Married to the Rogue

Chapter 7: Bad News

|Cassandra|

"I am your father, Cassandra. My name is Brion St. Clair. You are a St. Clair, Cassandra. And starting this day onward, you shall live here as my daughter and as princess of this kingdom,"

I was crying as he said those words to me. And before I knew it, I was already escorted to my new room at the castle.

Everyone who would see me was suspicious of me as I walked on the hallway. I would hear their silent whispers but I was too busy with my own feelings to care.

Not until my attention was directed to the woman who was talking to father before I left the hall.

She was wearing a flowy white dress that its hem reached the floor. Her skin was paper white. Her hair was jet black, different from mine and from my father. It was braided into one side which made her more looked ethereal.

What had made me conclude that she must be the queen everyone was talking about was when father kissed her forehead. And when her gaze landed on my direction, all I see in her eyes was hate. The deep red aura that her body emits was enough explanation.

I quickly averted my gaze and the servant whom father assigned to take care of me continued on pulling me toward my bedroom. I continued on crying, as if doing so would make my mom hear my sobs and rescue me here as soon as possible.

The servant seemed to realize that I was being idle on my walk, or should I say that, my little steps were not much compare to hers. I heard how she heaved deeply and sighed in frustration before she decided to carry me on her arms then continued gracing the hallway.

I did not know how long we had traveled before we entered my bedroom. And I was too engrossed with my disappointments and pain to even give my bedroom a better look.

"Hush now, princess. You should not be crying," she tried to console me but it was not enough.

"I-I...I. want. m-my. mother. No. o-one. elses." I said and continued to cry. But the servant seemed to be expert in hadling little children like me that immediately guess my soft spot and use it on her own advantage.

"Your mother will come to find you, princess," she added. She placed me down on the bed in the middle of the room, squatted on the floor so she could meet my gaze, then gave me her warmest smile.

"Do you want her to see your eyes once she arrive? Your eyes looked puffy and red already. What if she suddenly appear tomorrow morning? She will find out that you had cry the entire night. That would upset your mother, princess. You should not be crying, because your mother will also cry if she finds out you cried,"

I know the servant was only jesting. I know that her words holds no meaning. But for some reason, her little excuse to make me calm down was rather effective. I saw myself looking at her directly into her eyes, finding out if she was telling the truth or not, when in fact I already knew the answer.

"R-Really? Mother. w-will. cry. i-if. she. f-finds. out. I. cried?" I asked. The servant immediately nodded her head.

"Yes," she said right away.

"Will. mother. be. here. tomorrow?"

The smile on her lips turned into grimace. It was as if she was not expecting those words from me even if I was having trouble on voicing out my questions.

"Well...to be honest, that is I did not know...princess,"

Tears were starting to pool my eyes. The servant quickly noticed it that I could see the panic in her eyes.

"But I am sure that your father will look for him!" she exclaimed.

"Really?"

"Really, princess! So... while your mother is away, how about I could be a mother figure to you, princess?" she said enthusiastically. But I quickly shook my head out of stubborness.

"N-No. I. o-only. have. one. mother. Y-You. are. not. my. mother,"

I heard her sighing deeply once again.

"Of course. I am not your mother, princess. But I can be one just for this night? Do you want me to stay with you until you fell asleep?"

Her last words made me looked into her direction. My tears were still streaming down my face. The servant gave me a warm smile before she lifted her hand and started caressing my hair. I shut my eyes close, suddenly feeling a warmth that seemed the same as to my mother. But I know there was a difference in between. I just could not name what it is.

"Hush now, princess. You should not cry. Tomorrow morning, I am sure that your father has the information about your mother. So you don't need to cry any longer because the two of you will reunite soon," She added.

"R-Really?" I asked with hope.

"Really, princess," she said in conviction.

I decided to remain silent and believed in her words. And later that night, she was true to her words that she would not leave me alone inside my bedroon until I instantly fallen asleep. Maybe it was due to exhaustion after travel, or maybe it was because I was crying all night.

But the next morning, the moment I had woken up, the first thing that came into my mind was my mother.

