BOOK 3: One True Destiny

Chapter 20

                                                                                              Remorse

"Carlos, this isn't you! Why are you doing this?!" Mary cried out loud. "This is all your fault Mary, you made me the way I am now! Am I not worthy of your love?! After all the pain that Francis had put you through, you still love him!" The angry prince exclaimed as he drag Mary away. The Condottiero locks the door, leaving Francis helpless inside. "Carlos please, I beg you! Do not do this! Francis have nothing to do with how I feel about you. I chose to be your friend because that is all I have left to offer. I cannot force myself to love you the way you want me to; that would not be fair to either of us. Our friendship means so much to me that I don't want to do anything that will cause you harm!" Says the pleading queen. But her words fell on deaf ears, he tightens his grip on her hand and drag her towards his chamber. As the door opens Carlos proceeds to overpower Mary! He started to kiss her forcefully and laid her on the bed! Carlos uses all his strength to pin her down! He lies on top of her and begins to separate her thighs! "Carlos, please don't do this! Please don't do this!" She begs as he quickly undresses her! There is no way that Mary can resist his advances! Carlos is too strong; he will not stop until his desire is fulfilled. Mary's tears start to fall as she makes her final attempt to stop Carlos. "You may possess my body but not my heart! You can never have my heart! Not this way!" She exclaimed. Upon hearing this Carlos stopped! He suddenly realize how shameful his actions are. This is the woman that he loves dearly; the woman whom he would like to be with forever. He cannot have her this way... It is simply not right! The prince loosen his grip and immediately stood up. He  is simply not capable of treating her this way. The queen is shaking as she tries to gather herself and attempts to cover her chest while sobbing uncontrollably. Her cry broke Carlos' heart into pieces. The remorseful prince turned to see his beloved queen. "I'm sorry Mary, I'm truly sorry." He tearfully said as he walks away, slamming the door behind him.

                                                                                   Tristan da Cunha

The news have reached Bash that his men were too late, Francis had been taken by the Radical Party while he was in Portugal searching for Mary. Bash begins to worry all the more because his brother is the third royalty whose been abducted by the same individuals, leaving Scotland without a ruler, and Spain and France without an heir. The Traditional Party must exhaust all efforts and resources to finally identify the man behind this chaos! If they can't, then nobody else will. Tonight, Bash privately summoned Henry and Philip at the council chamber. The two are eager to find out as to why they are called at this late hour. "Your Majesties, please take a seat." Says Bash. The kings sat beside each other. "Father, Francis is now in the hands of our enemies." Henry is petrified! It means that the Radical Party now holds three nations at their grasp! "They are getting bolder and more powerful each day. If we fail to act now, we will lose everything!" Says Philip. Bash nodded and replied, "I asked for this private meeting  because I need to know if you can think of anyone who may have an ulterior motive for enlisting highly skilled mercenaries to kidnap Mary, Carlos, and Francis." Philip and Henry looked at each other as they try to answer Bash's query. They begin to compare notes, recalling each and every prominent individual they may have encountered during their reign... Perhaps someone who can benefit from the loss of the heirs of France and Spain... Someone who despises them so much that he went to the extreme of abducting their heirs. Then Philip remembered a child named Emmanuel Philibert (who's now nicknamed as The Ironhead). He is the sole survivor of the House of Savoy, the last heir to the throne of Italy. "But it cannot be him." Says Philip to Henry. The French king recalls that about a decade ago, he and Philip invaded Italy by defeating Charles III, the then Duke of Savoy, who died shortly after he lost his kingdom, leaving his only son, Emmanuel, under the mercy of France and Spain. Philip and Henry chose to exile the young orphaned duke in order to spare his life and to ensure a peaceful invasion. The Italian nobles had no option but to surrender to foreign rule as they witnessed how Emmanuel was shipped away and banished by their enemies! Now they both realized that a ghost from the past is back to torment them for their wrongdoings! "He is well guarded in that island to this day, we both made sure of it." Says Henry, trying to reassure himself and Philip. Bash who hears their conversation and not knowing what they are talking about curiously asks, "Father, who are you referring to?" Philip stood up and replied, "Bash, over a decade ago, your father and I joined forces to expand our territories by invading Italy. Our victory meant the destruction and the end of the reign of the House of Savoy. Out of mercy, we decided to exile a boy named Emmanuel Philibert, who is the last crown prince of Italy, to Tristan da Cunha, a remote British Island located at the South Atlantic, a place where no one can attempt to retrieve him." Bash is stunned! He never thought that his father is capable to do such a cruel act! "You both agreed to send away a helpless child into exile!" He exclaimed. "Bash, understand that it was the only way for us to spare his life at that time. Both the Spanish and the French people demanded his head, but we cannot bear the thought of putting an innocent child to death!" Henry placed his hand on Bash's forearm as he tries to calm him down but the latter remains furious! He simply cannot stomach what his father and Philip had done. "So rather than ending his life, you banished him instead?! No wonder he grew up harboring so much hatred towards us all! Mary, Carlos, and Francis are in grave danger because of your lust for power and wealth!" Bash angrily added. The young leader can no longer tolerate their presence! He then walks away, leaving the two kings behind to seek for retribution from what they had done; a decision that they had wrongfully made that their sons are now paying for!