Cevic

Chapter 28

“The scary thing is, you’ll never get to know how you really look like until you die, because no mirror on Earth reflects your soul.”

 -Me-

Bad Eron

 

When I was young, young that I could barely write or read but understand, I made mistakes in court by addressing people wrongly.

  I mixed up ministers and lords’ names and titles, not that it minded them much since I wasn’t an important person whom they needed to grovel under. The graver mistakes were the wrong addressing of Princess Isha and King Decus.

  Then, I wasn’t aware of how the family tree worked. Nobody had told me, and Princess Isha told me that she was my sister and King Decus was my brother.

 Naturally I assumed that I could refer to the two of them like so- King Decus- my older brother- Princess Isha, my older sister.

  Queen Sakira corrected me when I turned five, and after that correction, I could never forget my place. 

  “Eron,” she said, wearing a pleasant smile on her beautiful face, lips curved up delicately, and touched my arm slightly.

 “Yes, Your Highness,” I said brightly. “What fares you here, my lady?”

 “I just wanted to have an important conversation with you. It is my paramount concern at this moment,” she said softly, sitting on the chair.

 I sat across her. “Yes, ma’am?”

 The sweet smile faded from her lips, and she came closer, enough that I could detect the sharp peppermint scent on her breath. “Eron,” she said, uttering my name as if it was a profanity, “I want you to know your place in court.”

 Before I could understand, she went on, sipping from her cup of tea.

“I thought I should tell you before you get hurt by your own mistakes. I shall not beat around the bush. You should not address King Decus as your brother, or Princess Isha as your sister,” she said bluntly.

 “Ma’am?” I asked in confusion.

Queen Sakira flashed another smile, showing her row of pearl white teeth. “It must be confusing for you since nobody told you. Let me tell you kindly. Princess Isha and King Decus’s father was the late king, and their mother was a beautiful, dignified royal-blooded lady, King Decus’s sixth cousin.”

  She traced the rim of her cup with her finger, but her eyes never left mine, pinning me down.

 “But your mother was different, darling. She was a concubine who was exiled after murdering Lord Defas’s father and later died in the rural town due to an epidemic disease.”

  I blinked, unable to register the sudden wave of information. Tears pricked my eyes.

I let out a stuttering breath. “That can’t be, my lady. She couldn’t h-have.”

“Oh, but yes she did,” whispered Queen Sakira. “And you’re her son. Now, do you think it would be proper for you to address King Decus and Princess Isha as your siblings? Of course not. I hope it was understood, Eron.”

  Warm tears trickled down my cheeks. “My mother couldn’t have done that, ma’am. I-“

 “Now, are you accusing me of fabricating the story? Ask anyone, and he will tell you the same.” Queen Sakira put down her cup, and smiled, standing gracefully. “I really hope you understood, Eron.” She eyed me poisonously, predator-like.