THE GREAT LADY OF ALKION

CHAPTER 14

It was morning soon. Astrid woke up and got dressed for the day. Luciana stirred in her sleep. She had had a really terrible night. Astrid knew that her grandfather was not yet done with Luciana and he would do anything to make sure that there the past night's events didn't happen again. He values his reputation more than anything.
Without thinking twice, she went to see him. He was in his study looking around the drawers.
"I need to speak to you grandfather."
"Not now Astrid. I'm busy."
"This is important."
"For goodness sake, I told you that I am busy. Don't be stubborn."
"What do you plan to do to Luciana ?Tell me. I want to know."
"You really are stubborn aren't you. Very well. She will be thrown out of the castle."
"Why ? All she did was have a relationship with Fabian. Just break them apart but don't kick her out. She has no place to go to."
" She should have thought about that when she got close to Fabian."
" I take full responsibility for everything. I did not train her well. I did not keep an eye on her but please let her go this once. When she does it again, I'll let you do anything you wish to do."
" Very well Astrid. If she does anything wrong, I'll punish you together with her. It is your duty to ensure that your servants act accordingly."
" I understand."
" Good. Now leave me."
" You seem to be looking for something. I could help you look."
" You really are as stubborn as I am. I am trying to find some important papers concerning strategies that my privy council and I had discussed. They contain important information that I can't let anyone find it. If it they land in enemy hands, we will be done for."
" Did anyone know where they were or that you had them ?"
" No. Only your mother knows where I'd keep them but she doesn't take anything from here without telling me," he said and sat down to think." Aretha was here yesterday in the morning and I told her that I was handling important information. She could be the culprit."
" But I don't think she would do that."
" Do you remember some years back when she sneaked into the study and took some of my papers trying to help me as she said, "he said as he stressed on the word help.
" You told her not to mess around with anything that belongs to you."
" You may believe her but not me. Guard!" The guard outside the study entered the room." Get Aretha here immediately."
Within minutes Aretha came inside. She looked at Astrid then Anthony.
"You summoned me grandfather."
"Did you come inside this room after you left ?"
"No. I didn't. I was with Germaine all day long. Why ?"
"Nothing. The both of you are dismissed."
The two women walked out of the room and Aretha turned to Astrid.
"What happened ? Why did he summon me and ask if I returned to the study ?"
" Some papers are missing."
"Oh. Maybe he misplaced them. I'm sure he'll find them. I'll leave now."
"Just stop there," Astrid said." We need to talk."
"About what Astrid ?"
"About last night. What was that ?"
" I exposed your maid. She was betraying you behind your back and as the caring cousin I am, I did what I had to. You should have seen how hurt Germaine was. She was just about to find Fabian and tell him of her feelings."
" You shouldn't have humiliated Luciana like you did. She is also human and she deserves respect. A maid or not. You were wrong."
"Excuse me ? I was wrong ? That was the second time I caught them together. She swore to me that she would not do it again but surprise surprise," she said as she waves her hands in the air dramatically.
" You should have just come and told me and I would have dealt with the situation well but you had to get your own way because you hate Luciana."
" Of course you're defending her Astrid. I knew you would."
"I'm not defending her. I am just telling you that you handled the situation wrongly."
" I'm not talking to you anymore," Aretha said and ran off to her room.
"Little spoilt girl," Astrid muttered.
She followed her to her room and got inside without knocking.
"I said that I don't want to talk Astrid."
"Tell me why you treat Luciana poorly. You treat others well except her. What's wrong ?"
" I just hate her."
"That's not a reason."
"It's because she took you from me Astrid. When we were young, you were my best friend. You were the only one I felt comfortable to be with. You were seven and I was five. We did everything together. Then she got into the picture when her mother was assigned to your mother."
Astrid remembered the day she met Luciana for the first time.
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Astrid was walking around the castle when she saw a cat. She wondered who's cat it was because her grandfather had banned everyone from keeping pets inside the castle. The cat looked good. It was grey with black spots. It ran off to the garden.
A young girl came running towards Astrid.
