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GARDEN OF POISON
Fulfulling an old promise(Chapter 126)
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Hours passed, and Anastasia remained transfixed, staring at the wall before her in silence, lost in her own thoughts. When it was time for dinner, she anxiously made her way to the dining room. But upon entering, she found the head of the table to be empty, and with a sigh, she took her place at the table's edge.
Soon, the Mother Queen stepped inside the room, her staff gently clicking against the floor as she walked. With a gentle smile, she stated, "The best part of the day is when you gather around with your family all together for a meal. What do you think?"
"You are right, Grandmother," Aiden agreed with her.
The Mother Queen walked around the table and took a seat next to Anastasia.
Once the food was served, everyone began to eat, engrossed in their own matters as they conversed with each other. Anastasia couldn't help but wonder where Dante was and whether he was still in the dungeon. As she had made her way to the dining room, she passed by the dungeon and felt a sense of relief at the absence of any tortured screams.
"Is the food not to your liking, Anna?" inquired the Mother Queen, who was seated to her left.
Anastasia snapped out of her reverie and shook her head, "No, it is delicious. More delicious than anything I had the chance to eat in the last eight years."
"Then may I ask why you haven't touched your food yet?" the Mother Queen asked in a hushed tone, as the others at the table engaged in their own conversations.
Anastasia's eyes shifted from the older woman to the head of the table, and the Mother Queen's eyes followed her gaze before returning to her. With a calm demeanour, the Mother Queen said,
"Dante is taking some time to cool his mind, and he will rejoin us for breakfast tomorrow. By then, he will have found it in his heart to forgive you."
Anastasia's grip on the spoon grew firmer, and she asserted, "I haven't done anything that requires forgiveness." Her words were slightly raised, causing everyone around the table to pause what they were doing and shift their attention towards her.
A grim expression clouded the Mother Queen's face as she responded, "Anastasia, are you implying that you did not embrace a man? Dante caught you both, and it is only because he cares about you that the gardener is still breathing."
"There was a misinterpretation of what occurred," Anastasia attempted to clear the air of misunderstandings surrounding her. She continued, "I know most people believe me to be in the wrong, expecting me to seek forgiveness… for something beyond my control. Gabriel shouldn't have done that, but we were summoned by the guards—"
"I am already bored of this," Niyasa sighed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. She said, "You should have known, given that you are his concubine now, that it couldn't have been the king. Not knowing that he was absent from the palace, nor when he'll summon you suggests you are only making up stories to escape accountability for the mistake you committed. No matter how you found yourselves there, the fact remains that you hugged each other."
"Can you not stay quiet for once, Niyasa?" Emily asked her sister, who appeared to hold no compassion or regard for another's feelings.
"Yes, we hugged," Anastasia accepted, and Niyasa raised her hands to indicate to everyone that this was precisely her point. "However, must every hug have to imply romance or intimacy? Can't a friend hug you? Can't a brother and sister share a hug? Would you interpret that as romantic as well?" she challenged Niyasa, her hands shaking as she held the spoon tighter than before.
"You do not share blood ties with him, Anastasia." The Mother Queen's tone carried a degree of leniency towards the young woman, but her tolerance didn't extend to witnessing her grandson's woman being embraced by another man who had only arrived at the palace a mere month ago. "You said someone set you up. What if he is the one who is behind it?"
However, Anastasia couldn't find a reason for Gabriel to deceive her, especially considering that he could have conveyed his message through Theresa, which would have been the safest choice.
"He might be the closest blood relation I share among anyone here," Anastasia responded, causing the Mother Queen to raise her eyebrows. "I would like to be excused and return to my room."
"Anna..." Aiden felt terrible for her.
"Let her go. She needs to understand that she broke an important rule and cannot act frivolously," Lady Sophia stated. "We all follow the rules of the palace, and she must do the same."
At his mother's words, Aiden's gaze shifted towards his grandmother, who, sensing his gaze, turned to look at him with a quizzical expression.
