Chương 63: Book 2; Chapter 62; Spilled secrets (1)

Rainee was sitting in her room on a windowsill. From above, she was looking at the night scenery of the royal town. Double feelings were taking over her in turns – at moments she would love this city to its smallest corners, at moments she would like to leave it and never return. She was resting her back on the cushions, and the heavy curtains were fully concealing her.

She felt nice and cosy in this little space, on one side, a thin glass was separating her from the outer world, and on the other, a heavy curtain was shielding her from her own room, her own life, her own duties. Duties – that's a heavy word; she never felt like doing any duties. Not until now. It is not a duty to live life and to do things you want to do and be happy… But now she was feeling as if she didn't really belong anywhere any more. No, actually, she knows very well – she belonged with Angus, but he left.

Left in confusion and distress, and he was still in more or less the same condition. Even though she didn't know where he was at that moment, she simply knew how he felt, the same way you understand how your hand is, even when you can't see it. She didn't really feel sad that he left; it must be good that he finally will have time for himself, free from anyone's influence, as it should have been many years ago. But at what price…

How can he make a journey to find himself when, instead of clearing things up, all what he heard just muddled the waters, putting more dirt in it when his life already was like a swamp full of lies, demands, requests, and restrictions. How did he even manage to grow up to the person he was under such conditions, she didn't know. She always thought that his and Ruffus' lives were unfair and complicated, but little could be done about it.

Alas, she still cannot do anything now either, and it has just become more complicated. Someone knocked on the door. It was a bit unusual. Since she was promoted to a general, no one had knocked on her door. People living in a palace always used to avoid her for one reason or another, and after her promotion, no one would come to disturb her when she was in her room.

She didn't need staff; if there were an emergency, she would be called directly by King, and only people who had entered her room for the decades were only Angus, Ruffus, and Blake. But they never knocked. To think about it from today's perspective, one could say it was a lonely life… Such a thought never occurred to her before. Why would it? She had her friends, she had her place, she had her life. But now was not before. Now she knew what loneliness was.

It didn't even depend on whether you were on your own or among other people. After that day, when The One granted her wish and allowed her to peek behind the King's impenetrable fortress, she never got back to her normal self. Until that day, she was completely confident that she could read all feelings and know people very well, and then such a blow – she didn't know anything even about the closest people to her, never mind others; she knew little about herself, too.

Rainee completely ignored the knock and didn't pay any mind to it. But soon she was dragged out of her thoughts again because the door opened and someone walked inside.

In any other place, she would know who was behind the door before the person came in or even before they approached, but this part of King's palace had a bit different privacy rules, and some enchantment was separating rooms, preventing those who were inside from knowing what was happening outside and those who were outside would not know what is going on inside. Only very basic physical senses would make their way through that enchantment, but it provided so little information that it was equal to nothing.

As soon as the doors opened, she knew that it was Anniet who had come. Of course it was her, she wasn't accustomed to this place, and she was a bit lost all by herself. She knew only her and Blake, so she came to see her. It is just that Rainee didn't want to see anyone at this moment, so she stayed unmoving behind a curtain and drifted back to her thoughts. Anniet stayed. She walked around the room looking at the paintings and decorations placed around and then sat herself down on the sofa.

Rainee didn't mind – it even somehow gave her comfort that Anniet was here, she just didn't want to talk to anyone, that's all, but she actually appreciated company at this time. Not long after, she heard the doors of her apartment opening and closing again. Rainee wasn't surprised this time. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Blake had come. He walked in firm steps without hesitation. He knew exactly that Rainee was in this room and where she was.

Rainee was expecting him to come – she didn't know how he did it, but every time she needed something, he would register it at the exact moment and would offer his help – truly remarkable. She just felt a desire to have company, as it made her feel comfortable, and here he was offering it. After he walked in, Anniet stood up, alerted. She felt uncomfortable being found on her own in Rainee's room uninvited and started to explain herself, but Blake lifted his hand to silence her and simply said.

"You have done nothing wrong." It was interesting to observe the relationship between these two – she knew what feelings Anniet carried towards Blake. What Rainee didn't know was whether these feelings would be answered by Blake yet. After Blake entered King's Army, assigning himself as her bodyguard, she wasn't able to fully see through him. He was very open, but at the same time, there were corners in his heart that he was not willing to share and wanted to keep for himself, and she respected it.

These corners would make him act against any understanding. But now Rainee was pretty curious. It was interesting how he would handle this situation that he was put into. She didn't think he deserved it, but nevertheless, there was some input of his own in it, too, as he never tried to remedy this fear spreading around his name and his person. It has somehow become his signature without him even signing anything, and now it has backfired.

