I'll be Home [On Going]

Chapter 57

Chambord Palace - Chambord, France

"The darkest hour is just before the dawn."

Victoria read the last phrase on the chapter of the novel she found recently at the back of the old cabinet where some of her husband's things were kept. Her father was already asleep at the other side of the high shelf that they put in between their space. This high shelf divides their own bed so they still have some privacy. There was only one actual bed inside this room which is the one that she is using and the other one that her father is using was just made out of two connecting tables that they put together on the side of the wall to be sturdy, and to prevent the old man from falling. She wants him to use the real bed since he's too old but he insisted she needs the real one due to the intensity of the problems they're facing right now. If there is one who needs more rest at night he believes it's his daughter, in the end Victoria chose not to argue anymore.

Several explosions above the ground were heard under the dungeon where the two are currently hiding. It became their daily alarm, as soon as the clock hit six in the morning. What's with six? She doesn't know, neither does he. That is something they noticed about and been curious what's behind it. Since Camilla of Luxembourg seized the palace, almost two months ago, they never got a chance to move out. Good thing Victoria's instinct kicked in right before the villain and her thousands of underlings invaded their territory. One halcyon afternoon when Victoria, accompanied by her lackey, decided to check the room again after almost a year of not paying it a visit. It was when she remembered her late husband on the day of their anniversary. She used to visit the room at least once a month, it stopped when she became busy planning on how to solve their family dispute without shedding blood. Sleepless nights, events bottlenecks, hodgepodge assortments and hopeful plans for peace talks that never happened. It was far too late, the opposition had their bloody way before she could even start to move. Her men in order to protect the Queen signaled their team to secure the information that they were inside. The palace experienced a downturn of events. Everything that they had planned was wasted. And that was a big lapse on her part, at times she'd think she's a failure as a leader. For so long that she's been ruling the country, maybe her knowledge and experience were insufficient to safeguard her territory. Because unfortunately, hundreds of lives were taken back by multitude armed force brought by Camilla. She couldn't blamed anyone but solely herself for putting her people into this unanticipated tragic state of affairs.

She felt as if she committed an unforgivable crime to her people, she doesn't have the face to show them once they got out this chamber.

What if she already lost them?

What if they already turned their back on her?

What if they finally accepted Camilla of Luxembourg to rule them instead of her?

What if they plan to put her down once she got out?

This unfortunate chain of events terrify her every day and every night on her sleep.

"Oye, ¿por qué lloras cariño? (Hey, why are you crying honey?)"

She quickly brushed off her wet face when she felt her father coming to her side, she thought he was already asleep. Francisco held her hand under the dim light coming from the single candle that was on the ledge of the old chimney. They chose not to use the chimney for security.

"¿Qué pasa si no puedo hacerlo? (What if I won't be able to make it?)" she asked hopelessly, pulling up the white cloth to cover her body from the cold that is lurking around the area coming from the thick walls.

"Tengo la sensación de que estoy empezando a perder a mi gente. Han pasado dos meses y todavía estamos aquí. Esto es cobardía, ¿cómo puedo hacer planes sin conectarme con mi pueblo? ¡No puedo ni siquiera estar de pie para ellos! (I have a feeling that I'm starting to lose my people. It's been two months and we're still here. This is cowardice, how can I make plans without connecting to my people? I can't even stand for them!)"