A Princess Named Harry: Book 2

Chapter 27

Kahil sat and listened calmly as Harry told him everything about Varian's betrayal and of what is to come in the distant future.

After Harry finished, Kahil leaned back in his chair. "So it's like that, huh?" He glared at the ceiling. "I never liked that knight of yours. Who knew he'd end up a traitor?"

Harry didn't say anything. For a moment, she wanted to refute her brother's words. She wanted to believe this was all still some cruel joke, but she knew she couldn't stay in denial forever.

"Can we keep this a secret from Father? At-at least just for a little bit?"

Harry knew she was asking for the impossible. Of course, the king needed to know about what was going on.

"Okay, let's do that."

Harry and Terrance both gave Kahil the same stunned look.

"We can keep it a secret from Father for a bit," he replied. "After all, I think we can handle this by ourselves."

"We can?" Terrance asked unconvinced.

Kahil nodded, "That knight boy must be home right now, and since he's a member of the Alchester duchy, we just have to pay them a little visit." Kahil laughed grimly as he continued, "I'm sure the duke and duchess are dying to know about their son's treachery."

"Are . . . are we going to pay them a visit, then?" Harry asked nervously.

"Yes," Kahil answered. "We'll all go now."

"All of us?" asked Terrance. "By all of us, does that also include me?"

"Of course," Kahil replied as he wrapped his arm around Terrance's shoulders. "I need my best man there with me when we take down the traitor boy."

Terrance groaned as Kahil shoved him towards the door. He didn't want to go, but he didn't have a choice.

The three of them made their way into a quickly prepared carriage and hurried to the duke's residence.

Harry had never met the duke before; she wondered what kind of people Varian's parents were. She wondered if Varian was there right now. Would she be able to see him?

"What kind of people are the duke and duchess?" Harry found herself asking aloud.

"Hmm . . . I don't know," Kahil answered. "I don't think I've ever seen the duke or duchess in person before."

They looked over at Terrance, who only shook his head in response. "I don't know much about them either."

Harry frowned; she could not hide her disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Terrance said with a little smile.

"No," she reluctantly replied. "It's okay."

"We'll just have to wait to see what they are like until we get there," Kahil said as he looked out the window with a bored expression.

They were quiet for the rest of the ride. There was little small talk between them. When they arrived at the giant black-gated golden mansion, the conversation became lively again. Although, it was only Kahil spitting them warnings.

Harry watched Kahil knock on the door and waited in suspense as the door slowly opened. A frail old butler, much like Hubert, cracked the door open and asked in a long voice, "Yes?"

"We need to speak with the duke," Kahil said.

Harry was put off by Kahil's immediate response. He was right to the point.

"That'll be rather difficult right now," replied the butler.

"Well, it's rather urgent," said Kahil in a mocking tone. "Get the duke now."

"I don't know if my lord is up for visitors at the moment. May you state your purpose before I go interrupt him?"

"Yes," Kahil replied with a cruel smile. He perched his head high. "Tell your lord that unless he wants to be pulled out of his house in chains that he should come downstairs."

The man's brow raised.

"Tell him that the crown prince has reason to believe that he is a traitor to his kingdom, and refusal to come out and meet him will only result in him sitting in a jail cell for a long time."

"Oh," replied the butler worriedly. "The master won't do well in jail. Not at all!"

He gave Kahil a worried look before agreeing to get the duke. He shut the door, and a few minutes later, the duke and duchess opened it with worried looks.

The duke and duchess put the three off. They were such an elderly couple that it was hard to imagine them having a child of around sixteen or seventeen years of age. Harry felt something wasn't right. Kahil must have felt the same way because the first thing he said to them was about their identities.

"Are you really the Duke and Duchess of Alchester?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, we are," answered the frail duke as he pulled his equally as frail wife closer to him. "May I ask why the crown prince has come to pay me a visit? Especially under the guise of treason? That's such a strong claim."

"As it should be," Kahil replied. "We came to talk with you." Kahil paused. "Rather, we've come to talk to your son."

"Son?" repeated the duke. He and his wife both looked at each other confused.

"Yes," Kahil answered. "Your son has committed treason, and in order to lay down any suspicion we have of you, I need you to tell me the truth." Kahil looked at the man with dangerous eyes. "Did you know that your son committed treason against the royal family?"

"N-no," stuttered the duke. "That's impossible!"

"And why is that?" Kahil asked sternly.

"Because we don't have a son!" cried the duchess.

Those words made everything grow cold. Harry felt a chill go down her spine.

Terrance quickly stepped in between Kahil and the couple. "It's better if you don't test His Highness's patience," he said.

"But we're telling you the truth," said the duchess quickly. "We don't have a son! We've never had any children!"

Again, it felt like a huge wave came down on them. As much as Harry tried to deny it, the scared expressions of the duke and duchess confirmed it.

Terrance whispered to Kahil, "They seem to be telling the truth."

"Do-do you require proof?" asked the scared man.

After a long pause, Kahil finally answered, "No, you two seem to be telling the truth." He couldn't imagine the likes of them having a teenage son anyway. "Let's go," he said in a voice filled with annoyance.

As they headed back to the carriage, Harry spared the couple one last look. If they never had any children, then Varian couldn't be their son.

The mood in the carriage was tense. Varian had lied about his identity to the royal family, and they had been none the wiser.

Harry now felt a wave of realization wash over her. She never knew Varian. Everything he had told her had been a lie.

Soon, a question began to arise in her mind. If that was the case, then who exactly was the boy she had spent a year of her life with?