Emy was stunned at the exchange between the two.
Her son and her niece?
Why haven't she thought of this before?
Actually, she liked the idea very much.
"I didn't realize that your relationship has progressed this much."
"Aunt Emy, do not joke like that. What relationship?"
Symeon, however, simply walked beside Emy. Then he let her arm hooked on his.
"You don't mind, right, Mama?"
Emy chuckled then she tapped his arms.
"No, no... I am actually glad. But you still have to work hard. Nana hasn't accepted you fully."
Julianna was dumbfounded at the two.
"By the way, Nana, I have good news for you." Emy said remembering her other purpose of coming personally in Royal City.
She walked towards Julianna and handed her several folded letters.
"Read them."
Julianna did what she was told to do.
'I found them. -Rui'
'Emy, the person you sent has found us. I heard from him about what habe happened to Magnolia City. Are they all true? Is the old man really dead? How about my Nana? -Julius'
Julianna's hand shook while reading the letters of her father.
Hindi siya nagkakamali. Those were his handwritings. She recognized them.
She bit her lip to stop the tears and continued reading.
'Emy, I understand. We will be proceeding in Magnolia City and see how much damage those mutts of High Kingdom has caused my city. Meanwhile, I will send Rui in Royal City. He should join Nana and your son before going to Kurazu Province. -Julius'
Julianna breathed deeply and looked at Prime Minister Hans. Her face lit with a huge smile.
"Prime Minister, my father is still alive. I have to trouble you to announce this to the others. I will no longer meet everyone in the court.
"Since sooner or later, my father will be here, I should proceed in Kurazu Province then."
Her words stunned everyone.
***
Julianna sent off Ford's body back to Magnolia City.
Gustuhin man niyang personal na ihatid ito doon, she was stopped by Emy advising her na sa mga oras na iyon, papunta na ang Papa niya sa Magnolia City.
By the time Ford's body reached their hometown, malamang ay nakarating na rin doon ang Papa niya.
He could do the appropriate rites for Ford ďuring that time. They would also surely buried him together with the ancestors.
With that in mind, hindi na siya nagpumilit pa.
Isa pa, she had more pressing things to do.
Rather than continuing to grieve for Ford and those fallen people of Magnolia City, she would rather used her swords and strength to avenge them.
Kaya naman mas nagfocus siya sa pagpplano kasama sila Symeon at Lancelot.
She already pulled out the latter from the army. They would set out anytime from now kaya naman she would like the three of them to prepare well thoroughly. Lancelot needed to gather their supplies well.
After all, Kurazu Province was very far from Royal City and it would take them a month tp travel even by horse.
Anyway, the three of them were busy planning that day when Emy entered the study room.
"Ah, you are still busy." She said.
"Anything you need, Aunt Emy?" Julianna asked. She knew Emy. She would not disturb them at all if she didn't need anything from them.
"You caught me, Nana. I indeed need something from you."
She looked at Symeon and Lancelot and signalled them that their meeting for today was adjourned. They cleaned up habang si Julianna naman ay tumayo sa harap ni Emy.
"Can you spare me time today? I want to visit that step-sister of mine." Emy said.
When Julianna heard that, a glint passed by on her eyes. Napangiti na lang si Emy when she saw that. This young lady used to be very pure (in Emy's mind 😆) and full of curiousities. Kahit pa may pagkatroublemaker ito, she would never hurt not even an insect.
But things had changed now. Julianna needed to adjust to the world in order to live.
She had experienced and witnessed violence and ended up being violent to her enemies too.
Such a shame that these things turned out like this.
"Come, Aunt Emy. I'll bring you to the dungeon." Julianna said with a hint of cruel smile on her face before leading the way kung saan nakakulong ang mag-ina.
***
The dungeon was full of wailing. There were also sounds of hitting every now and then. Pero hindi rin naman nagtatagal iyon. After two hits, the sound would stop.
As for the crying, it seemed those have no intention to stop. It would eventually turn to cursing once the pain from being hit started to disappear.
Ganung senaryo ang inabutan nila Emy at Julianna when they went down to the dungeon.
"Ah, what is this? Are these mother and daughter scums finally want to shred their sheep clothings? How come the royalties of High Kingdom can curse like a shrew? Tch, tch... People really are unpredictable." Julianna said while they were approaching the prison of Empress Lori and Princess Lovelle.
At once, they stopped screaming but their eyes told how much they despised Julianna.
The latter just chuckled upon seeing that.
Some people would only feel their own sufferings pero kapag sila ang gumawa sa kapwa nila ng ganung bagay, ni hindi man lang sila kumukurap.
She would have felt weird sa mga tingin ni Empress Lori sa kanya kundi lang siya sanay na sa mga ganung tingin. Being malicious? Being vicious? She could do those too and even better than them.
Since she could, they should not have provoked her up to this point. Her anger towards High Kingdom was yet to be pacified but they did this towards her dearest young cousin. If she would not take action, how could she even faced her family when she finally succeeded against High Kingdom?
So no. She refused to just endure. Tama na yung ilang buwan siyang parang hayop na hinunt nang mga taong ito. This time, if they even dared to think of hurting her, she would retaliate harshly.
Naputol ang iniisip niya when the Empress suddenly spoke.
"You... Why are you here?"
***