5. Confrontation In The Lobby
Ester
Claire and I arrived home late at night. She was my maid and my guardian, aka the person who was meant to keep tabs on me at all times. Claire wouldn't stop talking about the proposal and what that would mean for the Hermonia family. I humored her with a sentence or two. However, I was way too tired to carry on a conversation.
After we got out of the car, the driver drove around the court to the garage. Our bodyguards did the same.
The Hermonia home should have been dead quiet, shrouded in total darkness. But the moment she pushed open those doors we were met with our welcome party.
Father, mother, and a few other servants were in the lobby sporting casual clothing as if it were midday.
I held back my sigh. "Good night, fa-"
"You've come home later than expected." He folded his arms. "And didn't have the decency to inform us."
I lowered my head. "My apologies, I didn't want to wake you up for no reason."
"Excuses, but that's all you're good for so I won't blame you for using them."
My fingers twitched, but I remained silent. Christopher doesn't like it when I talk back.
"Look at me when I'm talking," he commanded.
I did as he instructed. Yet, I focused on the woman standing beside him.
Her pale and frail hands were neatly placed in front of her pelvis. Her soft, round face held no expression. If she wanted to sleep, she didn't show it. Even though it was very late at night, Mother wasn't allowed to let her hair down, so it remained pinned up. Her eyes never left the ground.
That's how he wanted me to behave too, to be intimidated by his very presence. I don't see anything intimidating.
"Claire!"
Claire jolted her head up and straightened her back. "Yes, Sir?"
"What happened at the gala?"
"His Highness Sirius Lavendale proposed to her, Sir. My Lady accepted his proposal. The marriage was approved by the king."
"Hm." The hint of a smile started to form on his thin lips. "You did something right after all. Did the king tell you anything else?"
It was my turn to speak. "He stated that he and I would meet again in two days' time, to discuss my living arrangements," I said.
My stepfather pointed a warning finger at me. "No matter what, make sure you get on King Chester's good side. Insist on moving into the palace with your loverboy. But above all else, don't give anyone a reason to make fun of the Hermonia name!"
Not at all affected by his harsh tone, I bowed my head. Although it seemed like I was doing it out of submission, the truth was I was getting really tired of looking at him.
"Yes, Father. I will keep your words in mind."
"Yeah, as if that's not the bloody point." He turned around. "Come, Bella. As a good wife, I'm sure you need your sleep."
My mother's frown deepened. She knew that sleep was not something she would get any of. "Yes, my darling."
She retreated up the stairs, following his lead. The servants took it as a chance to go to bed as well.
Ester Hermonia was dead.
There were rumors that the way Christopher Hermonia talked about his child wasn't the same way that he treated her. They were right.
Christopher wanted to act like he got her whatever she wanted, played with her often, took her on trips and gave her a whole room full of clothes. In short, he spoiled her rotten.
That couldn't be further from the truth. Ester was not the child that he wanted. She was often overlooked by the servants here, so every time she made a complaint and he ignored it, the servants took it up a step further and treated her worse.
Oftentimes her room went unswept for an entire month, or when she had visitors coming over. She sometimes had to wear dirty clothes over again when the maids refused to do her laundry on time.
Her perfume and jewelry were stolen. Christopher would chastise her for not taking care of her property. The older she got, and the more she talked back, the more fed up he got with her.
So it was no surprise to anyone when Christopher didn't come to check on her when she got sick.
The food she received was not enough to help feed her body. The servants rarely entered the room because the sight and smells made them feel ill.
There was no one to help her get to the bathroom either.
At eleven years old, Ester Hermonia died in a bed full of bodily fluids and fecal matter.
Soon after her death people started to talk. They figured that Christopher was neglecting his daughter. She used to be very active on social media, but lately, her posts have been less and less frequent. And when she did post, all Ester kept saying was how much she missed her friends along with poems that seemed to be about loneliness. Then she stopped posting altogether. It was too suspicious.
To put the rumors to rest and rebuild his reputation in the public’s eyes, he came for me.
I was living with my grandmother at the time in a forest that not a lot of people visited. Yet somehow, he still found us.
“Hm,” he took one look at me. “She’ll do.”
Just like the sister I didn’t know I had, I resemble my mother without a fault.
And just like my mother, I was made to stay at the Hermonia estate without being allowed to see my grandmother again.
