarke raised a brow on Afef's tone. "I don't mean to offend you, but I need to be refreshed on the things I've done that earned your displeasure."
"Past is past. Apology will do us no good."
"And I don't want to be left in the dark."
Afef sighed with resignation. He knew that he was getting ridiculous. "Do you believe in life after death?"
Roarke was mildly surprised. Being born in a Celtic culture with encounters to some supernatural incidents, even before and after he met Eve, he became an open-minded person.
"Enlighten me."
Afef ogled him for a minute, then looked away. "You stole our Protector, and never returned her. I thought you'll never find her this time. I was wrong. "
"And that irked you?"
The butler was silent, so Roarke took it as a yes.
"She's still a Protector, you know, and will always be." the billionaire supplied, then grinned when the topic of their discussion was walking towards them. "It's part of her identity."
"You looked amused, Hotshot." Eve inserted which widens his smile.
"We're reminiscing the past."
"Oh. Okay." she replied, then focused at Afef. "Everthing's set?"
"Yes, Lieutenant. We're good to go." he answered glumly. "I never thought everything will ended up this way."
"Without your help, Armir Howe and Mathilde Kentwood's death will not be justified."
"I know. That's why I did it."
Eve knew he was blaming himself for Princess Sora's conviction, for identifying her behind the disguise when she infiltrated Skyline. It was an internal fight between loyalty versus morality, but to what extent she was not sure.
Actually, she has an idea, but she wanted to hear it personally from his mouth.
"The royal family will be placed under scrutiny because of my decision. I don't even know why I was not ousted from my post, and up till now, I'm still convincing myself that the King was downright forgiving."
"Why don't you resigning then?"
The butler shook his head. "My ancestors held this position for centuries, and I don't want to break that tradition."
"It might be a trap, you know. Smells like a political hostage."
He didn't like the man initially, and her first impression was as bad as she first saw Summerset, but there's something in her gut that urged her to defend him. But his growing smile on her words broke all that motivations.
"I believe that an appropriate judgement will be applied on the Harminian royalty, just like what you delivered." he sighed. "Then they'll realize that Princess Sora was a victim of circumstances."
"They will, and so was the murder that happened two years ago."
She didn't miss the slight movement of his facial muscle. "It was unfortunate that the royal majesty Prince Beeno died before they unveiled this fiasco. He was a good man."
"But your opinion tells otherwise."
Afef was stoic. "Are you arresting me, Lieutenant?"
"No." she answered. "In fact, I want you to get a good lawyer."
Her words somehow shattered a layer of his defense. He knew she'd find it out, and probably discovered it sooner than he expected, but didn't think that he'll receive a verdict this way.
He paled not because of guilt. He was surprised on her compassion.
"I have a decade worth of murder cases on my belt, and most of the times I eat dead bodies for breakfast. Yours was one of the many." she said while tucking her thumbs on her belt. "Humans evolve through time, and so was the killing process. An isolated environment like Harmin was like a closed-room mystery, impossible at first glance, but solvable. Did you know that majority of deaths in the royal family was either poisoning or stabbing?"
The butler was silent, and so was Roarke. He didn't see the connection at first, but after Eve filled out the details, he was conviced that Afef wouldn't do cold.
His mind drifted him back to Dublin alleys, a childhood memory on Patrick Roarke, with a knife on his heart. There was an impulse in the act, but he didn't see cold.
It's as if the murder has to be done to save one.
"Incest is a common practice within the royalty, Lieutenant." Afef finally spoke. "And so is sexism. The Princess might be closer to the throne, but because she's a female, she has a limited rights. She can't question whatever the royalty decides for her, even the dominance of her brothers."
"That's why you killed Prince Beeno."
He looked away, with glazed eyes staring at an empty space. "I have to protect her. I know that my role as an attendant will end once she entered a different household. I know that she might marry one she'll never love. I know that I have no rights to dictate her life, and I am nothing but a lowly servant...but I've been with her since she was an infant. I heard her first word, witnessed her first walk, and saw her first appearance before the public. One does not need to have blood ties to have a fatherly love."
"But one does not have a right to kill."
