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The Unofficial Empress - Chapter 27
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Marco has been exposed to killings but not to the point that he could only watch people die in front of him. He was like a soulless prince that very moment, not feeling anything even if he got wounded while standing during the fight.
Alexandra and Nico were the ones to drag Marco away from the water. They let him sit on a rock as the soldiers gathered firewood and hunted for wild animals. “Marco, you should not take it to heart,” Nico told him.
“Your highness, please snap out of it. The people sacrificed themselves. Don’t let their lives go to waste,” Lino spoke.
“They died knowing that you will do the right thing. They believed in you even to the point of their own death,” Luis added but it didn’t bring back the life in Marco’s eyes.
Alexandra brought bandages and a basin of water in front of Marco when the second prince and the captains left. The critically injured are now occupying stretchers and are resting under the large tent while the others who are not hunting are digging graves for the 49 soldiers, 124 rebels, and 15 civilians who died.
Agatha and Lino are tending to the children. Nico went to the two women whom he thought were dead. Duke of Fernando nodded to his daughter so Cesaria walked towards the second prince. Cesaria knew the guilt that was eating him away as she watched him ever since she started working for him. There were times when he tries to look happy even if he is not, especially if the issue about his dead maids pop out. “Your highness,” she approached him just after he talked to the girls.
“Cesaria,” he said and hugged her. She was speechless and she blushed when she caught the young female Duke of Mariposa watching in awe.
Captain Luis Fajardo cleared his throat when he noticed the second prince and the daughter of Duke Fernando are having an intimate moment a little farther from the bonfire. “Your grace, this way please,” he said as he led Theresa towards the newly lit bonfire. He even brought her cloak and placed it around her shoulders. “The night is cold,” he said.
“Yes, thank you…Captain…”
“Luis Fajardo,” he said and gazed gently into her eyes. Theresa felt warmth from other people for the first time, aside from her family and friends. She never met him but she feels comfortable around him even if they only associated for a brief moment. She was like love-struck at first sight.
“I’m sorry to ask you at a time like this but… are you married?”
Luis was speechless at first but then he smiled warmly. “No, your grace. But if a woman proposes to me, I would gladly accept it,” he said kindly. They exchanged knowing gazes and smiles as if they are thinking the same thing.
Out of the blue, they heard a crisp slap. Those who are not aware due to their injuries didn’t notice the sound and they shrugged thinking that it was just a branch broken for firewood. “Snap out of it!” Alexandra yelled at Marco.
Marco felt the sting on his cheek. Life slowly returned to his eyes as he saw Alexandra’s crying face. Nico and Cesaria who were about to kiss look bothered while Agatha and Lino stood up upon hearing Alexandra’s voice.
Marco slowly came to his senses. He looked around him and saw the result of his decision. They lost lives in exchange for peace in the region. A large group of terrorists was busted and the incident even exposed Vicente Do’s real motives. He saw Nico, the Duke of Fernando, Cesaria, Theresa, Luis, Lino, the children…everyone. He turned to Alexandra who is still crying in front of him.
“I’m sorry,” he said and pulled her nape as he pressed his forehead on hers. “Did you see everything?”
“I saw everything. But I’m not blaming you…for now,” she added making him frown. He looked into her eyes and they settled in a silent agreement.
Wagons arrived to carry the wounded. Marco and Theresa talked for so long that Alexandra felt uncomfortable and left out with the children. Luis and Lino are also having their own conversation. Agatha is washing Marco’s and Lino’s bloody cloaks while the second prince and the Duke of Fernando are having a serious air around them that no one could easily step in and talk.
A few moments later, Cesaria approached Alexandra. They never had a moment to talk alone after seeing each other for a long time due to certain issues they faced earlier. “I never thought that you would be married to an Angenas.”
“I never would have thought either. If not because of a mistake, we are not here as a couple,” Alexandra responded as she ruffled Shane’s hair. Then she talked about how she and Marco got married. Cesaria also talked about herself and how she ended up to be the second-prince’s lady-in-waiting even though she heard it initially from Marco.
“Only by being a royal family member’s lady-in-waiting can I postpone my marriage. Even if my father is a duke, he cannot force a prince to return me to the duchy unless the prince does it himself.”
“So you also had an agreement,” Alexandra concluded.
“Right,” Cesaria sighed as she glanced at Nico talking to the Duke of Fernando.
“How long are you going to keep your feelings to yourself?” Alexandra asked as she observed her friend. Even if Cesaria may appear indifferent, she could not hide her feelings from Alexandra.
Cesaria giggled and unexpectedly shed tears. “I thought I could hide it forever. I didn’t expect you’d notice it in just a short time.”
Alexandra hugged her friend. How can she not understand when she feels the same way for Marco? Staying together but having unspoken boundaries towards each other. Loving a person but cannot show him properly. There is only one step between them but that step is very hard to take. For Alexandra, she feels hesitant and scared to take that step towards Marco.
Theresa and Marco finally ended their important conversation regarding the recent killing. “Are you finally alright?” Theresa asked as a concerned friend, nothing more and nothing less.
“Thank you for asking. I’m already awakened and I’m fine.”
“You don’t know how much you got everyone worried when you were not responding to any of us. Except when your consort mustered the courage to slap you, a prince. I can see it wasn’t because she was a former princess that she fearlessly did that,” Theresa said with admiration as she glanced at the bonfire area where Alexandra and the kids are staying. Marco frowned when Alexandra hugged Cesaria. “They look so serious about something,” Theresa shrugged.
“Can you eavesdrop for me?”
“I’m not close with either of them,” Theresa retorted. Marco noticed how her eyes drifted from the bonfire area to the area where the soldiers are mounted slowly into the wagons. “I like that captain.”
“Sorry but Lino is already head over heels for the lady-in-waiting near him,” Marco mumbled. “But if you are talking about Luis, you might as well give up.”
“Why?!” Theresa automatically turned her head towards Marco.
“He’s never interested in a woman.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make him interested in not just any woman but me, and only me. He is mine from head to toe,” Theresa said with determination.
“Go ahead and break that iron wall,” he smirked.
“I will,” Theresa said and walked towards the wagons. Marco glanced at Alexandra who is now covering the kids with her cloak. Agatha rushed towards the bonfire and hang the partially wet cloaks around the fire.
Marco smiled but frowned when he felt blood trickling down his arm. Among his wounds, his left arm had the longest cut, ripping his shirt off and causing a lot of bandage to cover it.