Misery of Heriotza

B i l a n g XLIV

"Those strawberries look alluring." I whispered. Imiélda glance at me before going back on what she's doing.

I was watching Imiélda assist the head chef when we heard a commotion outside the kitchen.

We all look at the sweating maid on the kitchen door.

"T-the Crown Prince has come to the duchy!" She said in panic.

"Without prior notice?" Imiélda asked, obviosly annoyed. "This always happen with that Prince." She said.

She look at me. I raised my brows on her. "I don't wanna greet him." I said.

"Go." She said.

"Let Kale go." I said.

I don't feel like meeting Jiosef, our goodbye last night were like a real goodbye. So what is he doing here?

Imiélda succeeded. I bow a little at Jiosef to greet him.

"What brings you here?" I asked when he's infront of me. "Why are you bothering me?" I heard the gasps of the maid lined up to greet Jiosef. "You're always unwelcome here." I said.

He look at me, he's too tall making him look down on me. He smiled a little.

"You must be angry that I wasn't able to escort you back home last night." He said like we didn't had a deep talk. "I wasn't a gentleman last night, apologies. But I came here to play with my cousin." He said and look around.

"Heriotza.. that's a Prince." Imiélda whispered.

I just look at her, her words made me twitch my face.

"Why would play with him?" I asked.

He's a busy Prince with many responsibilities and Kale is busy preparing for the coup.

What a good time to play in the backyard.

I saw him playing with a rattan ball.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Sepak Takraw." He said and throw it with one hand and catch it. He look at a maid. "Call Kale." He commanded. The maid immediately bowed and follow his command.

"Let's go to the yard, Your Highness." Imiélda said. I watch how the people behind Jiosef follow him as Imiélda showed him the way.

These uniformed people didn't fail to glance at me.

I raised my brows at these humans.

I followed them outside and they are already setting something in the field.

"What is this." I didn't notice that Kale is already behind me. A shadow blocked me. He's holding a parasol as he stand besides me. "Did you invite him?" He sound like he is accussing me.

"And what would I benefit from inviting him?" I saw Jiosef look at us. He showed the ball to Kale.

He didn't answer.

"Let's play with Amiel Triton!" Jiosef yelled. "I have my knight on my team." He added.

I look at Kale, the sun ray is on his face as he watch Jiosef.

He then look at me. "Do you wanna hold the parasol or should I call Ourpa?" He asked.

I took the parasol on his hand.

"I'm going to watch with Imiélda." I said.

"Alright." We walk towrds Imiélda and the other stuffs. She's with the people of Jiosef.

Kale left without a word. Amiel is already on the other side of the field, Kale went there. On the other side is Jiosef with his red haired knight.

They started kicking the ball.

The sun heat isn't that bad and there are some shade from the tall tress so I guess it's fine.

"Look how Kale has grown." I whisphered. Kale is really tall. "I can't believe I rased him." I chuckle a little. I saw Imiélda look at me at the side of my eyes.

"You raised him?" There's so much sarcasm on her tone. "I believe you just taught some things to the Duke, you did not raised him." She whispered. I look at her.

"Oh my, I didn't know Imiélda like credits." I said and smile.

"Why are you claiming credits?" She laugh. "The Duke will be sad if he heard you say that you raised him." She laugh and look at Kale, I look at Kale too.

"Didn't I?" I asked.

"But you only taught the Duke how to use sword for a short while as he managed to defeat you.." She said mocking me.

"When?" I laugh. "It was draw." I said. I was never beaten.

"You were just a tactician with motives." Imiélda said. "Please don't say you raise the Duke." She look at me straight in the eyes. "You were gone when he was growing up.."

"Wow. Imiélda really likes to hold grudges!" I said. "I thought we were close na!" I pouted.

She smiled at me showing her wrinkles.

"Ofcourse we are close Heriotza." She said. "As a matter of fact, it's not just my son and the Duke that I raised.." She look at Kale. I met Kale's eyes but it was for a short while as he has to kick the ball over the net. "I was all along raising a young lady too." Imiélda smiled a me, the familiar smile.

We were quiet watching them play. Meeting eyes with Kale when the ball is far from him--there was never a fail.

"You visited the late Duke again?" Imiélda found another topic. She fix her shawl. "I might follow the Duke sooner or later." She whispered.

"You and the Duke were good friends right?" I asked.

"You could say that." She whispered. "Aren't you friends with the late Duke too?" She asked.

"Friends?" I laugh. Me friends with a human?

"Duke Iñigo trusts you a lot. Even on his last breathe, he trusted you with his only son." She smiled. "And you trusted him."

"How can you say I trusts him?" I asked. Iñigo failed me already.

"Why are you here then?"

I didn't answer. I don't know how to answer. What does that mean?

"Hmm." I smiled at Kale when our eyes met. "You said you're also raising a young lady all along." I whispered. "Is it I?"

Imiélda smiled.

"Did I raised you well?" This human is expecting something.

But to answer her question, did she raised me well?

What the standard of "well" in humans? Raising well mean being able to grow up righteous?

Then does that mean Imiélda failed to raised us well?

The two of us.. the three of us?

I look at Imiélda's eyes, it's full of hope as she watch her son.

My heart tighten. Imiélda knows everything, our plan. Everything, so why is she expecting something from me, from us?

I held my chest as I feel something in it.

"I'll grant you one wish Imiélda, since you're claiming to also raise me which mean you took care of me." I said.

"Hmm.." Can I call her hypocrite like other humans? "I was actually envious of Duke Iñigo.. there's always someone that visits his grave. Did you always talk to him when you're there?"

She knows. I nodded.

"Then please visit my grave when I'm gone, talk to my grave, talk to me. Tell me what happened to the Duke.. to my son." She smiled a little. "Bring flowers, I like sampaguita."

Why is she thinking of death. Humans are suppose to be scared of death, not anticipate it.

"Too much request." I kid. She just look at me and smile a little.

"Please do so Heriotza."

◇
••