I got taught to be the real “Ester”. So much so that my hands would get hit with a ruler if I answered to my birth name. As Claire removed the pins from my hair I stared down at my hands, remembering the way my mother’s eyes widened in horror as she performed my punishment. It didn’t take me long to figure out what she was afraid of.
”Your mother’s smile used to reach the skies,” Grandma said with a sad edge to her tone. “”I regret forcing her to marry that bastard instead of your father. Because of me, she’s a shell of the woman she once was.”
After the last hair clip was removed, I waved Claire away. “That’s enough. I’ll undress myself and go to sleep. You should get some rest too. You did well today.”
She bit her lip but didn’t refuse my order. From my reflection in the vanity mirror, I could see her still watching me. Her intense gaze locked onto my fingers as they unhooked my earrings and gently placed them in a velvet case.
I didn’t let her stares deter me. She sighed and wished me a good night before leaving. I waited until I heard her footsteps disappear.
I sunk into my chair, feeling as if I could relax for the first time that night. Claire was not my ally. I needed to remember that. Any movement I make could be misinterpreted and cause me to get into trouble when she reports to my father at the end of the day.
My hair fell down my back in shiny waves. I locked the door and then changed into my spaghetti-strap pajamas.
The lights were off save for the lamp giving off a warm light. The nightstand didn’t make a sound as I took a notebook from the drawer.
I retrieved a pen and created a list of all the things I had to watch out for.
Explosion on Tetherfield County (suspected to be Chester's dragon).
Flood that killed six hundred people (also suspected to be Chester's dragon).
Missing funds.
These were the three major issues that impacted Nightveil and changed the course of history.
Caused me to make the biggest mistake of my life.
I fell asleep with the book clinging close to my chest. Truly, my dreams were the only place I could find peace.
Chester
"Do you love her?"
Sirius choked on his coffee. "Dad, this is hardly the way to start the morning," he said.
The sun shone brightly in the sky. Our servants did their best to clean up the palace since I sent them to bed early that night. That left me and my son alone on the terrace, save for the butler and maid who were on standby.
I chuckled, cutting into my eggs. "It's a normal question. I want to know that you're happy, son. So do you really love her, or is there another reason you're marrying someone you've never introduced me to?"
"Is that what it is?" Sirius sighed, his blonde hair falling over his eyes. "I really do love her, Dad. Her energy ignites a part of me that I want to keep lit. She's so smart and capable, graduated second in her university and acquired a degree in Marine Chemistry. There's so much passion in her eyes when she thinks about the things she loves. Sorry I didn't introduce her to you sooner. You were always so busy, so I thought it was better to not steal your time away from important stuff."
I frowned and laid my utensils on the plate. I was about to tell him something when two hands found their way around my eyes.
"Guess who?" A voice whispered.
"Heh. Darling, I can smell you. Or did you forget?"
Anna laughed and kissed my head. "Good morning, Papa!"
Then she went around the table and kissed her brother's head. "Good morning, bro."
She smiled brightly, her stark white hair shimmering as they swayed with each move. People thought she was a daughter that I had with an unknown woman, but that wasn't the case.
My cousin died 12 years prior in a fight with rogue knights. His only request was that his daughter would be taken care of. Hence, I adopted her at the age of 7, and registered her as my second heir. Her hair was the same color as her real father.
The butler brought her a plate of food. She thanked him and dug right in.
"You can go on. Pretend I'm not here."
Sirius rolled his eyes. I reached forward and placed my hands over his.
"Hey, I know that my duties take up a lot of my time. In no way will I see anything regarding my children as unimportant. You are dear to me, and I love you. Both. That will never change. Congrats on your engagement son, you have a bright future ahead of you."
"Wait? You got engaged?!" Anna exclaimed. "Wah, when?"
"Last night," Sirius responded.
"Without me? You bloody traitor."
He pointed the fork at her. "You said you didn't feel like going downstairs."
"I would have come down if I knew that you were planning on proposing. Jeez." Anna took a bite of her sausage. "Congrats though. Wish you and Ester the best."
I raised my eyebrow. "You know her?"
She shrugged, taking another bite out of her meal. She just got here yet her plate was nearly clean. "A little. I met her a good while ago. Haven't really seen her since."
I nodded. "Huh. Okay." Then there is the question of how long they'd been dating. I needed to find some time to catch up with my children. Good thing I already thought of a way to solve that problem.
A guard burst through the door. His ethereal armor faded and all that he had left on were his casual clothing. "Help, sir, they're coming." His voice came out hoarse and strained.
Right there and then, he fell to the floor.