Offering a polite bow, Anastasia pivoted to leave the room. She had barely set her foot beyond the dining room's threshold when her stomach sank upon seeing Dante standing a mere two steps away.
Anastasia felt her heartbeat increase its rhythm as their eyes locked, and she noticed his eyes were much calmer than the last time she had seen him. How long had he been standing there, listening to them speak? She wondered if he would walk past her and join his family for dinner, but contrary to her expectations, he addressed her instead, saying,
"Come to the king's study."
Dante turned around and began to walk away, and Anastasia followed him, albeit with a four-second delay. Her legs shook slightly as she grappled with being unable to read his expression or mood. On their way, Anastasia noticed the growing gap between them, and she placed her hand on her chest to steady her racing heart.
Upon reaching his study, Dante was the first to step inside, followed by Anastasia, and the door softly clicked shut behind her. Not a second later, he turned to meet her eyes.
Anastasia stared back at him without shying away from his intense gaze. She was relieved that he wanted to talk to her, rather than avoid eye contact like earlier this noon. Her heart didn't stop beating loudly at the uncertainty of what he would say next. But before he could utter a word, she interjected, saying,
"You replaced Theresa with another maid."
"Did it worry you?" Dante questioned her, his face calmer than she had anticipated, and somewhere within her, it worried her. "The possibility that I killed her?"
Anastasia's lips pursed, not knowing if she was allowed to bring up Gabriel's name, and she cautiously said, "After what happened this afternoon, I was worried. Why did you replace my maid? I never asked you to."
"Sometimes, we never ask for things to occur, but they happen anyway," Dante's words were cold while his eyes remained locked onto her. "I have been privy to the fact that Theresa and Gabriel have been talking, away from prying eyes. I believe I don't need to inquire about the nature of their secretive discussions."
"Will you let me explain?" Anastasia inquired, her eyebrows knitting together.
"You were summoned by a guard, which led to both of you ending up there. I have grasped that part. Currently, an investigation is underway to find out who orchestrated it." Dante's eyes subtly narrowed, "But you know what bothered me the most, don't you, Anastasia? I explicitly instructed you not to allow any man to touch you."
"I didn't initiate the hug, nor did I welcome it… I did give him a pat on the back, but it was to signal him to pull away," Anastasia explained. When Dante emitted a thoughtful hum, her heart sank, and she whispered, "You doubt me…"
"I don't. I was just thinking." Dante took a deep breath before continuing, "Something similar happened when I was an earthling, and I dismissed it as a friendly gesture. That decision ended in blood."
Was that why he was blinded by rage? Because the resurgence of that bitter, unpleasant memory overtook his senses? Anastasia began,
"I am not—"
"I know," Dante responded, his gaze fixed on the woman he had purposely avoided since noon so that he could gather his thoughts and put some things into perspective. "I know you aren't in love with him. I apologise for my actions towards you, as it seems like I have been thoughtless and acted without proper consideration."
Anastasia's eyes subtly widened at his apology. She could still feel the chilly manner in which he had pushed her away this noon, but hearing him apologise and acknowledge his misunderstanding made her internally happy.
"Is there a reason why the gardener is familiar with you, while seemingly oblivious to your status as the king's companion?" Dante questioned her.
"Gabriel… He is also from Hawkshead," Anastasia disclosed the truth, as she didn't want Gabriel suffering more than he already had, or Dante to snap his fingers at him. She continued, "He arrived here in search of his sister. Her name was Stella… but she's no longer alive. King Maxwell was familiar with her; her portraits are in the art room. That is all. Will you let Gabriel out of—"
"No," Dante's reply was swift, and his jaw clenched before he relaxed it. He said, "My forgiveness is reserved only for you, not for him."
Anastasia pressed her lips together, seeing the flicker of a glare that passed through his eyes. And though he apologised, she could still sense things hadn't fully returned to the way they were before.
"Was I not supposed to ask the question...?" she frowned.