"Have you seen a cat pass by here ?"
"Yes. Is it yours ?"
"It is. Where did it run off to ?"
"I saw it run towards the garden."
"I need to find it quickly." the girl said and ran off. Astrid followed suit. They looked around but didn't see it."I can't lose my kitty."
"Don't worry well find it."
They heard a dog bark and went towards it. It was barking at the cat that seemed stuck on the tree.
" The cat is afraid of Odie," Astrid laughed. "Go ahead boy," she said as she pat the dog after a worker came to get it. She climbed up the tree and took the cat. Within minutes she had climbed down and handed the cat to the girl.
"Thank you for helping me find Kitty."
"You're welcome. What's your name ?"
"I'm Luciana. What's yours ?"
"I'm Astrid."
"Astrid ? Princess Therese's daughter ?" she gasped.
"Yes."
"I am so sorry. I didn't know that you are a princess. Pardon my ill manners."
"It's nothing. It felt really good to be treated like a normal child. What are you going to do about Kitty ? If grandfather finds out that there's a cat, he'll have it thrown out."
" I just found her roaming around and kept her hidden for three days. She is so cute. I can't lose her."
" I have an idea. We could hide her in my room. It is huge and nobody will find out."
" That's brilliant."
They smiled at each other and walked to Astrid's room. Luciana brought a cup of milk to feed it.
" I got this from the kitchen for Kitty."
" Come on let's feed her."
There was a knock at the door.
" Hide her behind the screen and don't make a sound."
After Luciana hid behind the screen, Astrid opened the door. It was Aretha.
" What were you doing ?"
" Nothing Aretha."
" I wanted to play with you. Maybe we could go play in the garden."
"Which game would you like to play ?". The cat mewed.
" What was that ?"Aretha asked.
" Nothing. I was saying that.. "the cat mewed again.
" No Astrid. That was a cat. I'm sure of it."
" No," Luciana said once the cat escaped from her. Aretha watched in fascination as the cat jumped onto Astrid's bed.
" Who are you ?"
" I am Luciana."
The door creaked open. Therese entered the room followed by another woman who resembled Luciana.
"Here you are girls," Therese said." Oh and there's a cat in the room. Astrid what are you up to ?"
"Nothing mother. It's just Kitty. Please don't tell grandfather."
"Where did you find it ?"
"Well I think I can answer that. Luciana had a cat with her. I told you that we can't have her here. The king disapproves of it,"her mother said.
" Just let her be. It's only a cat Catherine. Let them keep it. I'll take care of father,"Therese said.
" Yay! "Astrid and Luciana shouted.
Over the next days they played around with it and it brought them together. They realized that they loved the same things. They could always practice archery, play with wooden swords copying what they saw soldiers do during their training. They also snuck out of the castle to play with the children living in the village.
Aretha was more reserved and so she was left out most of the time. She turned to playing the harp, painting and hunting to keep herself occupied because she didn't have her playmate with her anymore.
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"That Astrid is what happened. You forgot about me for her."
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know that you felt left out."
"Don't be sorry Astrid. It's all in the past."
" But I."
" Don't say sorry because that's what you want to say. It won't bring the childhood I wanted with you back. But I will not stop despising her."
This wasn't going anywhere so Astrid left for her room. Luciana had woken up already.
"I'm from talking to grandfather. He has shown you mercy. He won't do anything to you."
"Thank you Astrid. Thank you."
" You need to stay away from Fabian though. If you get into trouble again,I won't be able to help you."
" Don't worry. I will keep my distance."
"I need you to tell me everything now."
Luciana began the narration of how she began her relationship with Fabian some moons ago till the previous night.
"I shouldn't have kept it from you. I feel so ashamed."
"Next time, tell me everything. But you need to stay away from Fabian."
"I promise. I will. I need to go clean your sheets and blankets."
"Go ahead," Astrid said. "Oh and Luciana."
"Yes."
"There is a big wolf in the castle. It has red hair. Beware. It may pounce on you when you're not looking."
" Oh no," Luciana said with a smirk. They both burst into laughter.