Empress Elijah!

Chapter 23

Elijah Archer

Dinala kami nang nagkakarwahe sa Isang napakalaking palasyo na nakatayo sa kalagitnaan ng katubigan. Tumataas ang kaba sa aking puso, kung malaman kong totoo ang sinasabi niya, ano na ang gagawin ko?

Magagalit ba ako sa Ina ko? Pero bakit kailangan niyang itago ang ganito? Muli ay napakarami na namang katanungan sa isipan ko.

"Your majesty, nandito na po yata tayo" pag agaw ni Claire sa atensiyon ko. "Ah, yes.. " wala ako sa sarili nang bumaba ako sa karwahe, hindi ko maintindihan kung ano ang mararamdaman ko.

"Your majesty, Maligayang pagbabalik sa Namara Palace!" Lahat ng knights ay nagtipon tipon upang salubungin kami, sobrang dami nila at hindi ko sila basta basta mabibilang kahit na nasa taas pa ako ng Palasyong ito.

"Your majesty, please come this way" Isang matandang lalaki ang lumapit saamin at ni lead kami papasok nang palasyo. Pagpasok namin ay may Isang matandang lalaki at babae ang sumalubong saamin. Sa enggrande at kumikinang nilang mga kasuotan at sa koronang nasa kanilang mga ulo, agad mong malalaman na sila ang Hari at Reyna sa Palasyong ito.

"Greetings, to the King and Queen of Namara" sabay bow ko sa paraang alam ko. "No need for the Formalities" the queen then held my hands and hugged me.

"I-.. " before I could say anything the king then hugged me, too. "Our Precious grand-daughter! You don't know how happy we are right now that you decided to come in Paris and visit us!" The King's eye were watering.

"I didn -.. " before I could say something again, the queen then spoke. "You look very much like your mother when she's in your age. Unfortunately she passed away younger than we expected. We thought that we'll come up before her, but unexpectedly, she first bid her goodbye to us... " I can see the sadness in their eyes.

"Is my mother... Really your daughter and the... Princess in this country..?" I asked. What if they just mistook me for someone-? But no, I can see the resemblance of mother to the Queen.

Mother, did you really lied to me? But why?! Whyyy, mother... Don't you trust me? No, no, no. Maybe there's a reason, right?.. Pe-perhaps.. You just wanted to protect me, or perhaps you forgot to tell it.. Or perhaps.. Perhaps..

My tears started falling like a river. I don't know why my mother had to lied to me! I don't understand. Maybe I'm still sleeping and this is all just a dream and when I wake up, I'm still in the Ship.

I tried to pinched myself but it only gave me a little red mark. Mother.... My tears kept flowing. "Don't be sad, grandma is here for you" then the Queen hugged me very tightly that it feels like it's mother.

"Ellyn must have hid the truth to protect you. Don't be angry at her, she won't be at peace, you know" the queen tried to joke around a little to cheer me up but I don't have t the strengths to smile.

"Mhm, you're maybe right. If mother was really your daughter and I am your grand-daughter... then I must belong to this family, don't I?" I asked the most stupid question.

"Yes, you belong here, my dear. From the moment you were still, just a little tiny thing in your mother's belly, you are already part of this family. You already belong here, Elijah" I don't know Why I'm being emotional today.

"Your Grandmother is right. You belong to this family, Elijah. So anytime you want to visit or anytime you want to stay here, you're welcome, the door of the palace is always open for you" then the king smiled.

"Thank you, your royal highness and her royal highness" I hugged them both. Mother, even if I don't know what's your real reason for keeping this secret, for keeping your identity from me... I'm still thankful to the letter that you gave me.. If you didn't gave me the letter, baka hindi ako pumunta ng Paris at baka hindi ko makikilala ang pamilya mo.

"There's this place that my mother told me to go whenever i wanted to.. " tsaka ko ipinakita ang papel sakanila. "This.. This place belongs to your mother. This is the safest place in Paris. We built this place for her, because there's so many people that tried to kill her before. Maybe she gave you this incase your life is in danger then you can hide there, you wanna go there?" the queen asked.

"Yes, I wanna go there and live the rest of my life there with my baby. Ah, I haven't tell you but I'm pregnant, please if someone from the Coastillon came here and ask for me, please tell them that you didn't saw me or even heard about me coming here. I want to keep my baby safe from that place, please. My baby doesn't need to be the prince or anything, my baby doesn't need the title or power, all my baby need is protection. If they found out that I'm pregnant, my baby will be in danger and I can't afford to lose a baby twice" Mabilis at walang hinto kong sabi.

"You've lose your first child?" The king and queen are in shocked hearing this. "Yes.. I wanna protect this baby in my belly so that he doesn't have the same fate as my first child had" I'm being emotional again..

"We didn't heard about this, your father never send us a letter saying you've lost your child!" my father only knew about this when the servants slipped. "Kailan lang din ito nalaman nalaman ng ama ko... I'm so worried na baka mag alala pa siya ng sobra at makalimutan ang tungkulin niya.."

"Hayy, my child... You still have to say it. Don't worry, under my protection, no one will ever tried to harm that child. If you want to stay at the Merina, then go stay at the Merina. Stay there, and grandma will protect the two of you"

"We'll send some knights to protect you there and to protect the area. We'll make sure that you'll live a happy and peaceful life with your child. We'll also send some help there for-"

"No need grandfather, hindi ako mag iisa doon, may mga kasama ako. Claire, Prey, come over here and introduce yourselves to the king and Queen" tsaka naman sila lumapit at nag bow.

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness. I'm Prey, the right hand of the Duke Archer. I'm here to serve her Majesty, and I promise to protect her and the Little prince in her stomach even in exchange for this is my life"

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness. I'm Claire, the loyal servant of the Empress Elijah, and I'm here to serve her 'till the end" pagkatapos ay pumunta sila sa likuran ko.

"It's good.. Please keep our granddaughter's accompany and protect her at all cost. I'll reward you two if she successfully delivered the baby healthy and doesn't have any infliction"
Grandmother said and the two nodded.

"Yes, your Royal Highness" Prey. "I have a question, Elijah" I'm being comfortable already.. "Yes, grandmother?"

"Does the Emperor know that your pregnant with his child?" This question gave a little Pinch in my heart.

"He doesn't need to know grandmother. Now that I left the Empress seat, it will be occupied by his Lover anytime soon.. And they also had a child.. So mine will be a nobody. But that's okay. I can raise this child alone" sabay hawak ko sa tiyan ko. "I can.. give this child all the love and care that he deserved. I'll make him feel that he doesn't need his father to be happy, I'll fulfill every empty spots and make every moments with him a wonderful memories." Grandmother smiled with a teary eyes.

"Sure, if that's what you want, then we'll do it. Your grandfather and I will help you to raise this little one. Does your father knew you're here? I heard that he's in the mission right now on the other country"

"He doesn't know that I left the Empire, by the time he gets back from the mission... The news of me missing will-"

"You know that your father will send half of his knights everywhere just to find you... He won't be able to sleep when he knew that his Precious daughter was missing.."

I know... But this is only thing I can think of, and I left him a letter that only he will be able to find it. Father, please be healthy and strong while I'm away, I'll send you a letter again when the situation gets better. You'll survive this, I know you. But I can't survive when I lose this child, I'm not as strong as you. ..And Please be safe for me.

Note: Please expect some typos in every chapter.