"It wouldn't be you if you didn't ask," Dante remarked. He raised his hand to run it through his thick locks of black hair. It had taken him hours before he finally came to his decision. He continued,
"It appears that I have a tendency to behave recklessly and may continue to do so in the future when it comes to women. Towards you. And this could lead to me hurting you. The scars of my past weigh heavily on the present, and before my demon self takes over, there are some things that need to be settled. I have been thinking about it, and despite it being a difficult decision, I have decided to grant you what you have wished for."
"Wish?" Anastasia whispered, uncertain about his meaning but feeling a twinge of hope in her chest at his words nonetheless.
"The register documenting your status as my concubine arrived early this evening, but you don't have to sign it." The demon's heart hardened before he continued, "I once gave you my word that when Aiden ascended to the throne, I would see to it. As I have the power now, I am granting your wish to you. You're free to return to your home. To Hawkshead."
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GARDEN OF POISON
Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder?(Chapter 127)
The words Dante said left Anastasia stunned, because never had she expected to hear them.
To receive the freedom she had run after all these years, she would have imagined that she would be overjoyed. To be reunited with her parents and take Marianne with her was what she wanted. But right now, she didn't feel that way.
Earlier today, even when Gabriel mentioned leaving Versailles, she hadn't agreed to go with him. Subconsciously, she had been delaying leaving the palace and had let things flow.
Anastasia saw Dante stare back at her. His expression was calm and composed, unlike hers, which was breaking. Her lips moved soundlessly before she hesitantly asked, "Why…?" Why now, after everything?
"Because it is for the best. You are an earthling, who has always wanted to go home, and I am a demon from the underworld, who came here with plans. Our paths are different," Dante replied with an indifferent expression.
Anastasia felt her heart grow heavy at his words and she clenched her hands. She asked,
"What if—What if I say I want to stay?"
Dante offered her a smile, which didn't reach his eyes, and he said,
"You and I both know that it isn't what you want. It isn't what you fought for and you don't want your life to be a repeat of what happened to your sister. This is something I decided after a lot of thought, and believe it will do us both good, and I am not changing my mind. The earliest ship leaves in a week in the evening, and I will have Aziel make sure that everything is prepared for your departure."
Anastasia felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on her, and she stood there frozen.
Unbeknownst to her that what he had seen this noon had brought up unpleasant memories, he had made a swift verdict on it. She apologised,
"I am sorry… that I brought up bad memories. It wasn't my intention."
"How would you know that when you weren't there?" Dante asked her, and he walked over to one of the cupboards. "You don't have to apologise for my past, when you had nothing to do with it." Saying this, he opened the cupboard.
"Not everyone is like that," Anastasia said, referring to women. "Just because it happened once doesn't mean it is going to happen again." She watched Dante pause for a moment before he pulled out a clay pot, and she realised it was her sister's ashes. He started walking towards her, and she felt her heart race as he got closer.
"Something you would like to take back home," Dante said, extending the clay pot towards her.
Anastasia stared at the pot for a moment before she grabbed the pot at the bottom and held the top, as Dante let go of it the moment she caught it. She said, "Dante…"
"You would be surprised to know that Lady Maya was once very much like you. At least from what my grandmother used to say," Dante said to her. "Innocent, yet stubborn. Someone who craved for her freedom. But the harsh truth is that palace life will change you, no matter how much you try." He paused before continuing, "And it didn't just happen once."
"What?" Anastasia asked with a frown.
"I don't have a good history with women. The first one stabbed me, the second one cursed me, and who knows what the third one is capable of?" Dante chuckled, but Anastasia sensed hollowness in his voice. "I am not upset with you, rather, what happened today has made things clearer. I have to congratulate you. You will be the first person ever to leave Versailles."
Anastasia's eyes lowered to look at the pot, feeling too many emotions at once, and none were comfortable. There it was… the curse, the stab… and her being a forest person. She reined in her feelings and said,
"You don't want me here…"
The people brought to the palace from other lands usually forgot where they came from. But Anastasia had always held those memories close to her, partly because of her sister's existence, who reminded her of it.
