The Druid Wielder

Chapter 27

"What?" I couldn't have heard him right. He remained silent. "You can't be serious?"

"I am quite serious."

"How though?" I asked, confused with the connection.

"My mother was Queen Lilianna. Queen Ezailia was yours."

I laughed again.

"I think you are mistaken. My mother was Lady Dazaron."

He shook his head. What was he implying?

"How? That wouldn't make any sense. What else aren't you telling me?"

"As you know, Queen Lilianna died in childbirth when she had me. For the longest time my father swore he would never be happy again. That was, until he met Ezailia. The King fell madly in love with her. She was the kindest woman I ever met. Though I still honor Queen Lilianna, I truly looked to Queen Ezailia as my mother. Due to some unexpected problem, they found they could not produce a child together. Still wanting to birth heirs for our throne the King begged his friend to sacrifice some of his fertile, yet unroyal seed. So secretly the King made our mother make love to a man she had never met nor loved. Eventually the Queen became pregnant. As you began to change inside her belly, the Queen did too. She grew to love this other man, Lord Dazaron, your real father. But the King found out. Near the time of your birth he hired assassins to kill Queen Ezailia, as well as the baby she carried. They succeeded. News soon spread of the treachery. The King accused the Assassins as the ones that killed Galasia's Queen and heir. Many believe this story, yet I know it is not true."

"Are you certain of this?" These were some serious accusations.

"After the King announced the murder of Queen Ezailia I went out to seek justice. It was then when I discovered the truth from Abernan that it was the King who sought his own wife's demise. The King did succeed in killing the Queen, but he failed at killing the heir. Somehow they did not kill you. Lord Dazaron hid you well for many years. I thank the Gods that I got to you before the King."

"But that would means-"

"You are the Queen's daughter, thought to be dead."

I replayed what he said in my head, over and over. Every time I did, it sounded crazier and crazier. Then again, Lord Dazaron never treated me the same as his other children. Was this why? He wanted to hide me away. He never wanted me to be a soldier or to leave the village. Was it all because of this? To protect me? Did everyone know this? Akyto? Yestin? Dalani? Dalani had told me I was different from them. She had tried to tell me then, in her own weird way. I wanted to be grateful to her for trying to warn me, but all I felt was frustration at the fact that they had all lied to me. In the end, it didn't protect me. It just made me feel like a stranger to my own family. But then, perhaps I was. Perhaps that is all they saw me as, a stranger. Were they trying to protect me or themselves?

"By marriage you are a princess and my step sister." Andrion explained.

I took a deep breath then let it out.

"Why hide all of this from me?"

"Emilea, you must understand, this information is safer kept a secret. Your father knew that. If rumor got out who you were, my father would surely try to have you and your family killed, as he is doing now. Not only did you steal something of his, ironically, but you're unfinished business."

"So does that mean he will go after my family?"

"Interesting enough, your brother Akyto joining the King's royal guards will keep them safe for now. I believe the King is just focusing on you and his- your sword."