Linked (On-Hold)

04: The Palace and the King

04: The Palace and the King

The carriage traveled down the mountain hours past midnight, before the sun's rising. The windows were closed, but the wind could still be felt inside. I was alone on the chair aligned in the direction we were taking, and the girl and the other boy were cramped across me.

I remained silent while secretly watching the two as they bicker. They are probably uncomfortable with the small space they have to sit, for the bags they brought with them were also sharing the chair they have.

I cleared my throat to get their attention. They looked at me with questioning eyes as they stopped their arms from nudging each other.

"You can put your bags beside me." I softly said. There was a look of delight in their eyes that I chose to ignore, at least that's what I want to show them. I slightly opened the window to see where we were, and the smell of the forest still lingers in the air. We were probably not that far from the eastern boundary yet.

It was still dark outside as the moon's still up. I took a glance at the people in front and saw them soundlessly sleeping, with the girl's head resting on his shoulder, her hair cascading down her face to his chest, and his head bouncing as the carriage passes through a rough path.

I let myself smile without restraint as I watched them sleep with ease. I could remember Mother and Father sleeping like that too, like how I would catch them napping with that form whenever we travel.

I heaved a deep sigh and closed my eyes, resting the back of my head to the wall behind me. It's still too early, and even if I was asleep for years, which I couldn't count, my body is still tired.

The sun was already shining so bright when I woke up from its ray. The girl was still sleeping, but the boy who was running the carriage earlier was replaced by the boy who was asleep when I slept. I lazily sat and made a small opening in the window.

It was hours after the two woke up when we heard faint sounds of trumpets and music. Their eyes widened and they hastily opened the window and looked outside. The girl squeaked before sitting back in her chair.

"It was today! Good thing we came back just in time!" Said she. She could hardly contain herself, and when she saw me staring at her, she smiled awkwardly.

"I also forgot. How many days did we travel again? It was supposed to be a month after we left the palace, right?" Their eyes widened at the realization.

"Did we travel for a month?"

"We did. We were lost for weeks before we were able to find the place we were looking for." The boy running the carriage said and laughed at the two after. "Did you forget?"

He stopped the carriage and peeped inside, and was greeted by two shaking heads. He grinned before making the horses run again.

When the music became louder, they opened the windows widely, and my eyes widened at the place.  I've seen different places in my visions - places that I can deem beautiful, that could capture one's eyes. I've seen places that I dreamt to set foot.

But this... This place is mesmerizing. The streets were filled with colorful banners, lights that I have never seen before, decorations that I would have loved to have in our home. I could see colorful roofs, decorated windows, plants lining on the doorsteps of every home.

There were food vendors along the streets, selling baked pastries and bread. Drinks of different colors were displayed, with some people drinking it and smiling ear to ear while talking.

It was...wonderful. I could not hide the surprise in my eyes. I do not even want to blink because I am afraid to miss something. My eyes could not keep up with everything. It keeps traveling from one spot to another, from one house to another, from one store to another.

And in an instant, my chest turned heavy as I saw a family walking hand in hand with their youngest. They were laughing as the kids jump gleefully while holding what looks like a cold food in a cone. They were savoring it while their parents hold each other's eyes and stare at them lovingly.

Damian and Damon would love that. Those kids love sweets so much. My brother would surely buy that for them along with grandma. They both love spoiling those kids despite being naughty. Mother and father would look at them like that, too. They'd stared at them as if they're the most wonderful thing that happened to them - which was true.

I held my head, bit the inside of my mouth, and stared at the people to stop my tears as I remember my family. I had to reprimand myself because I shouldn't show them something that they can probably use against me. I need to stop being happy while looking at these people knowing that my family's in an unreachable place. 

But all of a sudden, the same people I'm staring at started parting. One by one, they began to settle beside the road, looking at this carriage with smiles on their faces. I could see two men dressed in blue coordinates with a sword hanging on their sides opening the gate.

And from this distance, I could see letters proudly mounted above the gate, screaming with power and influence.

"Fritzgerald." I muttered to myself. The three looked at me with a smile painted on their lips. I scoffed. All the excitement I felt earlier vanished into thin air, and all I could feel right now is hostility.

"Welcome to the Palace!" They greeted me with enthusiasm. I blankly stared at them. As their eyes slowly lost the sparkle, I turned my head to the direction of the golden door in front. Behind this is the family, everyone in our time never trusted.

They positioned themselves in a circle, with me at the center. Did they think I'd run away? I could, but I have so many questions in my mind that I could not let this slip.

Someone came to get the carriage from them. They took the ropes and stared at me with wide eyes. The man with a bigger built than the other whispered to the tallest man in the group who escorted me here.

"Is she...?"

"Yes."

As if it was something that came out of an unreachable place, all the people in the palace who heard what he answered started looking at me in awe. I could see the travel of whispers, the leaning of bodies, and the stares after. They were staring at me while we were walking, as if they saw something impossible. I could hear their series of gasps, no matter how silent they want it to be.

We stopped in front of a gigantic door. Two women dressed in white and blue dress turned their back on us. They slowly walked until they're inches away from the door, and shouted.

"Enas has arrived." As the door opened, my eyebrows were fixed in knit. Enas? What are they talking about?

The gigantic room opened, and a chamber filled with symbols of this family greeted us, embroidered and painted on the vertical banners hanging on the ceilings, rectangular clothes attached to the spheres of the soldiers, and a gem on top of the king's head.

"King Adelio Fritzgerald, we present to you, the lady from the past."

The king smiled and nodded. He motioned them to settle behind me. The girl gently pushed me towards the king as I kept on looking at the gem on his crown.

"Fear not, Lady de Tame, the palace will shelter you. You do not have to be afraid."

A small gasp escaped my lips as I realized the treasure attached to the crown. I couldn't hear what the king was talking about. My ears kept ringing, followed by a static noise, and then a deafening silence. I took a step back, eyes wide, with legs becoming weak as I stared at it in horror.

Why... why is he wearing that gem?