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The Unofficial Empress - Chapter 24
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The next day, Cesaria and Nico are in the same carriage towards the next town where they are going to meet Marco. Nico broke the silence with a question out of nowhere. “Where did your name come from? It’s unique.”
Nico thought that his lady-in-waiting would just ignore him as she always do whenever he raises unimportant things. Cesaria shifted from her seat and calmly answered. “I was born cesarean. Women are vulnerable when giving birth and there are those who die. Very few can survive a cesarean way of giving birth because not many doctors can do the operation. My mother was very thankful and she appreciates that cesarean way of giving birth. Without it, I could have died in the process.”
“I see. I must thank your mother for giving birth to you. And the doctor who performed the operation. Not many doctors know how to handle cesarean birth,” Nico said and softened his gaze.
“I don’t know why we should be dwelling on this topic, your highness. I want to ask you about the paper you crumpled yesterday…”
“Ho!” the coachman pulled the reins as another carriage is hurrying to turn at the intersection. Their carriage shook so their attention shifted towards the current problem. Nico told Cesaria to stay but she followed him when he got down.
—–/////—–
Alexandra mounted the carriage after everything is loaded for her travel. She thought that Marco couldn’t see her off because a maid notified her early in the morning. But then, she heard footsteps behind.
“Xandra,” Marco called her nickname for the first time. It was informal yet very endearing. She once heard from the palace maids that looking at the third prince’s face could make someone feel nervous. Others remarked that ‘what more if he called their names, then one could faint’ something like that. She has seen his face several times already but she didn’t have time to think about what she feels when looking at it. But right now, after hearing her name from those lips, she felt excited. She took a deep breath before facing him.
With face as cold as Marco’s, Alexandra showed him an indifferent gaze to mask her inner feelings. “Do you need the payment right now, your highness?” Alexandra asked but Marco didn’t speak. He just smirked and hurried to hug her. She was frozen for a moment. “What…” she tried to squirm but then she softened and let him touch her until he was satisfied. Since he looks sincere and sad, she hugged him back. “You’re acting as if we are not going to see each other anymore.”
“Who knows what may happen in the future while we are apart,” he said earnestly. They were always sarcastic with their comments towards each other especially when they are alone and no one is listening. Sometimes, they even manage to whisper snide remarks even in public when no one is looking or closely observing.
Lino squeezed Agatha’s waist as they watched the loving couple displaying their affection in front of everyone.
Lino knew what Marco is thinking, what his dilemmas are because he is the one convincing the prince to tell his wife about the matter in the hostage-taking that is currently happening in the outskirts of town. The hostage-takers are threatening to kill the hostages if the prince won’t go back to the palace.
Lino and Captain Fajardo have prepared for all necessary and possible military tactics to use. That day when Alexandra rode the carriage back to the palace is the very day Marco and the troop are going to negotiate with the outlaws. If Marco follows their demand that he should go back to the palace, he couldn’t be so sure of the hostages’ safety. And if they are safe indeed, there won’t be security in town and in the province because those outlaws are still out there. Nobody knows what they will do next.
Marco, together with his black horse and the troop, is dressed in valor ready for battle. He led everyone towards the mountainous area of the town, in Arana. It is a boundary between two towns. And the next town, Masinop, is an alleged home for the terrorists. The people in town stared at the procession. No one is ignorant about the situation. For the two options given, they have varying opinions which they could not openly voice out in fear that either side, the palace or the terrorist, would turn to them. They chose to remain silent while wishing for the best possible result.
Lino caught up to Marco’s side and tried to convince him again. “Your highness, I would like to speak up what’s in my mind.”
“Go ahead,” Marco said without glancing at him. His gaze is directed at the seemingly endless road they are marching on. Lino looked at him with a sad expression.
“We are about to make a sacrifice here, your highness. What if your consort, the FORMER PRINCESS, hates you for that?” he asked bravely knowing the real background of Alexandra. Marco knew he could not keep it from Lino for long so he wasn’t surprised when Lino mentioned the phrase ‘former princess’.
“She has already hated me enough,” he said and Lino frowned. What he can see every time he visits the manor is affection, gentleness, and for some reason is worry in Alexandra’s eyes. Lino can see the pretense enacted by the couple but at the same time the care they have for each other when one is not looking. That’s not the look of someone with hatred or someone in pretense.
“You’re deliberately making her angry all the time. I see,” he said and slowed down to go back to his flank. Lino observed closely. Marco squinted his eyes for a brief moment, his jaws clenched, and his grip on the reins tightened. Even so, no one can change his mind. He steeled his heart for that mission. Soon, he will meet up with the second prince who is on his way to that same destination he is heading to.
—–/////—–
Vicente Do received messages from his spies regarding the princes’ movements. He grinned as his plans are falling into place. As if everything is slowly woven into a web to trap a butterfly. From the beginning, he sent the two people to set up the third prince. But a mistake happened which trapped his cousin, Alexandra, into that web. He didn’t know that Janrey’s girlfriend at that time was Alexandra. But then, it turned out for the better.
Alexandra and Marco are both naïve to their own feelings. According to his spies, the two are so loving. He even proved it for himself when he saw them in the Kasaganaan Town where they sought refuge before heading to the east region.
“There’s no need for another sacrificial lamb this time,” he said as he clasped his hands on top of the table. He is sitting at the end of the long table where the Hong supporters are gathered. Everyone is from prominent positions, some are even Angenas supporters starting from marquees to barons. What two-faced pigs! He smirked as he saw their shamelessness appearing as if they are truly and fully supporting the Hongs.
The three dukedoms of the empire are solidly standing for the palace regardless of the emperor. But ten years ago, the three dukes unexpectedly turned their blades to the palace. What happened fifty years ago happened again. But instead of supporting the Hongs, they are supporting the Angenases.
The Hong followers in that table sighed in relief. At least no one is to die for that hostage-taking charade. “Everyone did their jobs very well, from setting up the third prince, to boycotting, to provoking terrorists,” he praised as he looked at them one by one.
Although some of them are still eaten by conscience for doing the things they were tasked, no one can back out now. They are also bound by the neck. Once their evil deeds were exposed, they could be kicked out of their positions or be thrown into the dungeon, or the worst is that they could be sentenced to death.