Got A Secret, Can You Keep It?(Ff/kh)

Chapter 35

Note: This is a short update, I'm a little rusty. Anyway, I have been busy lately and well, I hope everyone is alright. Please stay safe guys!

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Kindom Palamecia, according to the map it wasn't so far. If you didn't take any rest you would arrive in a day, but remembering King Mateus...The rest of the journey without stopping in that Kingdom didn't seem to bad.

But the other two looked exhausted and hungry. There was no time to fully rest, the three of you had to always keep your guard up so you only got a few hours of sleep each day. Taking a deep breath, you glanced at your two companions. Their horses looked tired as well. "We're not too far from Palamecia, if allowed we'll stay there for a day or maybe two." You could see the relief in their eyes as your words reached their ears.

Some would say that by now they should be used  to it, but traveling like this isn't easy. But when you were deprived from food, water, good rest, it's such a good relief to now that up ahead you can enjoy of all these simple things.

Continuing forward, with a few breaks here and there, you managed to make it to Palamecia. On the journey you joined a caravan  if about thirty people who were looking for refuge. It was rather strange to think that they traveled all the way to Palamecia for protection when their homes were not even close to where the war was taking over.

Of course it was only a matter of time and they decided to be prepared rather than being caught by surprise. From their very own words, Palamecia had a very strong  King, and he new how to protect his Kingdom and his people. That was why they were here.

It was when you arrived to the gates when you realized why they spoke of the great protection Palamecia would provide them. The gates were heavily guarded with equipped guards ready for ear if it came to it. But there must have been something that provided this Kingdom with protection, you couldn't explain the suffocating feeling as you approached the gates.

There was a long line of people waiting for be allowed to enter, each person was interrogated and they even presented some sort of documents before they were allowed to enter. You had nothing with you but the horses and the clothing you were wearing.

One of the guards upon resting their eyes on the three of you, he sent you a glare. However, when he noticed Owen and Raul's uniform recognition crossed his eyes. He turned to a other guard and muttered something to him, the guard quickly entered the gates and disappeared.

As if he had just noticed you, the guard's eyes trailed to you and just stared at you for a few moments. About six people are ahead of you, but the guard moved to the side and motioned for the three of you to live aside.  Once you do, he motioned for another guard to take your horses and you hand them to him.

"We were not expecting you to arrive." And if you we're wrong, he sounded suspicious. Although you were in front and the other two standing behind you, he wasn't looking at you but at your companions. He expected them to answer that question, and that made you drown.

"We were not expecting to arrive," you try to control the distaste in your tone of voice.

"Do not speak unless spoken to woman." He snapped at you, he didn't offer you a single glance.He had no idea who you were, you weren't exactly wearing the uniform. As a First Class Soldier you were allowed to dress as you desired. 

Owen and Raul instead of feeling awkward, they sent him glares. Taking a deep breath, you straightened your back and almost opened your lips to speak again.  "Can't you teach your wom-"

"Has no one ever taught you how to treat someone of her caliber?"  The guard's eyes almost bulged out of his eye sockets as his King's voice echoed in his ears. It was rather comical to see the guard react that way. "You'll think they would know how to treat a guest." King Mateus walked out of the gates, as he walked all around him kneeled down.

You vowed down instead of kneeling like most did. "King Mateus." When your eyes met his, there was something behind his gaze and you couldn't decipher what it was. Not that it mattered any way.

"I was informed of your arrival," he turned around and motioned to a guard to do something with only a move of his hand. Instantly the guard approached your companions and took them inside the gates. All the while King Mateus motioned for you to follow him. "Why brings you here? Your mission is completed."

"It is," you began to walk behind him until you matched his pace and walked at his side. "We have been traveling for days since we left Ballad. I want to arrive to ShinRa as soon as possible, but we require food and rest. My request is to be given permission to stay a day, then we will depart."

"Very well, you may stay as long as you'll like. For the time being why don't you join me for lunch and we can discuss about the attack on Kingdom Hearts." No more words left his lips as the two of you walked towards the Castle. The silence felt heavy and uncomfortable.

You didn't enjoy the journey to the castle, to enjoy the grandness of the Kingdom and to admire its beauty. Before you knew it, you were lead to a very long table filled to the brim with food. He took his seat, and surprisingly enough he motioned to the seat at his side. "Sit."

No room for discussion, so you took the offered seat. For a few seconds you sat there feeling even more uncomfortable. You had not had a good bath in a few days, you felt unpresentable but it didn't seem to bother King Mateus. His eyes did not criticized the stained clothing, no, he was definitely studying, but studying you. "Well."

A glass of wine rested at your side,  a plate filled with food waited for you too. But the wine seemed much more appetizing. So, you grasped it and just chugged it all. "With your sources, I believed you knew about everything that has taken place."

"Those sent to investigate were not capable enough, they were killed in the process." The way he spoke of whomever he sent almost sent a chill down your spine. "Years of training and they could not complete such a simple task."

Arguing about how cruel it was to dismiss the lives of these men would take you nowhere, specially with someone like King Mateus. "Kingdom Hearts was attacked, however, the attackers were no normal people." Then you began to explain to him with detail about happened. All the measures that were taken and all the way to here.

"As expected," he grasped the glass of wine and took a sip from it, all the while keeping his gaze ob you. He smiled, "what would you have done."

That wasn't a good smile though. "They had the means to protect their Kingdom and their people," but if she had been your sister, would you think the same? Being a King or Prince meant that they would protect their people at all costs. "I would have done all withing my power t-"

"Use the Princess, it was as simple as that." He did not even let you finish," that is what they should have done in the first place. They're so incompetent," his eyes finally traveled your form, "it's such a disgrace for them to call themselves Kind and Prince."

Clearing your throat, you cut him off. "If I may, I would like to retire."

Your stomach screamed for you to fill it with food and the King Mateus heard too but he did not mentioned. "Of course, leave."

As you walked out of the dinning room, you could still feel the pair of eyes glued to your back.  Outside of the room a woman was waiting for you with clothing in her arms. With a bow of her head, she greeted you. "Please follow me, I have prepared a bath for you and a room."

Nodding you began to follow the woman, your eyes trailing back to the dinning room. The doors opened revealing King Mateus. Before you turned away, he caught your gaze. He stopped any movements and just kept watching you.

You had not been here for long, not even an hour and yet you want to just leave. King Caius did not seem so bad compared to King Mateus. That man had no respect for human life, to him they were inferior.

Shaking your head, you convinced yourself that you would be here only a day. Surely you would handle it.