The Chronicle of Aurelia Aurelius

Chapter 28 The Decision

           Was this a chance to break everything? Would I take this? If I accepted her offer, and broke the betrothal, what was the point of being here? What was the point of the royal decree? What was the point of the royal family inviting me to become the royal courtier? So the story of mine in the book would end. I would not die in the future neither my father. My family would be saved.

I looked at her, and said, "YE–" but suddenly I stopped in the middle of it, because when I looked at the Queen, I felt something fishy about it...Was it worth it for me to break the betrothal? Yet, it would save my life and my family's. Again, the agreement was created to prevent the royals from intervening in my family's territory and business...Did the Queen expect me to break the betrothal so they could intervene in my family territory?

"What's the matter, Aurelia? Are you going to accept my offer or not?" The Queen asked.

I was silent for 5 seconds, looking down. After that, I lifted my face to her, and said "No, your majesty...This bethoral shall be continued..."

"If that's your answer, surely the royal family will accommodate the best for you in the courtier and support your relationship."

"I'm thankful, your majesty.."

I left the room; everyone was waiting for me outside the room. We were escorted by the guards to leave the palace. Outside the palace, my carriage was waiting; the stuff above the carriage was gone. I immediately wanted to go inside the carriage, but the guard who got ordered by the queen told me that the surveillance of me started tomorrow. After that, I went inside the carriage, and the others—Adel, Cassius, and Valerie—hopped to the front of the carriage. We left the palace.

In the carriage, I was questioning my decision about the bethroral—was it right to maintain it?

...

The carriage was stopped, and the door was opened. We were in front of a big house. When I took a step to the ground, Adel said,

"Welcome home.."
"Is this my residence, when I am here?"

"Yes, how about my lady go inside.."

I walked toward the door. In front of the door, there were some stairs. While I was walking up some stairs, I heard something on the carriage. I looked behind me, and it was Cassius and Valerie; they were walking away, trying to leave. I saw they were leaving, so I turned around and started to chase them. I lifted my skirt and ran toward them.

I shouted, "WAIT!!"
Their heads turned around, and they stopped walking.

In front of them, I asked, "Where are you going?"

Cassius answered, "The job is done, so we will leave from here, trying to find another job.."

"I will rehire you, not as my escort, but as my guards; how about that?"

Valerie said with a high tone,"Listen here!! You have a capable person, or I can say a monster, behind you..." suddenly her voice became lower, "or inside of you.." and back to normal, "So why do you still need us to be around you? You are Aurelius; the people around you are more capable than us.."
I didn't want them to leave me; I still needed them to survive.

"Surely people around me are capable and strong, but they are hired by my parents, not me, or trained by my parents...You two, are the first people that I hired, not my parents, I need you two to stay with me...and you two are the only outside persons, that I know; maybe you two have more common sense, knowledge, and hear rumors than people around me...So I need you, you can live inside the house—"