I was quite hopeful that I would see her here today. I quickly searched for the servant but I did not see her inside her bedroom. And it was only then that I realized I did not even know her name. It was my mistake.

I went out of my bed and was about to head toward the door to find the servant when it suddenly swung open, revealing my father and...some people behind him. Then I saw the servant among the group who entered the bedroom with my father.

I stopped on my tracks as father continued to walk until he arrived a few meters away from me. I swallowed hard when our eyes met.

"Good. You're already awake," he said coldly. I blinked as I look into his aura. It was a mix of deep shade of yellow and red. He was confused and angry.

Father stared at me for a few seconds. For some reason, I could sense that he had something to say to me but he refrain himself. I mum my words, waiting for him say what he wanted to say to me but instead, he turned his back around and looked at the servants who was with him

"Bathe and dressed her. I want her to start as soon as possible," I heard him saying. The servant who was with me last night appeared behind him. She glance a my my direction at first, before she looked back at my father.

"Your highness, I think you should--"

"Don't meddle with my ways, Monette. Do your job," my father said ruthlessly. Monette immediately dropped her head low and utter her apology.

And after father had said those words, he turned his back and left the room without saying anything. But it did not escape my eyes on his aura completety change into deep shade of red.

I was quickly attended by the four handmaidens. The pullwed toward the bathroom of my bedroom and they started undressing me and bathing me on the big bathtub found inside.

I convince myself that they were only told to do that so I could meet my mother with clean clothes and good fragrance, even though I know that mother won't even bother if I had not taken a bath for the entire week.

It was only then when I finally got the chance to absorb everything around me. Everything inside my bedroom screams luxury. Gold would always be a symbol to grandeur life. The linings, the furniture, and some ornaments on the corners of the room has the touch of it. Classic and expensive.

I wonder how many sweet potatoes in one these furniture could buy?

I must say that was the most refreshing bath I had taken. I could still smell the fragrance of the oil and the soap they used for me. And the fact that the tub was full of fresh milk even add to my amazement!

If I was given a chance to drink even one sip, I would have! But Monette immediately stopped me after I asked.

After the bath, the four of them brought me back to my bed and assisted me on changing. The clothes they prepared were the clothes I do not own and wished that someday that I would have.

It was a green and flowy cold shoulder dress with gold ornamental embroidery, starting on the hem of the dress then it crawls midway, spreading and fading before it could even reach my waist. The handmaidens even let me wore a golden bangle on my left wrist, braided the upper half of my hair then placed a circlet on my head.

"You're now ready, princess," I heard Monette saying. She even guided me toward the nearby mirror and stand before it. And I could not help but be amaze at the reflection that I was seeing.

I have...never been dressed this way before. It was as if I was an elf I usually see on the pictures of my books back home just by looking at my outfit.

Then I suddenly remembered the queen last night. She was also dressed this way. Are the people living here dressed in this manner?

"King Brion told us that she will be escorted to the grand dining immediately after she is done," One of the handmaiden said upon seeing that they had nothing left to help me prepare.

I looked at her after she said those. And the handmaiden quickly rop her head low when our gazes met. I looked at Monette, who was also looking into my direction. She gave me an assuring smile before the four of them guided me out of the bedroom.

I suddenly got excited at the thought that maybe...mother was waiting for me already at the grand dining. That's why the handmaidens had helped me bathe and dressed.

But after a few minutes of walk, and when we finally arrived at the place that the handmaiden told about earlier, my eyes quickly scanned the room. There were five people seating on the long table. On the other end was my father. On his right side, I saw the woman whom he was talking yesterday. And the rest was seating beside and across her.

The face of the woman whom I had been searching was not there. And before I knew it, I was not able to stop myself from voicing out that question in my head.

"W-Where. is. m-mother?" I asked, looking directly to my father.

I hear no response from him right away. It was understandable, especially when the people who was with him were still looking into my direction.

"Who is she mother?" the little boy seating next to her ask. Her sister was seating beside him, and the oldest was seating across him.

I suddenly remembered the same scene I saw a few days ago.

They're family. This is...father's family.

But...why do I have a different mother?

