SAPIENCE

CHAPTER 15

"Why didn't you tell me?" It was Mark's voice who gritted in the brisk air. "This could kill us both."

"It wasn't meant to go that far. I just did what I thought was right without realising I'd end up getting so deeply involved in a mess." Troy's voice was cold, distant and deep.

"If the King discovers this we're both dead. He already trusts us and we can't break that. We've worked too hard to get to where we are now." It was Mark who brashly spoke against Troy.

"It's not like I asked for any of this. How was I supposed to know she was married to the King?!" I could tell by the way Troy was voicing his words, that he was agitated. "She told me she was his servant."

"News flash Troy, Her getting kicked out should have been a solid indication that she lied to you-" Mark barked.

"Why are you so angry anyways?" Troy brashly threw Mark off him as they wrestled harshly. My ears perked at the news, I also wanted to know why Mark was so angry too.

"I-I just don't want you to mess up your life when you're already going through a storm you can't calm by yourself." Mark huffed.

They lay on the ground, breathing so deeply that I thought the oxygen was not adequate enough for the two of them.

"Why is everything about my life so hard? Everything I do, I have to work so hard." Troy whispered. "In this case, I have two problems, I took someone else's wife without knowledge, and the second being, that it was the King's wife at that too."

"What happened back at the palace then? Why aren't you guys together?" I was shocked Mark didn't know what had happened to the couple.

"Truth is... I was embarrassed," Troy turned to face Mark. It was then I realised Troy had shed some tears of pain. "I love her, but when she told me that the children I raised weren't mine but the King's I was crushed. That's when I knew she was the King's first wife-." He rubbed his tears harshly.

"She told me she was just using me to leave the palace. That night she left the palace, I couldn't figure out why he gave me that kind of bitter stare. I thought he found out about everything else." Troy sat up and ran his hand through his hair.

"It explains the whole ordeal about the children then." Mark laughed bitterly. "I never knew you went through all of that, Troy you're like a brother to me, and I'll stand with you. But standing against the King will cost us our lives. Moreover, we know what the King's father put you through, put US through." Mark comforted his companion.

"Do you still love her?" Mark spoke softly.

"...Unfortunately, Yes. I never stopped. I only let her go when I finally knew she belonged to the King." Troy constricted his emotional voice.

"What about the children?" Mark asked.

"I doubt they're the King's, they look just like me. That's what makes me doubt it all." Troy revealed.

The news was indefinitely shocking. Troy was the one Kristina left me for and my father is somewhat involved. But I truly didn't understand why Kristina was after me again and why she left Troy if she told me that she was in love with him, moreover birthed his children.

Nor could I understand why she told Troy they weren't his, when they were definitely not mine. I mean, how could I forget the numerous abortions she stated she had.

Instantaneously, Shiphrah emerged from the darkness as the men unbeknownst to them, revealed their dramatic news.

My heart raced as she focused in my direction. By reflex and sudden thrill, I hid under the rocks so that I remained secluded and unnoticed. It would be so awkward for me to be caught at this stage.