"He lied. I thought he was relocating the royal Highness for a possible assasination. He made a promise to me that he'll take care of her, that he'll save her from impending harm. He lied that day, but I'm relieved that I discovered his conspiracy before it took place. Did you know the method of damaging a woman's dignity without destroying her face?"
"Rape." she answered cooly.
"The Princess was naive because she was raised that way, and told not to question those above her. He took it as an advantage, convinced her, lured her to the darkest side of the palace. But I saw his expression, his evilness within that royalty skin as he dragged her away. His people knew, but didn't question his actions. So I waited when they passed the courtyard to instigate the ambush."
"You used a crossbow. Hit the prince straight to the heart with one arrow, then cleared the rest by wasting two or five. The princess didn't graze a single hit, which tells me marksmanship. But you let her witness the massacre, and didn't even care for the trauma."
"Either way, she'll be traumatized. To be raped by her own brother for the crown, or witness her own brother's death? I chose the latter."
"Have you tried reporting it before you made a decision?"
Afef chuckled. "You were able to dig a cold case. You know the reason why."
"Are you going to tell her about this?"
"Probably no. Truth doesn't always sets us free, especially from pain. I want to spare her from that."
"She has doubts that it was you." Eve murmurred.
"There's no surprise there. She's intelligent enought to sort it out. I'm grateful that she still considered me as her confidante." the butler responded, then looked at Eve and Roarke. "Can you blame me for my actions?"
The Lieutenant saw the sincerity on his eyes, as well as threatening tears.
She had questioned herself for years regarding on her actions towards Richard Troy when she was young. She also knew that her husband question himself for years regarding on his actions towards Marlena's killers. And hell if Summerset didn't question himself on his actions towards Patrick Roarke's death. She could name lots of people - some of them were her associates, others were arrested - who took actions outside the system.
She knew there were flaws in the system, but still believed that laws were supposed to be followed.
So she took a deep breath, and said "I don't have the right to cast the first stone."
Afef smiled on her words, and without any warning, hugged her. He murmured something in Harminian, and since she didn't have the auto-translator, she didn't know the meaning of it. She didn't question him about it after he released her.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." the butler said, offering his hand.
Eve shook it. "I warned you already. Get a lawyer, Afef. I mean it."
"I'll take note of that." he replied, then looked at Roake for a handshake. "Please take care of the Lieutenant. And you as well."
"Will do." Roarke said.
The farewell was bittersweet as Princess Petun waved her hand at the airplane's window with tears. Kyrios was beside her, patting her hand as he also waved. Afef, on the other hand, was simply sitting on the cabin with preoccupied thoughts, but with a smile on his face as the pilot announced their take-off.
Only Roarke and Eve remained at the tarmac, watching their departure.
"I hope everything will be alright once they unveiled the anomalies." Eve said, then rested her head to Roarke's shoulder. "I hate to admit it, but I'm willing to have the Feds snoop on my case to find the connection."
"You're getting softy, Lieutenant."
"Aw, shut up Ace."
Roarke snorted when she rolled her eyes. "Now that you're done with this, the next step I believe would be the Records' fiasco."
"Oh shit. I forgot. Crap. Paperworks." she paled. "Damn you for reminding me."
"Tis' my pleasure to remind my wife." he laughed, then touched her still-flat belly. "And her possible changes for the upcoming months."
She cupped his face to see him eye-to-eye. "If we've established Marriage Rules, then we can do Pregnancy Rules."
"And Parenting Rules."
"And Parenting Rules." she corrected herself. "So let me tell you beforehand that I hate being cooped. I can deal myself even if I swallowed a whale."
"You'll always be the most beautiful woman who swallowed a whale. And let me tell you beforehand as well that I trusted you, but don't blame me if I'm overprotective. Don't blame me if some point I'm going to haul you somewhere because of your hardheadedness."
She frowned, but knew it was appropriate. "Ammenable, but yeah. I can manage that."
Roarke pulled her closer and planted a sweet kiss on her lips.
"I love you, Eve."
"I love you too, Roarke."
The couple smiled, then left the place. Afterwards, they'll be settling some things personally, and expecting celebrations not only for themselves but also to those people they cared most. Two lost souls who found each other, now they will be facing another one that will mold their future.
A future full of happiness, hope and love.