Villainess Reborn: SEASON ONE

48

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Tatiana rested her head on the desk.

It was boring but she would always choose this over going to parties and hiding from banshees. She just prays that it won't come in here because she has Elliot and old William to protect.

William announced that he will be entering the room and the door creaked open. She had no energy to turn around and watched the red and orange leaves starting to fall on the ground. It was the beginning of autumn.

"Princess, the king summons you to his study," William notified her. She groaned in the complaint and stretched her arms across her desk.

"What does he need from me now?" she grunted, "if he is going to tell me to go to parties then he can attend it himself."

"Princess!" William hollered, "you can't speak like that!"

"I'm sorry!" the princess exclaimed, "but I don't want to go!"

"It is about the reward that you will be getting for helping the Duke's daughter."

Tatiana's eyes widened and turned to him, "really?! Is it cash?!"

"Cash?" William asked, "you mean cashew?"

"Oh my gosh," Tatiana groaned, "never mind that."

She stood up and marched towards the door to go and claim the reward that she deserves.

Meanwhile, Bjorn, who was riding on his horse just arrived from the capital. He saw the princess walking on the hallway through the window. Today, he discovered something new about the princess.

"The orphanage is funded secretly by the princess. She suddenly stopped coming and the funds also stopped. The people who managed the orphanage realized that they won't be getting any money so they ran away. Now the orphanage is in a bad shape."

"She used to visit secretly all the time, I wonder what happened."

He discovered that Tatiana was funding the orphanage, but he did not understand why. The princess never cared for anyone other than herself. He also thought that it was the first and only time the princess escaped the palace and now he uncovered that she was coming in and out of the palace in secret.

He thought that it was very strange for her to do that. He is not starting to doubt if he really knew the princess before she lost her memories. They seem like two very different people but have similar motives.

Tatiana finally arrived at the study where she saw he father writing down something on a thick rim of paper.

"Father," she called, "you summoned me?"

The king looked up and grinned, "Ah! My daughter! I heard very good news from the Iondales!"

"What did they say?"

"They loved the present that you suggested, and it was the lady's favorite. The duke also told me about how you saved her daughter." The king looked proud and approving.

"And? Do I have a reward?" Tatiana's eye sparkled when she mentioned the word reward. She hoped that it was cash, or at least bars of gold.

"Yes, of course! That is why I called you here," the king walked towards her and smiled, "I will grant you a wish."

"Really?" Tatiana gasped, "are you serious, father?"

"Of course! Anything you want, I will give it to you. What do you want? Your own castle? A land? A mine? Name it!"

Tatiana was really tempted to take the mine but then she remembered that she has something more important that came to mind. It was something that she could not do on her own and she needed the approval of her father to make it happen.

"Will you allow me and Elliot to venture outside of the palace?" she hopefully asked, "there is something I want to do."

The king's smile disappeared and he paused, looking hesitant, "do you have anything else in mind?"

"You said you would grant any wish," Tatiana said in a disappointed tone, she started to realize that she had no fear.

"I know, I know! But it's not something I could easily decide on. It is tradition that royalties are no allowed to venture out of the capital and any other places in that matter until they turn seventeen. Unless it is to attend a social gathering or something important," the king defended.

"But you are king, you can change that tradition."

The king sighed, "do you have something else in mind? We can negotiate."

Tatiana thought of it and she remembered something.

"I want to open a proper orphanage that has different facilities AND it will teach the students." Tatiana grinned proudly but the king's face turned sour.

"Don't you want anything else like your own castle full of dresses, or a large garden, or land, even a town? Don't you want diamonds and riches?" the king told her, "we already discussed education."

"And you promised that you would grant me anything that I wanted," Tatiana countered. The kin squinted his eyes at her and shook his head.

"You are just as stubborn as your mother," he muttered.

The place turned silent after that. It was the first time the king mentioned the late queen in front of her and she did not know how to react.

"I thought you forgot about her," Tatiana whispered under her breath. "We never really talked about her."

The king turned silent and the room started to feel cold. He sighed and sat down on one of the guest's chairs.

"Every day you grow, you remind me of her. Even the way you talk back to me so casually like I am not the king," he breathed, "forgetting is the only way I cope, my child. I am a king and if I let myself falter, the kingdom will also falter."

Tatiana didn't answer. She was not a part of the original Tatiana's life but how can she say all these words so naturally. Sometimes she starts to wonder if she really is Tatiana. But that won't be possible.

"Fine," the king sighed, "I will allow you to venture outside of the palace, but only at the capital and Elliot cannot come with you."

"But—"

"He's only thirteen, Tatiana, that is too young. Also, he is sick and his mother will not allow him to. However, I promise you that when he turns fifteen, he will be allowed to go."

"Really?" Tatiana asked, "I guess that's a good deal."

"And as for the orphanage," he continued, "since I was only to grant you one wish and I could noy fulfill what you wanted to do with Elliot, it will only count as half a wish so the other half is that I will allow you to build the orphanage that you want but you will fund, manage and build it by yourself, using your own money."

"But I don't have work!"

"I gave you permission and that is already a big favor. I am giving you the freedom to do what you want Tatiana, despite my beliefs about education. I gave you the signal so you will be the one who will do the rest."

Tatiana thought long and hard. Not only is she broke but where will she even find enough money to buy land and build on it. Her allowance will not be enough. But thinking of it, this can be the start of something.

She nodded at her father and agreed, "I will take the offer."

"Good," the king nodded, "this will train you to become a better queen in the future."

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END