Maskli (Legacy Of Bluebloods 1#)

28

CHAPTER 15

(Dave)

Sam fell asleep on Dave's lap. He gazed at his daughter, that peace of mind of his jumbled with concerned thoughts. The depth of his feelings was disarrayed. There is a matter of time where he had to confess the darkest truth of her identity. How will she react? He never thought it would be much sooner than that. Sixteen years were too long, that's why it happened already.

"That was a huge abrasion."

"Aye, I've never seen anything like it."

"Do you think this is the end of the world?"

"Maybe that is the reason the king had a subject meeting at Cathedral?"

"More doom?!" Dave almost cringed at the thought when a man blurted his woe out. That man wasn't entirely wrong about it.

Whispers of gossips and chitchat chattered across the great hall. People were eager and afraid at the prospect of their Sembon ruler's demand of a public announcement later this evening. Some of the survivors did not even bother about it. They just huddled with their families in one, gratified by the sheer luck to reunite with their loved ones. Dave couldn't blame them. The earthquake was in the past of two days now, Dave still refused to let his daughter and wife stay out of his sight. Michael had left the Cathedral to assist the king, left Amber here, who was talking with an old woman.

Once again, he fixated his intent look on Sam. His eyebrows knitted in dismal because he noticed a shade of dull shadows on her folded eyelids. The girl must have a reckless night, he sighed. Anne was at his right, changing his bandage. He tugged a strand of hair of his wife's hair to the back of her ear, it had been a long time since he had done that. Pausing her work, she held his gaze for a fraction second, her hands entwined along his with a hushed tone "This is it, isn't it? The one we've been afraid of?"

He gave her a sad smile, nodded "Yes, you and I both know this is bound to happen." Anne nodded as an understatement. Her small lip curved up "Sam is tough. You had made sure of that."

"I know. She will be more than that."

"After what happened that day, I hate to think that I used to doubt her." There was a hint of guilt in her tone.

The earthquake had proven to them that she could take care of herself and others at the same time. A surge of pride coursed in him. Still, he glanced to his right, his vision focused on the farthest corner, where another pair of the family huddled. He was observing him, the person that matter the most beside Sam, the person who could change everything.

It depended on him if he was going to ruin the future or righting the wrongs in the past.

"I am still worried about her." He admitted. How bizarre that now his role had switched with Anne. Normally she was the one who was anxious about Sam, whereas he will shrug her off.

"I had a feeling that you are hiding something from me," remarked Anne.

"Turn to your right, you will know."

Dave stared at him again. This time, Anne followed his stare, confused. He was leaning against the wall, with his sister leaning on him. He was also doing the same thing as they were, except that it was not on them, but Sam. His flawless face looked rather thoughtful like he was contemplating something about her. There was something else either, a calm expression of relief and - interest? It took not long for him to catch their ogles on him and looked down to his pants quickly, pink in his pale face.

"That is Yuvania's youngest son - Matt, isn't it?" she noted. "Matthiaz Martel." He corrected. A lot of people thought the end of his name ended with a "s". But he was clever, the boy didn't correct them, merely hid away his true name. If it wasn't for that unfortunate circumstances,  he wouldn't know either, blindly followed. Yuvania had spoken a lot about him. He was the exact replicate of his late mother if gender was not considered first.

Like mother, like son. If Matthiaz was anything like his mother, perhaps more...then the future would be more complicated than he thought.

"This is what you are worried about?" A disbelief laugh escaped from her lips, she added "He is engaged, Dave. Besides, what lord would be interested with a peasant girl who is scorned by the society?" If only Anne know. Smitten was the least of his worries. He would love for Sam to find love, but the matter of who was the real problem. 

"He did." The boy's expression was conspicuous enough for Dave to know the lad was smitten by Sam. Long ago, a man had looked at a woman in the same way the boy did. And it cost everything. Dave's gaze averted to Anne's, who was smiling back at him with a knowing look. He rolled his eyes.

Oh, that man was still looking at his woman the same way indeed.

"Maybe he is just daydreaming. Don't tell me you are jealous?" she joked.

"I don't like an engaged man staring at my daughter." Maybe his fatherly instinct had shown up. He smoothed Sam's hair, angrier to himself when Sam was almost executed for nothing a month ago. The guards had not found the culprit who had abused Henry, for there was no evidence for that misfortune event. Although deep down Dave was a little delighted of that, but he could not shake the apprehension that this dangerous culprit knew Sam.

"Are you going to tell her, Dave?"

"What choice do we have? As you said, we can't hide her."

"I certainly don't mean that!" her voice strangled. He shifted marginally, eased "For how long? More storms will be landed upon kingdoms if she didn't know. Hell, more danger will be cast on her if she was not ready to face the truth. That someone out there needed Sam. And she had to protect her."

"Dave, what do you mean?"

Oh no. He wasn't supposed to blurt out like that.

Sam stirred. He exchanged his glance with Anne. He drew his forefinger to the bottom of his mouth, angled his head to left then right. Comprehending this, his wife bobbed her head in agreement. Now was not the time.
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