He was worried as he paced up and down in Valery's hall. Nora returned with a child named Qara. Apparently she had gone to adopt a child who was going to become the palace mistress in the future. But where had she gone to? She hadn't returned and that was worrying him. The mountain had been closed off and people were being arrested and he still had no idea what was happening. As he was walking there Valery suddenly showed up in the room and she looked very hurt. She was bleeding and a dagger was stuck in her back. He rushed to her and held her as she was about to fall down.
She smiled at him before she fainted.
He laid her back on the bed and called for the physician. He came to examine her and removed the dagger from her back and applied some medicine and put a bandage on her.
'She will be fine, she just needs rest,' the physician said.
'Please, don't let this out,' he said.
'I will keep my mouth shut,' the physician said.
He stayed by her side all the time until Nora walked in. she looked very surprised and angry at the same time.
'What happened to her?'
'I don't know. She just appeared from nowhere looking like this,' he told her.
'I knew that something was wrong but I didn't stop her. I'm very sorry,' she said crying.
'It's okay; she probably didn't want to get you into trouble. Now be strong for her and look after Qara. I will take care of her, don't worry,' he assured Nora.
'I hope so or I won't be able to forgive myself.'
'How about you tell me what's going on first? Maybe we can help each other,' Xavier asked.
'There is a spy or spies in the palace. So the mistress asked me to do something and arrest anyone who defies that order,' Nora told him.
'Now I get it. This means that something happened while you were out there. She might have been attacked by assassins. What happened to the secret guards shadowing her?'
'They all came back with me. We couldn't defy her order,' she said.
'Okay, I will take care of this now. Just go and rest,' he told Nora.
Nora left the room and he stayed by her side the whole night.
Valery woke up in the morning and he was happy to see her. When he tried to change the bandage the wound was gone. He was surprised by what he saw but she just smiled at him.
'I told you that no one will kill me,' she said as she sat up.
'What happened to you?' he asked taking her hands in his.
'I nearly died. Your parents sent assassins to kill me during the journey,' Valery told him without hiding anything.
'I'm sorry, I didn't know. Is that how you got hurt? Why would they do something like that? We are about to get married,' he asked.
'No, I killed all the assassins and this wound was caused by your father. He tried to kill me himself when I asked him about it.'
He couldn't believe that something like that happened while he was busy looking at wedding robes. He was very ashamed of himself and that he put her life in danger.
'I don't know what to say. What happened to him?'
'I tried to keep my promise but I'm afraid I can't do this anymore. He tried to hurt me numerous times and I let him go but this time he really hurt me so I hurt I'm in return,' she said and he knew that she did something.
'Is he dead?' he asked.
'No, I wouldn't let him off so easily. I hurt him; he will suffer a great pain so intense he will wish he was gone. He will retaliate but I hope he will be wise and don't do it. Your mother was on it too so I taught her lesson. I don't think she will be doing anything for a while,' she said and that was a huge blow to him.
His parents did terrible things to him and Valery but still they were his parents. It really hurt to hear that something had happened to them.
'What did you do?'
'I won't be telling you that but all I have for you is I won't be marrying you anymore. I can't go ahead with this wedding anymore. I really do adore you but after all this that had just happened, I'm afraid I can't marry you,' she told him.
'You can't do that, I....'
'I mean every word I just said now. If you leave now and ride to capital you will be able to save your parents. Now go and leave, don't ever come back,' she told him very coldly.
'I don't get what you are saying. Valery what's going on?' he asked her.
'I'm a cruel woman. If you hurt me one day I will kill you just like how I avenge anyone who hurt me. I will not marry you and see you every day as if nothing happened between us. I wouldn't want you to force yourself to smile fully knowing that I caused the death of your parents even when they were the first who started this. So I'm giving you a chance to be filial to your parents. Take this bottle and go and save your parents,' she told him and gave him a small bottle.
He didn't know exactly what had happened to his parents but he knew he had to go and save them before anything happens. She was giving him a chance to reconcile with his family and remove any misunderstandings between them. She was just being cold so that he will leave her and make up with his parents. Even when she was the one hurting more, she was still looking after him and protecting him like she has always done.
He hugged her tightly even when she was fighting him off.
'I love you and I will always do. You might have done this today but I made a promise to you and I will never break it. I will come back for you even if you don't want to see me,' he said and let her go.
He left her room and then her hall for his own. He prepared his stuff and got ready to leave. There were just a few days before his wedding and Valery was kicking him out.
He rode his horse out of the mountain and rode for the capital city. When he arrived he went straight to the palace. When his father heard that he was there, he summoned him quickly. He found his father lying in bed and he didn't look very well.
'I thought you will never come,' he said.
Xavier walked towards his father and knelt down.
'What happened?' he asked as if he didn't know.
Hs father dismissed everyone and made him to sit down.