A general he was and a person he was didn't match, but he was both, and for any relation to work, both have to be accepted; otherwise, any relation is doomed from the very beginning. It was obvious that Blake knew it. How well he will master it, that's a different story. Anniet was already in love with a person; can she love the general too? If she cannot, then she won't be able to see the person behind the general she fears. Surprisingly, terror was already over. That was a very promising start.

He answered Anniet in a short, simple reply, but if there were anyone else, he wouldn't have bothered to answer at all. Well, who knows how all will develop and at what speed. She let them be to their own devices and continue watching through the window. They spent some time in quiet, then Anniet broke the silence:"Anthony, can I ask you something?"

"My name is Blake," - was a short reply.

"I know now, but can I still call you Anthony, as this is a name I met you…"

"No," - came a short and simple answer. Rainee smiled to herself upon hearing it - firm and straight forward as usual, some things never change. When at School, Blake wasn't like this. All that Anniet shared about him finally was free to surface and stay and Rainee could remember it clearly. By nature, Blake was very talkative, and he didn't hide this side of himself from Anniet. He would also tell stories to her and the children at the campfire nearly every night. Somehow, this spell set him free to some degree.

Nobody was expecting anything from him, nor did anyone put any pressure, so he could just be whatever he wanted, and it was acceptable; no one cared, as no one remembered. Now, when back in old shoes, he still can do whatever he wants, but it is not accepted by others, or rather to say his actions are misinterpreted and judged all the time.

For Anniet to see his true side again, which was shown so openly until now, she will first have to go over her fear of him as this cold, unapproachable legendary person, as she thinks of him right now. If she cannot accept him like this, then that picture that she herself or others have drawn over his true self will always linger between, and fear will return every time he behaves in a way that connects him to that image. True relation, true love is not possible in this state.

Rainee didn't know how much of it he understands, and how much time and effort he is willing to put in it, to remedy the situation, and what his steps are going to be. There was no question about what was going on in Anniet's heart – it was in such a muddle that it would be difficult for her to come out of it on her own. Rainee was wondering how much help Anniet will receive from the other party.

"OK then, Blake," - Anniet said, first time pronouncing his actual name aloud in front of him. – "Would you answer me truthfully if I ask you something?"

"Yes," - was the answer. Rainee thought it was a good start for Anniet to get such a promise. That meant he was willing to put himself in a situation with no way out. Anniet pondered a little bit over her question, not knowing how to bring it up in a mild manner, but couldn't think of any other way to ask, so she asked straightforwardly.

"Do you know that Prince Angus and Rainee are brother and sister?" Rainee smiled sadly to herself upon hearing this question. So much confusion… How can it be helped, she didn't know.

"No, they are not brother and sister," - Blake answered firmly.

"I know that it is a secret, but I thought, as you all have been friends for so long, you might know about it."

"They are not brother and sister," - Blake repeated himself without hesitation or the slightest doubt, - "where did you get this idea from?"

"I heard it myself when King was talking to Rainee. He called her daughter and also his own blood and flesh, and Rainee didn't object to it; in fact, she already knew it. So she must be his daughter. Or do you think King lied?"

"King never lies." – Blake said after a short pause and went silent again for a bit, - "if you didn't mishear what King was saying, then it must be true. If he said that Rainee is his daughter, then she must be King's daughter."

"That's what I was thinking. But if she is the King's daughter and she and Prince Angus are in love with each other, doesn't it complicate things? If they are siblings, how can they be in this kind of relationship?"

"When did you hear it?" – Blake asked.

"Yesterday morning."

"Then I know exactly when that conversation took place," - Blake replied with a bit of hesitation in his voice, but it soon dispersed and he spoke in his usual firm and undeniable tone, - "If Rainee is King's daughter, and she already knew it before King came, then there isn't a chance that they are brother and sister. Her attitude to him didn't change, her feelings towards him didn't change, and there was no uncertainty floating around.

So there is only one way – if she is King's daughter, then Angus is not his son; he must be adopted."

"Just like that," Rainee thought to herself with a sigh. A few seconds and all riddles are undone, all dots back where they belonged. Riddle solved without a single clue given and without the slightest doubt from the solver himself. That's how trust works. It doesn't require time or explanations. When trust exists, nothing else is needed. Anniet was looking at Blake in disbelief, ready to bring up some opposition, but didn't have a chance as the voice of a young man came from behind:"Am I adopted too?

How come I know nothing about it?" Anniet nearly died on the spot after realising that someone else had heard what they were talking about. Blake wasn't bothered about it the slightest. In fact, he must have seen this man entering the room as he was facing the doors.

"No one has adopted you." – Rainee finally couldn't hold back any more and stood up from behind the curtain. Anniet was startled to realise that the question that was intended for one person only had been brought to a much bigger audience. First, she looked in disbelief at Rainee, who appeared out of nowhere in a room. Then returned her gaze to the man who had just entered and, upon recognising him, put herself in a deep bowing position, saying in a stammering voice:"Prince Ragnar!"