The Chronicle of Aurelia Aurelius

Chapter 56 A Name

As everyone was dispersing from the palace grounds, I could see Milo still standing there, seeing the place where he plunged to Lady Octavi and won. However, his eyes seemed distant, as if he were lost in thought or contemplation. It was clear that his victory had not brought him the joy and glory. Watching him, immediately I thought, what would Lady Octavi think or feel that she needed to lose the spar purposely? Would she be in the state like Milo? As I was watching him, I heard Adel's voice from behind me, calling out to me that the others were already left. I turned away from the grounds and started to walk out from there.

While I was walking to rejoin with the others, Adel was beside me, and I wondered what she thought about the spar, and I asked her, "Adel, what did you think about the spar between Milo and Lady Octavi?"

"What did I think? Huh? I didn't have any thoughts about it, my lady..."

"Come on! You are on the same level as Lady Octavi; surely you must have some thoughts about it..."

"I don't have any thoughts about it, my lady..."

"That's odd; how do you not have any thoughts after watching the match?"

Adel just ignored me while we were walking...

I asked her again, "Come on! Adel, you are on the same level as Lady Octavi; surely you will have some thoughts about the match..."

Adel still ignored me, and feeling that Adel didn't want to share her thoughts with me, I decided to just keep silent and continued to walk.

When I turned my head into the hallway, suddenly I could see my mother at a distance in the hallway. The hallway was so empty, I decided to see and leave Adel. As I was approaching her quietly, I could see there was someone beside her. Slowly, I could identify the figure, and it was the Queen. Immediately, I stopped and tried to hide. I took a peek and saw them; they seemed to argue about something. My mother wrapped her hands around herself and stayed calm and composed, while the Queen seemed angry and furious towards my mother. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but the tension in the air was palpable. However, as I looked at it closer, my mother seemed not affected; it felt like it wasn't her first time dealing with the Queen, or they were always arguing with each other behind all the views of the public and noble. As I was watching them, the Queen kept circling around my mother and let everything out of her. After the Queen had finished her tirade, my mother simply didn't bother to say anything or show any gesture. The Queen immediately walked out from there furious; I could see she kept twitching her fists as she was walking, and her walking pace quickened.

As I turned my face from the Queen to my mother, surprisingly, my mother's eyes were staring at me. She showed me a smirk of a smile towards me, and immediately, I hid my face. I tried to walk out of there, and as I turned back, there was Adel in front of me, getting in my way. Suddenly, I could hear footsteps from behind me; it was my mother slowly approaching me. I tried to pass Adel to her right, yet she moved to her right as she tried not to let me go. As I tried hard to pass Adel, I heard the footsteps becoming louder. I tried to tell Adel countless times to move away, yet she didn't say anything and was just getting in my way.

"My Aurelia..." Immediately, a voice could be heard behind me; from the voice, I knew who it was...

Slowly, I turned my body as I replied, "Yes, my mother..." I could see her smirk and smile.

She leaned her face towards mine and said, "What were you doing in here?"

I replied, "Nothing..."

Her index finger touched my forehead, and she said, "Did you watch everything?"

I looked at her finger, not her face. I said, "Yes, I did..."

She put out her finger and her face from mine and said, "Did you enjoy the show?"