'I'm very sorry for the way I acted. I shouldn't have done what I did. I am the cause of this suffering of mine. I hope that you will forgive me. I should have embraced everything wholeheartedly but I was naïve and didn't want that woman to take everything from me. I disregarded your own happiness and let these schemes to continue and now I'm the one dying and not her,' his father confessed and he found tears streaming down his cheeks.
'I thought that it was just a lie but it was all true. You should know that she showed you mercy. If you weren't the ruler of this nation and my father, she would have killed you and not given you a chance to stab her the way you did. Because of your greedy and ambition, she broke the wedding. She chased me out of the place I call home. Because she cares for me she hurt me and gave me an antidote to end your suffering,' Xavier told his father and watched him as he sat upright coughing.
'She gave you an antidote? I thought this had no cure. The imperial physicians couldn't find it so how come she found it?'
'She isn't called the Saintess for nothing. She poisoned you so of course she knows the antidote to that poison,' he said and took out the bottle which contained two pills.
He took one pill and gave it to his father.
'She told me to give this to you and mother. I wonder what happened to mother,' he said.
'I don't know what to say. I'm very ashamed of myself. I'm sorry,' he said but he couldn't continue being there. Since his father had taken the pill then he was going to visit his mother and see what was wrong with her.
'I will excuse myself father, I need to go and see mother,' he said and bowed before he left.
He rushed towards his mother's palace and when he arrived he heard her shouting. All the servants were outside.
'What is happening?'
'You have to see it for yourself. She is very angry and refusing to eat,' the maidservant said.
'Take me in,' he said and followed the maid inside.
When he entered his mother was smashing things to the floor. She had a bandage on her face and he wondered what happened there.
'Mother, I'm here,' he said and she turned around.
She couldn't look at him properly so he walked toward her and he touched her.
'You can't look at me,' she said turning her face away but he stopped her and he removed the bandage on her face and he felt very weak upon seeing what her face had become.
'What happened to you?'
'She came and she did this to me. I'm your mother and yet she destroyed my face,' his mother cried out. Her face was really damaged. She prided herself for being beautiful and yet at this moment she looked very monstrous. Valery had did it and now he knew what she meant by paying her debts. He wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.
'You are not even remorseful for all the treacherous things you did? I can't believe that you tried to kill me for so many times and yet you stood in front of me and acted as if you cared. I can't believe I have you as a mother. I am really hurt by all you did. Not only did you stop there but even tried to kill her many times. She kept all these from me but I found out in the end anyway. You should support me and love me and not hurt me and sabotage anything I do. How could you be heartless and ungrateful like that?' he asked her fuming with so much anger.
His mother suddenly broke down and fell to the ground.
'I'm very sorry that all that happened. I was just so greedy and wanted something for myself. I didn't know what else to do but ended up doing that,' she confessed.
'You are my mother and yet you used me for your own personal gain; if it's me then that's fine. But why did you have to kill the person who saved your life and gave you this life?'
'Because it's her that is why I wanted her dead, if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have been a target of those vicious women of the harem. I wouldn't have to be this greedy and hurt even my own child. She made me do this,' his mother said.
'I can't believe you are saying these words. Weren't you the one so in love that you wanted to marry royal father? How can you put the blame on her now? How can you do that?'
'I'm very sorry. I'm just so angry. Look what she did to me. She made me so hideous that I can't even leave my own palace. Your father is dying and your mother too. How can you marry such a person?'
'Because I love Valery and I can't live without her. Just like how much you love my father and want to be with him. That's how I want to be, I want to sleep and wake up besides her and I hope you will give your consent and not go back on your words again,' he said.
'What can I even do now? She made herself very clear.'
'That woman was severely hurt and she still gave me an antidote for you to be better,' he told her and saw her face brighten up.
'She did that?'
'Yes, not for you and royal father but for me. She can never harm me mother. So please don't use that to your own advantage because she can still come after you. This time you were lucky that she hurt you and saved you. Next time she might really kill you. Is that what you want? Do you want me to hate you forever and for our family to all die in her hands? Are you sure you want that?' he asked her and saw her thinking it through.
'I didn't realize the consequences of what I did until now. I'm sorry I caused this. Please forgive me,' his mother begged for his forgiveness.
Because she was his mother he forgave her. This is what Valery wanted, for him and his parents to be happy together. She might be cold but she was the warmest person he has ever met in his entire life in her own way.
Xavier gave the pill to his mother who took it immediately.
'Don't worry mother, you and father will be fine in no time. I just hope that you will not be so foolish and try to wage against her. She isn't in a good mood and I'm afraid that a lot of people will suffer this time. We wouldn't survive after the internal strife if the neighboring states waged together wars against us while we are fighting against each other,' he said.
'I can't believe that my son is all grown up and really cares for the nation like this. I'm sorry for being short minded,' she said.
'I had a great mother and a good mentor. So please can we have a truce?'
'I promise that I will support you whole heartedly and be happy for you,' she promised and he hugged her.
He hoped that she meant it because any mistake this time will make Valery to explode.