"'He might be the closest blood relation I share among anyone here'. Those were your words earlier, and as I suspected, he is from your town too. You share common troubles, a common place, common people," Dante stated the obvious as he stared back at her. He took a deep breath before releasing it. "You can finally see your parents."
Suddenly, something crackled in the room, interrupting them and breaking their gazes away from each other. Upon turning their heads, their eyes fell on the imp, who had returned from its journey after a week.
"Master, I am back to serve you!" Migdre hadn't taken note of Anastasia in the room and bent forward, its forehead touching the carpeted floor. Raising its head, it said, "It was a long journey, b—" the imp stopped talking upon seeing its master glaring at it. "I—uh—must have interrupted something. I shall return la—"
"We are almost done. Speak what you came for," Dante interrupted. "What did you find out?"
"I visited the underworld and checked with numerous demons so I could get information, but he hasn't been seen for a few months now," Migdre reported, while its big orange eyes glanced at the earthling that had a curious scent before looking back at its master. "And about the woman who cursed you, no one has seen her since the day she cursed you, and from what I have gathered, I believe she is dead."
"What about her last descendant?" Dante questioned, and Anastasia's eyes quickly moved to the imp, who glanced back at her. Did the imp know? Seeing Migdre was distracted, Dante told Anastasia, "You may take your leave."
Wanting to get away from the curious imp, Anastasia offered a bow and turned to walk towards the door.
"What about it, Master?" Migdre asked, leaning forward.
"Don't tell me you did half the job," Dante's eyes narrowed at the imp, who suddenly became worried. "If that woman isn't alive, then find her descendant and bring the person to me."
Anastasia softly gulped at their conversation. Reaching for the door, she stepped out, but not before turning to look back at Dante. But he was staring at the imp and talking to it without looking at her. Her heart squeezed tightly before she pulled the door shut and left.
"I shall get to it right away, Master!" Migdre obliged, and noticed its master's eyes move to the door. "Did something happen, Master?"
Dante's eyes followed the wall, hearing Anastasia's receding footsteps outside in the corridor, before the sound disappeared. He remarked, "Everything is fine. Just the way it is supposed to be."
Far away from the king's study, Aziel returned to the Mother Queen's side after she was done with her dinner. He whispered discreetly to her, "I have news!"
"Hopefully good news?" the Mother Queen asked, waiting for her trusted minister to continue.
"Lady Anastasia and King Dante were in the king's study," Aziel informed her, and the Mother Queen clapped her hands in delight.
"Wonderful to know that they have made up already. See, I told you that it would be alright," she said, but noticed Aziel's lips tighten. "What? Is that the Elder's registry?" she asked, noticing the book in his hand.
"I had it placed in his study but he returned it, saying there was no need for it. And he told me to prepare Lady Anastasia's things, because she will be going home," Aziel replied with concern, and the Mother Queen's eyes widened.
"What do you mean, she's going home?! She's going nowhere!" the Mother Queen huffed.
"You seem to be excited, Queen Ginger," Prince Raylen said as he appeared from behind them, licking his lips.
The Mother Queen walked right towards him before stopping and saying, "You said I shouldn't say anything, but this is clearly not working. Maybe you should take him to the underworld to pass the time and bring him back once the day has arrived."
"It does sound lovely, as it might cement his demonic resolution." Raylen smiled at the thought and said, "You need to relax. Everything will be just fine."
"And what if Anastasia gets on the ship and they never know? Why is it so hard for her to love him?" the Mother Queen became exasperated. "He is handsome, he is a king, he is an excellent knight and he has been excellent at everything! Any woman would fall into his arms!"
Raylen's eyes moved to look down the corridor, his ears trying to pick up if someone was listening to them before he returned to look at the Mother Queen. He stated, "You know exactly why."