"Why does she have the same hair color like us, mother? Is she our sister?" It was the girl, who probably around my age, turned to ask. She caught my attention that I turned my gaze into her direction.

Our eyes met. I tried to smile at her. The aura around her was filled with curiosity. I gave her a small smile...but she only shot her one brow up in return.

And it seems what she had said was the only trigger that father was waiting before he stood in his seat and walked toward my direction. My eyes locked at him, following his movements that I did not even noticed that the family who was with also him stood in their seat like it was a requirement. .

Father stopped beside me. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he averted his gaze and faced his family in front of us. Then he placed his one arm around my shoulder, before he introduced me to everyone.

"This is Cassandra," he started. "She is your sister and she will be living here starting this day onwards. I want you to treat her with respect and as your equal," he said.

It took me a while before my mind had processed what he had just said.

"N-No!" I said and quickly made a step back from father. He was completely caught-off guard with what I had done. And it seemed that those actions was too bizzare that I heard everyone's gasp in the room. I looked around, and only to see their baffled expression like I had done something wrong.

The woman whom I saw yesterday came out from her seat and walk toward my direction. But she stopped a few meters away, as if doing that was a better choice.

"How rude of you to push away your father," she said with calm voice. But the aura around her was pure dark red.

But instead of giving her my entire attention, I turned to father, who was now hovering at me with his dark expression. What made me tremble in fear once more was when his body emits a dark red aura.

Why do I always see rage around this people?

I closed my eyes and hugged myself. It was a good thing that I was able to say what I wanted to ask him.

"W-Where. i-is. mother." I whispered under my shivering voice. I tried to calm myself down but with the overwhelming presence of my father, and the new people around, I can't find myself from shivering.

I thought...I would continue on facing alone those fears that I have for my father. But my body instantly settled dwon when a warm hands embraced the smallness of my body.

"I apologize, y-your highness. It seems the princess was not done yet preparing for today's breakfast. I will be asking for a deep apology that I need to bring the princess back in her room,"I heard Monette saying and without waiting for everyone's reaction, she instantly carried me in her arms and started walking outside the dining hall.

Everyone's eyes was on me when I lifted my head and see what was happening. And before Monette could even make her turn to the hallway where it leads my bedroom, I saw father's aura mixed with grey. And the emotion I saw in his eyes was enough evidence that he was...in grief.

I was confused with what I had saw the entire duration time Monette was carrying me back to my bedroom. And when she placed me on the bed, and she was about to leave me and go somewhere, I stopped by reaching and holding her wrist.

"Why...i-is. f-ather, s-sad?" I asked.

Monette's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing my question.

"H-How did you know that your father was feeling sad, princess?" she asked with curiosity. I chose to remain silent at her queries. Mother said that I must keep this ability a secret. No one must know about it.

Monette sighed deeply and she seemed to understand that I don't want to speak about it. So, instead of finally leaving alone, she sat beside me and hold both of my hands.

"I know...that this is not for me to tell princess," she started. She stared grimacing, and her expression tells me that she was having second thoughts of what she was about to do. I thought that she would finally chose to not say anything at all but after a few seconds of silence, the determination in her eyes was enough proof that she would reveal an important news to me.

Yet, for some reason, the aura she emits was enough warning that I need to brace myself for the next thing that would come out from her mouth.

"But I don't want to keep you in the dark and keep hoping," she continued. She stared directly into my eyes.

"It's about your mother,"

"W-What. a-about. her?" I asked as soon as she said that. Monette swallowed hard, and was silent for a few more seconds, before she inhaled a deep breath and continued.

"I overheard it from one of the knights who were assigned to search for your mother, princess. And what I heard about him was...bad news,"

"B-Bad. n-news?" I suddenly shifted on my seat. My heart pounded eratically against my chest. "W-Why? W-What happened to mother?" I asked abruptly. The fear I was feeling earlier succumb my system once again.

"She...." she stopped for a bit...and the aura she was emitting was mix of grey and and dark shade of blue. It was sadness and regret.

"She's dead, princess," Monette finally dropped the bomb.

And it seemed that I lost my hearing after she said those.