He then remembered what Nora told him. If she becomes angry, her illness will relapse. She was very angry when he left which meant that she must be in great pain. Since he had managed to deliver and talk things out with his parents then it was time for him to return back. He wasn't going to turn his back on the woman he loved so much like that. He was going to fulfill every promise he made to her, wed her, make her his and love her forever.
'Mother, I'm afraid I have to go. I have a wedding to attend,' he told his mother and saw her putting a smile on her face.
'Go ahead my son. I really wish you happiness and I hope that next time we see each other, it will be under normal circumstances,' she said.
He looked at his mother for the first time with such strong emotions.
'Thank you. I wish you recover well and live a life that will make you happy.'
'I will bear that in mind. Now go before she gets angrier,' his mother said urging him to leave.
'Tell royal father that I have left and I wish him to recover fast and well,' he said and kissed his mother goodbye.
Feeling at ease Xavier left the palace, it was dark but he didn't want to wait until the morning. He was going to ride throughout the night so that he won't miss his wedding ceremony.
It was really a good thing that he saw his parents and talked with them. Now he felt as if that heavy burden he had been carrying had left. He understood the reason why Valery made him do this. It was a way of making a confrontation and let the whole truth to come out. She gave him and his parents a chance to speak out their minds. They didn't hide anything and just let it all out. He now knew what his parents thought and they did know his as well.
Now he would return to the mountain, marry the woman he love and be at ease without fearing for anything from his parents or Valery. He cared for them a lot and didn't want to see them fighting each other. He just wanted Valery to be happy and as long as he was not talking to his family because of her then she wouldn't be happy. He just hooped that everyone would know the kind of woman she was.
She wasn't a monster and evil like they all thought. He wanted them to know the real her but that won't be possible. Valery was so keen on keeping her image that way and as long as she was okay and happy with it then he was happy too.
He rode throughout the night and arrived in Willow city in the evening. When he arrived the whole city was blooming.
'What is happening?' he asked one of the ladies.
'The Saintess will be getting married tomorrow. The Lotus palace had given gifts to everyone in the city. It is a joyous event,' she replied.
'Okay, thank you.'
Upon hearing that he rode out of the city and towards the mountain, if she wanted to stop the wedding, why did she chase him away like that? What was she really thinking? Whatever her answer was, he didn't mind because he knew one thing for sure, Valery really wanted to marry him and that's all that mattered.
When he arrived at the entrance the guards welcomed him warmly and let him pass. When he arrived he rushed to the Golden hall where Valery lives. She was not ether but her wedding robe was hanged in there. It looked magnificent. He had not seen it since when he left the robes were still not yet finished. The robe had a very long tail depicting the carefree phoenix on the back.
He wanted her to be like that care free phoenix and live a life without any worries. Besides her robe his was hanged there, it had a lively dragon at the back. The phoenix and the dragon always complimented each other very well.
He was about to leave her room when Nora walked in with a smile.
'It's a good thing to see that you are back,' she said.
'I'm glad that I did too. Where is she?' he asked her.
'At her favorite place, you will find her there,' she told him without finishing all the clues and left the room.
He knew that Nora wanted him to go and personally find her. So he left the palace and went to one place he thought of. When he arrived he saw her standing there looking at the golden lotus. She turned around and faced him. She wasn't smiling at all, so he didn't know whether to approach or not but he was a man so he took a step towards her and she loosened her face and smiled at him.
Upon seeing her smile, he was overwhelmed by joy that he walked faster and embraced her in his arms. She giggled as he carried her off her feet. He had never heard her giggle before and it sounded beautiful. He put her down on the ground and looked deep into her eyes. He didn't care what happened to those that were found to be spies when he left. Whoever they were, they deserved what came to them. If you betray your master then judgment would really come for you.
'You look more beautiful than the last time I saw you,' he said brushing his fingertip on her bottom lip.
'You look more handsome too. Did you sort things out with your family?' she asked after complimenting him.
'I did and thank you for giving me a chance like that,' he told her.
'I'm glad that things worked out for you. So are you back for good now?'
'Yes I am and did you know that I will come back?'
'Yes, you are mine and you promised to never leave me. If you hadn't come back by tonight I was going to come for you,' she said with a smile.
'Then I should have waited a little,' he joked with her.
'Don't..' he shut her up with a kiss. He had wanted to do that for a long time and he couldn't believe that he was now. When tomorrow comes, the whole world will know that Valery was his wife and he was hers. He would make sure that pain will be gone; he will make sure to make her happy for the rest of their lives.
He opened her eyes and saw something fascinating. She was glowing everywhere that he broke the kiss and looked at her. She noticed what was happening and she circled around. It was all gold around her. She was happy and her magic was showing too. He looked at the golden lotus that was closed when he arrived and saw it blooming. If he were to tell anyone about this, he would be made a fool. He carried his woman and scooped her up while she continued to giggle. Seeing how she was glowing and how the golden lotus was blooming on its own, he knew that the legend of the golden lotus will not be coming to an end but continuing.