The Mother Queen glared at him before she sighed. He continued,
"With the amount of lives lost and destroyed before the demon was cursed, the woman of the forest did offer her heart to him after reading his past life as an earthling. But the demon was too bloodthirsty to listen. She loved him, and swore to make things better at the expense of her life, because she couldn't kill him. Not because she wasn't able to, but because it went against the values of the people of the forest. Because they are protectors, not executioners."
Raylen found it rather interesting that the same woman's heart had to be attained by the demon, and the thought made him smile.
"She knows who she is. Their kind," the Mother Queen whispered, and Raylen nodded.
"I figured as much," Raylen replied, his eyes dimming at the thought. "Coming back to Dante; if I were you, I wouldn't worry about it."
"What makes you say that?" the Mother Queen asked with a frown.
"As a demon, let me tell you that we are conniving bastards. I don't know what he's up to, but I can tell that it is something tricky, and I doubt he will let her go that easily," Raylen revealed, smiling politely at her.
The Mother Queen decided to retire to her room, but she paused and asked, "You said she is from a lineage that protects. What if the flower fails to heal?"
"Then it is her decision. To finish what wasn't done before," Raylen replied, and he was the first one to walk away.
The next day, the newly appointed maid entered Anastasia's room to wake her. But a troubled Anastasia had barely slept, and her eyes were wide open as she stared at the ceiling.
A part of Anastasia was excited at the thought of seeing her parents after eight long years and imagining how they would greet each other and how happy they would be. But there was a part of her that had grown attached to Theresa and, more recently, Dante, who was sending her away. Was it because he knew someone was trying to frame her? And he was worried about getting entangled any further? Or was it because he had decided that it was best not to get involved with her after everything that happened yesterday?
The breakfast with the royal family was quieter than yesterday, and Anastasia noted how Dante had once again skipped having a meal with them. She hadn't uttered a word since she had woken up. There was no Theresa to talk to, and the distance between her and Dante was growing rapidly.
When Anastasia was finished eating and she stood up from her seat, the Mother Queen said,
"Anna, can you help me stand? I seem to be having trouble with my back."
Anastasia nodded and quickly helped the older woman stand. She asked, "Should I inform Minister Aziel?"
"He is having his own back problems and will be of no help. I will be fine with you," the Mother Queen said. "How about you accompany me today?"
Anastasia wondered if the Mother Queen was subtly trying to chaperone her so that she didn't get into trouble or cause some of her own. She offered a smile and said, "I will."
The Mother Queen put her hand around Anastasia's arm as they walked. She noticed how the young woman was quieter than yesterday. She was like a flower that was wilting, and the Mother Queen couldn't sit and do nothing about it. She would have to talk to Dante about Anastasia's newly assigned maid, who was probably making her sad!
When they reached the corridor to the royal courtroom, Anastasia said doubtfully, "I don't think I am allowed in there…"
"Of course you are allowed. You are with me, and you are the king's woman. He might be avoiding you, but you have to be assertive," the Mother Queen advised her. "Men's egos are fragile and need to be coaxed by women. To let them know that they are important, more than anyone else."
"Why can't they coax it themselves?" Anastasia asked.
"Because they are big babies," the Mother Queen sighed, remembering her husband. She asked, "Do you like my first grandson, Anna?"
Anastasia saw the Mother Queen stare at her, and she gave her a nod. She then said, "But things are not the same as before."
"Oh hush, child. I am experienced at this, and believe me when I say feelings cannot be erased overnight." The Mother Queen waved her hand and said, "We have a court meeting to attend now."
They heard footsteps coming up from behind, where some of the ministers greeted them and walked inside the room. Soon Dante appeared in the corridor with Aziel walking behind him. When they came near, Anastasia and the Mother Queen offered a bow to him.
"Good morning, Grandson," the Mother Queen greeted him and said, "My eyes feel a little dull today, and I decided to have Anna's help in writing what is needed."
Anastasia noticed how Dante didn't spare her a glance and he replied, "Suit yourself," before disappearing inside the room, and the two women quickly followed him inside.
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