Rebellious Love

Part 25

~Abigail's Pov~

As the march stretched on, the sun began its ascent, casting a soft glow over the landscape. A solemn hush enveloped the company, broken only by the rhythmic cadence of footsteps and the rustle of leaves in the nearby woods.

Mounted on my horse, I rode alongside the soldiers, my mind consumed by a whirlwind of thoughts. 

Among them, the memory of Hannah, my mother, loomed large. She was the one who had brought me into this world within the confines of the Lotus Kingdom, she had been the late wife of Duke Luke, a man I once regarded as my father before I fled from that place.

As I rode silently alongside Alphonse, my thoughts swirled chaotically, clouding my focus and leaving me feeling disconnected from my surroundings. His earlier action had sparked a nagging suspicion within me—was he hiding something about my mother, about her past?

or should I say... about their past...

But why now? Why had these questions suddenly surfaced, demanding answers that had remained elusive for so long? And why had my father, Luke, hinted that the person who had raised me, trained me, and cared for me might be my real father?

How can I be able to answer that question when no one dared to say a word about it.

What secrets do I need to uncover just to get the answer?

"You're troubled," Philip's voice cut through the whirlwind of my thoughts, drawing my attention back to the present. He rode his horse alongside mine, his observant gaze fixed on me.

I remained silent for a moment, grappling with the weight of my thoughts

"About earlier... I wanted to ask... Is what Luciana claimed true?" He asked without hesitation, laden with anticipation and a hint of urgency. His directness caught me off guard that I couldn't even bring myself to meet his gaze directly. Instead, I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the unspoken truth pressing down on me.

"I just... wanted to know, Abigail. You know, you can't keep your secret hidden for too long," he pressed, his tone filled with a mix of confusion.

As I pondered his words, a wave of uncertainty washed over me. Would revealing the truth destroy our engagement? Would it change everything between us? 

As those questions swirled in my mind, a sinking feeling settled in my chest. Deep down, I knew that the answer to those question would likely be yes. Once he learned the truth, everything between us would undoubtedly change. 

Our relationship would be altered, 

And our interactions would be different,

The weight of that realization bore down on me, leaving me torn between the desire to confide in Philip and the fear of the consequences that would follow. 

Could our love withstand such a revelation? 

Would he still see me the same way once he knew the truth?

I think not.

With a heavy heart, I mustered the courage to steal a glance at him, grappling with the decision weighing heavily on my shoulders, but before I could utter a word, Alphonse's commanding voice rang out, halting our progress.

"HALT!!!" he ordered, his tone authoritative as he directed us to stop in our tracks. "The sun is shining, might as well get some rest for maybe an hour to energize yourselves," he exclaimed.

Following his orders, everyone dispersed, some soldiers standing guard while others found spots to rest. Some leaned against trees for support while others lay down on the ground, taking their time to take a rest even just for a few minutes.